Topic: Lessons Learnt

[Sigsy]

Well, this was my first year ever growing Tomatoes and Cucumbers and on the whole its been a success  :)

I started the seeds off at the end of April and since I've been getting nice sized Marketmore Cues since about the end of June and my Toms are in abundance now!
(I'll get some photos later on today)   :)

But it could have been better and i'm already looking to next year  ;)

Just thought I'd post the things I've learnt in my first year..

1.  The importance of properly tieing up!
(I underestimated this and only bought 4 foot stakes and was very lax in tieing, my plants are now 7 feet tall and flopped all over the place)

2.  Check for Sideshoots every day!
(Its amazing how quick these little buggers grow, half of my plants are a main stem that has split into a V because I sideshoot has taken hold)

3.  Maybe only 2 plants per growbag rather than 3
(I'm still toying with this as the plants are healthy enough, i'm just thinking about it for ease of watering/pruning etc)

4.  Let Cues grow
(I read on the RHS website to pinch off the growing tip of Cue after about 6 or 7 leaves to allow the laterals  to grow, this may be true if you have room, but I did it and I was left with 8 plants that are about 1 1/2 feet tall and a cucumber carpet in the greenhouse  :D)

5.  Start off a bit earlier
(Speaks for itself, might aim to start seeds off indoors for about mid Feb next year)


I'm sure there will be a whole lot of other things before the years out, but overall I've had a great season so far, great fun and hugely satisfying  ;D

[Lauren S]

Sigsy...I'm a great believer in the fact you can read all you like from books but until you put growing *stuff* for yourself into practise, you don't know how things will work out and suit your own growing stituations.
Congrats by-the-way on avoiding the dreaded tomato blight.

Lauren  :)

[tim]

Sigsy -

1. You should have known better.
2. You haven't been reading posts here?
3. You haven't been reading posts here?
4. Vertical or horizontal - yes! Most folk do the former. Pinch out at roof height to get 2 laterals hanging down.
5. Caveat - there is no point in starting 'early' if you haven't got enough propagator room to germinate or bench space at at least 60F to grow on. So don't rush into it.

You seem to have done well with the cus - but they don't much like early temps under 50F.

You'll make as many mistakes next year. Sod's law.

[tim]

No3 above - I find even this spacing too crowded. But then I have room to spare.

[cleo]

You are learning quickly ;D  No1 and No4 are lessons well learnt.