Talkback: Planting out tomatoes - Talkback

oldchippy

18/05/2012 at 15:52

Hi Kate that's a gardeners tale woe if ever I heard one.The weather has been so unpredictable this year, let's hope it recover's soon.

Oldchippy.

Kevin Smith2

18/05/2012 at 16:53

I've got exactly the same problem here. Windowsills full of lanky, soft plants that are slowing being attacked by aphids.

happymarion

18/05/2012 at 17:06

Ah, so that's why my tomato plants went like hotcakes at my Open Day, even after the organiser insisted I put the price up from 30p to 50p! Hard luck, Kate. Perhaps some good friend who lives near can give you some plants?

Nigel Smith

18/05/2012 at 17:20

My greenhouse is bursting at the seams waiting for Mr Sunshine x

figrat

18/05/2012 at 17:22

I have made a decision to live dangerously tomorrow. I'm going to plant out my courgettes. I've had cloches over their allocated slots for about 6 weeks, and they've spent a few days outside, but are looking a bit bored in their little pots. 5 day Forecast here on southern edge of Dartmoor is for night temperatures no lower than 10C. Dwarf French beans planted out about a month ago are fine, (though have been under cloches every night, and during the day when it has been unspeakably vile). Broad beans which I sowed direct in Feb ( under cloche cover) have been exposed to the elements for a month, and are just showing flower buds. Might plant out runners and climbing French beans too. Not risking the tomatoes though.

Evilstampywoman

18/05/2012 at 18:12

Here in south bucks I have planted out squash, runner beans and broad beans - all doing fine. All of them were sown in the green house, if I sow direct into the ground the mice eat the seeds. Mark you they still ate some seeds from the pots in the greenhouse. They bit off the 2in growth and either ate the seed or re-buried it in another pot. I had a broad bean in an auricular pot!

figrat

18/05/2012 at 18:23

That's encouraging Evilstampywoman! Have you had to give them any extra protection?

Chalkweed

18/05/2012 at 19:46

Have to admit, I've taken to sowing my toms & peppers (in a propagator) relatively late, i.e. mid-April, then housing them in the greenhouse till the end of May (I grow lots for a village plant sale). BUT this year, they've not grown strongly and are so TINY, I may only be able to charge 25p per plant, which could really impact on the amount we raise for charity - pooh!

woody3

18/05/2012 at 21:00

I have nt seen any aphids yet, but have lots of ladybirds, I wonder if that means we are going to have lots of aphids. I ve planted 2 tomatoe plants outside in a container with a cloche over it. Fingers crossed. Kathleen Woodward

sweetpea7

18/05/2012 at 21:14

I live in Shropshire and the overnight temp is going to be 7 degrees...is that too cold to leave my tumbling toms out?

figrat

18/05/2012 at 21:34

Have you been hardening them off at all?

Strewberry

18/05/2012 at 21:41

Well here near Guildford in the south ...most of our garden is planted out .Only sweetcorn left .95 % of my bedding plants are out and the rest is going out in the morning. Its going to rain on Sunday but getting dry from Monday.That would help them to settle in and I would not have to water until Wed.

figrat

18/05/2012 at 21:44

Go for it!

Italophile

19/05/2012 at 07:40

sweetpea7 wrote (see)

I live in Shropshire and the overnight temp is going to be 7 degrees...is that too cold to leave my tumbling toms out?

I answered your other thread, sweetpea. In short, 7 degrees overnight won't hurt them, but nor will it do them much good except in terms of hardening-off. Any less than 7 degrees and they're better off inside.

Maud is in the garden

19/05/2012 at 12:07

Sunshine today so going to take the plunge and plant out the rest of my plants at the allotment. Have got sweetcorn, courgettes, beans and butternut squash. Might wait a few more days before the tomatoes go out there. The chap who has the plot next to me ( a well seasoned gardener) put his toms out about 6 weeks ago, needless to say all he has are stalks. Much too cold for the plants and me.

ANNIE14

19/05/2012 at 21:55

Windowsill full of various plants, getting very leggy, but will all come good eventually.The weather has to warm up soon doesnt it....?

Karen7

21/05/2012 at 13:27

My tomatoes and peppers have been in an unheated greenhouse for the last week and i have to keep potting them up so that they become pot bound. They are a little behind growth wise, but are hanging on in there for some warmer weather. My aubergines are looking rather sorry for themselves though. This last week I have planted out my cougettes and young peas, but its all been with some fleece protection.(Yorkshire)

Gard

21/05/2012 at 16:22

Like everyone else, I have been waiting patiently for the weather to improve to plant out the best of the several trays of tomato plants (various varieties - grown from seed) as well as peppers, other plants and flowers - all now getting long and leggy in the house.

Just over two weeks ago I took a chance and planted out four tomatoes, three peppers and a cucumber in the borders of my unheated greenhouse (with those still in the house as backup), as well as basil and french marigolds. During that time my max/min thermometer has varied between 111 / 39 degrees fahrenheit, and the only problems that I am having are that some of the lower leaves on one tomato and two pepper plants have gone pale and almost transluscent.The rest of the effected and remaining plants look in good health. As the weather outlook for the rest of the week looks excellent, I'm going to crack on with pots and hanging baskets. (Wirral)

Bookertoo

21/05/2012 at 16:48

Beans, climbing french and broad out, look ok but not much growth, cold and dark here as ever, courgettes out, some growth but not much - everything else struggling for light in the greenhouse or cold frame. They will have to go out, bar the tomatoes which I grow inside anyway, as they are all just outgrowing their pots, the greenhouse and frame, and are getting some mildew due to overcroweded conditions. Keep fingers crossed for some light ................

Reluctant Gardener

23/05/2012 at 22:54

Good to hear I'm not alone! My tomato plants are going down like flies - sixI put in the cold frame a few weeks back got too cold and developed purply leaves and refused to grow. I've now had to chuck those. With the other dozen first slugs got into the cold frame and ate off lots of the leaves (I didn't think slugs liked tommies!) and now over the last few days of sun, despite leaving the cold frame open, the sun has scorched the leaves on 3 of them. That leaves six still looking relatively chipper... HANG ON IN THERE TOMMIES!

http://www.mandysutter.com/reluctant-gardener-day-600-compost-complications/