Sunday 18 May 2014

Arggghhhhhhh. Disaster!

If you read my last post, you'd know that due to the potting compost I used, my tomato plants got off to quite a poor and shaky start this year. I managed to nurse them back to health by repotting them using a different compost, and then giving them lots of tlc. I was pleased at how well they were responding, their leaves were a beautiful shade of green, quite different from the anaemic yellow they had become, and the plants had grown considerably.

Yesterday, the unthinkable happened, my poor tomato plants were left to bake in a swealtering greenhouse with no ventilation. I'm not going to blame anyone, Mick, as it was an accident, but I could scream after all the effort I put in to aid their recovery. It just obviously wasn't meant to be this year, I should have cut my losses when the plants were small and yellow.


Luckily, there was a plant sale in the nearby community centre this morning which the local gardening group were hosting, so we hotfooted it down there to see what was on offer. I was a bit disappointed in their cordon tomato plants, there was only one variety for sale, Alicante, so I only bought one plant. There was more of a choice in bush tomato plants so I came away with a Gartenperle and two Maskotkas. The bush varieties were only 50p each but the Alicante was £1.00, I presume because it was in a larger pot.


I want another four cordon plants and perhaps another bush variety, that should do me for this year, though I've still got the smaller plants which I sowed a few weeks ago so if they put on enough growth, I'll have those too. They escaped the swealtering greenhouse as they're still on a windowsill at the moment. I should mention that all the other plants in the greenhouse were fine, it was just the tomatoes which suffered any damage, I think we got there in the nick of time to save the rest of my plants from the same fate.

I also made some other purchases from the sale this morning. I loved the look of these terracotta pots, just £1.00 each. They'll look great with a geranium or pelargonium planted in them.


Some ornamental plants were also bought, geum - Koi, a dwarf variety with orangey red flowers £1.50, agastache - Apricot Sprite £1.25, foxglove - unnamed 50p and marjoram - (oregano) Variegated Leaf £1.00.


Talking of herbs, I meant to do a post about a few I bought back in April to add to my small collection. These are Moss Curled parsley, Curled spearmint and rosemary. They were bought from a garden centre at 3 for £5.00. I'm enjoying having a go at growing herbs, though I still need more practice at incorporating them in my cooking.


Fingers crossed that nothing happens to these tomato plants now, I think I've had enough drama with them for one year.

46 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 18, 2014

    Oh what a shame, especially as they had picked up so well. Hopefully you'll be able to buy some more plants over the next couple of weeks.
    I like the look of the terracotta pots, a real bargain at £1 each. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, it wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't already had to work so hard to save them, but perhaps it was for the best, they may not have produced a worthwhile harvest after their poor start in life. I'm trying to look on the bright side. I couldn't imagine anyone not wanting the pots, they were on the gardening brick a brack stall, I swooped before anyone else took a fancy to them.

      Delete
  2. Looking at those beautiful terracotta pots that you bought, I'd say that the disaster was a cloud with a silver lining! I'm growing Maskotka toms; those that you bought were a bargain at 50p! At that price, the labour involved isn't even covered! I think I need to move to Yorkshire - you have much better garden sales than we do! I use parsley all the time in cooking and have at least 3 bunches on the go; once you learn how to use herbs, you'll hate being without them. Have a lovely week, Jo. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thrilled with the pots, I can't imagine anyone disliking them enough to donate them to the brick a brack stall, but their loss is my gain. I don't know of many plant sales around here, we found this one last year and made sure that we were there for when the doors opened as it's so popular and they sell out very fast. I'm definitely trying to use herbs more, I suppose it will get easier when I've got a few more to go at.

      Delete
  3. I love growing herbs and it is usually quite easy !
    I also love brushing up against them their smell is invigorating ! The rosemary I ever brush on my hands and bring up to my face to inhale when I start the morning chores ~ or the basil or the thyme lol ~ I love their aroma !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a latecomer to herbs, but I'm enjoying growing the few I've got. I agree about the scent, I'd like to grow lemon balm as I love the scent of lemons.

      Delete
  4. Some fabulous buys.....I love the pots and a pound each, amazing.

    Poor tomato plants, after all your hard work. It has happened to me, know just how you feel.

    Keep smiling :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There were definitely some bargains to be had, it's a very popular plant sale, I can see why. I'm pleased that I managed to pick up some tomato plants, I suppose I'll manage to source some more from a garden centre and they'll have to do this year.

      Delete
  5. Would you like some spare wood I have to build Mick a dog house? After all that nursing as well, good job you got some bargains x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. I've let him off, but only because I know he's not a gardener and it was my own fault really for putting my trust in him. I should know to deal with my plants myself. I just hope that the plants I've bought do well for me.

      Delete
  6. The things us gardeners go through to get plants to grow. It is either baking hot it freezing cold in my polytunnel I expect your greenhouse is the same!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose it's easy to get caught out with the weather, I've never had it happen to this extent before, but I'll be on my guard from now on.

      Delete
  7. Poor plants - is there any chance they will survive, they have been pretty tough so far. Love the pots. Lemmon balm is so easy to grow, in fact it becomes a bit of a weed eventually xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, I have kept the tomato plants, you never know. I think Lemon Balm is part of the mint family so it's no wonder it becomes a bit of a weed. One to keep in a pot if I get one I think.

      Delete
  8. The compost we started our seeds in did not help in their growth in any way so I planted them straight in the soil in the greenhouse. They've not grown an inch so this morning we bought 6 plants at 50p each from the CB and I planted them in with the others. I hope some of them will grow this year.
    Love from Mum
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame when plants don't grow the way we hope. This is the first year I've had any problems with my tomatoes but they seemed doomed from the start. It's definitely worth buying plants in rather than doing without, there's nothing quite like the taste of home grown tomatoes.

