Help with plant rescue mission & upside down tomato planters please

[Learner-Grower]

Hi I'm new and I have a teensy garden and aside from summer hols in suffolk with my great uncle & aunts huge allotment many years ago have zero exoerience of anything.

I bought some 'micro-tomate' from Lidl a while back as well as some Basil, Chives & Mint. I added to them with some dill and coriander from Morrisons (the latter 2 were very spindley). Things were ok, until I wasn't able to be at home unexpectedly due to an urgent family matter and everything's gone a bit squiffy, with things getting eaten, battered in storms, and dried out unwatered in the sun so I am now on a rescue mission for all of them. I had lavender too - but heaven knows if that can ever be revived.

I can't find out what type of tomatoes I have as all it says on the tag of the toms is Lycopersicon lycopersicum with a picture of the sun, a height indication of 100-160cm height and then a dinner plate with a knife and fork and VII - X (is this the amount of toms I'll get? LOL)! Whilst away I received 2 upside down tomato planters I got cheap off of an auction site.

I need help as they have come with no instructions. I have 2 growbags from Lidl, but I don't want to use them at low level as I am pushed for space, and I have lots of snails eating my plants & I caught one of my small dogs with a tomato in it's mouth a few days back (they are poisonous to dogs). I also need to identify what type of small tomatoes these are and if the tomatoes are even going to adjust to being tipped upside down as they already have fruit growing downwards. They look in a pretty sorry state though and I am desperate toplant them today if poss.

It appreaciate it's all very simple to those who know, but I don't want to be too shy to ask and ruin my plants, or not save them. They desperately need repotting, and I was going to put some chives, mint basil and poss dill in the top (although they have come with a lid) as these are looking less healthy than they were before I went away. I know basil hates the sun though and toms need sun - but I did read they were good to keep flies away.

I'm deliberating and feel very silly for asking, but these planters are pretty huge and I've read about toms having two roots at different levels, one set for drinking and one set for feeding. there's also only one bit of sponge in the bottom bit and I wondered if I needed to cut up some more and put in mixed with the earth or just do it as it came?

Forgot to mention I've got parsely as well.

Also that my tomatoes have got warty knobbly bits on the stems where they've grown since I have had them and that when my Mum was here she smoked in the garden (which I've read is bad for tomato plants?).

[allotmentlady]

they are cherokee purple tomatoes

[taff]

If they're not looking that good, put them upright, stake them,tie them in, grow at ground level, and put some netting round them to keep the dogs off.

[terrier]

Hi, Learner-Grower, welcome to the forum Nothing like a toughie question for your first post LOL.
First of all. I don't ever hearing that green toms are poisonous to dogs, I could be wrong but maybe you are mixing them up with the 'fruit' of the potato plant, often referred to as 'tomatoes'.
The warty knobbly bits on the stems are new roots forming and the growing medium would cover them for best results as these are the 'feeding' roots you refer to.
I've heard of upside down planters but I've never seen one so can't offer any advice there.
Stick with it and see what other advice other forum growers come up with, there's a lot of us

[Learner-Grower]

Thanks all. I'm afraid I went it alone yesterday (I live alone) as I knew it'd take me ages, and I was worried that left any longer until I had the time they might lose the will completely.

Bit worried that the warty things are poking out of the upside down planter now though, in fact very worried, but as I had no assistance to drill into concrete walls I was faced with balancing the planter between 2 recycling bins and trying to seperate the plants as well as fill the planter with masses of earth and then (because the screw heads already in the wall were too big for the metal loop to go through) taking the screw2s out with the partially filled planter and taking the weight of the thin wire with my hands and trying to screw it back into the raw plug in the wall.. Yep, my hands are not pretty today.

I was trying to put the stems of the tom plants higher into the planter (so the warty bits would have been covered, but with one it was ok to do it and move it but the other I just couldn't and that is the one I am most worried about, I was also running low on earth, so I'm not too happy that I didn't get right to the top of the planter, but I am only about 5" off - I put a few basil and chives on top but not many.

It's difficult as I don't drive or know anyone locally so any heavy things I need I have to try and get back myself, which with a dodgy back, isn't too easy. So if anyone knows of any gardening delivery services in London that are reasonable I'd be chuffed to hear about them, I may have a google after this actually.

I have read on several sites that tomatoes are poisonous to dogs, and so are onions - there are a few things actually that you shouldn't give them (oranges for example). I was originally growing them upside down to save space, and because it allegedly increased fruit production.......as well as the dogs. I didn't know about the potato flower thing though so I am grateful for that tip.

Would purple cherokee tomatoes be cherry red or have a purple tinge (sorry if this is an obvious question) I will google that as well. I have had about 20 little sweet red tomatoes from them alrady, and felt so grateful that this is why I felt yesterday I had to act urgently before the pressing issues of the weekdays pushed them further from grasp.

I could post pics but I am not sure if there is anywhere on here to so as I am familiarising myself with the site still. Once I get to knowmy way around and a few people I am sure I'll settle in because at the moment every keystroke I type makes me wince as my hands are shredded from the planter wire!

I'm off for some hand cream now but really grateful for the feedback - If not a bit worried that I may have messed up leaving 2 of the plants with the warty bits more exposed than they maybe should be - hope not though

[Learner-Grower]

Not just me with a screw loose! Help please.

