HELP - TOMATOES

[MonsterMum]

I had 12 healthy tomato plants which I decided to plant out last night.  Within a couple of hours they had started to wilt and today they are looking very sorry for themselves  :(

I think they can be saved but as a novice with no real experience I don't know what I'm  doing.  I have fed them them and will see if that does any good.

Any suggestions on how I might rescue them?

[MonsterMum]

[supersprout]

Did you water them in bbb?
Are they under some sort of fleece or mesh to keep the wind off?

I don't worry when cabbages go floppy after planting out, they are closing their little stomata so that they don't perspire through the leaves whilst their roots look for water in the ground, so I see it as a natural thing. Maybe it's something similar? Hopefully your toms will perk up in a few days :)

[MonsterMum]

Thanks Supersprout.

Sorry forgot to say that I had watered them in but was concious of not over watering them, so gave them a bit more to drink when we first noticed them wilting.

[tim]

Were they in warmth before they went out? Or hardened off? How big were they?

Yes - was the root ball complete, moist & undisturbed at planting, & did you water them in? Better, in fact, to put moist plants into moist soil & leave a week befor any added water.

DO NOT feed!

Sorry, Sprout got in ahead of this.

[MonsterMum]

They were in warmth but I had been getting them accustomed by leaving them out during the day.  They were about 6 inches tall when I put them out, but as I have fed them I think they'rew gonners.

Is it too late to try again for this year?

[supersprout]

I'd still leave them for a good week to ten days, they may just be 'resting' and recovering in their own time from transplanting. They wanna live! But strongly suggest snuggling them up in fleece for the next three weeks or so so they don't get stressed by the cold snap. If they really are unrecoverable :'( you could get more plants - look out at farm gates locally, contact cleo ::) or www.organicplants.co.uk who supply most of the major seed companies and charge less if you buy plants direct. But give them a chance first :)

[tim]

Oh, yes - give them a chance! And good thinking - the fleece to coddle them.

Thanks, SSprout for that link - not seen it before.

[supersprout]

They are a lovely company tim. The spares they have are sold from their factory shop in March, you can buy plugs from 5p, toms and aubergines from 15p, if you drive over. From the shop area you can see all the seedlings growing under a marquee, awww.

[saddad]

Hi BBB, be careful with the Achocha, they germinate easily but hate frost, anything below 5 will give them a serious sulk, the Toms will be fine, if you are not trying to maximise yield they will take all sorts of maltreatment. You could dig them up repot them and put them out again the week after and they would still give you a crop of sorts!
;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I planted a dozen out through grass mulch on Sunday, watered them in well, and put cloches over them. Theyre all fine. They need a bit of mollycoddling for the first week or two if you don't want them to sulk.

[cleo]

Give them a chance yet-I`d say two days to show signs of recovery before giving up.  As Tim mentioned feeding was a bad move but hell you were trying your best and we all had to start.

Is it too late to sow again?-I`m all for `bending the rules` but this late I would go for small toms.

Shame you are not nearer-I still have a load to sell :)

[MonsterMum]

Thanks for that everyone.  I have now covered them up and will leave them for a few days.  Fingers crossed they'll be ok.

Can't you tell we're noew to this!  And I thought tomatoes were one of the easiest things to grow, maybe I should give up now.

Cleo that's very kind.  If necessary do you think they'd post ok?  I would of course pay you the going rate + p&p

[Tollanedrag]

Oh! Please don't give up - I grew toms last year for the first time and hadn't a clue what I was doing.
I didn't pinch out the side shoots and they grew amock - but I still had lots of very tasty tomatoes - much better than shop ones!!
If I can do it - anyone can!!
Good luck!

[weedbusta]

bbb don't feel bad. last year i planted potaoes way too close, upside down, named them all when they popped their heads through the ground, and proceded to water them to death. you sound like me ...learn while you grow.

[saddad]

We will have loads of plants at the start of June BBB but Ipswich is along haul from Derby... and I wouldn't trust the post with live material!
;D

[Gadfium]

My first bash at tomatoes... resulted in triffids in the greenhouse.

I didn't keep the side-shoots under control, and eventually had to battle my way in, brandishing the hedge shears.

I still got lots of tomatoes (some of them were even ripe), and two whole preserving pans worth of green tomato chutney.

[MrsKP]

Thanks for that everyone.  I have now covered them up and will leave them for a few days.  Fingers crossed they'll be ok.

Can't you tell we're noew to this!  And I thought tomatoes were one of the easiest things to grow, maybe I should give up now.

Cleo that's very kind.  If necessary do you think they'd post ok?  I would of course pay you the going rate + p&p

you wait until blight sets in.  i just can't wait for that  :o :o :o