May 2011 in the Poly-tunnel

I have laid down the seep-hose, so watering will be less time consuming and more even. Tomato plants do prefer a little and often, so an irrigation system really helps, especially if you are growing in pots or peat bags.

I have put a few plants into large pots that I will move outside later. Somewhere protected from the rain and wind, but with plenty of light.

My early tomatoes are looking strong and healthy, I have strung them up and they are getting fed a few times a week. The aim is a nice dark compact  plant.

You can already see the difference in growth between the ones that I planted a few weeks' ago and the spare ones left in a pot. I could have transplanted into a larger pot, but I will be putting my spare plants outside soon, so I did not bother.

As I presumed the plant in the upside down planter has been seeking the light and bending up, so I have put a little piece of wire in to keep the head away from the bottom of the planter. As you can see it has not grown a great deal, but I am sure it will still produce a small crop.

I bought a few nice healthy peppers and melons this weekend, as the plants that I have raised myself from seed are still a little small. The melon I put in a sunken bottom-less pot as I did with the cucumbers, as they have quite tender stems, so it should help them from damping off.

I have found that Marigolds are the best thing to keep white fly away, so I always plant a few in the poly-tunnel, there are plenty of them coming up in the garden now, so I will transplant a few into the poly-tunnel this week.