Mizzli, it's good advice about the warmth rising. Temps in the mid-20sC outside can translate to high-30sC inside those plastic greenhouses even well ventilated.
Greenp12 - thanks for the tip! I will certainly try that. I'm planning a visit to the garden centre this weekend so will look for some alongside my greenhouse!
Quick update, finally got round to getting the two tier growhouse for the balcony:
I've moved my tomatoes, strawberries, rosemary, chives and parsley outside. I hope they won't get 'shock' from being transported to colder temps outside (will be around 7 -10 degrees this week at night). I'm puzzled how they can get enough sunlight as the greenhouse, is green? Surely it should be clear?
The mint I have split into two pots about a week ago, left one outside and here's the result:
The other pot, I've left indoors by the windowsill:
For some reason this plant has been growing better than the one outside? *puzzled* I hope the one outside isn't suffering from shock?
I repotted our tomatoes in a bigger pot (pic below) - there's no overcrowding of the roots but it's gone all floppy (stalk and leaves) - we will get some sticks to support it but is it ok?
I am to find some French/African Marigolds this week to put with the plants which will act as a pest deterrent too! Almost there!!
The tom looks healthy. Is that one plant in the pot or more than one? And what's the variety? It looks like an indeterminate, one that will grow a lot taller than the greenhouse will allow.
Thanks, its stalk and leaves are super flimsy though, it looks like it's on the verge of turning into mush.
There is actually more than one plant in that pot - again we made the mistake of emptying (following written instructions from manufacturer) the whole packet of seeds into the pot provided with the pack. So I'm guessing I have to split those too?
Nice greenhouse,Mizzli,make sure that you have heavy plants at the bottom and lighter plants higher up,I know from my Mum,s experience that these things can easily blow over in high winds,especially when the front flap is open.
If it is a normal tomato, not one specially for hanging baskets, there will have to be one plant per largish pot and it should be on the ground with a stake or tomato pole to attach it to. When re-potting a tomato you can bury the bottom of the stem, an inch or two, in the compost and it will make more roots.
The long straggly stems of the mint should be pruned to encourage more growth from the bottom. As I said before, when you use it you cut the top of the stem of which will stop it flowering too soon and make it produce sideshoots. Don't just pick off single leaves.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Mizzli, separate the tomato plants into different pots. I found a way to magnify the photo so I've had a closer look at them now. They're definitely going to outgrow that greenhouse so they will have to end up outside.
If the instructions told you to plant all the tomato seeds in one pot they're insane.
They're floppy and the stems are weak (and pale-looking from what I can see) for two reasons: the plants' roots competing with each other for space and nutrients in the one pot, and probably a lack of light earlier in their lives.
Here's what I'd do. For however many tom plants there are, buy pots of at least 30cm diameter. Fill them with top quality potting mix. Take the plants out of the current pot and separate the roots. You don't have to do it surgically, just try not to break too many of them.
Then use a pair of scissors to remove all the branches and foliage from the bottom to at least two-thirds of the way up the plants. Nip them off close to the stem. Effectively leave only the canopy at the top.
We don't know the variety but they sure as heck look like an indeterminate to me, meaning they could grow to 5' or more. Get some tomato stakes from your garden centre and, one per pot, push them down into the mix in the new pots until you hit the bottom.
Create deep holes in the mix adjacent to the stakes and bury the plants as deeply as you can. The canopies should be virtually sitting on top of the mix. All of the stem that is buried in the mix will turn into root structure. Pack the mix down very well around the plants and the stakes. And water.
Leave them outside during the day in a place where they will get as much sun as possible. This is the most important thing. Even if it means moving the pots around a bit during the day to maximise the sun exposure.
They're not going to fit back into the greenhouse and you can't take them back inside at night. If the overnight temps stay around 7-10C, get some garden fleece from your garden centre and double-wrap the plants in late-afternoon or early evening as the temp starts to drop. Once the overnight temps get into comfortable double figures you can do away with the fleece.
Don't overwater them. Permanently wet roots will damage a tomato plant. Let the mix dry out to a large extent before watering again. And don't overfertilise them. A feed of commercial tomato fertiliser every 10 days or so will suffice.
Posts
Mizzli, it's good advice about the warmth rising. Temps in the mid-20sC outside can translate to high-30sC inside those plastic greenhouses even well ventilated.
