Some great information there Italophile. Thank you. I think maybe I've gone wrong in the past with overwatering and was doing it again. And the fertiliser.
Derbyduck, they don't have shop at our allotments but it's a good idea that maybe I should have a chat with some of the allotment holders.
I can't stress enough how inherently tough tomato plants are, forget-me-not. I think I've told the story here before about the plants I swapped with my local fruttivendolo (greengrocer). He would dig his up out of the ground - they'd probably been in the ground a couple of weeks - and jam them into a bucket with only the soil attached to their roots.
One year he gave me too many. I left two in the bucket - still with only the soil attached to their roots - and forgot all about them. They sat in full sun in temps into the 30s without water, fertiliser, anything. I came across them later in the season. They'd more than doubled in size and one had started fruiting before it died.
It's a worthwhile experiment to isolate one potted plant and give it a minimum of water and fertiliser. Just keep it alive. But make sure that the watering regime, whatever it is, is regular. Irregular watering patterns will stress a plant and could cause problems like Blossom End Rot. Compare the plant's performance against the others at the end of the season.
Wow, I didn't realise how tough they were. After 3 of my plants having about a foot chopped off and me accidentally knocking off some of the flowers, I might try what you suggest next year.
A handy tip with tomato plants. When you pot them on into bigger pots or plant them out into the garden bury a piece of banana peel beneath each root ball. Works like a charm in encouraging the formation of lots of flowers due to the phosphorous. Banana peels are 3.25% phosphorus and 42% potassium.
I do have some bananas which are looking a bit overipe. Might give it a try.
I have a Black Opal which was decapitated in the wind. It's a bit more than a foot tall now but just noticed a side shoot I missed which is a bit taller than the main shoot. Do you think I should leave it seeing as the plant isn't going to get any taller? No flowers yet.
Yes bury some small pieces just below the soil surface, but be careful not to damage any of the tomatoes roots. The banana peel rots down pretty quickly when in contact with the soil and its microbes.
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Some great information there Italophile. Thank you. I think maybe I've gone wrong in the past with overwatering and was doing it again. And the fertiliser.
Derbyduck, they don't have shop at our allotments but it's a good idea that maybe I should have a chat with some of the allotment holders.
I can't stress enough how inherently tough tomato plants are, forget-me-not. I think I've told the story here before about the plants I swapped with my local fruttivendolo (greengrocer). He would dig his up out of the ground - they'd probably been in the ground a couple of weeks - and jam them into a bucket with only the soil attached to their roots.
One year he gave me too many. I left two in the bucket - still with only the soil attached to their roots - and forgot all about them. They sat in full sun in temps into the 30s without water, fertiliser, anything. I came across them later in the season. They'd more than doubled in size and one had started fruiting before it died.
It's a worthwhile experiment to isolate one potted plant and give it a minimum of water and fertiliser. Just keep it alive. But make sure that the watering regime, whatever it is, is regular. Irregular watering patterns will stress a plant and could cause problems like Blossom End Rot. Compare the plant's performance against the others at the end of the season.
Wow, I didn't realise how tough they were. After 3 of my plants having about a foot chopped off and me accidentally knocking off some of the flowers, I might try what you suggest next year.
A handy tip with tomato plants. When you pot them on into bigger pots or plant them out into the garden bury a piece of banana peel beneath each root ball. Works like a charm in encouraging the formation of lots of flowers due to the phosphorous. Banana peels are 3.25% phosphorus and 42% potassium.
Thanks Hippophae. I'll remember that for next time. Would it help if I pushed some in to the soil now.
I've now got 3 tiny tiny tomatoes. At least I've got something.
Banana skins do contain those nutrients but I suspect the nutrients won't be available until the skins have broken down in the soil (ie, decomposed).
I do have some bananas which are looking a bit overipe. Might give it a try.
I have a Black Opal which was decapitated in the wind. It's a bit more than a foot tall now but just noticed a side shoot I missed which is a bit taller than the main shoot. Do you think I should leave it seeing as the plant isn't going to get any taller? No flowers yet.
Yes bury some small pieces just below the soil surface, but be careful not to damage any of the tomatoes roots. The banana peel rots down pretty quickly when in contact with the soil and its microbes.
The side shoot will more than likely develop into a growing tip. Wait and see what happens.
Great. Thanks both.