May i say hello and ask for some advice on my toms?

LivvyW · « **on:** March 28, 2008, 22:38 »

Hello Allotment and Vegetable Gardening posters,

Delighted to have found this site through searching info on our latest venture... chooks.

A couple of years into the veg plot, and this year i'm way ahead of ever before. But am i too far ahead.?

It's cold here, and wet. but this is where i am. Everything except the chillies are up.

Indoors:
Toms, Peppers, Aubergines and chillies all started in the heated propogator.

First and second earlies chitted, and waiting for a half decent dry day.

In the unheated greenhouse
Mange Tout, Peas, leeks, rocket, lettuce, sweet pea(o/w), parsnips (pre-germ inside by the range and then planted into toilet roll inners) radish, black kale, nastutiums, poppies, poached egg plant.

Sorry, the question is, the toms i started on the 20th Feb, against advice on another forum, they are now about 4" tall and on the windowsill, there is a fair amount of leaf growth, but i'd love to compare them with someone who know's what they are doing! Are they too spindly? Any chance you could post pics of you toms indoors, with dates of when planted?

Thanks in advance.

noshed · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2008, 22:42 »

If you show us yours, we'll show you ours...
But mine are about 2" in my plastic greenhouse on the balcony, if that helps at all.

LivvyW · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2008, 22:52 »

Thanks Noshed

I potted on my seedling into 3" pots and the seed leaves were almost touching soil, but now they are 1" above and the next leaves are 1-2" above again.

Are my toms leggy??

noshed · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2008, 23:07 »

Not sure without a picture but the more light you can give them the better. If they are they will recover when you plant them into the final position. You were right to plant them as deeply as possible, they will be stronger for that.

LivvyW · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2008, 23:10 »

I read i shouldn't put them in direct sunlight. True or fales?

sharky · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2008, 02:31 »

Quote from: "LivvyW"

I read i shouldn't put them in direct sunlight. True or fales?

Where did you read this?
Direct sunlight will stop them getting leggy and keep them compact at the stem.

Perhaps you have read not to water/spray the foliage while the sun is at its peak?

DD. · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2008, 07:05 »

Put some aluminium foil behind your tomatoes, this will reflect the light, therefore giving them all round light & help stop them getting 'drawn'.

gobs · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2008, 08:16 »

My rocket lettuce sweet pea and pea are sown outside now.

What is a poached egg plant, please?

fivespud364 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:11 »

Quote

What is a poached egg plant, please?

Limanthes Douglasii its a white flower with yellow centre looking like a poached egg grows to 15cm and is great for attracting bees to polinate your veg

Tomato seedlings need as much light as possible but if they get to leggy again just plant deep again up to the first or even second set of true leaves

Nikkithefoot · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:11 »

Quote from: "gobs"

What is a poached egg plant, please?

If I remember rightly gobs, a poached egg plant is a flower. White and yellow petals with a yellow centre.

Here is a picture

Nikki

fivespud364 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:12 »

thats the one nikki

LivvyW · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2008, 11:32 »

Wow,

You guys are really great, the last gardening forum i was on, it took a couple of days to get a response! You guys are really busy!

Thanks for all the advice on my toms, i thought the direct sunlight comment was odd. :? I wasn't sure if i could plant them up past the seed leaves, but i will now.

Poached egg plant apparently attract hoverflies, and the larvae eat those pesky aphids. I thought they'd look quite pretty under the sweet pea and in with the aubergines in the greenhouse. They allways seem to suffer most from those green critters.

I'm lucky on the bee front, my other half is a beekeeper. And if his girls like the poached egg plant, all the better.

Spent the morning making the paper pots, while my little one threw her cereal all over the kitchen. FANTASTIC.

gobs · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2008, 17:56 »

Quote from: "Nikkithefoot"

Quote from: "gobs"
What is a poached egg plant, please?

If I remember rightly gobs, a poached egg plant is a flower. White and yellow petals with a yellow centre.

Here is a picture

Nikki

Thanks all, I'm really asking the poster there as poached egg flower and egg plant, I got a bit puzzled.

'cos why on earth would you grow poached egg flower in the gh, so I was wondering, if maybe egg plant was meant.

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