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Sad tomato crop - why?

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For the second year in succession I have had a poor crop of tomatoes. In years past I have done well, where am I going wrong?

 

I live in Sheffield 8, and have a nice greenhouse with a South West aspect. I have a flagged floor, and grow in large terracotta plant pots. I fill the pots with a mixture of gro-bag stuff, compost and sometimes good topsoil. I am not very consistent.

 

I start off seeds in the early spring, and also buy in a few plants from a garden centre. I like Ailsa Craig and Alicante varieties. I put two plants in each pot, rig canes for support, and water regularly but not to excess.

 

In the last couple of years the plants start to rise in May and I pull off side shoots up to the first truss, and start with Tomorite or similar, but instead of growing to the greenhouse eaves (where I snip off at the 5th or 6th truss) the damn things conk out at about 4 feet, and the leaves turn yellow. Fruiting ceases, etc., and when i pull out the sad thing there are hardly any roots. When I turn out the pot, the bottom half is still moist, etc.

 

Wrong medium? Wrong plants? Too hot? Advice, please.

 

Added: I also grow courgettes, pak choi, radishes and chillies and they all do OK.

 

Worried of Woodseats.

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Difficult to say without seeing them.

 

You don't mention plant hygiene. One of the most likely problems is funguses attacking the roots. Do you do anything to sterilize the pots, do you make sure to only use recently opened compost bags?

 

If you're a member of the RHS or might consider becoming one, they offer an advisory service where you can send off plant samples and they will identify the problem for you.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/membership/rhs-gardening-advice/sending-in-samples

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I think you are correct. I have been sloppy with the compost/earth, indeed I may have tried to re-use some of last years.

 

So in October I will sterilise the empty greenhouse with some Jeyes Fluid mix, ditto the big pots, and buy some new canes. Repeat in the spring, and hope for better things.

 

Growbags were remaindered down to £1.00 at Newleaf, so I have bought 6.

 

Where will be the best place for tomato plants?

 

Thanks for the advice

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Thanks for the link. What fruits there are seem Ok, they grow to the size of a large golf ball, which is about right for Ailsa/Alicante. No blemishes, taste fine. But the plants themselves stop growing at under 4 feet, the leaves turn yellow and the job stops. No blight on the fruits themselves.

 

I think I have been going wrong with not sterilising properly, so will do so in the autumn and again in the spring before planting. There is also an ants nest under the flagstones, those little b*ggers won't help either.

 

I tend to buy seed from the garden centre, likewise plants. Any better suggestions?

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For a start I wouldn't put two plants in one pot unless you have a constant dripper of water and feed heavily. We have tomaotoes and feed them every alternate day, sometimes more if they are the grafted ones.

 

Cheap compost can be false economy. There have been several articles in Gardening Which the last few years showing which composts are best and worst for seeds, growing on plants, baskets etc. Some have been contaminated with herbicides and damaged crops.

 

We haven't grown them this year as we think they always crop too late. My dad shares our greenhouse and his have cropped well this year but only started ripening this month.

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Only got two red tomatos on mine and I have 10 plants growing all got loads of green ones on & Two different varietys brandy boy & money maker ...

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I am in s8 and grow tomatoes outside and picked first ones in July

I buy plants in that I know have been sown in heated greenhouses in Feb

If you PM me I would come and advise you and you could look at mine still fruiting and flowering now in my back garden

Poor compost is the main cause of failure

I have been growing tomatoes for over 60 years and was taught by my late grandfather

I have shown and won many prizes over the years

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Thank you, that's very kind. My greenhouse is unheated, I would be keen to know where you obtain your plants.

 

I have PM'd you, perhaps we can exchange data early next year.

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I grow mine from seed never been a problem util this year I think its the bad summer we've had

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Dads plants have a heavy crop this year but they seem to be a bit later than usual.

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I had a massive crop of tomatos this year, both in and out of the greenhouse. Early fruit was great, been so wet here though that the late and much heaver crops outside, up against the garden walls, were blighted massively. On the plus side, I took them very green and have loads of chutney!!!

 

Richard

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