Early every spring, I plant tomato seeds in a heated propagator in my greenhouse. Every year, they grow very tall and thin, with the first flower trusses about 2ft up the stalk. How can I grow short, sturdy plants?
This is a timely reminder for all those kitchen gardeners with greenhouses (or well-lit windowsills and sunny, sheltered gardens) to sow tomato, pepper and aubergine seeds in the next few weeks. Light is the key to producing stocky, well-branched plants. The less light available to them, the more they will stretch upwards to get their fill. Light shouldn't be a problem in a greenhouse, unless it's shaded, in which case move the propagator to a brighter spot or remove whatever is causing the shade (you are wasting the potential of the greenhouse otherwise). You might initially sow the seeds fairly close together in a seed tray, but prick them out into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Then give each pot plenty of space, as the plants grow fast and can quickly cast shade over their siblings. Here's a tip used by some commercial growers: gently brush the tops of the seedlings once a day with your fingertips - this simulates the wind they would get out of doors, and encourages sturdy growth in response. If your plants still get gangly, plant them deep, removing the bottom leaves and planting up to the next set. The stems will send out roots to stabilise the plant.
Do you have any ideas of what to plant in an old brown ceramic sink?
I would plant the beautiful alpine, or border, auriculas. These are primulas with striking markings, often shaded light to dark in purples, blues, pinks, yellows and even browns. They look lovely planted with ferns. They are small and so are best raised up in a container where you can see them, but often suffer terribly in pots as evil vine weevils love their fleshy roots. They seem to do well in troughs or sinks though, perhaps because the weevil does less direct damage to individuals. Provide light shade at midday and keep the soil moist. Visit auricula.co.uk for mail order plants.
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