SOS: Aubergines and Tomatoes

Iââ?¬â?¢ve been growing aubergines since late January and cherry tomatoes since March. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve been doing fine on a window sill ââ?¬â?? but all of a sudden theyââ?¬â?¢re looking a bit the worse for wear. Theyââ?¬â?¢re tall and spindly and a couple of them have fallen over. I think I may have been under-watering ââ?¬â?? I was growing some marigolds as well to keep greenfly away, and managed to kill a couple of them throw over watering at an early stage, and I think I may have been over compensating.

My partner reckons the death knell is tolling. Has she got a point? What can I do to nurse the plants back to health? I was going to start putting them in our plastic unheated greenhouse from next weekend during the day time. Is there anything I can feed them with? I was going to get tomato feed, but in previous years I�ve seen you�re only supposed to feed them once they�re in their final pots, about 6 weeks after being potted on (I�ve got them in 5 inch pots at the moment, was going to move them into 9 inch pots and grow bags once they�ve got big enough).

 

Tall and spindly??and on a windowsill??

Sounds like they need potting on into bigget pots and they are struggling for light - stretching towards the window.

I would suggest putting them into the greenhouse now,in bigger pots, and just bring them in if a frost is forecast. Mine are in an unheated greenhouse, and have been for a few weeks now, but we are much warmer down here on the south coast.

Don't let them dry out, as this can stress them. Water everyday, but let the water drain away until bigger, keeping the compost moist, not not soggy.

 

Thanks Honey Bee - I have done exactly as you say, and found, although the compost on the top was pretty dry, underneath the top it was absolutely sodden! I used small stones to partially block the drainage holes in the pots, to stop the compost coming through, as I was told that's what you normally do - is that correct? Perhaps the stones were too big or too numerous.

 

Mine have also been in an unheated greenhouse for a month or so and today saw my first flower on my tomatoes. Mt Aubergines are stiil too small as they are only a couple of weeks old but have been in the unheated greenhouse since germination so you should have no trouble in Essex

 

I have never grown Aubergines are they difficult and would they grow outside. As my greenhouse will soon be full.

 

although i have never in my life ever eaten an aubergine im having a bash at growing them in my green house.they seem to be ok.ive potted them on into 3" pots and will eventually put into buckets filled with soil from grow bags.i dont know about outside im afraid, but the gh theve grown in is unheated and weve had some bad weather but they seem tough.alot easier than tomatoes i hope.soft as cheese they are.

 

I grew an Aubergine last year in my uheated gh it flowered many times, lovely colour they were too, but never fruited as some horrible fungus attacked everything in there. This year I am trying again in two seperate locations and I have a nasty chemical at the ready just in case. Aubergines are excellent to eat in my opinion, try mousaca.