Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: carolinej on May 18, 2007, 22:43:02
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Hello :)
I have 2 SM tom plants in my conservatory in black pots. They have grown about 12 inches high, but very spindly. Now they seem to have no leading shoot, and I have taken off all the side shoots. The leaves are yellow, with red stripes. Altogether very unhealthy looking.
Should I bin them and replace them with something else?
Thanks
cj :)
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I sowed mine late so they're quite tiny atm, but healthy green looking though.
I've found a big difference with say the Tigerella which is tall and spindly, the cream sausage that has skinny leaves and Biscombe's Muchamiel which is a veritable forest.
It's quite interesting watching them all develop their individual style lol
I've packed a pop bottle collar filled with compost round one of the Tigerellas to develop a better rootsystem.
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Could it be your compost!??
I'm growing a few SM & they seem to vary a lot. From the same packet I've got normal leaf plants and potato leaf plants!
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Could well be the compost, as it is rubbish!
cj :)
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sound like you kill you plant by over pruning and improper growing methods.
Oh well those who follow bad growing methods kill there plant before bugs do.
Advice for future do not prune you tomato plants until you learn how to grow them in the proper manner.
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Oooh gridgardener, you certainly know how to make friends on a new forum :-*
cj :)
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lol, I thought it was a bit harsh too ! Old griddy hasn't put up a location, so might not be English as first language ? Something lost in the translation perhaps.
;D
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He is a silver tongued devil isn't he ? ;D ;D
He is on several forums and it appears he is American but lives here.
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explains a bit ! 8)
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Gosh Caroline, I bet that one hurt,have a hug honey.
Gridgardener. I would like to think you meant your comments to be useful but I think you should suggest them in more friendly way they came accross as incredibaly rude and sarcastic.
This forum is like a large family, you hurt one of us ,you hurt us all.
It was very unkind and you are not likely to make many friends this way.
Caroline, XXXXXXXX Extra XXX Jeannine
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Thanks Jeannine,
you are right, it is just like having an extended family on here. I am proud to be part of it.
cj :)
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Notwithstanding Mr GrumpyPants remark, it is best to remove sideshoots (or not)??
my San Marzano are the most vigorous of the toms i'm growing. Most of the Heritage type ones are very slow growing. Maybe they didn't like the cold
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it is best to remove sideshoots (or not)??
everything i've read points to a yes, so when mine are big enough, that's exactly what I'll do!
;D
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Mr Fothergill says yes too, but I never believe what he says - the picture of him on the packets makes me think he's a bit simple-minded and can't be trusted
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but he tries hard and God loves a trier. :P
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It is described as an interdeterminate so I would remove XX Jeannine
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I have to say that I don't like the sound of the yellow and red leaves. It's always a worth a try to save them, though. I know the trusses haven't set yet, but why not try a general purpose soluble fertiliser when you next water them?
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I have tried that , along with putting pelleted chcken manure int ehpots to try to do something. Will the yellowy leaves turn back green or are they done for now. There is some green on the top leaves now.
cj :)
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We thought we'd lost some of our earliest toms because of windburn (they were put out too early). The leaves turned yellow and a bit scorched. But actually the plants recovered, with nice new green growth higher up, so it's worth giving them a chance.
But if they've got some sort of virus infection, then the new leaves will also go bad ways, and the only safe thing would be to destroy the plants and indeed the compost in the pots.
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Caroline, if you think it is the compost and you think you are losing the, try this.
Take the plants out of the pots, gently rinse all the soil off the roots till you have clean roots, then repot in better compost. It might work and better than just chucking them without a try. I have done this with a waterlogged very precious houseplant that was going stinky and dying fast and it worked. XX Jeannine
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No folks thats his normal manner!!
We have met in orbit a few times and he hasn't changed!!
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Shame he doesn`t understand such technical terms as `manners` `tact` and `understanding`-because apart from the lack of those he isn`t stupid
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shame you all don't understand that by pruning you lose half your production and ever thing I read says pruning with out a good reason is not needed.Also one of the most knowledge tomato experts agrees with me that pruning except for growing for large fruit size is not need.
