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New seeds in mini plastic greenhouse

Debbiesharp2808Debbiesharp2808 Posts: 7
in Plants
Hi, very new to all this so please no judgement.  I'm trying for the very first time to grow my own veg from seeds (well some seed, some plants). I've just bought a mini plastic greenhouse to get the seeds, tomato plants and cucumber plants started, but I'd like to know if I roll the door up in daytime or not? How often do I water the plants./seeds?

Thank you for your patience 
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Posts

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Welcome to the forum @Debbiesharp2808 . The warm days will mean you need to open the doors during the day and close at night until the night temperatures stay above 10 to12° , usually sometime in June. In warm weather like now its water every other day, as soon as it gets hot it might by every day, but feel if the compost feels damp first before doing so. No feeding the toms till the first set of tomatoes set on the first truss. Dont forget to support if you are growing the toms tall and not bush ( the cucumbers will need support anyway)
    Hope this helps and come back if you need more info.😁

  • Debbiesharp2808Debbiesharp2808 Posts: 7
    @purplerallim thank you so much. I am so new to this it's not even funny. Just want to have a go as I have so much time on my hands atm.  Sorry for my ignorance but what is "first truss"? 
  • amy.theakstonamy.theakston Posts: 1
    Hi @Debbiesharp2808 I think everyone is getting invlved and learning new things since lockdown. The first truss is the stem which carries the flowers which then turns into your first 'branch' of tomatoes. So you basically wait until the flowers on that truss have formed little tiny green tomatoes behind them, and then start feeding.
    Hope this helps :)
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I try not to get too technical to beginners ☺ but some things slip through. As you are starting out we give little and often so you dont feel overwhelmed and enjoy the experience.  My next nugget of info would be how big are the plants and what size pots are they in, which would require a photo. 😁
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Here is a photo from last year's crop of a truss of tomatoes.  @purpleallium and @amy.theakston say to start feeding when they are little green tomatoes.  The tomatoes in my photo are more mature.  Good luck and welcome to gardening.  You'll enjoy eating the fruits of your labour!!!
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    edited May 2020
    Debbiesharp2808 said:
    @purplerallim thank you so much. I am so new to this it's not even funny. Just want to have a go as I have so much time on my hands atm.  Sorry for my ignorance but what is "first truss"? 
    We were all new once! I remember reading in a book years ago about the first truss and then to do such and such when the first flowers 'set'.

    Didn't have a clue what any of it meant.  :)
  • TenNTenN Posts: 184
    It might seem like a waste of a bottom shelf but I put a broken slab in the bottom to stop it blowing over and I've noticed that it works like a mini storage heater too.
  • Debbiesharp2808Debbiesharp2808 Posts: 7
    purplerallim said:
    I try not to get too technical to beginners ☺ but some things slip through. As you are starting out we give little and often so you dont feel overwhelmed and enjoy the experience.  My next nugget of info would be how big are the plants and what size pots are they in, which would require a photo. 😁
    I will take a photo shortly. I don't have a bottom shelf as the tomato and cucumber plants are in a growbag on the floor. Im hoping the seeds will shoot up so i can remove the shelf they sit on in order to give the tomatoes more room to grow.  I may be talking complete rubbish, so any help is so gratefully received. You guys have helped me so much already x
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @Debbiesharp2808 - ideally, it's best to tie these greenhouses onto a fence or wall.
    They have a habit of taking off when it's windy  ;)
    If it's very sheltered where you are, it's a bit easier. 
    A good method for supports  is to have a cane or similar across the top of the growhouse [ on the frame, left to right] and you can then use string to wind the tomatoes round as they grow. You put the string down and under the plants when they go in the final position, and then just tie the other end to the frame. The weight of the plant and the compost holds it in place.
    Alternatively, you can push canes through the bag into the ground below for support. It's a good idea to still secure the tops though  :)

    How big are your plants? It's quite early for them to be outdoors unless they're already well acclimatised and a decent size. I know you have them undercover, but those little plastic jobs heat up a huge amount, and then get very cold at night. That's what stalls them. As @purplerallim says, the night time temps need to be high enough. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Debbiesharp2808Debbiesharp2808 Posts: 7
    Debbiesharp2808 said:
    purplerallim said:
    I try not to get too technical to beginners ☺ but some things slip through. As you are starting out we give little and often so you dont feel overwhelmed and enjoy the experience.  My next nugget of info would be how big are the plants and what size pots are they in, which would require a photo. 😁
    I will take a photo shortly. I don't have a bottom shelf as the tomato and cucumber plants are in a growbag on the floor. Im hoping the seeds will shoot up so i can remove the shelf they sit on in order to give the tomatoes more room to grow.  I may be talking complete rubbish, so any help is so gratefully received. You guys have helped me so much already x

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