Wednesday 14 May 2014

Tomato Update

You may remember my Tomato Troubles post from three weeks ago. I explained how I'd sown my tomatoes on the 8th of March and pricked them out on the 26th of March, after which they'd hardly grown and looked quite pale and yellowing. I thought it may be down to the compost not having enough nutrients in it, so I bought some new compost and repotted them.

Since then, they've come on leaps and bounds. This is what they looked like on the 4th of May, they'd really got their colour back after being given fresh compost and they'd started growing again too. This is just a fortnight after the original photos of the anaemic looking plants were taken.


They'd grown so well in that fortnight that they were ready to be potted on again. Here they are in their slightly larger pots.


It doesn't look as though their ordeal has held them back much, in fact, they're growing at such a pace that they're nearly ready for potting on again. This photo was taken ten days ago and the growth spurt since then is amazing.


I wasn't sure if the plants would ever recover, and I also lost three of them when I originally repotted them, it looked like damping off, so I quickly sowed some more seed.


They've also grown well, have been pricked out and have got a few true leaves now, but they're lagging behind the other plants so I don't know if they'll mature in time to give me a harvest, but at least most of the original plants have survived. Fingers crossed that it's a great year for tomatoes.

36 comments:

  1. We had the same problem, re potted an now doing ok, I'll probably have too many toms now lol x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems that we can't rely on compost to contain what our plants need. It's trial and error these days as to whether what we buy is any good or not. I didn't prick out all the tomato seedlings I had, especially as it was late in the day really and I don't know if I'll get a harvest from the late sown ones, I just hope they all do well now.

      Delete
  2. The plants look really healthy.....you should have good crops this year. Amazing what some fresh soil can do :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've made an amazing comeback, it does show what a change in compost can do. I was ready for throwing them out and starting again, I'm so pleased I didn't now.

      Delete
  3. Clear evidence of the poor quality of the original compost, I believe. Glad to hear that you are back on track now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's hard to believe how different compost can vary so much. It's trial and error as to whether the compost we buy is any good, it doesn't fill me with confidence when I'm trying to raise healthy plants. Let's hope we all go on to have a bumper tomato harvest.

      Delete
  4. I'm glad you were able to sort out the compost issue, I must admit to giving mine a bit of weak plant food solution to keep them perked up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems pot luck as to whether the compost we buy will be any good or not so I think it's probably a good idea to give the plants a bit of a feed. Not that we should have to though, compost should contain everything a plant needs to grow well for a number of weeks.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousMay 14, 2014

    They certainly look okay now thank goodness. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're looking very healthy now, it's hard to believe that they're the same plants.

      Delete
  6. It looks as though they are doing really well now, I hope that you get lots and lots of toms all summer long! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They certainly seem to be on track now. I'm hoping that it's a good tomato year and that we all get a great harvest.

      Delete
  7. Your plants obviously liked your tomato hospital and the treatment they received. Looking good now xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They perked up as soon as I repotted them in to fresh compost. You wouldn't know they'd ever had anything wrong with them now.

      Delete
  8. Why can't someone come up with a reliable potting compost?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The million dollar question. I haven't found one yet. You can think you've found a good brand and then you buy another bag and it's totally different than the one you've had before.

      Delete
  9. I suppose the tomatoes just needed some warmer weather. Its all go for plants now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely think it was down to the compost rather than the weather, they came on leaps and bounds once they'd been repotted in to different compost.

      Delete
  10. There is some awful compost about isn't there, I learnt recently that many have recycled wood and stuff in them. I bought s bad batch and the plants were growing really badly.
    How wonderful that your toms have come on again, yes, it's look like it's going to be a good year for them.xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've found all sorts of things in bags of compost, big chunks of wood, plastic, even screws. I'm really pleased that I managed to rescue the plants before it was too late, fingers crossed that we all get a great harvest.

      Delete
  11. They're looking really good now. Mine are horrible, I wouldn't be surprised if there are no tomatoes this year. I haven't looked after them very well I fear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They look as though they're back to full health, such a difference in them since they've been repotted. I hope your tomatoes go on to produce a harvest. I'd have bought some plants in if I hadn't managed to rescue them, a summer without tomatoes doesn't bare thinking about.

      Delete
  12. Glad to read that your toms have responded so positively to a change of compost Jo. You must be relieved :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm very relieved, it was touch and go there for a while. I'm glad I took the decision to repot them, I could quite easily have discarded them. It just goes to show what a bit of extra care can do.

      Delete
  13. Your tomatoes look so happy, mine... oh no... I have sowed three times last month but only three seedling remain. And from the February sowing, only two plants remain. Too much rain on the last three months.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a shame about your tomatoes. I hope the plants and seedlings you've managed to keep hang on to give you a harvest. There's nothing quite like home grown tomatoes.

      Delete
  14. Glad your tomato plants are doing well now after re-potting. Ours have suddenly got bigger in the last week or two. Some were planted later than others so at a different stage of growth. Hopefully there'll be lots of produce!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think they suddenly have a growth spurt, usually when the weather conditions are just right. The sunshine we've had over the last couple of days will be encouraging them to put on some growth.

      Delete
  15. Isn't it amazing what changing the compost can do to your plants! It is great to hear that your plants are now flourishing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You really wouldn't think that compost could make such a difference, it just goes to show how important the right nutrients are.

      Delete
  16. They have come back well. Your right though most composts are quite honestly pants.

    X x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm surprised how quickly they recovered. I won't hang around in future, they'll get repotted as soon as I notice something wrong as I bet this isn't the last time it happens.

      Delete
  17. I'm still trying to find a good consistent compost too. Glad your toms responded so well once they were repotted. I've had one bag of naff compost at least this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it's always going to be trial and error, you just think you've found a good compost only to find it's rubbish when you buy another bag of it. It's so annoying.

      Delete
  18. They certainly are looking good, so hope you get a great crop. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've greened up so well after being repotted. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed now that their setback doesn't affect the fruit.

      Delete

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