more tomato questions

[Kiwi_Soph]

So this forum has been BRILLIANT at soothing my first-time-veg-gardener worries - the curly new leaves; to sideshoot or not sideshoot; the right staking techniques - all my fretting has been stopped in its tracks by the search. But!

I have two questions I couldn't really find an answer for.

Firstly, my tomatoes are generally quite healthy ( I think). I have two Sun Belles and a Sweet Millions in pots-I cheated a bit and bought 5cm plants from the garden centre - but now they are now about a metre high and each has at least two sets of multiple flower buds (two even came into flower yesterday).

Ok so question one - although they still look ok they spent yesterday out in the garden and when I got home some of the leaves in the middle section had gone from a lovely dark green to a pale colour - like they had had bleach tipped on them. Is this a crisis? Or will they survive? They have spent a fair amount of time outside before, usually on sunny days but not on a day like yesterday when it was very humid and cloudy here.

My other question is a bit easier - does anyone know how tall I should grow them? They have reached the tops of their stakes - should I get new taller ones and if so, how high is ideal?

Any feedback for my (really long-winded, sorry!) post would be great, cheers!

[taff]

they will survive. they've either been slightly scorched, or they need potting on/feeding.
googling reveals sun belle is more a bush type, sweet millions grow from 4 to 6 ft, but not sure if they're cordon or bush.

[Two_Sheds]

the middle section had gone from a lovely dark green to a pale colour - like they had had bleach tipped on them.

They've been outside too long, too hot or too windy. Like my Frenchies: wind burn | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Where are you? NZ? (if you put it into your profile, we won't keep asking you )

[Kiwi_Soph]

Oh! That is totally it. It was a still day when I left for work and still when I got home but I did find the watering can on the other side of the garden so it may well have been windy!

Thanks to you both, I'm loving not having to wade through mountains of conflicting googled advice

As for location, I am a Kiwi but I live in London. It has been a steep curve adjusting to this hot-june/july/august malarky! But cheers for the tip, i'm off to play with my profile now

[Flummery]

As for how tall, if you are not growing in a greenhouse (sounds like you aren't) then I would stop them (pinch out the top) after 4 trusses - some would say 5. I allow more in the greenhouse - say 6. This is because you won't get more than that ripened outdoors and there's no point the plant putting energy into forming and swelling up fruits that will never ripen. Love's labour lost!

Welcome to the Grapevine. It's like Royston Vasey. You'll never leave!