Tomato ripening and peppers in pots

General tips / questions on seeding & planting

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David
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Hi all

A friend of the wife who visited the garden has made me think that I am dong things without thinking and maybe not getting the best out of my resources.

She challenged me on why I leave the greenhouse door open all summer ( have a net to stop butterflies etc) when it is the heat that ripens the tomatoes - I have automatic vents so I could keep it closed I guess but is it the sunshine or the heat that ripens the toms?

Then she challenged me on why I planted peppers in the greenhouse borders when 'everyone' knows they grow better in pots in the greenhouse. Well I didnt know it so what is your experience pot or border?

We live in Salisbury, Wilts by the way and the GH is 10 x 8.

Very interested in any experience any one has.

Thanks

David
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Elaine
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Hi David. My greenhouse is on our allotment, which isn't close by, :( so the door is closed all day. There is one automatic vent and I leave the other one open day and night. If the greenhouse was here at home, I would be opening the door on hot days but keeping it closed on cooler days, as I do when I go to the allotment during the day. As far as I know, tomatoes need both heat and sun to ripen. Too much heat causes problems and is ideal for the dreaded Red Spider Mite, as I know to my cost!! :shock: :twisted:

As for peppers, I used to grow them in large pots but now grow them in the greenhouse border and I can't say there has been any difference in yield or quality. I do know it's more convenient for me, to have them in the border as the pots tended to dry out rather quickly as the plant grew and produced the fruit. The last time I grew them in pots (3 years ago) I couldn't go to the allotment to water up, one evening and the pepper plants suffered from being too dry, which affected the fruits rather badly.
If you are successfully growing the peppers in your greenhouse border and you're happy with them, then stick with it! You could always try growing a plant in a pot next year for comparison!
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Mike Vogel
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Yes, I agree with Elaine - go with what works for you. For what it's worth, I have peppers both in the greenhouse and on the allotment, and the ones on the plot have already begun to ripen, ahead of those in the greenhouse. I'm in Bedford, where we've hardly had any rain, and the plants on the allotment have not had the same amount of water as I'm able to give them in the greenhouse.

If the nights are very warm, what's wrong with keeping the greenhouse doors open? By the way, I've had lots of hoverflies getting into mine, and there's no sign of whitefly or red spider mite this year.
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PLUMPUDDING
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I agree with what's been said. That peppers do just as well and need less watering if they are planted in the greenhouse border and leaving the door open keeps the air circulating better and helps prevent botritis etc.
You can always close it if it is cold.

If tomatoes ripen in this country outdoors then they can't have a problem ripening in a greenhouse with the door open.

I've also noticed huge numbers of hover flies this year and they have cleaned up quite a bad whitefly infestation in a couple of weeks since they moved into the greenhouse.

What I like about gardening is that you can read how to do things "properly" and then do whatever you feel is suitable in your garden. It's fun to experiment. Your wife's friend sounds a bit of a knowall. You could tell her that her information about growing peppers in pots is out of date and has been disproved by feedback from many knowledgeable gardeners - (us).
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Johnboy
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Hi David,
I have always grown Tomatoes direct in the greenhouse soil and the same with Peppers and Aubergines but I also grow in home made growbags made from my own compost in my tunnels this has been for convenience rather than anything else. Those grown in the borders get exactly the same treatment but it is those in the growbags that suffer more, every time, if I cannot get to the plants at the right time.
I think that your growing direct in the border is very sensible and very right.
So I am agreeing with everybody else. The method anybody chooses is what they feel happy with so do not let anybody tell you the rights and wrong of growing 'cos there is always more than one way to kill a cat!
JB.
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I agree, this year I planted some plants in pots some in ring culture, and some direct in the soil, which fared best? Those planted in the soil. You can't improve on good soil.
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Johnboy
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Hi NB,
Like you I know exactly what has gone into my soil and if you have to depend on bought-in growbags your outlook is fairly bleak because the quality of all these products leave a lot to be desired.
Even with my home made growbags that are Comfrey based plants need a lot more attention than those sown direct into the soil.
There is no substitute for soil kept in good fettle.
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Primrose
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I have grown peppers outdoors, both in the border and in pots and by far my most successful plants have been those which have grown in large pots in a sunny position, where they are more protected. However, in a greenhouse your plants are protected from the worst of the elements so if you're happy with the quality of your soil there's no reason why you shouldn't grow them in a greenhouse border. The only advantage I can see of growing in pots in a greenhouse is that you can move the plants around if you're temporary short of space.
David
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Thank you all for your kind advice and support. Clearly if we are lucky enough to have a greenhouse with borders we should be using them. I will continue to leave my doors open when I feel like it as I think the added circulation is good for my plants, they are still sheltered. A great point some of you made is that the outside Toms ripen without the boiler room heat of a closed greenhouse so mine will be fine.

Good growing to you all.

David
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Johnboy
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Hi David,
To put your mind at rest the tunnel where my tomatoes are grown is open at both ends to the elements but covered with anti white fly netting during the late spring and summer periods and come the end of the year I have light duty polythene screens to seal the tunnels through the late autumn and winter otherwise they are completely open to the elements.
JB.
David
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Hi Johnboy

I did put a flyscreen over the open door this year to stop the cabbage whites leaving catepillars on my toms. its a heck of a job finding them and picking them off.

The cucumbers where very poor this year and I wondered if I had also kept out friendly insects that would have pollinated them? Although the auto vents on the roof were not covered up

Any thoughts?
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Johnboy
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Hi David,
My greenhouse has auto vents and they are protected with a bag made of anti white fly netting. The bag goes over the auto vent arm and the arm works without harming the bag although it may look a little peculiar they are very affective. I have a double door entry to my greenhouse and the screen reduces it to a single door but again very effective.
Plenty of ventilation and on a hot day the temperature can still rise to well over a 100F degrees so unventilated 'gawd knows' what it would be.
JB.
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