Hi Mizzli,
if you are having trouble with green/white/black fly then plant french/African/pot marrigolds around they should keep your plants free of flies
Hi all, thanks again for your advice.
Greenp12 - thanks for the tip! I will certainly try that. I'm planning a visit to the garden centre this weekend so will look for some alongside my greenhouse!
Hello everybody,
Quick update, finally got round to getting the two tier growhouse for the balcony:
I've moved my tomatoes, strawberries, rosemary, chives and parsley outside. I hope they won't get 'shock' from being transported to colder temps outside (will be around 7 -10 degrees this week at night). I'm puzzled how they can get enough sunlight as the greenhouse, is green? Surely it should be clear?
The mint I have split into two pots about a week ago, left one outside and here's the result:
The other pot, I've left indoors by the windowsill:
For some reason this plant has been growing better than the one outside? *puzzled* I hope the one outside isn't suffering from shock?
I repotted our tomatoes in a bigger pot (pic below) - there's no overcrowding of the roots but it's gone all floppy (stalk and leaves) - we will get some sticks to support it but is it ok?
I am to find some French/African Marigolds this week to put with the plants which will act as a pest deterrent too! Almost there!!
Thanks again for all your advice so far!
The tom looks healthy. Is that one plant in the pot or more than one? And what's the variety? It looks like an indeterminate, one that will grow a lot taller than the greenhouse will allow.
Hi italophile,
Thanks, its stalk and leaves are super flimsy though, it looks like it's on the verge of turning into mush.
There is actually more than one plant in that pot - again we made the mistake of emptying (following written instructions from manufacturer) the whole packet of seeds into the pot provided with the pack. So I'm guessing I have to split those too?
I'm not sure what type it is.
Applemint spearmint and limemint
Nice greenhouse,Mizzli,make sure that you have heavy plants at the bottom and lighter plants higher up,I know from my Mum,s experience that these things can easily blow over in high winds,especially when the front flap is open.
If it is a normal tomato, not one specially for hanging baskets, there will have to be one plant per largish pot and it should be on the ground with a stake or tomato pole to attach it to. When re-potting a tomato you can bury the bottom of the stem, an inch or two, in the compost and it will make more roots.
The long straggly stems of the mint should be pruned to encourage more growth from the bottom. As I said before, when you use it you cut the top of the stem of which will stop it flowering too soon and make it produce sideshoots. Don't just pick off single leaves.
Mizzli, separate the tomato plants into different pots. I found a way to magnify the photo so I've had a closer look at them now. They're definitely going to outgrow that greenhouse so they will have to end up outside.
If the instructions told you to plant all the tomato seeds in one pot they're insane.
They're floppy and the stems are weak (and pale-looking from what I can see) for two reasons: the plants' roots competing with each other for space and nutrients in the one pot, and probably a lack of light earlier in their lives.
Here's what I'd do. For however many tom plants there are, buy pots of at least 30cm diameter. Fill them with top quality potting mix. Take the plants out of the current pot and separate the roots. You don't have to do it surgically, just try not to break too many of them.
Then use a pair of scissors to remove all the branches and foliage from the bottom to at least two-thirds of the way up the plants. Nip them off close to the stem. Effectively leave only the canopy at the top.
We don't know the variety but they sure as heck look like an indeterminate to me, meaning they could grow to 5' or more. Get some tomato stakes from your garden centre and, one per pot, push them down into the mix in the new pots until you hit the bottom.
Create deep holes in the mix adjacent to the stakes and bury the plants as deeply as you can. The canopies should be virtually sitting on top of the mix. All of the stem that is buried in the mix will turn into root structure. Pack the mix down very well around the plants and the stakes. And water.
Leave them outside during the day in a place where they will get as much sun as possible. This is the most important thing. Even if it means moving the pots around a bit during the day to maximise the sun exposure.
They're not going to fit back into the greenhouse and you can't take them back inside at night. If the overnight temps stay around 7-10C, get some garden fleece from your garden centre and double-wrap the plants in late-afternoon or early evening as the temp starts to drop. Once the overnight temps get into comfortable double figures you can do away with the fleece.
Don't overwater them. Permanently wet roots will damage a tomato plant. Let the mix dry out to a large extent before watering again. And don't overfertilise them. A feed of commercial tomato fertiliser every 10 days or so will suffice.
Sorry about the long post! Let's know how you go.