tomato, cucumber, melon etc plants prob an odd question

[lynda66]

ok so most of my questions are odd, but i was thinking, are these plants annuals? i'm presuming they are, just i'm not holding out much hope of them fruiting this year, and wondered will they overwinter and produce next year, or if they don't produce, do i have to pull them up and start again next year?

will they just die without fruiting if it gets too late? or would it be best to bring them in when it gets cold/er lol ...... (can you tell i'm not expecting any sun for the rest of the year?)

well at least i might be a bit more prepared next year and start thing off at the proper time

[amandaandherveg]

Like you Lynda, this has been my first year, and wow, what a learning curve, it's all new to me! I too will be a lot more prepared next year. I'm still hopeful for the stuff that's a bit slow so far. My melons are tiny with ony a couple of leaves but my pumpkins are promisng.

I'm on my 5th cucumber plant, this one has survived the longest despite my neighbour trying his best to drown it whilst I was on holiday for the last fortnight.

[Alice]

Hello Lynda. What a scary Avatar you have.
Yes, your tomatoes etc are annuals. They will do it this year, or they won't do it.
But don't despair. It can be done. I'm growing tomatoes and cucumbers outdoors in Perthshire and they're looking good - but there's a bit to go. It's a constant battle with the weather, and the rest. But that's what it's all about.
Amanda, you're very ambitious to start with pumpkin and melon. I'm struggling with melon in the conservatory here.
You're both only new growers this year. You will have learned so much by next year.
Really look forward to seeing how you get on.
Here's to this years successes - and there will be some.

[lynda66]

scary? moi? nooooooo i'm not scary .....honest .... a bit odd maybe, and my best mates a vampire ..... but i'm dead un-scary me lol (and thats actually the least scary picture i have of me lol)

i figured as much lol ...... so why haven't they figured out how to make perennial tomato plants yet? i'm sure that would be easier lol ........ anyway, you haven't seen the size of my tomato plants ...... slugs haven't even been bothered with them , cos they wouldn't make a mouthful for a baby one.

i thought i'd killed all my cucumbers, but i found 3 when i removed the weeds, i'd been lovingly weeding round cos i thought they were parsnips they were cute weeds though

my pumpkins are doing great, they actually have 2 pointy leaves as well as the first ones now........wouldn't mind, don't even like pumpkin, only need 2 for halloween and all 5 plants are springing up .... i do like the seeds in my bread though, typical its the ones you aren't really bothered about that grow isn't it lol ...... most of the seeds i got were reduced so i figured i'd just see what happens, but i really really wanted some tomatoes ..... i even killed my okra when i knocked it off the boiler the other day and snapped all the stems i bought a grow light specially for them too.

it's just so annoying that all my flowers are taking over, but the veg are still all tiny ..... guess i'm just losing a bit of hope, when everyones eating stuff, and the piccies of super veg are everywhere, and i'm still looking at little tufts of green ....... and i'm feeling a bit miserable today (had a bad day)..... i just want to eat something to make all the killing myself planting the damned things feel worthwhile.

[MaureenHall]

Awwwwwwwww Lynda, don't be sad, it'll happen when you're not looking . Bet you this time next year you'll be bragging about the size of your tomatoes and asking for recipes for chutneys, ketchups and stuff to do with all the excess you have. Keep trying though, don't give up now after you've done all that hard work

By the way, is the mini car chicken coop conversion still a possibility?

[Cloud]

Don't despair mate.Things can only get better!!!

[lynda66]

Awwwwwwwww Lynda, don't be sad, it'll happen when you're not looking . Bet you this time next year you'll be bragging about the size of your tomatoes and asking for recipes for chutneys, ketchups and stuff to do with all the excess you have. Keep trying though, don't give up now after you've done all that hard work

By the way, is the mini car chicken coop conversion still a possibility?

i'm trying not to, but its hard when you look at everything and nothings happening, i think i need to go away for a fortnight, so i'm not so obsessed with looking lol

the mini chicken coop is still a possibility, but that's been put on hold temporarily, as the builders have decided they are landscaping the waste ground at the back of the house but there is a possibility i may end up with an extra 6 foot of garden they have dug out all the soil from behind the garden and the back end of all our gardens are subsiding, so can't put anything at the bottom till it's all stable again

[lynda66]

Don't despair mate.Things can only get better!!!

well they can't get any bloody worse lol

[Gauckwin]

ok so most of my questions are odd, but i was thinking, are these plants annuals? i'm presuming they are, just i'm not holding out much hope of them fruiting this year, and wondered will they overwinter and produce next year, or if they don't produce, do i have to pull them up and start again next year?

will they just die without fruiting if it gets too late? or would it be best to bring them in when it gets cold/er lol ...... (can you tell i'm not expecting any sun for the rest of the year?)

well at least i might be a bit more prepared next year and start thing off at the proper time

Chin up girl ---get on a train in Manchester get off at Bolton ---OH will pick you up (i don't drive) you can pick your very own veggie box --- have a cup of tea/coffee and a sticky bun --- shed style.

MG

[Alice]

What a lovely invitation you've got from Gauckwin, Lynda. I'd go.
Keep your chin up, some of that stuff will grow and by next year you'l be well experienced. You'll see.

[SarzWix]

Lynda, some stuff will keep growing a bit longer at the end of the season if you keep it warm, like wrapping tomato plants with a bit of horticultural fleece, or putting a polythene cloche over your pumpkin plant. I could send you some fleece, if you fancy? I bought a roll of it last year when I was in the same boat as you - it got me a few tomatoes more and ripened my one little butternut squash PM me your address & I'll send you a bit (That's PM, not VM )

[HeyWayne]

I'm kinda with you on this.

4 melons plants - dead
4 Squash - dying
Several tomato plants - one tomato
3 Courgette plants - one dying (well, it doesn't look very well next to the other two).

They do really well in the greenhouse, but as soon as I put them outside, dead.

I wouldn't mind, but I live daan saaf.

I've got a number of pumpkins I need to put outside, but I'm very nervous now.

Good luck!

[SarzWix]

I've got a number of pumpkins I need to put outside, but I'm very nervous now.

Good luck!

Get some fleece over them HW. We've got 2 pumpkin plants on our plot, one (mine) was planted out with no protection & now looks half dead, the other (my son's) was planted out & covered with a fleece tunnel cloche for it's first couple of weeks. It's got 3 pumpkins on it so far and is rapaging all over the bed!

[Kristen]

Are your hardening them off before planting them out HW?

This rubbish weather won't have helped, of course ...

[HeyWayne]

Are your hardening them off before planting them out HW?

This rubbish weather won't have helped, of course ...

They were in my mini greenhouse - doors open (as good as outside) overnight for a while before being transplanted to the plot.

However, the plot is quite exposed compared to my garden, and with the recent cool weather and wind...