Allotments 4 All

No - went 'cheap' this year.

May live to regret it!

So you probably got last years compost then Tim.
As far as i am concerned there is only one thing worse than that and its buying the cheep compost from places like B&Q and at the bottom of the list for compost is anything that has Organic written on it, that i wont touch.

We saw a lot of this last year on our site and never came up with a cause. Different composts ( and even direct in borders) were in use, and my first suggestion of epsom salts didn't seem to make a difference. between the various people who had the problem, we treated it as a virus, pest and nutrient deficiency but nothing semmed to solve it. The plants carried on growing and provided fruit so still baffled.

Quote from: saddad on May 31, 2007, 09:51:49
I'm getting a lot this year... but it's just starvation on mine... grew them in yogurt pots .... and with the hot April they grew too quickly and used up all the nutrients.. have given them a feed and they will be ok once in the soil

Quote from: greenscrump on June 01, 2007, 07:23:46
Mine were fine till I planted them out mid May, they had been hardened off, but after the hot and sunny April it has been much cooler, windier and wetter.......

Mine look pretty sick too, but I reckon it's a combination of the above.  Now they are potted up properly, the new leaves look healthy enough.  Just hoping that the weather will be kind from now on, and they can get going again.

Yes - it just has to be a deficiency, but so much more than the typical inter-veining & so much more obvious & widespread. And a 'high potash feed can make matters worse'!!

So in addition to Magnesium, I'm seeking a pack of Trace Elements.

No reply from Westland, yet.

Definitely widespread - we've similar symptoms and so does everyone locally that I've asked. Otherwise toms seem ok - perhaps a bit slower growing than last year. Have started feeding irrespective of whether in flower or not.

Fingers crossed ......

Tim, you may have already finished your research but... last year I found that the Miracle Grow Blue granules (NOT the solution) have the highest amount (different ones & percentages) of trace elements out of all the ones who bother to give an analysis.

Having applied as a foliar feed to mine this year (admittedly once planted out), they've gone from being like yours a few weeks ago to being very happy now.

Might save you a bit of time in B&Q or wherever...

*Miracle-Gro^tm - correction for accuracy!

Quote from: tim on June 04, 2007, 17:54:47
Yes - it just has to be a deficiency, but so much more than the typical inter-veining & so much more obvious & widespread. And a 'high potash feed can make matters worse'!!

So in addition to Magnesium, I'm seeking a pack of Trace Elements.

No reply from Westland, yet.

whats the ratio of epsom salts to water Tim. Have bought mine loose with no instructions

Mine have been fine with Wickes own 4 x 80 ltr bags of compost for £10.

Only very slight yellowing on lower leaves.

28g/l, Shirl.

cheers mate

how do I do a foliar feed please - Just drench the leaves ????

Thanks, Ollie.

As I read it, Miracle Grow is not suitable for house plants - does that include greenhouse plants??And Greenscrump - make sure your fertilised IS suitable as a foliar feed. With Magnesium you're OK. Add a couple of drops of detergent as a wetter.

You use a spray.

thanks Tim and davyw1  :)

Just checked with Scotts - Miracle-Gro is NOT recommended for ANY plants inside.

Also see this - http://davesgarden.com/terms/go/2307/

Gosh, he doesn't appear to hold it in very high regard! Mine are outside, but I still don't want to be killing off the micro-beasties in the soil...

I would not touch Miracle grow with a barge pole.
I use Growmore or make my own up

Quote from: davyw1 on June 06, 2007, 10:59:13
I would not touch Miracle grow with a barge pole.

Any particular reason? I'd like to know as I've used it for a while (mainly as a foliar feed when things are young and struggling) & still have loads left but will bin it if there's a sound justification.

My understanding (and I'd love someone to explain this to me as my Chemistry is shocking) is that "N" is allowed to be in an NPK (such as Growmore) in either Ammonium or Nitrate form. I think that either can be absorbed by plants, but bacteria of some sort (Nitrifying bacteria? we get them in fish tanks) will convert Ammonium to Nitrate if it's not absorbed by a plant or washed away. So ammonia will hang around in the soil for longer (which makes me think about the "every 2 weeks" thing on Miracle Gro).

I also thought that ammonium is contained in large quantities in most animal "waste" and this is good for the soil (once rotted - is this where it becomes Nitrate?). Yet it's bad when it comes in a packet? You can see where I stop understanding!

I would be really grateful for an explanation of where my logic falls down or even further explanation of the chemistry involved...

Interestingly (for me), my chemistry teacher in school didn't like me because I always asked "why"?. My Physics teacher really liked me for the same reason. I blame that for my poor understanding.

BTW, there aren't any barge poles on my site so I'm okay in that respect but appreciate the tip!  ;D ;D ;D...