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Jonesk
Posts: 205
in Fruit & veg
I've just potted on my chilli and tomato plants. Both seem to be going well and the chilli's have started to develop their first flower buds. I've heard to start feeding 'when the first fruit's set' what does that mean? Why is it a bad idea to start feeding them now?
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Jones; with chillies and tomatoes you have to treat them mean to keep them keen.
Feed them too early and they'll produce lush free growth but no fruit / veg.
If they think they are on the verge of dying however they put all their efforts into their offspring and survival of their kind (cue lots of flowers to be pollinated).
I agree with Clari
And for your other query ... when the first fruit's set means when the first truss (bunch) of flowers have been pollinated and you can see tiny green tomatoes where the flowers used to be.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yup, Dove has it right.
It's worth remembering that proprietary composts contain fertiliser and are usually adequate for around six weeks growth.
Jonesk, your plants looks very healthy and matured, how early did you sow the seeds and are they in a greenhouse or indoor? Any tips will help please.
I sowed the chilli seeds end of January. They took a while to germinate and have been on a south facing windowsill in the morning and a west facing conservatory for the rest of the day so they get maximum light and warmth.
The tomatoes were planted 3 weeks ago. They get pretty much the same treatment. In a few weeks when the tomato plants are getting really big I place them outdoors during the day and bring them in at night before planting out permenantly.
I used standard MPC for all the sowings/potting on. I've just sown some more tomatoes for friends that I expect to catch up pretty quickly so not too late ?
Last edited: 07 April 2017 09:40:52
That makes sense, I sowed mine beginning of March, they germinated within 10 days, but now slow growing at least to me.
I just leave them on the kitchen windowsill which is south facing.
Do you feed them at all?
Not yet, but I guess the MPC would have had nutrients in. It was wyevale own label MPC. Chilis are slow growing. End of Jan seems optimum sowing time for me.