As a temp measure I put my upside down tomato planters in an existing hole in the concrete wall yesterday. It would have to be the tomatoes with the warty bits not in soil that I am already worried about, where I noticed that the brickwork and screw were looking a bit iffy just now (I went out to take pics for you folks).

I had to move the planter to a sunnier spot where there was another hole and raw plu - and I found a longer screw from elsewhere in the garden. This is very difficult whilst the planter's full of earth with the toms sticking out the bottom, herbs in the top, and I'm and having to re-screw a screw into the wall whilst holding the weight on wire with one bare hand and contorted body (as previously mentioned the screw heads were too big to hook the planter loop over it). I almost dropped it and had to grab my dustbin to semi prop it up on whilst pushing against the planter from the other side with my knee in the air. I got it hanging up (temporarily again) but it seems firmer now.

However - this is the planter with the warty bits mainly outside (the other ones I was able to get further in, and also I fitted a cut peice of polystyrene around the stems in a fashion to try and prevent slippage out.

Now I have taken some more pics (it was so late last night they weren't clear) I can see that movement of the earth inside the planter has pushed the stems out even more - to the point where the roots must be barely holding on.

I am panicking as I don't want to kill them off, but to replant them and do it alone is extremely difficult, especially as I don't have the proper drill to get some fixings anchored into the wall properly (I will go in the attic and check my drill). I am also aware I have basil and chives in the top so would need to disturb them too. I was going to reposition them when my Mum came over (even though she's elderly and not that strong, she would be a very big help. However, I don't want to really thwart my poor little plants and am thinking have I no alternative but to go it alone and see what the local hardware shop has?

I am thinking of starting up a flicker book of my gardening efforts - would this help as I can post up what I am talking about to give people more of an idea as to what I am going on about?

I just know so little, and feel so foolish, I have no idea whether the tomatoes will still grow stronger roots and then more warty bits off of them in the soil, or if I need to act now to avoid losing what I worked so hard to try and preserve yesterday.

I know I sound like a drama queen, it's just frustrating not having anyone to give me a hand - I may see if I can join a community garden project locally, I know there is one, but it's RIGHT on my doorstep and I don't want to get too involved too locally as I'm polite but not a busybody in and out of neighbours houses type IYSWIM.

Apologies in advance for blabbering on and on it's the ADHD!

[SarzWix]

I've never used one of those upside down planters, so I have no idea how you can rescue them, but I must say, I'd be very inclined to nip into poundstretcher/poundland/BMs and buy the biggest planter I could afford and just put the poor tomato plant the right way up... Incidentally, I have a dog and she's never shown any inclination to eat tomatoes, green or otherwise...

If you can't bear to give up on your upside-down thingies, then don't despair about the warty bits being outside the soil - if you have them in the soil, the plant makes more of them above the soil... They seem to just get them, it isn't a problem. The main thing to worry about is if the whole thing is going to fall off the wall... Can't see that doing the plant any good

[Two_Sheds]

I am thinking of starting up a flicker book of my gardening efforts - would this help

You have a photo album facility on here. Click on your name and have a look

you might need to reduce your pix a bit. Try this: Resizr - Free Online Picture Resize

[FoxHillGardener]

....So if anyone knows of any gardening delivery services in London that are reasonable I'd be chuffed to hear about them, I may have a google after this actually...

I've used these Creative Garden Ideas - the Garden Supplies | CPL Creative Garden Ideas for bags of compost, sand gravel etc.

Also my local garden centre on the south circular delivers for a fiver, so if he's got bags on offer, three for two and such like, then I'll get some from him. A bit far for you in north London, but worth asking in your local one

Finally, my milkman Dairy Crest Doorstep Deliveries delivers compost whch you can order online up to 9pm the night before delivery. He does milk too

[Learner-Grower]

Thanks everyone. It's a bit frustrating not being able to drive and nip out to get all I want, as if I did have the stuff here instead of using public transport here and there in small manageable loadsI would have a darn good go at getting the holders screwed in properly and attempting it myself on some stepladders, replanting from scratch.

As it is I didn't see two-sheds advice about the photo albums on here and have just had my first encounter uploading all my pics to a flickr album under Learner-Grower I'm not sure how to link to it for everyone but there are some photographic examples of what I am trying to explain my immediate concerns are with the smaller of the two plants falling out/not feeding properly. I'll try to post the flikr address in my signature. The pics are in sets in date order (oldest first) as I get better I will switch this around so the most recent are up as they'll hopefully be more relevant then (and flourishing me hopes)!

It's rained off and on today in London too - and I had already watered early this morning, so the planters are heavier to move than ever.

I appreciate your advice on supplies (so much), and stems, and what to do I think I am going to have a cup of mint tea and a cuddle with one of my uncomplaining dogs to make myself feel better - and some of the soup I made last night (also pics of that on flickr.com) yum yum then I will re-assess the stem situation.

In all fairness if you do look at the album on flicker you'll see that I have rescued the plants back from severe heat and hailstones over the space of a week when I was called away from home, so I am not completely useless 'Tis this investment that doesn't make me want to fail now. If everyone thinks the tomato plants are still likely to be ok with the warty bits out and the roots in I am tempted to leave them and assess them over the next few days to see if they thrive or start to perish. I don't know how easily they are ruined?

Is that a good plan though?

In the meantime I can sort out a re-hanging strategy and buy the bits and bobs needed.