Backyard veg garden - a few queries

[wyrdsister]

Hi everyone - this is my first post. I have just moved to a house with no garden and am determined to grow as much as possible in pots in the yard.

My main two queries are regarding bell peppers and tomatoes. The tomato plants are outside (too early?) in upside down pots in a grow bags and the bell peppers are in roughly 9" x 9" pots. The plants are all about 6-7" tall now. I water most days unless it rains and mix worm juice into the water.

First problem - there appears to be some kind of pest which I can't find any trace of - the tomatoes have brown trails eaten into the leaves and one plant in particular is very badly affected - the same brown patches/trails? appear on a few other veg plants but mainly the toms are affected.

Secondly - the new growth on my bell peppers appears to be curling and is not as green as the rest of the plant - any ideas?

[JO,JO]

hi sounds like slug snail damage.maybe you could have a lean too greenhouse attached to your house in a sunny part,then you could grow your peppers in there?i have planted tomatoes out already.

[Snadger]

Still a bit cold for planting out in my area and I would suggest the curled leaves on the peppers are a symptom of cold?

[JO,JO]

yep would not grow peppers outside in my area.probably keep them in the greenhouse til july.

[Maggie2008]

Hi everyone - this is my first post. I have just moved to a house with no garden and am determined to grow as much as possible in pots in the yard.

My main two queries are regarding bell peppers and tomatoes. The tomato plants are outside (too early?) in upside down pots in a grow bags and the bell peppers are in roughly 9" x 9" pots. The plants are all about 6-7" tall now. I water most days unless it rains and mix worm juice into the water.

First problem - there appears to be some kind of pest which I can't find any trace of - the tomatoes have brown trails eaten into the leaves and one plant in particular is very badly affected - the same brown patches/trails? appear on a few other veg plants but mainly the toms are affected.

Secondly - the new growth on my bell peppers appears to be curling and is not as green as the rest of the plant - any ideas?

You could try square foot gardening in a small backyard and are likely to move house you can take the beds with you!!
I am starting this year in my small back garden and am quite excited at getting a lot out of such a small space
See this thread on this site for info

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ness_1035.html

and see this website from Mel Barthollomew

The Official Site of Square Foot Gardening and Mel Bartholomew, Originator and Author

Hope that helps

[pickledtink]

Don't forget tomatoes and strawberries do well in hanging baskets too and lots of things can be trained upwards on trellis like Squash, cucumbers, courgettes etc so you can use the walls as growing space too.

[wyrdsister]

Thanks everyone - I think slug/snail damage is the most likely culprit on closer inspection. It's been gloriously hot here in Devon for quite a few days now so if cold is an issue I'm hoping it won't be from now on! (Sorry to be smug about the weather. : )

[JO,JO]

you lucky thing x