Calling SMB veg growers

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Could you not just move them to a shaded spot?
It's Spain. There's no shade ;)

No but seriously, I have tomatoes on the front balconies (which get good or full sun) from about 9am till 4pm and I have a couple on the back that get sun probably 3pm until 9pm now. Each will be getting more and more sun as the days tick on and currently it's probably 25+ celcius every day (average - has been hotter). They're getting water most mornings and some of them a bit droopy by the time I get home at 6.30pm (the ones on the front).

The shaded spot would be in the apartment.
 


It's Spain. There's no shade ;)

No but seriously, I have tomatoes on the front balconies (which get good or full sun) from about 9am till 4pm and I have a couple on the back that get sun probably 3pm until 9pm now. Each will be getting more and more sun as the days tick on and currently it's probably 25+ celcius every day (average - has been hotter). They're getting water most mornings and some of them a bit droopy by the time I get home at 6.30pm (the ones on the front).

The shaded spot would be in the apartment.
And here's me having plant scorching problems in Sunderland :lol:
 
I'm going away for 5 days next week. Considering bringing my tomato plants (7 pots/10 plants all over a metre high) indoors as even with a couple of 2 litre bottles of water in each I reckon they're gonna be finished (in Spain).

will the pots all fit in the bath? if so stand the pots in 3 or 4 inches of water. you cant really overwater tomatoes, they are grown commercially using hydroponic method
 
I'm going away for 5 days next week. Considering bringing my tomato plants (7 pots/10 plants all over a metre high) indoors as even with a couple of 2 litre bottles of water in each I reckon they're gonna be finished (in Spain).

Hiya ...never thought of getting an irrigation system?
Relatively cheap over here once you have bought the timer.
Saves a load of hassle and I've got everthing on my allotment fed off 3 seperate ones. And that's everything from tomatoes to potatoes onions, broccoli, peppers, onions, peas, guavas the lot.
Shade of course is vital in Spain. I grow most of my stuff under the shade of some olive trees but a lot of the neighbours use that green nylon screening.
Good luck anyway
 
will the pots all fit in the bath? if so stand the pots in 3 or 4 inches of water. you cant really overwater tomatoes, they are grown commercially using hydroponic method
Would get 3 or 4 in the bath but then they'd get no light. I'd think that would be a big issue too, no? Im thinking the apartment with the shutters slightly open and then a 750ml bottle planted cap down (with holes in) that the soil will draw when required.

Fuck knows what's gonna happen when I leave for 2 weeks in August. Gonna have to get a house sitter. :lol:

Hiya ...never thought of getting an irrigation system?
Relatively cheap over here once you have bought the timer.
Saves a load of hassle and I've got everthing on my allotment fed off 3 seperate ones. And that's everything from tomatoes to potatoes onions, broccoli, peppers, onions, peas, guavas the lot.
Shade of course is vital in Spain. I grow most of my stuff under the shade of some olive trees but a lot of the neighbours use that green nylon screening.
Good luck anyway
It's mostly chilis and tomatoes and a lemon plant. All balcony growing.

Need to get myself some land at some point though.
 
Not really possible on a terrace with no water source (ie tap) or without great expense, as far as I'm aware.

Unless you have some suggestions.
What if you had a large water container like a camping water carrier or a brewers bucket with a tap on it and filled that before you went? Stick a drip feed on to the tap and open it up. Hopefully the water flow will be low enough that it will last a while. You will need some elevation, like sticking it on a table.

The carriers or buckets go for £10-20 on amazon and 25L seems to be a common price. There are some drip kits for around £15, so you can try the whole lot for less than £40. If you fill the container to the brim and leave it for 24 hours, you should be able to estimate how long it will last.

The other option is to control when it waters and go high-tec with something like a raspberry pi, solenoid valves and soil moisture sensors, though that does ramp up the cost. I water my patch when I'm away with a mains fed water supply and a pi, just on a timer. I have been working on a wireless solar powered moisture sensor but having a bit of trouble. I can give details if anyone wants but probably getting too nerdy for a gardening thread!
 
Would get 3 or 4 in the bath but then they'd get no light. I'd think that would be a big issue too, no? Im thinking the apartment with the shutters slightly open and then a 750ml bottle planted cap down (with holes in) that the soil will draw when required.

