Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello,

I'm in my first year of growing tomato's, sweet and chilli peppers from seed and I seem to be struggling a little.

I planted the seeds at the end of February in an unheated propogator in the sun on an indoor window ledge. The seeds appeared to germinate pretty well. I transplanted them all out-doors at the beginning of May into my green house, in the pots that they are to be adult plants in (so no propogator - was assuming the greenhouse would be enough). Since then, not a lot seems to have happened. The plants are still only about 4-5 inches tall but do appear to be pretty healthy and green. I may of over watered them a little at first as the top of the soil developed little spots of white mould but I have since changed a good proportion of the soil around the plant (without uprooting it) for fresh bought soil (the soil used was 90% new anyway). I have cut back on the watering until the soil looks dry and feels dry when i stick my finger in and am only putting on as little as it needs. Little and often? But still nothing!....

Hope someone can help.

Ben

Hi Ben,
I hearty greetings to this the most friendly gardening forum about.
I would suggest to you that temperature is your problem.

I will refer you to this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8138
JB.

Thanks for the thread JB (and thank you for the welcome!)

I guess now I need to decide what to do next. If the plants haven't grown much but look healthy enough (i.e. nice and green) do I just let them carry on growing and hope for the bor will I have "damaged" them and their potential crop. If they're damaged, is it to late to be planting seeds to hope for a crop in a month or two (shpuld I just bite the bullet and buy some already grown from the garden centre and treat it as a lesson learned for next year?)

Ben

Hi Ben,
It is always said that Tomatoes should not be fed until the first truss has set but what it really should say is that designated feeding should commence after the first truss has set but in the meantime many Tomatoes starve to death and never get to the first truss setting stage.
I would suggest that your Tomatoes need a half strength feed of Tomato food. I am sure that you will soon see a great difference after a weak feed.
JB.

Hi Ben, With Johnboy's feeding advice and the warmer weather you should see the tomatoes and peppers romping away now. Good luck.