Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi, Hope everyone has had a good sunny day like us here is south wales, Another newbie here, quick question if I may, On my balconi tom plant the leaves appear to be wilting, photo attached, mainly on the bottom ones, the new ones coming out the top seem to still be green , also the squash is very similair, am I doing something wrong or not as the case my be !!
thanks folks,

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Have you accidentally wetted the lower leaves while watering? Looks a bit like sun-scorch.

Welcome to the vine by the way

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I agree with Shirl.

Water the roots, not the leaves.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Does watering the plant from above not help cool it down and increase humidity, or is not a good idea?

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A bad days fishing is still better than a good day at work!

No, it's a terrible idea! Think of your skin when you get out of the sea ... the sun is magnified through all those drops of water and burns you.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Not a good idea! If you want to increase humidity then stand all your pots on trays full of gravel and water the gravel - the plants will take what they want and the rest will evaporate giving the humidity.

The water drops on the leaves act like little magnifying lenses and you can sereiously burn the plant.

If you want to water the leaves to wash dust off then do it in the late evening so there is time for the water to evapourate before the sun comes along to shrivel everything.

Ahhhh, probably guilty of that, thanks for the help !

Crikey, I`ve been doing that for years!
Thanks guys, a lesson learnt

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A bad days fishing is still better than a good day at work!

what;s the secret of not over/under watering the toms? The compost in my tom pots looks dry, but I'm sure the soil is moist underneath, but i'm too scared to water, in case i over water...then io get paranoid that its too dry.....any rules of thumb?

ta

Literally that! Stick your thumb in! Or rather a finger into the compost - if it looks dry on top then push a finger into the compost you should be able to feel if it is wet or dry and water accordingly.

Also feel the weight of the plant & pot - a wet compost plant will feel heavier than a dry one.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

How big are the pots? Do they have enough drainage holes? If in pots small enough to lift, then I judge watering by the weight of the pot, or put your finger well down into the compost - more plants die from overwatering than underwatering.

10" pots. I made three big holes in each one. I think theres plenty of drainage. Will do the weight/thumb test.

cheers

syanide

I'm using the black flower buckets found in supermarkets for my toms , peppers and aubagines this year and instead of putting holes in the bottom i put a ring of holes around the pot about a third of the way up friom the bottom so the water has drainage but the bottom third of the pot acts as a water table and the compost above it will draw up water if it's to dry.

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

hi carlseawolf,do you put any crocks or stones in the bottom1/3 below the drainage holes,is there any advantage in putting a bottle or pipe into the pot to water and feed,so it reaches the roots instead of crusting over the top.
just thinking out loud now,if some suitable joints be got,is it possible to set up a hosepipe system from the water barrell or tap,with a small length of hose into each pot,coming of the main feed,have to give it some thought and investigation,as to price and gravity,has anyone tryed this,or am i just barking up the wrong tree.

Watching a gardening programme not so long ago a 'gardening expert' said that you should water from below and feed from above. So how does this work then?

Doesn't that mean throw the Big Mac on the top and pour the coke in the bottom??

Having an elevated waterbut or hot water bottle, with a hose that goes into the toms is an idea. We're doing that this year. I'll let you know if it works.

p.s. He he he he he he he re the McD's comment syanide...