Fuck knows what's gonna happen when I leave for 2 weeks in August. Gonna have to get a house sitter. :lol:

It's mostly chilis and tomatoes and a lemon plant. All balcony growing.

Need to get myself some land at some point though.

Yep that might do. Might be even easier to get someone to come in and water 'em mind or drop them round at a mate's somewhere?
I've been aiming for self sufficiency in the fruit and veg department but with four mad rescue dogs we've taken on I've given up on holidays to be frank!
(And looking at me water and vets bills).
One thing though if anyone has experience I need advice on is composting. It either goes to slime or I get inundated with tree rats. Anbody done one successfully in a mediterranean climate. The locals just shake their heads.
 
What if you had a large water container like a camping water carrier or a brewers bucket with a tap on it and filled that before you went? Stick a drip feed on to the tap and open it up. Hopefully the water flow will be low enough that it will last a while. You will need some elevation, like sticking it on a table.

The carriers or buckets go for £10-20 on amazon and 25L seems to be a common price. There are some drip kits for around £15, so you can try the whole lot for less than £40. If you fill the container to the brim and leave it for 24 hours, you should be able to estimate how long it will last.

The other option is to control when it waters and go high-tec with something like a raspberry pi, solenoid valves and soil moisture sensors, though that does ramp up the cost. I water my patch when I'm away with a mains fed water supply and a pi, just on a timer. I have been working on a wireless solar powered moisture sensor but having a bit of trouble. I can give details if anyone wants but probably getting too nerdy for a gardening thread!
Probably easier and cheaper to just buy them in the local supermarket :D
 
Some cherry toms almost ready (plenty more green ones knocking about):

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And the only flowers I've planted, Larkspur. The first a couple of days ago and the second today:
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Got plenty more growing too - loads of cherry toms plants, another kind of normal sized tomato plant (can't remember which), Cayenne chilis, lemon tree (just got its first few flowers), thai Basil, coriander (that's just flowering - can't handle the heat), strawberries and mint.
 
Well, all my brassicas have been wiped out with cabbage root fly. Little shites. I'll sow more but maybe a little late for most of them.
 
Bugger. Put those little collar things round them - has worked a treat on mine this year after I lost them all one year.

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Had them round. Still somehow managed to get to the stems. I'm thinking with it being compost covering my beds the rain washed it away and left gaps next to them
Well, blight has took hold at the allotment. Nearly all my tomato plants have it as have the lads next to me. Next one down has lost all his potatos as he rarely gets up and hasn't been able to take the tops off them.
Had them round. Still somehow managed to get to the stems. I'm thinking with it being compost covering my beds the rain washed it away and left gaps next to them
Well, blight has took hold at the allotment. Nearly all my tomato plants have it as have the lads next to me. Next one down has lost all his potatos as he rarely gets up and hasn't been able to take the tops off them.
 
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Pentland javelin and rocket - Wilfy just got them last weekend so while not ideal bettter late than never

Just emptied my potato sacks , overjoyed with my haul but the soil is full of snails eggs and baby snails - do I need to dump all this soil ? I was hoping to use it again for the next lot - anything I can do to destroy them or can I leave the soil a few weeks til they grow and escape ?
 
Just emptied my potato sacks , overjoyed with my haul but the soil is full of snails eggs and baby snails - do I need to dump all this soil ? I was hoping to use it again for the next lot - anything I can do to destroy them or can I leave the soil a few weeks til they grow and escape ?

You shouldn’t use the same soil again anyway.
On a plot you wouldn’t grow potatoes in the same patch twice to prevent build up of soil nasties so the same applies to patio bags
 
really poor year over here on my plot AND in the polytunnel
Blight, plants failing to thrive, seeds failing to germinate
On the plus side, the beds I'm not using are left wild and I've got tons of wild flowers so the bees are ecstatic.
A good clean up over winter and try again next year.......sigh
 
I'd forgotten about this thread. Here's a recent batch of several types of chillies I've taken from my plants and brought back to the UK for my friends and family:

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That pale green one in the front middle (and some darker ones in the bag too - finger/birds eye chillies) are the hottest I have and they are very hot. The rest of the bag is made up of other birds eye, cayennes and jalapeños.
 

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