Tomatoes & 'lettuce' type leaves -- manure?

[jpdw]

On my new plot, so still turning the ground over & pulling out weeds/grass/bramble, but wanting to get stuff in.

I'm also new to actually planting in the ground having been restricted to pots & raised beds till now.

Today we'll be planting some current bushes for which we've got some manure bags, probably more than we need, so I was wondering about using it for other things....

First question...
Is there any point in trying to sow some very-late Roma tomatoes now? if so any tips for getting them to catch up? I suggest Roma as we use them a lot (paste), I have a packet of seeds & they usually seem to grow like weeds!

Second question...
I want to get a load of lettuce-types growing from seed (pak choi, lettuce, cut-and-come-again etc). Would it be useful to put some manure along the seed bed (above or below the seed?) as I sow? It is worth covering with a cloche to start them off?

Third...
I've also got a surplus of about 15 various chilli plants which I might take up the allotment, again, is it a good idea to dig in some manure here?

Four:
Carrots.. I think I read somewhere that they dont like manure. Is this correct? I might try a row of carrots but dont want to kill'em off from the start.

Thanks all... as you might see I'm dead keen to get this growing thing off the ground from day 1 (well, actually day #14).

[Sanjo]

JDPW. Are you talking farmyard manure? If so, please read up about AMINOPYRALID using the search button here BEFORE you attempt tomatoes, lettuce etc.
Aminopyralid is a herbicide which is causing great problems. I will leave other grapes to answer your questions but you may need to test the manure before you use it, or you may store up problems for yourself.

[zazen999]

.

First question...
Is there any point in trying to sow some very-late Roma tomatoes now? if so any tips for getting them to catch up? I suggest Roma as we use them a lot (paste), I have a packet of seeds & they usually seem to grow like weeds!

Second question...
I want to get a load of lettuce-types growing from seed (pak choi, lettuce, cut-and-come-again etc). Would it be useful to put some manure along the seed bed (above or below the seed?) as I sow? It is worth covering with a cloche to start them off?

Third...
I've also got a surplus of about 15 various chilli plants which I might take up the allotment, again, is it a good idea to dig in some manure here?

Four:
Carrots.. I think I read somewhere that they dont like manure. Is this correct? I might try a row of carrots but dont want to kill'em off from the start.

Pre-first - what Sanjo said.

First - no - I wouldn't bother. Esp if they are being grown outdoors, they will get blighted.

Second - no, lettuce doesn't need manure. Nor a cloche. They will need organic slug pellets though or you will lose the lot.

third - swap these for some tomato plants

Fourth - no, carrots don't need manure and although there are varying opinions on whether manure will cause them to fork, they really don't need it.

[jpdw]

JDPW. Are you talking farmyard manure?

No.. processed & bagged up horse manure - should have said but living in the city I kind of forget you could get the stuff 'direct'.

To add... I've used some of the same a couple of months ago and have some tomatoes in the resulting mix, they seem fine so far (not as good as I might like, but bushy green & growing). Hopefully a good indicator... Definately makes me think again about using the stuff too liberally though.

[jpdw]

Pre-first - what Sanjo said.

First - no - I wouldn't bother. Esp if they are being grown outdoors, they will get blighted.

Second - no, lettuce doesn't need manure. Nor a cloche. They will need organic slug pellets though or you will lose the lot.

third - swap these for some tomato plants

The chillis were because I have them already -- in the past I've had a very low success on germination, so I sowed more this year to take account --- so naturally I had a near 100% rate this time and a glut of small plants with no where in the garden to put them :-)

I might try moving up some of my home-based pot-bound toms to the allotment -- then reuse the pots for the chillis -- seems the best balance for this year. My 'problem' was we didn't know we'd got to the top of the lotty-list till end of May, so my seed sowing was based on cramming it all in our tiny garden.

I even looked in B&Q y/day in case they still had some toms going for sale, but if they did I could tell which part of the rotting folliage section it was...(even the cabbages for 10p were too rotting to be worth the punt)

I now wish I'd started off many more toms that I had space (then) for, but of course the OH would have complained...

Fourth - no, carrots don't need manure and although there are varying opinions on whether manure will cause them to fork, they really don't need it.

Looks like i can be reasonably generous with the manure/compost with the fruit bushes then. Thanks both for the advice.

[zazen999]

The chillis were because I have them already -- in the past I've had a very low success on germination, so I sowed more this year to take account --- so naturally I had a near 100% rate this time and a glut of small plants with no where in the garden to put them :-)

I might try moving up some of my home-based pot-bound toms to the allotment -- then reuse the pots for the chillis -- seems the best balance for this year. My 'problem' was we didn't know we'd got to the top of the lotty-list till end of May, so my seed sowing was based on cramming it all in our tiny garden.

I even looked in B&Q y/day in case they still had some toms going for sale, but if they did I could tell which part of the rotting folliage section it was...(even the cabbages for 10p were too rotting to be worth the punt)

I now wish I'd started off many more toms that I had space (then) for, but of course the OH would have complained...

Looks like i can be reasonably generous with the manure/compost with the fruit bushes then. Thanks both for the advice.

Hang on!

Tomatoes outside are very likely to get blight - so just be careful! Chilis outside will have a significantly less number of fruits - so only you know which you value more!

[jpdw]

Hang on!

Tomatoes outside are very likely to get blight - so just be careful! Chilis outside will have a significantly less number of fruits - so only you know which you value more!

I've successfully had both in the garden before, but I guess I need to learn the difference between my small (enclosed) garden and the 'open ground' of the allotment. I have seen quite a few other plots around ours with toms in the open though.

You're helping me justify a polytunnel :-)