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New gardener needs your advice

Last post 30-06-2009 9:10 AM by headfullofbees. 8 replies.

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  • 23/06/2009 08:35 PM
    • DannyB
    • Essex, UK
    • 23 Jun 2009
    • 3
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    Hi all

     Just this year I've suddenly got the gardening bug! Big Smile In our small garden we have:

    Strawberries (loads!), spring onions, carrots, herbs galore, lettuce, rocket, and a tomato plant (my little girl brought it back from Brownies in a big tub and it's growing like mad!).

    Indoors I have some jalapeno plants that are growing like mad and are taking over my kitchen window sill. They have sprouted a few flowers - but I can't see anything more than that just yet. They are about 2 foot tall and look pretty strong after a shaky/flimsy start.

    Much to my surprise everything is actually growing rather well but I have 2 bits of help that I need really, and I'd appreciate any help you can give me as I am rather under prepared for such early success!

     1) Those chilli plants are taking over my window sill. But I'm afraid to put them outside and risk them in the random strong winds, cold-to-hot weather we are having and the down pours. Would you recommend I keep them inside? Are a few flowers good? Should I expect chillis to grow given what I've described?

    2) The big problem! My little girl planted a pumpkin seed in a pot and it has gone mad!! My neighbours are both gardeners and were impressed with it. I am learning fast and I can see it has 3 female flowers already dropping off (the bulges behind them are getting beyond golf ball size quite comfortably). The vine/trail/whatever you call it is now around 4-5 foot long / 1.2-1.5m long and is starting to sprout LOADS more female flowers. My girl just wants 2 decent pumpkins for halloween.  So I have 2 problems

    a) How to remove the other flowers? My neighbour says this is important to grow decent sized pumpkins?

    b) Should I move the plant in to the ground from its pot?? Right now it is trailing along my patio and out on to the lawn! My only patch with space in the beds will have significantly less sunlight though. I am just worried about where the pumpkins will sit...I am happy watering the pot like mad if that's the only issue. 

    I really appreciate any help you guys can give me!

     

    Regards

     

    Danny
  • 23/06/2009 09:21 PM
    In reply to
    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
    • 3,347
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     When watering the pot like mad, it would be a good idea to add some liquid feed - tomato feed or the stuff used for pot plants or hanging baskets would be fine if you have them. (btw, I think your daughter should be doing the watering ...)

    To remove the flowers you don't want, just pinch them out with your thumb and finger.

    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
  • 23/06/2009 10:09 PM
    In reply to
    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
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     Somehow I missed the first question ...

    If you keep the plants inside, you'll need to hand pollinate or you won't get fruit.

    I'd suggest putting them outside - if you're worried about bad weather you could keep some in small pots and bring in when it's really windy (rain shouldn't be a problem) Chillies seem to do better in big pots than in the open ground - either several in a really big pot, or singly in smaller ones.

    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
  • 24/06/2009 10:57 AM
    In reply to
    • DannyB
    • Essex, UK
    • 23 Jun 2009
    • 3
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    Thankyou for your reply PHot's-Moll! When you say "pinch out" - how do I do that with massive pumpkin flowers? Do I leave the bulge behind the flower still? Or should I remove the flower(before it opens) AND any female bulge as well? I am adding feed to the water 1 in 7 days, and a little stronger than prescribed on the bottle instructions. I didn't want to do any damage to the soil as it's only in a pot. Do you think it is wise leaving the pumpkin plant in a pot? Does it matter what surface the pumpkins grow on....e.g. a hard patio?? Chillis - advice taken. Would it be worthwhile me buying a mini-greenhouse/growing house? Thanks again for your help, it is very much appreciated.

  • 24/06/2009 12:22 PM
    In reply to
    • Lynsey
    • Hampshire
    • 17 Mar 2009
    • 24
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    With regards to your chilli plants I would try growing some inside and some outside to compare. This is what I have done and I have lots of good sized fruit on both lots (although I would say that the plants on the windowsill at home look a bit happier). Make sure you hand pollenate though as Phot's Moll says - I used a cotton wool bud just to rub inside all the flowers and it seemed to work a treat.

    Hope you get some good results :)
  • 24/06/2009 06:39 PM
    In reply to
    • DannyB
    • Essex, UK
    • 23 Jun 2009
    • 3
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    Thanks Lynsey

     

    I'll let you know how I get on!
  • 24/06/2009 06:48 PM
    In reply to
    • sue1002
    • Ipswich, Suffolk
    • 06 Sep 2005
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    DannyB - the on the subject of a mini greenhouse, if you're thinking of getting one of those ones which is a set of small shelves and a plastic cover, it will be an idea to make sure it's weighted down on the bottom shelf with something heavy like paving slabs, lots of bricks or a large bag of compost as it will help stop it taking off in a gust of wind.  I lost our first one as it wasn't weighted down and our third one was actually screwed into concrete and it still took off across the garden with all my seedlings with it (the poles snapped off at ground level).

    sue1002
  • 27/06/2009 03:20 PM
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    Chillis will self-pollinate.

    As with tomatoes, shaking to diperse the pollen is sufficient.
  • 30/06/2009 09:10 AM
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    http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0502/pollination.asp

     

    "Tomatoes, peppers and aubergines have ‘perfect’ flowers, containing both male and female parts. The flowers only require slight movement to dislodge pollen from the anthers to the stigma for pollination, so plants can be gently shaken to guarantee perfect pollination."