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1st time growing tomate & courgette

swampguinnieswampguinnie Posts: 28
in Problem solving
Hi all,

This is my first time growing anything and I'm suspicious that a problem is starting. 

I put my plants in the greenhouse recently,  its heated and so stays above 10 degrees at night.

I build a raised bed on the concrete floor, bases covered with 2" of gravel and the about 9" of newly purchased Tommy topsoil veg mix.

It just seems that the leaves are starting to yellow and I'm worried.

The courgette was looking a little wilted the other day after a light watering and so I gave it a better drink and it perked up.

The morning after I thought everything must be suffering if the courgette was thirsty so I gave the whole bed a good soaking.

Now I'm not sure if the yellowing is after the watering or I've only just noticed it. However, it does look like it's the start of a problem. 

Am I worried for no need or could there be a problem.

I'd really appreciate someone looking ar the pictures. 
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    What's the drainage like?  If it's just solid concrete underneath it might not be draining very well and could be too wet in the lower part of the planter even if it feels OK at the top.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • swampguinnieswampguinnie Posts: 28
    Thanks for replying Jenny, 

    The concrete under my raised bed is solid so no drainage, I was under the presumption that when the water hit the gravel layer at the bottom of the planter, that it would seep out under the timber frame. Which it does eventually, the moisture can just about be seen leaking out.

    Do you think that could still be draining too slowly or just not draining enough?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Impossible to tell without digging down and seeing/feeling how wet it is.  But be careful not to overwater, particularly while the plants are young.  They'll take up a lot more water when they've grown more.
    The plants may just be settling in, in which case nothing to worry about. They look fine in the pictures.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Just a couple of other points, that courgette is going to grow very big, it could fill that trough on its own, can you find a space outside for it. It’s also got male flowers on it, you can pick those off so that the goodness stays in the plant for a while rather than feeding flowers that won’t bear fruit.
    i have a bed like yours in the GH I grow 5 tomato plants only in it. 

    Also, what tomatoes are you growing, do you know if you have to pick the side shoots out or not? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • swampguinnieswampguinnie Posts: 28
    edited April 2019
    Hi Lyn,

    I could plant it outside I suppose. I thought it would be better off in the greenhouse. It is a Romanesco.
    Should it go outside May when the frost risk has passed and leave it where it is for now? Also, shall I pick out the flowers as soon as they appear?

    I am growing 2 San Marzano & 2 Red Currant Tomato. Yes I believe I do need to nip the side shoots out, although I read somewhere that the first set could be left.
  • swampguinnieswampguinnie Posts: 28
    edited April 2019
    JennyJ said:
    Impossible to tell without digging down and seeing/feeling how wet it is.  But be careful not to overwater, particularly while the plants are young.  They'll take up a lot more water when they've grown more.
    The plants may just be settling in, in which case nothing to worry about. They look fine in the pictures.
    OK, thanks Jenny, I tried a moisture (and ph) tester but it was possibly poor quality, it either said medium moisture or when I was pushing it in, it spiked to say full on soaking. 

    So if I dig down to low soil, is there a moisture I should be looking/feeling for and at what depth from the base please?
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I take all the side shoots off but perhaps that’s just me,
    the courgette can go out once the frost are over, I would plant out in May, we’re almost there.
      Most of the first flowers are males, you can easily see which is which, that one sticking out on the right of your close up picture is a male, the females have a definite bulge underneath the flower,  so if it’s just a flower on a thin stalk, nip it out.  Once they’ve grown on a bit it doesn’t matter so much.  You’ll need some to pollinate the females, the bees will do that for you.
    😊When it gets going you’ll have more than you know what to do with,  I use them in cakes, don’t peel, just grate, lovely. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Romanesco is a great courgette and absolutely the best to cook and eat but it does grow pretty big ... I plant mine outside in the veg garden under a plastic minitunnel
    between the mid to end of May and remove the protection around mid June, depending on the weather of course. 
    They’re pretty thirsty plants. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • swampguinnieswampguinnie Posts: 28
    Thanks Dove, and do you think it will be ok left where it is and then re-homed in a month to 6 weeks?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2019
    I would lift it now and replant it in a pot which has plenty of room for the roots ... you may well need to pot it on again at least once more ... then when you plant it out you can dig a good sized hole and take the plant and it’s rootball and pop it straight in the hole and with any luck the plant will hardly notice the change. 
    If you leave it where it is now the roots will start to spread through the bed and any attempt to transplant it in six weeks  will result in root damage and shock the plant. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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