Cruel to be kind?

[SharonC]

When the garden where I work does veggies they purposely keep them very short and stocky while set them in larger pot for better root development. These thing take off like rocket when they go in the ground.
This year I grew much cooler with less top growth but the roots have been amazing. I've already hardened them off and they are budding up in nearly full sun. The leaves that have started look good but I do not yet have the lush growth like the greenhouse babies. It will be interesting to see what they do in the ground. This week I potted up 17 more plants and have more to do today. Then the next group of cuttings get started. I can't believe how many plants have already rooted.

[Harborseal]

Congratulations!

[eboone]

When the garden where I work does veggies they purposely keep them very short and stocky while set them in larger pot for better root development...

Sharon, other than keeping the light source close to the plant if under artificial lights, how do you keep them short and stocky?

[hoosierbanana]

The vegetable farmer who I have gotten addicted to figs (aka my boss) sets his greenhouse to 55-68. I would like it a little warmer for cuttings but it works OK. The extra cooling also lowers humidity and increases wind, which toughens them up even more.

[SharonC]

Maybe it's the day night differences. The greenhouse can get as low as 50 if they do not have special flowers in for a holiday but days are warm so it can get 80-85. That's really more like spring anyway. Today it was 75 but tonight it will be 36. Big wild swings of temperature.

To keep the tomatoes short they have full sun in the greenhouse, deep pots and they go out to the cravo which is cooler to slow them down. They also have a spray which helps keep them short and stocky. Mine I never bother spraying but if they get leggy I take off the bottom leaves and plant them deeper to get more root.