Seasonal Tips April & May - Tomatoes etc
In a cool greenhouse or propagator you can sow outdoor tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, courgettes and half-hardy annuals. Sow into small flowerpots full of John Innes Seed Sowing Compost with Sure Start or for large seeds such as cucumbers and courgettes use Root Trainers that allow the roots to develop undisturbed until they are ready to plant out. - Improve the soil where you plan to grow plants that need plenty of water to mature their fruits. Marrows, courgettes, squash and pumpkins all fall into this category. Dig in plenty of Soil Conditioner where the plants are to grow. This will add vital nutrients to the soil and also improve its water holding capacity so that it stays moist for longer.
- Pot up individual tomato plants into larger pots in the greenhouse or plant up three tomato plants into an Instant Planter. This growing bag has twice the depth of normal growing bags to encourage excellent root formation. This also applies to cucumbers, aubergines and peppers, which can all be grown in pots or Instant planters indoors or out according to their variety. Check your seed packet for more information.
- Don’t allow tomato plants to dry out. Stress, inconsistent watering and a lack of calcium can lead to split fruits and Blossom End Rot. Feed with Nutri Tomato Feed, which contains vital trace elements to reduce the risk of this disfiguring disease.
- Pinch out the side shoots of cordon tomatoes as they form. If the side shoots have become quite large then treat them as cuttings and root them John Innes Seed Sowing Compost with Sure Start to increase the number of plants that you grow. Tie in your plants as they develop, especially as fruit starts to form or they will quickly topple over and be damaged.
Other useful tips for April and May:
