No More Spindly Plants!
Lester C. Fretz
Growing vegetable plants indoors has some limitations which can easily be overcome. Probably growing one’s own tomato plants indoors is most common. With limited indoor lighting, preventing the plants from becoming spindly is a challenge, however it’s easy to prevent.
The accompanying photo illustrates how vigorous plants can be grown indoors. The paper cup has been cut away solely to illustrate an easy and creative way to grow plants which will not be spindly. In addition, this method also produces a much better root system than the plants one normally buys.
The cut-away shows how about an 3 cm. of soil is placed in the bottom of a cup. A seed is then sown in the top 1 cm of the moist soil and then placed in a warm, well lit location. The third week of March is a good time to do this.
As the seedling grows, keep adding soil up to its lower leaves. This will not only keep the plant strong and sturdy but it will also induce roots along its entire stem.
As soil is added, compacting will make the removal of the rooted plant from its “pot” more suitable for transplanting. Carefully remove the cup and place the plant and soil into a hole of comparable depth. Remember also to put a handful of crushed egg shells in the hole to prevent blossom end rot while watering with a high phosphorous soluble fertilizer.