Topic: Pinching out.

[tim]

I've been thinking.

TOMATOES
It is easy to believe that a 'side-shoot' is the leader - & leave it. See pic.

CUCUMBERS
Said before, but to show it - see pic - right or wrong, I take the bud out at 2, which is 2 leaves past the first fruit on a side-shoot. 3 is a cu on the stem.

[moonbells]

I've never pinched out my conservatory cues, probably because I've needed all the stems/leaves I can get as the RSM eats the older leaves!

Having said that, I spotted the RSM very early this year and thwacked them with the predators. There's hardly any damage. The cues have all their leaves and so are going mental! I think I'm past the pinch outs, well into the chop offs! (I have four cues growing on plant no.1 already - I give them a week at the rate they're expanding... two of them are already 6" long, or at least were this morning!)

moonbells (watering them twice a day now)

ps welcome back!

[tim]

If I left all on, I would go mental.

You are well ahead.

PS Thanks!

[lorna]

Moonbells. Show off ;D mine are still little diddy plants. Seriously just tolerate me.... does RSM mean red spider mite? I am really guessing but had to ask. Thanks.
Lorna

[tim]

Some hated Regimental Sergeant Majors almost as much!!

But you weren't allowed to set predators on them!

[moonbells]

Lorna - yes red spider mite - the bane of my conservatory! And I can't help it! I sowed them later than a lot of folk on this forum did theirs... diary says April 7th, 4 cucumber Tiffany F1 (Two went to Dad).

Tim: LAUGH! Father-in-Law didn't quite make RSM, was just a SM...

The first pic is the mass of leaf that is two cues and three aubs. The second is two of the cues - the big one is 7.5" this evening so it's growing stupidly fast! I could have sandwiches by Cuesday...  ;D ;D

300x225 pics are at
http://www.moonbells.com/A4Apics/cue1.jpg
http://www.moonbells.com/A4Apics/cue2.jpg

(not inlined due to folk on dial-up)

moonbells

[lorna]

Moonbells. Thanks for replying. I have just spent half hour looking at moonbells diary. Found it really interesting. I do have one thing in common with you (LOL) I am growing Enorma runner beans as well. My sister-in-law in Chislehurst swears by them she sent me a packet to try. Also growing a few Lady Di , have only got room because I removed two conifers!!
Regards Lorna.

[saddad]

If you want to see a tomato going totally mental sow a yellow currant and leave it alone, you end up with a bush about 6' in all directions. Had one on the Lottie still carrying over 500 fruit on Bonfire night in the mid 90's. It drops it's fruit when ready and they split easily so it comes up everywhere... I use the arrival of seedlings as an indication that the soil has warmed up enough for other tender plants!
 ;D

[moonbells]

Lorna: I hope you enjoy the Enorma beans. They do get very long very fast, and so you can pick early and have beans that you don't have to trim at all.  I grew Painted Lady one year instead and got a shock - they went stringy almost overnight unless they were about 4" long  :-\ and so I went back to Enorma.

Still have some of last year's in the freezer - really must eat them before I get inundated with this year's!!

moonbells