It ’s merriment to enjoy tomatoes that you have grown in your own garden . But it can be frustrating when you see that your tomatoes are not mature as they should .

Your tomato are raise dull because they are not getting the required nutrient . The tomatoes develop slow because they do n’t invite the require sunlight of at least 6 to 8 hour . You involve to ply fertiliser and the required direct sunlight to the tomato plant plant .

Several other reasons can stimulate your tomatoes to develop slowly and I ’ve list them below . I ’ll also help you figure out what to do when your plant faces one of these issue .

Ants farming aphids on my pepper plants

Ants farming aphids on my pepper plants

1.Lack of Sunlight

If the tomato flora gets less sunlight than it postulate , the tomatoes will not mature as fast as they should .

industrial plant involve sunlight to grow . Tomato plants , in particular , will flourish in sunshine . The fair varietyneeds at least six hours of sunlightper day to farm . However , eight or more 60 minutes will give you dependable issue and more Lycopersicon esculentum .

Like any other plant life , tomato plant take in the sunlight and win over it to vim . They need that vim to produce fruit , just like you need a loving cup of coffee in the morning to fill in your job and activities for the daylight ! The more sunlight they have , the faster and more generative the plant will grow . You should note , though , that tomatoes do n’t need sunlight to ripen .

You should check the reason your Lycopersicon esculentum plant life is not getting the require sunlight . If something is block the light such as tree branches or tall plants , you need to cut back them .

If the problem is due to a bulwark or a fence , you ’ll need to move the plant to another location that gets in force sun .

2.Overwatering

nurseryman , both new and advanced , often overwater their plant . It ’s a plebeian reason of slow works ontogenesis for tomatoes , even if the tomato plant are well - established . You might think that you ’re doing your plants a favour by giving them plenty of water , but it can get dense growth .

filth saturate with water does n’t ply any melody circulation for the works . Eventually , without air , the roots moulder or are n’t able to absorb water any longer .

To avoidoverwatering , ensure to control the weather condition for rainfall and do n’t pee when it rains . Additionally , water your plants less often with deeper soaks rather of watering them every solar day with little weewee .

I recommend checking the soil before you consider about water your love apple works . cling your finger 1 - 2 inches in the territory and feel the wet . Only irrigate the grime if the tip of your finger’s breadth issue forth out dry .

If the plant is already suffer from overwatering , permit the soil dry out out and do n’t irrigate the flora till it recovers . Check the roots for sign of root rot . If that has affected the plant , you postulate to take it out of the soil and cut off the diseased roots .

Then transplant the tomato plant life to another location in the garden with good soil that is ironic and has skilful drain .

3.Underwatering

The roots of a love apple plant get a match of foot down into the ground . They need enough water system so that it reaches the end of those ascendent . If you ’re mark that your plants have wilt leafage , icteric leaves , or ironical soil , and they are n’t grow very fast or grandiloquent , then you might be underwatering them .

If you ever think your industrial plant might not have enough water , you may check the soil . Use your fingers to jab through the ground and feel a couple of inches down . If it ’s moist , do n’t add water . But if it feels dry , you could add water .

If you do n’t have thetime to irrigate the Lycopersicon esculentum plantor seem to forget , you’re able to employ drip irrigation or a soaker hose with a timekeeper scheme .

You need to define it up once around your tomato plants . The scheme will slow drip the need amount of piddle and make it available to the plant as and when it needs it .

Lack of Heat

When temperature get cold , tomato plants can not produce as much energy as when the temperature is warm . Anything below 55 degrees Fahrenheit will slow down down your plant ’s growth .

It would be good if you keep tomato seed at temperaturesbetween 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit . Although you ca n’t command the weather conditions , you’re able to help out your tomato plant .

you may protect seeds with a heating plant matte while they germinate . young tomatoes out in the garden will do good from a cloche , which protects them from cold temperatures .

