tomatoes and sweet peppers help?

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 15 Jul 2007, 15:34

right so i was given some sweet pepper plants and i had some tomato plants.

the sweet pepper plants are just sprouting little white flowers and someone told me to remove them while someone else said not to worry......and likewise with my tomato plant, pick off the yellow flowers.

and do they like full sunlight or shady conditions? im not too good at keeping plants alive....i tend to kill them! accidentily of course!

and tips would be very helpful for a novice!

ta, kat x

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 15:41

Oooooh Kat, don't do that on either.

The flowers are the fruit, or the coloured leaves around the fruit which is growing. Same as Apples, Cherries etc.

Take them off and you will get nothing.

What they may be thinking of is 'picking' out the little shoots growing between the larger shoots. This simply means the more active part of the plant gets all the water.

If they're under glass, you may put up something to take the too hot sun off (presuming it's a sunny day of course). But outside, they should be OK.

We learn as we go - like I and many others have )t'

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 15:47

If you look closely at this piccy, you'll see I've put an old Bamboo type roller blind up the side of my greenhouse. I'm lucky enough to have 4 of them.
This keeps off the burning sun, but still lets light through.

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 15 Jul 2007, 16:18

theyre just out in the garden.....my garden isnt big enough for even a mini greenhouse!

so i dont pick the flowers off, and i guess i keep well watered?

and why are the leaves going yellow on my tomato plants?

and when do i pick the tomatos? they are about golf ball sized at biggest and marble sized at smallest and all are green!

and when will i see a pepper growing?

so may questions lol :shock:

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 16:42

The picking really depends on how you like them.

You have a lot, don't wait for them all to go really red. You can pick a few before that time and put them on a sunny window sill.

The leaf colour is probably just natural progression of the plant, or somethings getting to it. The recent wind and rain wouldn't have helped matters - just too much of it.

But you've got some - we've got about 20 odd plants and haven't had one yet, but everything is late in our garden this year, except the beetroot.

ged · Post by **ged** » 15 Jul 2007, 17:45

:mrgreen: Hi Kat,
if u r dealing with a small space try container gardening and vertical gardening,u only have to keep the pots well watered and its weed free!
atb
ged )c+

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 15 Jul 2007, 18:23

lol

everything is in pots, i can move them as and when i want to that way and if they die i just put them to one side till im ready to re pot something! :oops:

and if it isnt me killing them its the chooks eating them!! :shock:

im just not very good with plants. though i did keep a yukka alive for over 2 years before i put it ousted one day cos i was moving big furniture around the lounge and it got sunburnt and died!

hmmm

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 19:54

Well you'll just have to move Kat. There's a good book available called 'Square Foot Gardening' which loads of people swear by. I believe there's a Book 2 now.

Basically, you grow different vegetables in an area one foot by one foot, either in the ground or containers.

Here's a blatant plug.....

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 15 Jul 2007, 20:59

ill tell u a secret if u dont tell my mum.....shhhh :shock:

*whispers* i just put a bid on one of those books, on one of the popular online auction sites! :-D

and if she does find out.....ill blame richard for all his helpful encouragment and pleed insanity!!

me xx :mrgreen: )t'

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 21:06

Good show, blame me, chase me, I don't care )th:

See my prize plant in the Fortnightly Diary!!

Ged's a man of the earth and a good one to have around for the tricks of the trade (not always exactly legal mind you
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: (only joking mate!

Post by Mo » 15 Jul 2007, 21:39

Are you going in for cloth making Richard? (what do you use them for anyway?)

Post by **Richard** » 15 Jul 2007, 21:55

Hair brushes Mo

)t'

PK · Post by PK » 15 Jul 2007, 22:54

Hi b-cos-I-can

Re the sweet peppers

You can help the flowers set fruit by giving the plants a shake now and again. You should notice small green swellings emerging from the flowers - these are the biginnings of the fruit. I usually only allow a maximum of six fruits to mature from each plant so all the energy can be concentrated on them. This means pinching off any other flowers/furits that develop - perhaps this is what your informant meant. With the tomatoes - let them fruit in abundance

Phil

ged · Post by **ged** » 16 Jul 2007, 05:09

:mrgreen: Hi Kat,
square foot gardening is a brill book for sml spaces.If u dont win it,I have a copy u can have with pleasure.As a disclaimer to a previous post,things are only illegal if u get caught!Not that I am advocating breaking the law,but it can be bent sometimes!
I use a mini greenhouse to good effect and I also harden off plants at earliest opportunity as this gives them a better chance of survival!If u have a poor record with keeping plants alive,sow in small quantities,often,more will increase chances of success,less means poorer odds of fruition!I grow veg to baby stage then harvest whilst replacing with later sowings each time,a bit like square foot gardening!So before the constabulary arrive to take me away for past mis-deeds,I bid u a good and productive day! notmee

Post by **Richard** » 16 Jul 2007, 06:50

ged - 5am !!!!