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Grid gardener,
I can't speak for everyone else but I have grown tomatoes in 5 countries over a period of almost 50 years, and have a collection of tomato varieties currently running at about 280. I think therefore I know a little.
Collectively on this forum I would say we had a great deal of folks much like myself who have experimented, shown,saved and even bred varieties over the years.
As I am always open to ideas,perhaps you could name your tomato expert, if he is one I don't already know and he someone of note I would be most interested to read his work.
Jeannine
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there are as many ways of growing things as there are gardeners, no way is the right or wrong way, just a different way of doing things, imho ;D
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Jeannine I am sure you have heard of the experts that I count as good sources
Dr Carolyn male and Craig LeHoullier.
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Wish I could find the link to the 'expert' who removes all the leaves! ;D
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Well Marymary, Carolyn Males book would be no good to you then as she doesn't prune much at all,I can lend it to you if you like,of course it is 100 Heirloom Toms for the AMERICAN gardener,but it is still an excellent read even though we differ on a couple of points. I have some of her and Craigs joint no frills newsletters too if you fancy them, they were interesting for a while , then they went out of production. I might put them on e bay.
I remember something about the leaf stripper,it is ringing a wee bell in my head. Remind me please!!!
Have fun pruning XXX Jeannine
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Hello Jeannine,
as you appear to be vastly knowledgeable on tomatoes, I was just wondering if I could bug you for some advise on the Alsia Craig I'm growing, they seem to be very slow growing ? they are way behind the gardeners delight that I sowed at the same time, they are now also behind the sweet olive that I sowed several weeks later.
are they a slow grower ? and is this to be expected ?
Phill
;D ;D
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Thank you for the compliment but I think I know just a little.
Re you Ailsa Craigs.I am sorry but I cannot answer your question, it is one I personally have rarely grown as I am not keen on the flavour but I do know it is considered an early so can see no obvious reason for your difficulty.
I am sorry I cannot help you more.
XX Jeannine
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Wish I could find the link to the 'expert' who removes all the leaves! ;D
There you go ... http://www.joyfultomato.com/
Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for any damage caused by immoderate laughter at "The Joyful Tomato" or its loony-tunes author ;D
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This is so funny, everytime I read it it cracks me up laughing. The exact opposite to Dr Carolyn. I can't help thinking that a middle of the line approach is best!!
XX Jeannine
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I so agree - everything in moderation me!, just thought our new friend Gridge might enjoy reading it too but couldn't find it - thanks Mel. ;D
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Gridge???? or Grinch????
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Hi pomeydude.
Ailsa Craig is not normally slow growing-it just sounds like `one of those things`. Like Jeannine is not one I would have in my top 50 but of the unholy trinity of Moneymaker,Alicante and Ailsa Craig-it`s by far the better
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Hey Cleo, what's your views on Shirley, my other pet hate. I do believe so far we have the same taste XXX Jeannine
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To me Shirley is an F1 moneymaker-slightly better flavour but that`s not saying much is it? ;D
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The sad thing is that GCs and some market stalls only sell the `dreaded few` And yet a really tasty variety is no more difficult to grow.
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No folks thats his normal manner!!
We have met in orbit a few times and he hasn't changed!!
So teegee are you still pushing your website on people instead giving real answers to their questions.
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Shame he doesn`t understand such technical terms as `manners` `tact` and `understanding`-because apart from the lack of those he isn`t stupid
I only show manner to pleasant people of which teegee isn't.
The and teegee is wrong most time as well.
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Oh dear grim grump! take it elsewhere pleeeeease! and by the way I quite like teegee's site. A4A is such a great friendly forum, don't spoil it.
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TeeGee's site is amazing - I love it & his advice is always helpful & easy to understand.
Maybe it takes someone like GG to remind us just how lovely everyone is on this board. :)
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Maybe it takes someone like GG to remind us just how lovely everyone is on this board. :)
It certainly does :)
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I can agree with that ;D
cj :)
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Marymary,cleo,Biscombe you opinion was not asked for. As for the website I seen webssite posted in 1996 that had more useful gardening info on them.
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Well bu***r off back there then.
