Discussion
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
PRTVR said:
This flick with your finger.... is it sexual?
Well, if you think about it - yes, it's highly sexual! 
Alternative method: Install large subwoofer in your greenhouse and play them Barry White 24x7 - the vibes will shake that pollen thang!
When do I break it to them I am going to eat their offspring?
I have only ever given the main shaft a vigorous shake to move the pollen about on my toms.
The sweet and chilli peppers I have used the rubber covered wire plant ties and pulled the rubber back
cut the wire and let the rubber go back over the wire, so you get a soft rubber bit at the end. I then use
this to flick the pollen about on the peppers, also the pollen sticks to the rubber and is transferred about.
I use a different one for each type of pepper so I dont cross pollinate, if im gonna use the seeds next year.
Cant be having a fist sized Bhut Jolokia.......mmmmmm.
The sweet and chilli peppers I have used the rubber covered wire plant ties and pulled the rubber back
cut the wire and let the rubber go back over the wire, so you get a soft rubber bit at the end. I then use
this to flick the pollen about on the peppers, also the pollen sticks to the rubber and is transferred about.
I use a different one for each type of pepper so I dont cross pollinate, if im gonna use the seeds next year.
Cant be having a fist sized Bhut Jolokia.......mmmmmm.
This is only my second year of growing toms, and I'm growing three varieties this year: Gardener's Delight (a cherry tomato, but quite a large one), Big League (a beef tomato, compact plant) and Super Marmande (another beef, slightly ribbed in shape).
I've got two plants of each variety, one inside the greenhouse and one outside, to see which ones do best. I started them early: sowed the seed in January in a heated propagator (and my greenhouse is heated as well). As a result, I have been picking ripe tomatoes for at least a couple of months - although I suspect my plants might be running out of steam a bit.
I wanted to see whether plants did better inside or outside, but unfortunately my experiment has been slightly ruined by my failure to support the plants properly, so some of the beef tomato plants have cracked off - one of them right at the bottom, although I managed to bandage it back up and the plant is still alive! Perhaps as a result of these breakages, only the first few tomatoes from these plants were decent size (huge!)
Of the two Gardener's Delight plants, the one inside the greenhouse is ripening faster than the one outside. To be honest, this isn't a surprise because I believe it's warmth rather than light that causes tomatoes to ripen. There isn't much difference in ripening speed with the beef varieties - although maybe the inside ones have the edge.
I have already decided how I'll do things differently next year! First and foremost, I need much better supports. I will buy or make proper cage-type supports for all my plants, especially the beef ones. Secondly, I will once again sow in January because it's fun getting the season going early - but I will also sow another batch later (e.g. March/April) so that I've got younger plants developing as well. This will give me a "substitutes' bench" of plants that can take over if any of the first bunch gets damaged or fails, and the younger plants will probably extend the fruiting season if/when the first plants get tired later in the season. Thirdly, I will use bigger pots - currently they're in about 10" bucket-like pots, but I reckon they could use more root space. Oh, and lastly I will stop the plants a little earlier to reduce the number of flowering trusses; I think the quality of fruit will be better.
Super Marmande is a lovely variety, by the way. Nice and sweet, juicy, and look fabulous when sliced.
I've got two plants of each variety, one inside the greenhouse and one outside, to see which ones do best. I started them early: sowed the seed in January in a heated propagator (and my greenhouse is heated as well). As a result, I have been picking ripe tomatoes for at least a couple of months - although I suspect my plants might be running out of steam a bit.
I wanted to see whether plants did better inside or outside, but unfortunately my experiment has been slightly ruined by my failure to support the plants properly, so some of the beef tomato plants have cracked off - one of them right at the bottom, although I managed to bandage it back up and the plant is still alive! Perhaps as a result of these breakages, only the first few tomatoes from these plants were decent size (huge!)
Of the two Gardener's Delight plants, the one inside the greenhouse is ripening faster than the one outside. To be honest, this isn't a surprise because I believe it's warmth rather than light that causes tomatoes to ripen. There isn't much difference in ripening speed with the beef varieties - although maybe the inside ones have the edge.
I have already decided how I'll do things differently next year! First and foremost, I need much better supports. I will buy or make proper cage-type supports for all my plants, especially the beef ones. Secondly, I will once again sow in January because it's fun getting the season going early - but I will also sow another batch later (e.g. March/April) so that I've got younger plants developing as well. This will give me a "substitutes' bench" of plants that can take over if any of the first bunch gets damaged or fails, and the younger plants will probably extend the fruiting season if/when the first plants get tired later in the season. Thirdly, I will use bigger pots - currently they're in about 10" bucket-like pots, but I reckon they could use more root space. Oh, and lastly I will stop the plants a little earlier to reduce the number of flowering trusses; I think the quality of fruit will be better.
Super Marmande is a lovely variety, by the way. Nice and sweet, juicy, and look fabulous when sliced.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Friday 18th July 11:22
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Of the two Gardener's Delight plants, the one inside the greenhouse is ripening faster than the one outside. To be honest, this isn't a surprise because I believe it's warmth rather than light that causes tomatoes to ripen.
Ethene is what actually does it - part of the ripening/senescence process. Can't recall now if that's triggered by warmth or light hours (ie phytochrome).Indeed. I even tried leaving a bunch of over-ripe bananas in the greenhouse last year because they give off ethylene - but I've no idea whether it had any effect!
Edited to add: This link says that it's entirely heat that drives ripening, but too much heat can stop it altogether...
http://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=91
Edited again: Apparently it's ethylene, not ethene.
Edited to add: This link says that it's entirely heat that drives ripening, but too much heat can stop it altogether...
http://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=91
Edited again: Apparently it's ethylene, not ethene.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Friday 18th July 13:36
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Edited again: Apparently it's ethylene, not ethene.
Same thing; IIRC the name change was in about 1978 when I was doing A-level organic chemistry 
Here's an interesting link: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2014/02/ethene-e...
They are either Moneymaker or Gardeners delight or both.
I sowed some seeds and only one sprouted so I moved the seedling into a
larger pot and then another 5 sprang up in days so not sure which are which.
They had a date of 2004 on the packet, took from my dads man draw to see if
owt would grow, took some of the sproutings that you snap off and the grandkid
has another six growing on now
Added a pic of ones round the back.
I sowed some seeds and only one sprouted so I moved the seedling into a
larger pot and then another 5 sprang up in days so not sure which are which.
They had a date of 2004 on the packet, took from my dads man draw to see if
owt would grow, took some of the sproutings that you snap off and the grandkid
has another six growing on now
Added a pic of ones round the back.
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