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Tomato planting error - too many plants in one bag...
stevek_bath
Posts: 51
in Fruit & veg
Novice gardener here - my partner and I planted a mix of tomato plants (labels lost at a nursery so were being sold off as unknown varieties) a couple of months ago and popped them in the greenhouse.
We have a tomarite grow bag and mis-read the instructions suggesting three plants per bag as being three plants per marked area on each bag. End result we now have 8 mighty huge plants and one smaller one in a single bag and I've only noted the error reading the bag of another growbag we've just planted some peppers into.
They're certainly growing well (around 3-4 ft tall aside from one) and we have 10 or so flowers now starting to appear - no fruits as yet but the weather here in Bath has been dire for a couple of weeks.
The question is - should I leave them as is at this point or disturb them to move into some other containers?
Any advice much appreciated,
Steve
We have a tomarite grow bag and mis-read the instructions suggesting three plants per bag as being three plants per marked area on each bag. End result we now have 8 mighty huge plants and one smaller one in a single bag and I've only noted the error reading the bag of another growbag we've just planted some peppers into.
They're certainly growing well (around 3-4 ft tall aside from one) and we have 10 or so flowers now starting to appear - no fruits as yet but the weather here in Bath has been dire for a couple of weeks.
The question is - should I leave them as is at this point or disturb them to move into some other containers?
Any advice much appreciated,
Steve
0
Posts
You can start feeding them once the first truss of fruit appears, but it might be tricky if they all start at different times, so some may get more food than others. Not really an issue though , as you'll get a crop of some kind.
You'll just have to wing it
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They do seem to be growing well just lacking in fruit so far. I have the growbag they're in on one of those Hozelock feeding trays and they seem to be drinking plenty of water so fingers crossed.
I hadn't even thought about feeding issues as they'll be at different stages - I guess I'll just put some feed in with each water refill once the fruits appear.
I'll leave them be and go back to worrying about my dying cucumber plants instead.
As for the rest you need to be feeding them now once a week if the first set of flowers are set and once the plants get there second set of flowers increase to twice a week once each plant has has three or four trusses of tomatoes I would cut out the top off each plant.
You should also be taking out any side shoots.
Hope this helps and good luck.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
There will be a lot of competition for the water/nutrients with so many plants, but tomatoes thrive on benign neglect, and keeping a consistent regime of watering is more important. Good luck with it - it'll be interesting to see how you get on.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've been removing the side shoots but have a lot of intertangled trusses - is removing some of these ever a good idea?
I've been removing side shoots but they have gotten pretty tall and intertangled. I'll snap a picture next time I pass them and you or someone here might be able to share some more tips.
Another alternative would be to try and split the bag into two or three and put each bundle into a large pot, but it's difficult to determine how easy that would be.
Food should really only be given once the first fruits appear, not flowers.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I would not be to worried about them being entwined its how they grow in the wild through other plants and together but if its a real pain then yes remove some leaf be careful not to cut the main stem if you can and just limit the number of trusses or the fruit wont ripen or mature when they are fighting for the available food.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog