I am new to this forum and will soon get around to adding an introduction about myself but first I could really do with some advise.
This is the first time I have really grown anything and don't really have a clue what I am doing. I have some tomato plants that seem to be doing okay, well there are lots of leaves, but the leaves on one plant above the yellow flowers are starting to curve around. I have been watering them most evenings. Last night I gave the plant some organic tomato plant food but it hasn't really made a difference. Btw, the plants are in the house on the window sill.
I'm probably worring about nothing but would appreciate any advise people have.
Also Should I have canes or anything to hold up the plants?
Oh... also.. there are these really small things coming up in the soil that look like tiny mushrooms. Anyone know what they are?
tomato plant help
Hi Adjoa.
Welcome to the site .. we are both newbies together.
Tomato leaves curling themselves under I've found is caused by too much bright sunshine, they prefer bright but filtered sunlight when the summer days arrive (have they ?)
In a greenhouse situation you usually shade (paint) the glass with a white wash, but you obviously don't want to do that with your house windows. You could try net curtains I suppose, but I wouldn't worry too much as it doesn't seem to harm them at all.
It happens to mine in the greenhouse every year and I never shade them, but they still produce loads of tasty toms.
One other thing though, if your variety is one of those that suffer from greenback as that is caused by direct sunlight, then some sort of shading might be advisable.
Greenback by the way is where the stalk end of your tomatoes stay hard and green when the rest of the fruit is soft red and ripe. Usually they tell you in seed catalogues if the variety is "non-greenback". But even this is no great problem, just cut off the hard bit.
No idea what your mushrooms are though ..........
Tony.
Welcome to the site .. we are both newbies together.
Tomato leaves curling themselves under I've found is caused by too much bright sunshine, they prefer bright but filtered sunlight when the summer days arrive (have they ?)
In a greenhouse situation you usually shade (paint) the glass with a white wash, but you obviously don't want to do that with your house windows. You could try net curtains I suppose, but I wouldn't worry too much as it doesn't seem to harm them at all.
It happens to mine in the greenhouse every year and I never shade them, but they still produce loads of tasty toms.
One other thing though, if your variety is one of those that suffer from greenback as that is caused by direct sunlight, then some sort of shading might be advisable.
Greenback by the way is where the stalk end of your tomatoes stay hard and green when the rest of the fruit is soft red and ripe. Usually they tell you in seed catalogues if the variety is "non-greenback". But even this is no great problem, just cut off the hard bit.
No idea what your mushrooms are though ..........
Tony.
Hi Odsox
Thanks for the help. Unfortunately we couldn't put net curtains up as the windows are massive. Also the way our flat faces we don't get that much direct sunlight, except maybe early morning, so it shouldn't be to big a problem. I am glad I now know they aren't dying.
Although, more of these mushroom like things have now come up in the soil. Anyone else any ideas what they will be and whats causing them? Should I just lift them out?
Thanks for the help. Unfortunately we couldn't put net curtains up as the windows are massive. Also the way our flat faces we don't get that much direct sunlight, except maybe early morning, so it shouldn't be to big a problem. I am glad I now know they aren't dying.
Although, more of these mushroom like things have now come up in the soil. Anyone else any ideas what they will be and whats causing them? Should I just lift them out?
-
Cheezy
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 675
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:00 pm
- Location: Darlington UK
Howdy, mushrooms in the soil would tend to make me think your leaving the compost standing in water, or over watering them. All compost/soil will be carrying some sort of fungi spores etc.
TOmatoes do like to be well watered, but it's important not to over water them, and it's better to water at the start of the day, so that they are not sat in the water at night.
Tomatoes don't usually need feeding until the second truss of flowers have set (i.e started to form little tomatoes) then you should feed with tomato feed (high potash, low nitrogen.)
Tomatoes tend to show all sorts of leaf problems, usually starting at the base and working upwards. As the lower leaves show discolouration , blotchiness I remove them. You can if they are yellow and blotchy add Epsom salts , as its a magnesium deficency usually.
If you have "cordon " tomatoes, (most common varities) then you will need to stake and tie them as they should get up to 4-5 feet tall. You should also remove the shoot that forms between the stem and leaves (not the top one which is the growing point), as you are trying to get them to grown upwards, not side ways, and they will loose energy, and it will be harder to support.
You should also remove leaves that will shade you tomatoes, as they ripen best in direct light.
TOmatoes do like to be well watered, but it's important not to over water them, and it's better to water at the start of the day, so that they are not sat in the water at night.
Tomatoes don't usually need feeding until the second truss of flowers have set (i.e started to form little tomatoes) then you should feed with tomato feed (high potash, low nitrogen.)
Tomatoes tend to show all sorts of leaf problems, usually starting at the base and working upwards. As the lower leaves show discolouration , blotchiness I remove them. You can if they are yellow and blotchy add Epsom salts , as its a magnesium deficency usually.
If you have "cordon " tomatoes, (most common varities) then you will need to stake and tie them as they should get up to 4-5 feet tall. You should also remove the shoot that forms between the stem and leaves (not the top one which is the growing point), as you are trying to get them to grown upwards, not side ways, and they will loose energy, and it will be harder to support.
You should also remove leaves that will shade you tomatoes, as they ripen best in direct light.
It's not easy being Cheezy
So you know how great Salsify is as a veg, what about Cavero Nero,great leaves all through the winter , then in Spring sprouting broccolli like flowers! Takes up half as much room as broccolli
So you know how great Salsify is as a veg, what about Cavero Nero,great leaves all through the winter , then in Spring sprouting broccolli like flowers! Takes up half as much room as broccolli
Re: tomato plant help
Hmm. Leaves yellow and blotchy, check.
Look on self-sufficiency, get answer to issue from Cheezy, check (thanks for that)
Now then. Epsom salts? What are these and where do they come from (and don't say Epsom, please!)
Look on self-sufficiency, get answer to issue from Cheezy, check (thanks for that)
Now then. Epsom salts? What are these and where do they come from (and don't say Epsom, please!)
"If you want to catch a loon, you have to think like a loon"
Re: tomato plant help
you should be able to get them from a hardware shop, or maybe even boots. Homebase sell them I think.
They are just a fancy type of salt basically, granulated just like table salt. Chaces are you'll get a small box for a pound or so.
They are just a fancy type of salt basically, granulated just like table salt. Chaces are you'll get a small box for a pound or so.
Ann Pan
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
Re: tomato plant help
Fancy type of salt indeed! 
It's magnesium sulphate.
It's magnesium sulphate.
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: tomato plant help
lol
well for us non-chemists, a basic description is - it is a fancy type of salt.
well for us non-chemists, a basic description is - it is a fancy type of salt.
Ann Pan
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay