As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

JIL

kidcat wrote: »

JIL - I really have no idea but didnt want you to think we were ignoring you. I am sure someone much more knowledgeable than I will be along to help.

thank you and heres hoping both our tomato questions can be answered!

lizzyb1812

JIL

Have these tomatoes got any flower stalks on them yet? And do you know what variety they are?

I'd be tempted to NOT cut the tops off but just give them a huge watering and try to shade them a bit - they might just make it.

mardatha

ChocClare thanks I will try that, we eat a lot of chicken thighs. And everybody else - I have written meself a wee list now ! Sorry for ignoring some posts am not well today and can't be bothered reading properly. Bad me !

ChocClare

I can't remember who was asking about window quilts and single-glazed windows and whether there'd be a problem

BUT

I just came across this link on Down to Earth and wondered if it might be of interest...?

JIL

lizzyb1812 wrote: »

JIL

Have these tomatoes got any flower stalks on them yet? And do you know what variety they are?

I'd be tempted to NOT cut the tops off but just give them a huge watering and try to shade them a bit - they might just make it.

dont know what variety they are but i remember something about shirleys perhaps, yes they have some flowers on the wilted shrivelled bits, but also there are some tomatoes albeit green ones on the lower branches. I put some wood up against the window to give them some shade and gave them loads of water so i hope they will be ok i am sure it is the heat but they are not looking too healthy on their top stalks. thankyou for your reply

Memory_Girl

GreyQueen wrote: »

33 degrees!!!!!!!!!! It's outrageous, we've been wilting all over the office with our brains on meltdown.

Honestly, I think I might have to migrate north of the border back to the land of my foremothers; can't hack this kind of temperature and am lurking indoors to keep my redheaded self away from the sunbeams.

.

Are you sure hon? - its 14 degrees and hammering down so hard that the rain was wetting me on the way down and the way back up again.

I'm thinking Stovies for tea - chilled to the bones

MG

suzid

JIL I seemed to be constantly removing new side shoots from my tomatoes after I'd pinched out the tops to stop any more growth. So even if the top sections don't make it, the plants will probably form new shoots and carry on upwards. Don't worry, easier said than done when they're not your plants. This heat has been exceptional.

lizzyb1812

JIL

If the tomatoes already have several branches with tomatoes/flowers on they are probably getting to the stage where the growing tip - the shrivelled bit - would be taken off anyway to make the plant stop growing leaves and start bulking up the tomatoes. And it's true that if your mum did want to get the plant to grow bigger she could just leave a side shoot on to become a new main shoot.

Good of you to be watering them for her Hope she lets you have some of the toms!

westlothianlass

Kidcat hold on in there honey, 13 is a very strange age for boys, mine would be sobbing one minute and screaming the next, it does pass honest, but it's not nice to sit through , hugs to you xx

Mardatha hugs to you too from up here to you doon there, hope you feel better soon hun.
x

HariboJunkie

VJsmum wrote: »

Talking of making frozen fruit into jam - isn't it too wet? Delia says that fruit should be as dry as poss but anything i take out of the freezer is very soggy so surely any pectin is well diluted?

I usually use frozen fruit and it works fine. Will be making some tomorrow for teachers' gifts from our garden raspberries frozen last august x

kidcat wrote: »

Am struggling today- DS13 has been in an awful mood since he got up,.

Sorry to hear this . Teenagers are never easy. xx Re your tomatoes you need to start feeding them as soon as the first truss of fruit appears, ie when you see flower buds. Don't wait until you have flowers.

JIL wrote: »

sorry to post on here but i need some advice urgently. I am watering my mums green house tomato plants while she is away on one of her many holidays. I went up yesterday and the tops of some of them had shrivelled up and were hanging. I think it was the suns heat that caused it as it has only affected plants on one side that is not as shaded as the other. When i went today they are still well and truly shrivelled and am not sure what to do. It is only the tops that are affected the rest of the plants and leaves look ok, but should i cut the shrivelled bits off or just leave them? I really do not think the affected parts will perk up again. thank you for any advice

Keep them well shaded and only remove the leaves if they have no signs of recovery in a few days. Make sure when you are watering in this heat that no water is getting on the leaves as this can cause scorching.

Chilly and damp here again so have a huge pot of mushroom soup on the go. Have been houseworking all day but should be officing. Am putting it off as I know I have invoices to chase and I'm sure my monthly business cash flow is not going to add up. So have decided to be an ostrich until tomorrow.

Lovely OH has repainted my garden chairs and made a little stool for one of my prized pots to sit on. All I need is to be able to sit in the garden sans umbrella and we'll be happy. Will have to make do with a cozy night in and a free movie to watch with OH instead. Not exactly a hardship
The children are off to a damp BBQ this evening and are full of excitement about the end of term. They had great fun in school today as a hedgehog and a deer visited the playground at lunch time. I doubt if they realise how lucky they are with all the wide open spaces around them.

ps. Feel better soon mardatha. xxx