I'm growing tomatillos which I've started from seed. Right now I have three plants, which are currently 5-8" high. Obviously not flowering or growing any fruit yet, and as they're still fairly small I have them in (large) plastic Dixie cups, which I'll take them out of once they get a little bigger. I always make sure to water them and give them as much sun as possible (and take them inside at night, as it's still below 50º at night here).
My question is this: The last few days they've drooped when I put them out in the sun. The leaves, and the entire stalk, too. When I bring them inside at night the drooping goes away. It is not excessively hot out, between 70-high 80s the last few days. I've never heard of mere sunlight causing a plant to droop, especially one that's not very young and that's been out in plenty of direct sunlight in the past. HOWEVER - in the days previous to the drooping, it was very cool, cloudy and rainy out, so I did not put them outside. Did the plants "get used to" not being in the sun for those few days? Does taking tomatillos out of the sun for a few days, and then putting them back in, "shock" them? And if so, will the plants eventually adjust to the sun again and stop drooping? Curious if this a common problem, as my Googling has not helped.
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TheSilverSurvivor
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:22 pm
- Location: Missouri Ozarks
It sounds like they may indeed be a bit shocked. Even when it's cloudy a surprising amount of the sun's radiation still gets through. Keeping them inside is paramount to placing a bucket over an outside plant for few days and then exposed to sunlight again. It's also important to keep the roots cool and in total darkness. As a plant grown in a cup fills out the cup, the roots can get exposed to light and heat, which can be damaging them too. You want the roots to fill the cup out a bit before you transplant it to a larger container, or garden, so wrap a cloth around the cup, or set it in a larger, darker pot until its ready to be transplanted.
If you don't already have a successful transplanting technique, try this -Dig a hole the size of the cup in a larger container of soil, or your garden, and place the cup inside the hole. Pack the soil around the cup, making sure the soil in the cup is even with the surrounding soil level. Pack the soil around the cup until you can remove the cup and leave a perfect cup-shaped imprint in the soil. Then simply turn the cup to the side and slide out the cup-shaped root and soil wad and gently set it into the custom fitted hole without disturbing the roots at all. Lightly pack around it, tucking it in safe and sound, and water in
By the way, a tip to ensure deep, uniform moisture in potted, or cupped, plants is to water them from the bottom by gently setting them into a larger bucket of water and allowing water to slowly seep up from the bottom.
If you don't already have a successful transplanting technique, try this -Dig a hole the size of the cup in a larger container of soil, or your garden, and place the cup inside the hole. Pack the soil around the cup, making sure the soil in the cup is even with the surrounding soil level. Pack the soil around the cup until you can remove the cup and leave a perfect cup-shaped imprint in the soil. Then simply turn the cup to the side and slide out the cup-shaped root and soil wad and gently set it into the custom fitted hole without disturbing the roots at all. Lightly pack around it, tucking it in safe and sound, and water in
By the way, a tip to ensure deep, uniform moisture in potted, or cupped, plants is to water them from the bottom by gently setting them into a larger bucket of water and allowing water to slowly seep up from the bottom.
Thanks very much for the reply and the advice! I've wrapped paper around the cups so that the roots won't get too hot, and I will definitely also take your advice when I transplant them.
One final question: My patio gets direct sun from about 10am-5-pm. After (and before) those times, it's in shade. Is this okay for tomatillos (and tomatoes)? Does leaving them in the shade (about 5pm to sundown, 8pm) still give them some sun, ie, is it worth leaving them outside for those last 3 hours, even if it's not in sunlight? Also, when it's very cloudy out - no direct sun all day, and a little cool - should I still put them outside? My tomatillos are a little spindly, I think, so I worry they're not getting enough sun.
[img]https://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/1ddd3baca17511e1be6a12313820455d_7.jpg[/img]
Thoughts? Are they salvageable?
One final question: My patio gets direct sun from about 10am-5-pm. After (and before) those times, it's in shade. Is this okay for tomatillos (and tomatoes)? Does leaving them in the shade (about 5pm to sundown, 8pm) still give them some sun, ie, is it worth leaving them outside for those last 3 hours, even if it's not in sunlight? Also, when it's very cloudy out - no direct sun all day, and a little cool - should I still put them outside? My tomatillos are a little spindly, I think, so I worry they're not getting enough sun.
[img]https://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/1ddd3baca17511e1be6a12313820455d_7.jpg[/img]
Thoughts? Are they salvageable?
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TheSilverSurvivor
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:22 pm
- Location: Missouri Ozarks
Wow, I didn't realize they were in clear containers, definitely cover them somehow, with tape or something to keep the light out so not stunt root growth. Keep them outside as much as possible, they’ll benefit from the indirect sunlight as much as the open climate -that would certainly explain their spindliness. Tomatillos actually prefer slightly cooler growing temps than standard tomatoes, optimal being 50-75 Fahrenheit, so keep them outside unless the temp is expected to fall below 50, but get them back out again as soon as possible. Instead of taking them inside on cold nights, you could instead place a large bucket over them at night to keep the warmth in and the chill out. Covering them like that would also help lessen the climate shock of moving them around.
They otherwise look healthy though. You want the roots to be crawling around the bottom of the cups before you transplant them, btw.
Good Luck
They otherwise look healthy though. You want the roots to be crawling around the bottom of the cups before you transplant them, btw.
Good Luck
Thanks again so much for all your help, I've taken your advice - covered the roots, left them outside at night (it's above 50º now), and they've started to grow so much better just in the last few days, and two of them are even getting the beginnings of what I assume are flowers! Very excited.
One last question: I've read that I'll need to get 15-gallon containers for them, ultimately.
1. Is this one plant per 15-gallon container?
2. Should I transplant them right from my Dixie cups, or is it best to put them in some sort of in-between-sized container before? Thanks!
One last question: I've read that I'll need to get 15-gallon containers for them, ultimately.
1. Is this one plant per 15-gallon container?
2. Should I transplant them right from my Dixie cups, or is it best to put them in some sort of in-between-sized container before? Thanks!
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TheSilverSurvivor
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:22 pm
- Location: Missouri Ozarks
I'm so glad to hear your plants are thriving.
A 15 gallon container sounds like serious overkill. I've never heard of bunching individual plants up in a large container either so I don't know about that. I've always used a 5 gallon container for each plant, even large tomato varieties. Hardware stores carry 5 gl. buckets in assorted colors these days too and for much cheaper than large patio planters. Just drill some holes in the bottom for drainage, add a couple inches of one inch clean gravel and fill them with good potting soil.
Upgrading to a slightly larger pot every 6-8 weeks until maturity is great way to ensure a healthy compact root system for a plant that will be living in a pot for a longer than 3 months, but with a seasonal vegetable plant, you want to get in its final place as soon as possible so it has plenty of time to adjust before it flowers and sets fruit. I start nearly everything in 6â€
A 15 gallon container sounds like serious overkill. I've never heard of bunching individual plants up in a large container either so I don't know about that. I've always used a 5 gallon container for each plant, even large tomato varieties. Hardware stores carry 5 gl. buckets in assorted colors these days too and for much cheaper than large patio planters. Just drill some holes in the bottom for drainage, add a couple inches of one inch clean gravel and fill them with good potting soil.
Upgrading to a slightly larger pot every 6-8 weeks until maturity is great way to ensure a healthy compact root system for a plant that will be living in a pot for a longer than 3 months, but with a seasonal vegetable plant, you want to get in its final place as soon as possible so it has plenty of time to adjust before it flowers and sets fruit. I start nearly everything in 6â€