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tomatoes

i am going away for a week would  be ok to leave my tomatoes sitting in bucked of water so they dont dry out might seem like a silly question but i asked my son to water them last year he forgot  i lost the lot i came back to a very sad site image

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Posts

  • Chillies:)Chillies:) Posts: 6

    Don't think tomatoes like being too wet. Maybe if you water them and leave them in stud shade So they don't dry out.

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    forgetmenot, you'll do more harm than good leaving them sitting in water. What are your daytime temps like? If they're only moderate, water them before you leave and they will cope for a week in a shaded spot.

  • thanks  for your help i have them in doors should i put them out  i am in Ireland  the temp goes up and down like a yoyo image

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    The temps are the important thing, forgetmenot. If they're indoors in a sunny window, say, they will dry out quicker because they will get pretty warm from both the sun and the room itself. Any temps of double figures outside during the day would be fine. What sort of overnight lows are you getting?

  • Thanks ltalo it drops till between 6° to 12° and we are getting a lot of rain at min 

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Okay. Check the forecast ahead. Unless they're absolute babies, they will cope down to 6C overnight as long as it's not every night. They would handle 10C overnight comfortably. Put them somewhere protected from the rain. If the forecast ahead looks reasonable, I'd start leaving them outside before you go - a bit later every day - in order to get them acclimatised to the change of conditions.

  • great will try that starting today its 9° and raining when i get them out should i leave them out when i come back i have usely just grown them in doors i am doing better with my potatoes this year they are popping up with all he rain have to keep an out for slugs ect they ate all my french beans lasts yaer but i wont be give up image

     

     

     

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Put it this way, toms will grow outdoors with daytime temps of roughly 17C+ in full sun for at least 6-8 hours a day. They will still survive happily outdoors at lower daytime temps but will take a lot longer. The ideal is mid-20sC and higher. Again, in full sun for at least 6-8 hours a day. Overnight temps for outdoor toms need to be at least 15C to develop properly. Toms actually do a lot of their growing overnight. Again, they will cope with less, but take a lot longer.

    I don't know when you're going away but, till you do, leave them out all day (protected if there's rain.) Barring any sudden massive drops in temperature, every couple of days add a couple of hours to their stay outside. It's called "hardening off", getting them gradually acclimatised to the new conditions.

    Potatoes? Some English friends brought me over two first early varieties and a second early variety. We've had rain and warmth and the plants are climbing out of the ground.

  •  italo thanks again going for 3 days next week then 2weeks in june  they sould be ok to put out by then do you think they would be ok in the shade for the 3 days 

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    They'll be absolutely fine for three days, forgetmenot. Toms are very sturdy plants, even when young. There's a widespread tendency to mollycoddle them with overwatering and overfeeding and they just don't need it.

    I remember your problem with your forgetful son from last year. For the two weeks in June you might need either to get him to keep an eye on them under threat of severe punishment or even ask a neighbour.

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