Also , if you have more ripe plants , you’re able to apply mulch or a row cover to protect them . If you start your plants at heart , it ’s dependable practice to keep them indoors until the risk of frost pass away your area .

ensure you’regrowing the tomato works when the temperature are lovesome enoughin your garden . begin growing the tomato plant outdoors a few week after the last freeze date of your area .

4.Poor Soil Conditions

A healthy plant begin with healthy soil . Any slight change or imperfection in the territory where your plants are growing can result in slow - originate Lycopersicon esculentum . There are a few factors that can help your territory become perfect for your plant :

5.Lack of Nutrients

A lack of nutrient can induce love apple plant to grow at a dull rate . An indicator of a deficiency in nutrients is usuallyyellow leave of absence . Just like with the pH , a territory test can recount you what your plants are lacking .

Often , one of the nutrients the soil lack most is nitrogen . However , other nutrients may be lack , including atomic number 20 , iron , P , potassium , and atomic number 12 .

If you ’re into compost , examine adding nutrient - plentiful permissive waste to your compost — constitutional matterfrom eggshells to tea leavescan add the missing factor and make a healthier environment for your tomatoes .

Of course , overcorrection can also be an issue . Be thrifty when lend nutrients that you do n’t go over the limit , because too many nutrient can also cause stunted industrial plant growth . Soil examination can aid you keep lozenge on your soil ’s health and adjust your horticulture to meet its needs .

6.Lack of Growing Space

Lycopersicon esculentum plants need space . Depending on the variety , a Lycopersicon esculentum plant life can develop anywhere from a span of feet tall all the way up to 12 feet marvelous ! They need plenty of room to grow , both horizontally and vertically .

When choose your Lycopersicon esculentum plants , explore their maturity date levels and maximum height . compromise on space will induce them to spring up more slow because they vie with each other for food .

There will be a limited supply of nutrients , wet , and oxygen for the tomato plant rootage when they produce too unaired to each other .

7.Pests and Diseases

Pests and disease may be holding yourtomato plants back from their full voltage . mutual tomato pests admit aphid , slugs , whitefly , snails , tomato hornworms , and flea beetles .

Each pest has its own method of being remove , so if you notice any of these , do your research and avoid chemical pesticides when possible .

Your tomato plants can get infected with disease such as blight , bacterial folio - spot , dampen - off , and various kinds of wilting .

The best manner to prevent fungal diseases is to keep your tomato plants away from humid conditions . Avoid slush urine on the foliage . Make indisputable the plants are well - space and have slew of airflow through the leafage .

If the plant is suffering from a disease , you require to clip the infected parts as presently as potential to serve the plant life recover .

If the tomato plant plant life is suffering from a bacterial or viral infection , you’re able to only slow down down the job but eventually , the plant will die and you need to toss out of it .

8.Transplant Shock

Another reason why your tomatoes are growing so slowly could be because of transplant shock . Most gardeners will start their Lycopersicon esculentum plants indoors from seed or purchase small tomato plant from a greenhouse . Those plants were once in constant fond , indoor air and plenty of light .

transplant them immediately to the cold , hard ground without acclimation to the outdoors shocks them , and therefore , their development rate declines .

I recommend you harden the tomato plant plant orseedlingbefore you move it to your garden alfresco . You need to keep the plant outside for a few hours every day . ensure the plant stays out of direct sunlight , wind , or rain during this metre . After a few hours , bring the tomato plant back indoors .

Keep doing this for a workweek and the tomato plant will have harden to the outdoor consideration . you could now transplant it to your garden and it will not put up from the stress of transplanting as much .

Evelyn Long is a independent writer and the editor program - in - tribal chief ofRenovated . She put out home improvement and gardening advice for homeowners at every experience spirit level .

Fact control , Written , and Published by Kevin Rodrigues

Kevin is the laminitis of Gardening Mentor , a internet site that aims to instruct people to grow their own solid food in a special blank . As a self - learn gardener , Kevin has spent several year growing plants and creating gardening subject matter on the website . He is certify in Home Horticulture and Organic Gardening from Oregon State University . He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening from Mumbai University . learn more