I think I just killed my tomato plants.....

Latest Articles

I think I just killed my tomato plants.....

Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own

Author

Message

sunpuppy

Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 11:22 am Post subject: I think I just killed my tomato plants.....
I bought three tomato plants at the local car boot sale the other day and had them on the window sill of the kitchen for a couple of days until I could get some bigger pots for them. Put them outside yesterday and this morning they've all wilted, and don't look like they're going to recover. Did they go into shock with it being colder outside than on the windowsill?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 11:34 am Post subject:
It's not been that cold I would have thought, although some plants can get shocked. Are they watered ok or is the compost too dry? It could be that the plants are not tough enough and too flimsy, so they should recover if lightly staked.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 3:19 pm Post subject:

pamper them ,if they dont make it get a few more .
from seed to plant out can be made very easy for them and they cant handle out doors where there is a big temperature range ,wind ,rapid transpiration and moving trauma .
i find toms are best killed when seedlings and the tough ones gradually get to move on in small stages .a packet of seed (50p to£2) should provide 10 to 200 plants depending on type and care .it is not too late to raise your own (get a type for lates ) or harden the next ones , it can be only a few days messing about .try to get the strongest ones you can .

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 4:16 pm Post subject:

if it's too cold for them they generally turn a blue-ish colour rather than wilting, unless they've had a frost. Sounds more like they are either over or under watered. If they've been growing indoors until now it's best to harden them off gradually, leave them in a sheltered sunny spot during the day and bring indoors overnight for a couple of weeks so they can toughen up a bit. Are they an outdoor variety of tomato? Some varieties will only do well if grown in a greenhouse.

sunpuppy

Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 5:33 pm Post subject:
They're Gardener's Delight and they're about 12" high. I've just noticed that the very bottom two leaves on them have gone a pale yellow colour but they've got a purplish tinge around the edges.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 5:36 pm Post subject:
Ooooer Can't help with what may be wrong but I've got more tom plants than I need so you could have a couple of mine if yours don't recover.

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 7:03 pm Post subject:

Gardeners delight will grow outdoors but it's quite early for them to be outside just yet, I've put mine outdoors already (in open cloches) and they're a purple/blue tinge to the green leaves, it's because night time temps are dropping below 10C and they don't like it much. They should recover once the weather warms up more. Cut off the yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant. If you haven't planted them outdoors yet and you have the space inside then keep them indoors a little longer, mine went out because I ran out of space and they were pot bound and desperate to get out. When you do plant them out, plant them very deep.

sunpuppy

Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 9:48 pm Post subject:

Stacey wrote:

Ooooer

Can't help with what may be wrong but I've got more tom plants than I need so you could have a couple of mine if yours don't recover.

Thanks for the offer Stacey!

. Actually, I think I might have solved the problem - I brought them indoors again and gave them another drink, and they've perked up considerably in the last couple of hours. I reckon it might have been a combination of under-watering and it being slightly too cold for them to be outside at night yet.

Will keep them in for a little while longer and hopefully they'll be OK, but if they do give up the ghost I'll come begging for some replacements!

Thanks for all the advice everyone

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 10:07 pm Post subject:
They need to be "hardened off" - being at an open window for a few days, then out in the daytime for a few days, before being outdoors overnight. Once you think they are hardy, plant them properly - but you can't rush from mollycoddled to fending for itself...

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon May 15, 06 10:07 pm Post subject:
[quote="Sunpuppy] I brought them indoors again and gave them another drink, and they've perked up considerably in the last couple of hours. [/quote] Fills bra with rainwater

sunpuppy

Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon

Posted: Tue May 16, 06 8:27 am Post subject:

Stacey wrote:

[quote="Sunpuppy] I brought them indoors again and gave them another drink, and they've perked up considerably in the last couple of hours.

*Fills bra with rainwater*[/quote]

ROFL

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Tue May 16, 06 4:36 pm Post subject:
I've got loads spare outside in my squash bottle propagator where they have been for weeks and they are fine. Could send a few on holiday down to cornwall if yours dont pull through

sunpuppy

Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon

Posted: Tue May 16, 06 9:02 pm Post subject:

Res wrote:

I've got loads spare outside in my squash bottle propagator where they have been for weeks and they are fine. Could send a few on holiday down to cornwall if yours dont pull through

Thanks Res! I think mine have pulled through though - it's remarkable how much better they look today. Trust me to get namby-pamby tomato plants....!

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Tue May 16, 06 9:27 pm Post subject:
I would not put them out before June is well set in. But then I am further "up North" than you.

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts