Monday 9th May 2011

Posted on May 9, 2011 by clairesallotment

Had to tackle some stinging nettles today, and even with my thick gloves on they got me, and two fingers on my left hand are tingling. Still I won’t be beaten and won’t scratch. I planted 4 Atlantic Giant Pumpkin plants today. It’s a little early to put them out, but they’re just getting too big and some have little baby pumpkins growing already. I covered them with fleece, just incase we get a last minute frost. I made a little video about it, so hopefully it’ll explain it a bit better. Got more weeding done, and leaf/manure spreading, so a good day.

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6 Responses to Monday 9th May 2011

  1. Rebecca Fitzgibbons's avatar Rebecca Fitzgibbons says:
    May 9, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    Hiya,

    I came home from work today to find a some white spots and a little hole on one of my tomato plants leaves (growing in a container)
    Another one has a few leaves that have started to brown around the edges and die over the last week or so. I have pulled off the lower leaves that were dieing.

    My google search has pretty much told me not to worry and that new leaves will grow but I was after your wise opinion 🙂

    Reply
    • clairesallotment's avatar clairesallotment says:
      June 10, 2011 at 10:46 am

      Hi there,

      They sound fine, but with out seeing them it’s difficult to be certain. Sometimes the leaves do get white marks on them, especially if you get water on the leaves on a really scorching day. As for the wholes there are small flies that nibble holes. It’s nothing to worry about, as it happens to us all where ever you’ve grown them. As the season moves on and the plant grows, then the bottom leaves loose their green colour and turn brown. Basically all the plant is doing is concentrating all its energy on the fruits, and shutting down any non essential parts. The leaves have done their job, and are no longer needed. You tend to find may people remove the bottom leaves, so the sun can ripen the fruit faster.

      I hope this helps,

      Claire

      Reply
  2. Alan Meeks's avatar Alan Meeks says:
    May 10, 2011 at 11:07 am

    Hi, Claire

    I know this is not related to your latest blog but can I ask you a quick question about removing side shoots from tomatoes, I’m sure this is probably something that lots of people get confused about as well. I watched your YouTube video, which was really helpful but now that the first flowers have started to appear I’m not so sure. It’s getting a bit less clear what is happening at the top of the plant, so I’ve tried to include a picture here which I hope will come out. I’ve numbered the branches to help with an explanation.

    So, I’ve done OK with pinching out side shoots at branches no. 1, no. 2 & no. 3 and I thought I was doing OK at no. 4 but now it looks like no. 5 is a side shoot because it looks a bit more than a leafy branch and I think I can see the signs of flowers coming from the top of no. 5? What to you think? Does this look typical of a tomato plant? (assuming you can see the picture) the other plants are looking similar too.

    I will look forward to hearing from you. Your videos are fantastic by the way!

    Alan
    (If the picture hasn’t worked perhaps I could send it to you)

    Reply
    • clairesallotment's avatar clairesallotment says:
      June 13, 2011 at 1:24 pm

      Hi Alan,
      I haven’t got a picture to see, but I know what you mean. Sometimes when the plant grows you can’t tell if it’s a side shoot or not. If this happens, then leave it, and don’t remove. I tend to get this problem, so the rule is “If you’re not sure then leave”. Once you get 4 or 5 trusses (branches with flowers), then nip off the top of the plant.
      I hope this helps,
      Claire

      Reply
  3. Alan Meeks's avatar Alan Meeks says:
    May 10, 2011 at 11:18 am

    Claire, I don’t think the picture came through so maybe you can see the picture here…
    http://www.kakoi.co.uk/images/side_shoots.jpg or here

    Alan

    Reply
    • clairesallotment's avatar clairesallotment says:
      May 10, 2011 at 1:22 pm

      Hi Alan,
      Thanks for the photo, just by looking at the photo it looks like “5” is a side shoot. However, if the flowers are attached to this stem then leave it alone.
      All the rest look fine. I don’t have flowers yet on mine, so you’re a head of me on that one.
      Claire

      Reply

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