Tomato Growing Thread 2012

Looks like a nice position for them Jenny, and hopefully we are promised a few nice days of weather.

 

Thank you very much for all the info Kristen - you have an incredible amount of knowledge!

I've got a couple of bottles of Tomorite in hand at the moment, but I'll have a look at cheaper alternatives once I run out

 

OK, things are advancing on the tomato plant front, although not sure all is to the good? The stems are definitely thickening now (so much so, I am going to have to go back and double check all the support ties at the weekend to make sure they aren't too tight) - and the yellowing of the leaves hasn't worsened, and not all plants are affected (Epsom Salts treatment will continue for a few more days though)

However, today I noticed that some of the top leaves on some of the plants were limp and curled under (almost like they were needing watered, but I watered and fed them last night?) Any ideas?

 

I'm not sure about what you are descibing but curled over top leaves are quite often seen in tomatoes as they start growing very fast, it's usually when they are planted in their final position. It's called 'bullish' vegetative growth, and it's a good sign, as it shows they are doing well. Usually they curl over at night and recover in the morning. It is a sign that they are growing maybe too many leaves though, and if you have no flowers then cut out feeding until some appear.

Also are they really limp or floppy? Just feel the top growth - it should feel firm, if it is limp there is another problem.

 

They aren't limp today, but still curled at the top leaves, so I assume that is OK?

A few of them have light brown spots on some of the leaves now though - is it possible that it was too warm when I did the Epsom salts spraying the other day?

Also, one of the blighters has decided to break away into a Y shape - I take it that the smallest branch of the Y is a side shoot and should be cut off?

 

Yes that sounds better. I guess that the limpness was lack of water as Kristen described too.

I'm not really sure what brown spots could be. It is best to avoid splashing the leaves of any plant in a greenhouse whilst the sun is so strong as at present. It can scorch the leaves, but usually the scorch marks turn white.

If your variety are cordon (also called indeterminate) then you are supposed to nip out the sideshoots which grow in the axils of each leaf branch off the main stem (the axil is the joint of the leaf branch to the stem). The idea being to get a nice tall plant with trusses evenly spaced up the plant.

If they are bush (or 'determinate) variety just let them do their own thing.

 

They are Moneymaker - so I think I am right in saying that they are cordon? I'll take a piccy later before I cut anything though - I'd prefer the benefit of others experience before I go hacking at my plants.