      Delete
  9. Oh no how awful for you. You got some great bargains at the sale. The terracotta pots are fab.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't believe it when I saw my poor plants. I love the terracotta pots, I much prefer these kind of pots than fancy glazed ones, though I've got some of those as well.

      Delete
  10. Oh such a shame Jo after all your blood, sweat and tears! I'm glad to read that you've been able to find a few replacements. At least you will still have homegrown tomatoes this year. You must have been so relieved that the other occupants of the greenhouse escaped the same fate and what a touch of serendipity to lead you to those pots. Himself sends Mick his sympathy :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't do without my homegrown tomatoes so it's a matter of sourcing some more plants now. It feels like cheating when I haven't grown them from seed, but needs must. I'm so pleased that the rest of the seedlings were ok, it would have been much worse if I'd lost the lot.

      Delete
  11. Oh no Jo! That type of thing usually happens to me! I havent got any tomato plants this year, I dont know if they will be still available in the garden centre. I am behind really this year with doing the lawn and the new borders.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I must admit that it's the first year that I've had so much trouble with my tomatoes, it really isn't nice. I should think there'll be plenty of tomato plants left in garden centres, I hope so anyway as I need some more myself.

      Delete
  12. Eek so sorry about your tomatoes are they are totally beyond recovery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some are definitely beyone recovery but there's a couple which may bounce back. There's a Costoluto Fiorentino which doesn't seem so bad now, so that may be ok, I'll just have to wait and see.

      Delete
  13. How flipping annoying - glad you've got some to replace them though. A summer without fresh tomatoes wouldn't seem like a summer would it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It definitely wouldn't. I'd had high hopes for my tomatoes this year after investing in some self watering containers, typical then that I've had my worst year with them so far.

      Delete
  14. Some really nice bargains there, especially thye lovely terracotta pots. What a shame about your tomatoes, maybe they'll perk up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love terracotta pots, I made a beeline for them as soon as I saw them. There was just the two otherwise I'd have bought more. A couple of the tomato plants are perking up a little so I might be able to rescue one or two.

      Delete
  15. We've been looking for terracotta pots today and all I could find were very bright orange mass produced ones for £2.50 each. You got a proper bargain!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you manage to find what you're looking for. I hadn't gone with the intention of buying anything other than plants but when I saw a gardening brick a brack stall I couldn't resist taking a look, I'm glad I did.

      Delete
  16. So sorry to hear about the tomato plants after all your hard work re-potting them. The sudden hot weather is lovely for us humans, but the plants need extra attention and it's easy to be surprised by the sunny conditions! The pots will be a great addition to your garden as well as your other bargain plants you got at the sale.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The greenhouse soon warms up, it needs to be kept very well ventilated, especially in the conditions we've had over the last few days. I'm still deciding where in the border my new plants will go, it's a case of shoehorning them in somewhere.

      Delete
  17. Love the pots shame about your plant lovely post thanks for sharing have a blessed week

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked the pots as soon as I saw them, I was lucky to pick them up before anyone else did as there was only two.

      Delete
  18. Oh Jo, how upsetting after all the work you have done in nurturing them so carefully! I hope that the new ones are successful and that the poor little sunburnt ones will recover to at least provide some crop. Your pots are lovely and a steal for sure at that price! They will be so lovely in your garden. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose these things happen. I'm just going to enjoy choosing some new varieties, if I can, that I haven't grown before, and hope that at least some of my poor plants pull through. I'm looking forward to getting the pots planted up, they'll look nice with something bright in them.

      Delete
  19. OH NOOOOOOO! What a shame after all that hard work, with a little tlc though they should bounce back, mine did when they fried last year.
    I like all your new plants, good luck with the toms!xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A couple of them might, the rest are too far gone. So annoying after all the work I've put in to them this year. Never mind, we live and learn.

      Delete
  20. Shame about your scorched tomato, but easily done. You got some great prices for the plants you bought, and the pots too. That was lucky to pick up some good plants for such a good price.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is easily done, you have to be on the ball if you're growing plants in a greenhouse. I'm really pleased with the plants I got from the plant sale, there's some nice additions for my garden there.

      Delete
  21. Oh no... After all the love and attention, lets hope they return back to full health. It's so easily done when they are in the green house I know.

    Some great looking new plants though.

    X x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I may be lucky with one or two plants, but the others are way past it. At least I've been able to buy some to replace them with, though I'm still on the lookout for a few more.

      Delete
  22. Oh dear, what a shame. Are none of the plants rescuable? If you were near me, I'd willingly give you my spares. I have 4 big healthy "indeterminate" plants which are spares and I can't bear to just chuck them away!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've repotted two of them, a Costoluto Fiorentino and a Totem, hoping that it will give them a bit of a boost, but the rest are gonners. I'm the same with my spares, it's such a shame to get rid of healthy plants, though not quite so bad if they can be passed on to someone who's grateful for them.

      Delete
  23. AnonymousMay 22, 2014

    sorry to hear about your tomatoes. It's hard at this time of year. I went away on Sunday for the night so just left the greenhouse door open as it gets way too hot even with the vents open. Then we're off to see family for a long weekend next week. I'll probably have to do the same again although I'm worried about blight. Hopefully it's too early for that yet. At least you've been able to get some replacements.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's hard to know what to do for the best, but some sort of ventilation is a must if you're not here to open up the greenhouse door in the morning. I think I've managed to save a couple and I'll buy replacements for the rest.

      Delete

 
!-- Start of StatCounter Code for Blogger / Blogspot -->