Help MBE grow his dinner 2011

mrbadexample

My liquorice is poorly.



What do I do please? I will be extremely upset if it dies on me, because I actually paid real money for it.

mrbadexample

Little_Vics wrote: »

ok - so firstly I'm jealous MBE. Secondly I have no money to buy anything else at all, so essentially - are my toms going to grow in what I've got them in or not? What can I do that doesn't cost anything to help them along? I'm now very confused and even more on the verge of grey-ness than before.

Do you have any big pots? You could always take out the middle one and repot it, to give the others a bit more room.

annie123

mrbadexample wrote: »

My liquorice is poorly.
What do I do please?

I've no idea but I hope someone does, maybe ask on The Vine, someone there must grow it.

mrbadexample

I've just done that annie. I think I'm going to repot it. I don't think it likes the sand, although the care instructions I got with it said "sandy soil". I mixed some sand in with the MPC, but it's obviously not happy.

emiff6

mrbadexample wrote: »

My liquorice is poorly.



What do I do please? I will be extremely upset if it dies on me, because I actually paid real money for it.

I'm so far out of my depth here that the fish have lights on their noses, but I have a feeling that they are not too happy in pots as they grow really long roots. Check here:
http://www.brandycarrnurseries.co.uk/liquorice/sweet-liquorice.htm

mrbadexample

emiff6 wrote: »

I'm so far out of my depth here that the fish have lights on their noses, but I have a feeling that they are not too happy in pots as they grow really long roots. Check here:
http://www.brandycarrnurseries.co.uk/liquorice/sweet-liquorice.htm

That's where I bought it - a 2-year old plant.

They should be happy enough in pots, and can become invasive if grown in the ground. At any rate, it's not the pot that's the problem here - the plant's not big enough to know it's not in the ground.

I couldn't sit and do nothing, so I've repotted it. I've chucked all the sandy soil it was in, and cleared it back to the peat pot it arrived in. There were almost no roots coming through the peat pot as I would have expected.

The sandy soil was wet through. Whilst I thought that the sand would improve drainage, it didn't seem like it. Plus, I didn't put any crocks in the bottom of the pot. It is now in the biggest pot I own. I've put a layer of stones in the bottom to aid drainage. I've used a reasonable quality (I think!) MPC with no added sand. I've given it a drink, and it's back in the greenhouse for some recovery time.

I hope I've done the right thing.

emiff6

Ah, well, I said I was treading water here! Isn't it a bit odd to start an acid hating cutting in a peat pot? Perhaps it would throw out more roots if you took the peat pot right off.

mrbadexample

emiff6 wrote: »

Ah, well, I said I was treading water here! Isn't it a bit odd to start an acid hating cutting in a peat pot? Perhaps it would throw out more roots if you took the peat pot right off.

Well, I figure the nursery should know what they're doing! It might not actually be peat anyway, I suppose, just looks like that sort of thing. I did consider taking the pot off, but didn't want to cause any damage when it's already struggling. I have a (hopeful) feeling that it was more of a drainage / substrate issue.

witchwoopiggy

misskool wrote: »

all chilli flowers look the same. you will start getting a better idea when the fruit is set. sorry

ah well thought someone might say that but thank you anyway

djohn2002uk

For what it's worth, I'd go along with emiff6 and remove the pot. How can you blame the sandy soil when you also say that the roots haven't come through the original pot? But also remember the cardinal rule about re potting that you don't jump too many sizes in one go. Just up one size at a time. Also, have you thought about ringing the nursery where you bought it and ask them for some advice.