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Potting on

Jamie DJayJamie DJay Posts: 62
in Fruit & veg
morning all... I bought a few tomato plants a couple of weeks back, I was instructed by the lady in the gardening centre to plant out towards the end of May when it heats up a little. The was the plan until I realised a hell of a lot of root was bedding into the kitchen roll the pots were sitting on and the plants themselves were huge and flowering. So today I decided I’ll pot them on into bigger plant pots (was going to originally plant them in raised beds) but 2 of the 3 look pretty sad, the leaves are ‘light’ in weight and curled and droopy. I watered them in very well and had the in the garden for about an hour whilst I was pottering around in the shed. They are now by the garden doors where I get sunlight near enough all day. Will my plants perk up? Is there anything I can do?

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    What size are the plants and the pots? They should probably have been potted on into bigger pots when you got them. Anything still available in GCs in May, will probably have been short of nutrients . I'm not sure why you had them sitting on kitchen roll either. They don't appreciate sitting in damp soil/compost all the time. They need to be left to dry out a bit between waterings.
    It's still quite cool in many areas, even for putting out during the day, and any wind or rain will affect the foliage, so that can damage them. They still need protected from the elements. In colder areas they need to be indoors.
    They need decent over night temps more than anything - double figures for a good length of time. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jamie DJayJamie DJay Posts: 62
    @Fairygirl I’m new to the whole gardening thing so I asked the questions and followed what I was told, they said to keep them in the same pots until the end of the month then plant out but as I say they’re too big for to keep in them pots any longer. Since my first post they have perked up a bit, maybe they were a little thirsty. My house is always warm so double figures isn’t an issue 
  • Jamie DJayJamie DJay Posts: 62

  • Jamie DJayJamie DJay Posts: 62

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Those pots are fine, and the plants are too. They can stay in them no problem, even if they weren't being planted out. The soil level is a bit low, but other than that, they look fine.
    They'll need proper supports when you plant them out - full sized canes or similar -and you can tie the main stems in to that. The little canes in with them just now won't be enough, but you can tie them in just now with a bit of soft string, so that they don't break if they get a bit big   :)
    They need proper saucers or dishes of some kind under them though. Any excess water can then drain out. The warmer and sunnier it is, the more quickly they'll dry out, but in containers that size, it won't happen too quickly.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jamie DJayJamie DJay Posts: 62
    @Fairygirl thank you, yeah those sticks are all I have for now, they were leaning a bit when I put them in so I supported the best I could for now, I’ll pop out and get some proper 1s during the week... hopefully I should get a half decent crop out of these
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