I'm not fit to be a 'mother'!

[piskieinboots]

My baby toms were doing so well sitting on the window sill - but I felt it was time for them to get out into the (heated) greenhouse, so out they went.

The first night out there was a frost (I didn't know, honest), although the heated greenhouse only (!) went down to zero.

So the inevitable happened, they got a bit miffed and now they have beige-coloured blotches on the lower leaves, I'm pretty sure that is stress - is it?

They are still standing tall.

Do you think they will need therapy or will they be ok?

[leicestershirelass]

oooooooh ... I was thinking about putting my toms in unheated polytunnel today ... maybe I'll wait a bit longer ...

hope yours recover soon

[zazen999]

Oh dear.

Mine have been in an unheated greenhouse for 3 weeks now - a few didn't like it but the vast majority are happy enough.

How did the heated greenhouse get so cold? I put fleece over mine but took it off at the weekend now they have survived a few quite bad frosts.

[Florence Fennel]

I think you owe them an apology at least Piskie! Hope they recover.

[CaroltheCarrot]

Well after bringing mine on in the house I shoved them in an unheated gh, despite my efforts they are now flowering

[HeyWayne]

I sowed some at the weekend with Bean.

Do you have any green paint pisk?

[zazen999]

I think you owe them an apology at least Piskie! Hope they recover.

Absolutely!

Pisk - give them a blankie and a seaweed feed and they should perk up. If they haven't fallen over then they are just being a little tetchy about it being a little chilly.

[piskieinboots]

Here is the (stress?) damage



As you can see, they need dropping down somewhat!

I moved them to the greenhouse with the purpose of checking their growth a little

How did the heated greenhouse get so cold?

Good question! I only use a small parafin heater, at best it is really only frost-free I guess.

[PAULW]

I have the same problem with mine piskie but then again I think they will grow out of it.

[Dane End Dolly]

Like most children they are sulking, I think give them a little fussing and they should perk up in no time

[piskieinboots]

So shouting 'no supper, no telly, bed - now' won't work then

[Dane End Dolly]

So shouting 'no supper, no telly, bed - now' won't work then

Do you have a norty step

[ugley_matt]

Please excuse the newbieness but, is that vermiculite mixed in with your compost?

If so why? I bought a bag at the weekend for covering my seeds when i sow them but not thought about mixing it in.

[piskieinboots]

... is that vermiculite mixed in with your compost?

You can see vermiculite on the pots below - like you, I always cover the compost of freshly sown seeds, I do this because I believe it helps keep the moisture in. So some of it will have transferred when I pricked out the baby toms.

As for the acutal mix of potting on, I always mix in a good part of perlite into my compost - my reason for the perlite is that I feel it increases root growth, helps with soil compaction, helps hold moisture.

[piskieinboots]

Do you have a norty step

YES - it's outside of the greenhouse