[Anton]

Thanks. Will keep you posted.

Anton

[Anton]

Subversive wrote a few weeks back "Post a photo in a couple weeks, let's see how they are doing!  Good luck! ", in reference  to my problematic crimson crushes. Well, they did grow but very slowly and I planted them out in the allotment. As you can see in the photo, they are still quite small (on the right), compared with the beefsteaks (a bit further to the left, after the lettuce in the background). I chitted some more Crimson C. seeds and put them in pots but they never emerged.

[Subversive_plot]

Anton, I'm not really sure what could be causing the problem.  The plants are alive, but clearly not thriving.  I hope you can get the problem sorted out.

[hasbeans]

I suspect a root problem.

By this time of year you might be able to pick up leggy and pot bound but otherwise healthy plants from a shop, often for a good discount.  If so, I'd be tempted to get some and plant them deep enough to cover most of the stretched stem.  They will soon grow.

You could also try liquid feed on the some of the stunted plants - all purpose, not tomato feed.  Perhaps at half the frequency you were previously watering.  See if these react differently to the ones you don't feed.

[Blewit]

It's getting a bit late in the season Anton but as a last chance you could cut one of the plants off at ground level, place it carefully in a pot of damp compost, and keep it indoors until roots show from the bottom of the pot. See if it does any differently. Be a good idea too if you can use a different compost to what you used originally.

[Anton]

Thanks once again for all the advice.

Anton