Plants in polytunnel died or some seem stunted

[chasingmytail]

Sorry but I am a newbie to growing and the polytunnel was put up in the summer. I bought organic plugs (toms, peppers and aubergine). As soon as they arrived in the post I planted them in the soil. It was when the weather changed think end of April. All the sungolds died weeks ago, the aubergine struggled and is still 2" in height, and a pepper died yesterday.

I assume I've done something wrong. Should of I transplanted the plugs into pots? Perhaps over watered as the bottom of the steam in the ground had rotten away.

So annoyed that hard earnt money has been chucked away and now I have only the large toms left and a few from the garden centre. The peppers from the garden centre arent growing enormously. I have no aubergine and one cucumber which is only 10".

Watered every night and the door is opened in the day.

Is it obvious what I've done wrong?

[Bigmallly]

Yes, sounds like you've got it right on both counts. Plugs really should be grown on in 3" pots until they have made a good root system. If the stem has rotted it could be overwatering or maybe snails/slugs.

[muddled]

but there are still lots of things you can sow from seed (cheaper than plug plants anyway) to have a tunnel full edibles by autumn!

[TattyJJ]

All of my plants have been grown from seed in plug trays, they into 3" pots when they were big enough to handle, then 6" pots when they just starting to look root bound, then same again into their final positions.
So far (fingers crossed) the only plants i've had give up on me were some broccoli, but i think they only croaked as they got a bit battered while moving house.

I'd deffo have potted them for a few weeks first, and let the compost dry out on top slightly before watering.

[maverick451]

I had similar with plug grown bedding plants, they sat a cold frame and slowly declined, ive only managed to save them by bringing them in and putting them under grow lights.

Those plug plants are probably grown in perfect heated conditions, it was probably a major shock to be put in unheated conditions and also put in wet soil, Im not sure im going to buy plus plants again, they are quite hard work imo

I personally find plants that like warmer conditions do better in colder conditions if kept on the dry side, barely moist soil.

Dont worry about it too much, we have all been there

[chasingmytail]

Yes I plan to grow from seed next year however I was struggling for time this year and the polytunnel wasnt finished until a few weeks ago. We are farming so we didnt have the spare time to set up shelves and a system to go from seed. The plugs were good all organic and good quality and agree that the perfect growing conditions in the 'factory' and not the care they received here. Sorry to say that I followed the leaflet that didnt explain this so a bit peed off that I thought you could shove them in the ground. The weather was erratic though.

[Bigmallly]

I'm sure you've already realised that growing your own is a continuous learning curve................a bladdy long curve for me..............

[SarrissUK]

Aubergines love heat too, and I find them impossible in this English unreliable, often miserable, weather. I don't even know why I tried growing them in the first place - I don't like the bloody things!! LOL

[WendyC]

Agree with what others have said, but I think the major thing would be it was too cold. All those plants want a minimum of 10 degrees, day and night. A polytunnel wouldn't necessarily keep it that warm.

[Mr Bones]

Agree with others, it sounds like it may have been just too cold. Whereabouts do you live CMT. If you pop your approximate location in your profile it'll help with identifying the problem.

[Penellype]

I agree that when you buy these plug plants they will have been grown in ideal conditions. If they have arrived by mail order they will already have had a shock from the transport - they can take upto about 5 days in the post. If, like me, your only option is to put them out into a cold frame or polytunnel, and you are potting them on or planting them out at the same time, its really amazing that any survive at all!

I don't normally buy mail order plants but earlier this spring I ordered tuberous begonias, fuchsias and osteospermums by post. The begonias arrived in very tiny plugs and I potted them on carefully into 1.5 inch pots and put them on a self watering tray in the growhouse in what appeared to me to be reasonable temperatures. The fuchsias and osteospermums were somewhat bigger plugs and I potted these on into 3 inch pots and put them with the begonias. These have survived well and are clearly growing on, but the begonias are very miserable and over half have died. I will be surprised if any of them ever produce flowers.

I think in future I will revert to buying garden ready plants from the garden centre, where at least I can see what state the plants are in and what conditions they have been used to before I buy!

[Jay22]

So for CMT and of course my benefit, what can be sown from seed this late?

[Penellype]

So for CMT and of course my benefit, what can be sown from seed this late?

Cabbages, broccoli, kohlrabi, turnips, swedes, radishes, peas, beans, carrots, salad greens (the oriental types do better if sown after the longest day), beetroot, florence fennel.

You would probably also get away with courgettes and cucumbers if you sow them very soon.

[BUFFS]

Aubergines love heat too, and I find them impossible in this English unreliable, often miserable, weather. I don't even know why I tried growing them in the first place - I don't like the bloody things!! LOL

I did grow aubergines a few years ago but they had to be indoors until the end of may, as the weather here is very unpredictable, given that, we got a good crop, but that was a good summer, something we don't get often around here... this year we have already had more sunshine than all of last summer so this might end up a real summer..whoopee............

[Scarlet]

As the others have said, some of those plant are very tender. You need to keep an eye on nighttime temperatures, peppers, cues and toms are at risk of dying from cold with temps below 10 at night, if you watered in the evening they are at further risk. I'd look at for car boot sales, or plant sales in school etc now. There will be plenty of peppers and Tom plants on sale. As for aubs - ive never had much success they needs long, warm Spring and Summer. spring hasn't been easy on us gardeners this year.