How to Keep Indoor Tomato Plants From Getting Leggy

In the winter, many gardeners look forward to the end of freezing temperatures and the beginning of new tomato plants. Tomato plants get a head start if seeds are sown indoors, but the lack of light and sun makes the plants weak and leggy. Leggy tomato plants stretch to get as close as possible to light, and this stretching produces a thin, fragile plant that lacks the strength to hold itself upright. If you started your tomato plant indoors, give them plenty of light to keep them strong and prevent them from getting leggy.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Put tomato plants in the sunniest window in your home. Rotate the containers once each day so each side of the tomato plant gets enough sun.

   • 2

     Set the tomato plants under grow lights or fluorescent lights if no window in your house provides enough sun. Hang the lights about 2 inches above the tomato plants. Keep the lights on for 12 hours a day if your tomato plants are overwintered. If the plants are seedlings, they need 16 hours of light per day.

   • 3

     Set a fan in front of the tomato plants and turn it on to the lowest setting. Let the fan blow on the tomato plants; this helps them develop strong roots and stems.