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Is this leafy gall or normal growth?

annakennedy7G1ycgqxwannakennedy7G1ycgqxw Posts: 8
in Problem solving
Hello, I planted some dahila last month and started them off near a window sill. Not sure if this is normal growth or leafy gall? If so should I avoid watering the plant next to others or putting it in the ground? Thanks
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I don't know about gall, but I'm afraid your plant is way too weedy to support any flowers.
    This is due to insufficient sunlight and too much warmth.

    If it were mine, I'd cut most of the stem off leaving 2 nodes (leaf pairs) where the red line is.
    This will force 4 side shoots to appear where the leaves join the stem.
    I'd also cut the stem next to it down to 1 pair of leaves.

    With the sun much stronger now they should grow more sturdily.
    Your plant needs to be outside now enjoying the sun and growing stronger.




    I hope someone can advise you re. gall - I've no experience of it

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I's grown too fast too early in too much heat and not enough light.  It might be an idea to cut it back to one (perhaps 2) pairs of leaves.  Don't think od puting it out until all risk of ftost is past.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • annakennedy7G1ycgqxwannakennedy7G1ycgqxw Posts: 8
    Thank you so much for your advice. Yes, that is probably accurate most of the prime light positions in our house are taken by our tomato and veg plants. the window is southeast facing but their position is probably too far back. 

    First-year growing Dahlia and I naively assumed any growth was a good thing, but will know better now! I don't have a greenhouse or a cold frame yet, unfortunately. I live in the Northumberland so we are still experiencing some frosts.

    I have more tubers. Would it be better not to start them off indoors and wait till the ground is warm enough to plant directly?  

  • annakennedy7G1ycgqxwannakennedy7G1ycgqxw Posts: 8
    can i transplant the bit I cut off and make a new plant? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    You could take off the very top of that long stem and use that as a cutting.

    Frosts 'should' be a thing of the past in a few weeks, so if you start your tubers off asap in suitable pots, by the time you see shoots appearing, put them outside in the sun to stop them getting lanky. Once there's about 4-6" of growth plant them out somewhere very sunny.

    I grow Bishops Children from seed - mine are only 2-3" tall atm but will soon be big plants and flower well.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    As long as the stem has not become hollow, which they do, as the plant grows, then the tip can be used to make a cutting.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • annakennedy7G1ycgqxwannakennedy7G1ycgqxw Posts: 8
    thanks so much for all the advice, I've put it outside in a shadier position for now just because they aren't used to the sun and will take it inside if there is frost forecast. 

    I'll take the top node and see if it might take, if the original plant has gall at least I'll have something!

    Sorry my lawn is a mess!

     
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited May 2023
    I'd still take the top pair of leaves off down to the node below.
    What you have now is better, but the side shoots at the top will grow fastest which may cause your plant to lean as it grows.
    Once they get under way they grow very fast.

    PS - you should see the state of my lawn! :)

    PPS - you could also use the extra bit taken off as a cutting too

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can't just leave it out though, when it's been inside all that time. Out for while each day, if the conditions are reasonable,  and in at night, until the temps are reliable.

    By reasonable conditions I mean not wild, wet and cold. It depends whereabouts you live as to how the conditions are. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    You're heading in the right direction.    I have only rarely taken cuttings.  When I have I have never deviated from the standard recommendations, which is: short cutting with bottom not being hollow, being taken close to the tuber.  But you will learn by experimenting.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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