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I have noticed a button that says 'Ignore' by the side of gridgardeners name. I am going to click on this now, as I think I have seen enough of his bad attitude. I would reccomend anyone else offended by him does the same. That way he will be wasting his time posting offensive things, as we wont be able to see them.
cj :)
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Hear Hear, well done Biscombe and Mary Mary and the others who are posting as I write.
I can't think why anyone who is so ruddy miserable and rude bothers to post on a friendly forum when there are so many rotten ones to go one.I have been told that the poster we are talking about enjoys this and feeds on the attention and the best thing we can all do is ignore him and he will go away.
So if Kylie Dan the Admin Man lets this bit of direct straight talking through, I will send Grid Gardener or Grinch Gardener or whatever, a last message.
Throw your arrows and insults at me or whoever me duck ,cos I for one will play your game no more!!! Wise up and be nice and you will be welcome,if not then enjoy your misery somewhere else. I will not rise to your mean temper anymore..
Bye. Bye.
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marymary if going to use curse words be willing to post them in full because only a true troll bother to posts with ** so go back to the the pile road oysters you seem to speak from.
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Think I'll click the 'ignore' button too - never used it before.
Bye Bye GG
PS anyone know what a road oyster is? ???
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GG now ignored. What a sad person.
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Well bu***r off back there then.
ROTFLMAO - well done! Have hit the ignore the man button ::).
Tricia
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MaryMary it is probably another spelling mistake or a bit of poor grammer.
I planted my huge big beans today, the ones that look like giant butter beans, I have never grown these before and am quite excited about them..oops, Sorry Caroline this was your post about your poorly tomatoes.
XX Jeannine
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Dont worry Jeannine. It is always nice to see everyone chatting.
cj :)
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PS anyone know what a road oyster is? Huh
it is a western US term for horse nears or other excrement.
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Oh by the way, what are your huge beans called? Are they the ones you had from America?
cj :)
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do you mean fava or lima.
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Are rolet and gridgardener the same i wonder ?
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Yes, they are one and the same. Follows a pattern. Best to ignore both of them.
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Caroline they are called Samos Greek Limas aka Giganteus, I know the bean well ,it is one of the ones I miss from North America I have used it in cooking a lot but have not actually grown it before. Anyway it is all ready to go with the other Limas,and the other beans. I am only growing about 30 Heirloom beans this year so only a small part of my collection is being used as I am trialling a few this year too.
You know if my bean collection gets any bigger it will be catching up my 120 odd squash soon,then my tomatoes Oh no I am addicted to seeds. I really want to put a good bean chapter in my book though, especially ones for drying.
Would you like a few?
XX Jeannine
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Thanks Jeannine. Will PM you this evening.
cj :)
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As for the website I seen webssite posted in 1996 that had more useful gardening info on them.
Ah!! fame at last Gridgardener has read my website( he must have done to make comparisons)
Just for the record GG some of the data in my website goes back to 1986 does that give you any consolation?
Like everyone else you are entitled to your opinions but at least the rest of us are a bit more mannerable when we reply.
Personally I get the feeling that you have a lot to offer the forums if only you would mend that chip on your shoulder.
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there may be trouble ahead ;D
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Tee Gee, Thanks to GG's rude remarks I had a look at your website. I have now added it to my "favourites" list. Thanks for the tip GG ;D
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I too have pressed the `ignore` button. Without any ill feelings towards the city I feel Coventry is the best place for those who add little but poor manners and who seem to feel that by insulting others they have some special right to be listened to.
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Hi TeeGee, i'm very impressed by the website, ( and said so in the visitors book ) personally i think GG is being influenced by the Dark Side ( Star Wars fans will know wha i mean ) ;)
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True Stephan, all the grumps get sent to my home town !!!
Just read this thread all the way through, since I am growing SM too. Have enjoyed ALL the posts except those by GG and any other aliases ...
Suggestion to members who feel hurt by offensive posts ... there is also a 'report to moderator' button at the bottom right of each post ... this highlights the post to admin (superDan), who can deal with the situation in a more heavyweight manner if need be.
Derek :)