Some of the plants in the greenhouse have started to lose their leaf colour. Instead of the rich deep green of fresh growth, many have pale and yellowing foliage, a sure sign that they need some sustenance.
It’s not surprising really when you look at the pots they are growing in and the size they have grown to.
Even the best, top quality compost has a limited amount of plant food to sustain the plants.
Usually its designed to last about six weeks and although I have supplemented the plants with plenty of liquid feed, I have run out of tomato food and haven’t had a chance to get any more, so since then I’ve been using up the leftover plant food knocking around the greenhouse.
And it shows!
I am a bit surprised, but I need to take some swift action. The plants are OK, and are fruiting beautifully, but I don’t want them to be short of anything, especially the essential micronutrients, so a trip to the garden centre is in order.
There’s a risk that the tomatoes may develop blossom end rot, a disfiguring disease that can render the fruit useless, so it’s something I need to address now.
Fortunately a liquid feed applied to the foliage and compost of any starving plant will quickly restore the balance, but it’s important to remember that the plant may have suffered a check in its growth and development, so some tlc may be required for some time.
