Topic: I think I've done a 'silly' - a warning too late??

[tim]

Conscientiously using peat-free growbags, on end, I topped one row up to the brim with more compost as the toms grew. The other I left alone.

The toms planted in the lesser bags, two weeks after the first row, are as big & much stronger looking that the others.

Alright, it might have been a bit warmer, later, but I suspect a different culprit.

Peat-free compost is notoriously bad at accepting water. I know that each whole bag needs 1 1/2 gal as a starter. I think I was a bit careless on that. So the bottom fill was not thoroughly soaked. I then added compost, without pre-soaking &, I think, compounded the problem. The soil in the un-modified bags could more easily accept the water.

It would, of course, be the year when I decided not to over-water in the early stages - relying on a moisture meter. That, too, was probably a bad move. Checking one meter against another, I found huge discrepancies.

A similar problem with the raised beds. Give them a good start? Filled with JIC No1 + our compost. That was a no-no!! Again, the soil is drying out while you watch &, when you water, the water just lies on the surface looking you straight in the eye.

Not sure that I have remaining energy to climb this learning curve!!

[Palustris]

I have done similar things when topping up plants in pots. Then wondering why they still look thirsty. The compost on top is nice and damp, but it has not gone through to the stuff underneath.
One thing you could try is pushing a length of holed hosepipe or such like down in to the soil and keeping it filled with water, at least then it is going in further down and not just sitting on the surface and evaporating.

[moonbells]

Don't worry - I'm sure you know well that tomatoes will perk up! I missed one day of watering in the hot spell the other week and now have my poor hanging basket toms (Tumbler) with a lot of fried leaves, with lots of new shoots growing since.

 There's not many things freer draining than a hanging basket! I got new ones this year with plastic linings and cut drainage holes 3" higher than the base, so there's a bit of a reservoir. And they still dry out ! But are recovering nicely - flowers appearing now.

In your case, you've probably set up succession :) Do you water manually or have a water-butt drip system or a mains-pressure system? I keep meaning to get a drip system off the butts at the lottie, so all I have to do to water is top up the butt chain!

moonbells

[tim]

Thanks, both.

mb - a water butt dip system!! And a good litre of water a day - more in the heat. Can after can!
Don't know where it all goes, because it doesn't all drain out.

The first lot are not dying but the set fruit have been almost static for weeks. And the growth is spindly.

[moonbells]

Thanks, both.

mb - a water butt dip system!! And a good litre of water a day - more in the heat. Can after can!
Don't know where it all goes, because it doesn't all drain out.

Sounds familiar! I'm down to having to fill up the butts with the tap now, apart from one precious rainwater one which is reserved for the blueberries.

The first lot are not dying but the set fruit have been almost static for weeks. And the growth is spindly.

Very odd. I can't see how things would be static when there's *more* compost. Is there a difference in shade from one row to the other? (I know, probably not, given your amazing greenhouse!) but there must be something other than the topping-up. Could you bear to scoop the compost back out of one of them to see if there's anything weird in the bag?

moonbells

[tim]

No!!

[saddad]

I had some rare Ballydoon spuds in a dustbin of non-peat compost and the crop was pathetic ( by weight) but at least tasted good!
 :o

[Greenfingers Jo]

Glad I'm not the only one noticing this. My toms and peppers , in a variety of locations are just not getting on despite not being overly pampered with watering and being fed!. :(
Thought I had lost my touch but I also can't get herbs to grow in it at all. However, seeds and random peppersand toms stuck in the gound seem to be steps ahead.
Off to feed them now while I remember.
jo

[Tulipa]

I am really pleased to be reading this thread as I too was worried about my tomatoes not looking to good - at least it is not just me, I feel better now!  - Thank you! :)

[supersprout]

Sounds daft tim, but would it be worth mulching the surface with e.g. lawnmowings? ::)

[tim]

Might make it even more difficult to get an even spread of water?

Whatever - off to water now!!

Later - & got wet in the process - lovely shower!

[djbrenton]

I had some rare Ballydoon spuds in a dustbin of non-peat compost and the crop was pathetic ( by weight) but at least tasted good!
 :o

Balllydoon! Ballydoon! Don't talk to me about Ballydoon. I got 25kg for the shop and only one person bought any. They're over the moon about them, having taken the first up,  so everyone else missed out.