1 Big Tomato

Thanks JWK, I planted it with a scattering of 'pellets' but maybe I've not fed it enough ? I've been giving it a little tomorite whilst doing my tomatoes, but it's a really big plant !

 

Alice, thanks for the tip there on Chillies and too hot for flowers, I think mine must be in that state, had quite a few flowers that have appeared and gone brown and dropped off and no fruit. My plant is in a "growhouse" in a pretty sunny spot, the flap is open (The first day I had it I closed the flap and nearly cooked everything in there!) so it is not mega hot but with the sunny weather could easily be too hot to fruit.

Would I be right in thinking that if I put it somewhere shadier it should start to fruit and then back in the growhouse for putting heat in the chillies? I have toms in the same grow house but they are yet to reach the flowering stage, am I likely to face the same issue or can they tolerate a bit more heat to fruit?

 

Hi Fretters - about your courgettes.
If the plant has been fed and watered I think the reason the small courgettes are not growing is that the flowers weren't well fertilised by the bees. Sometimes if they flower during a wet spell the bees are not about and the flowers get missed. If you are convinced that the little ones are not growing I would take them off. The plant will do plenty more flowers and you'll get your courgettes allright.

Hi MSTY. I think you're right that your chilli flowers just fried. They will do plenty more flowers. I would take them out of the heat and let the flowers set fruit. You can put them back in the growhouse if you like but chillies don't really need to be too hot. They get on fine outside in good weather.
Tomatoes don't really need to be too hot either - 18 - 20 is fine for them but they will tolerate much warmer. I think your toms will be fine if you don't fry them altogether.
I grow mine outside up against a south facing wall and they get on just fine.
Hope they do well for you.

 

PS Fretters - if you want to help with the pollination of your courgette flowers take a little artists paint brush or a cotton bud or something and run it round the stamens of a male flower then brush it about the stamens in the female flowers. But maybe you'll get lot of bees and not have to do anything.

 

Thanks Alice, it's actually in a polytunnel so that's probably exactly what the problem is ! Hadn't thought about that ! Will get my brush out tomorrow, Thanks !

 

Thanks Alice, As the weather is due to be so nice I think I will remove the Chilli plant from the growhouse and place in a warm spot.
Once the fruit has set it was my understanding that to get more heat into them they should be kept warm and that "stressing" them at somepoint can help with this as well. I think the advice I had read was to not water the plant for a few days to a week to stress it and this can lead to hotter, tastier chillies (which is what I like).

Is there any truth in this or would it be best just kept moderately warm consistantly?