Controlling Growth in the Polytunnel 

Glad it found you!!

Glad you like them!

Thanks for sharing

Thanks, that is really interesting. I imagine that would be a lot easier to manage. Do you plant the plants 60cm apart? I definitely want to explore a few different options next year. I have heard of a method where every third side shoot is left to grow up a separate twine, because apparently every third one tends to be stronger. Perhaps only a few of the stronger ones, rather than the lowest two side shoots might be an interesting option.

@@REDGardens I've just been using the three strongest shoots that start about 30 cm off the ground. I hadn't heard the "every third shoot" theory, but I may try that on a plant or two as a test. I figure this gives the three stems the most air and light as they grow, with the side ones hanging and spreading a bit, while the center goes straight up. I'm experimenting with different planting spacing and orientation. Next season, I want to try a single row of plants down the center of a meter wide bed, but only 40 or 50 cm apart. The three branches would spread across the width of the bed. Up to now, I've been doing two rows in the bed, with much greater spacing, and the branching spreading along the length of the bed. I figure if I rotate that orientation 90 degrees so that each plant has the full width of the bed for its resources, they can be spaced relatively close together. Spatially, I think it will be less chaotic.

Ah, thanks for that great comment. It is good to know that I can help others deal with their "tries and fails", as I know from personal experience that they can be tough!

Thanks! That is interesting about the 2 stems. How far apart do you plant them?

@@REDGardens I plant my aubergine plants 60cm apartment

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Thanks for all of that. Makes sense. My main concern is not have them hanging around for ages if they end up in the compost or dropped in the soil. But I think your points about the relative impact of their production, which is an important reason to reuse anything!

Thanks! 😃

I have seen that done, and it would be very interesting to explore!

Yeah, that is a good knot. It doesn't hold so well with the plastic twine, but is excellent with the jute twine I have started using

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That is awesome! Sounds like you are fully kitted out for a good growing season. Hope you have abundance!

Thanks! I found that some of the twine that I buried in the soil degraded within a few months, so I think it will be very short lived in the compost. With the clips I think it will likely be longer, but I don't really mind how long it takes as long as they aren't persistent in the compost or soil. If the ones I drop into he soil in the gardens and end up in the compost disappear eventually, without leaving any problematic compounds or micro plastics, then I am happy.

Thanks, makes sense.

Glad you like them!

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Thanks, lots of options!

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That makes sense, use it for lighter crop the second season

Thanks! The best crop I have grown!

you may have to use a fabric cover while the tomatoes ripen. I have found that once birds or squirrels figure out that 'red' means 'eat me', there is no stopping them.

Birds even get the coco fiber I use as mulch in my pots. It's nice to see animals recognize the abundance. It's a real hassle though.

Tomatoes can actually be one of the trickiest things for home gardeners to grow. For example, if they wilt even once, it checks the plant and will lessen the crop, It's much harder to grow them in pots for this reason - you need extremely big containers for them and be watering the plants religiously so they don't wilt. They could even need watering several times on very hot days. They're also prone to heaps of pests and diseases - I'd say the three most important things are: watering meticulously, feeding little and often, and giving them enough sunshine. yours are being eaten because they're somehow stressed and weakened. Keep at it though - if you get it right, they're also possibly the BEST and most delicious thing to grow yourself! 🍅🍅🍅🍅

I think I agree with you. Interesting that you mention the disassemble-able cold frame, because I just built some this season and have grown some squash in them, but I didn't remove it, which I think was a mistake.

@@REDGardens Not all varieties need this head start. Right now my compost heap is besieged by 3 different squash types. I think they're daughters of hybrids since I can't find anything like them on line. Producing like crazy, one vine I've picked two and 3 more are coming in a 6 foot length and there are 2 others of that type.

and i didn't plant these

I agree with all that. Buying things in is getting harder and more expensive.

This is the supplier I use: www.fruithillfarm.com/compostable%20crop%20twine.html www.fruithillfarm.com/tomato-cucumber-clip.html www.fruithillfarm.com/tomato-hook-hd-type-180mm-without-twine-100-pcs.html

I really should do a proper video about it. Basically, I prune the side shoots leaving only a main stem that I wind/clip onto a twine suspended from the structure with a tomahawk (or you can just leave extra length of twine hanging). Then when the plant reaches the top of the polytunnel space, I tie a second piece of twine to the stem of the plant at about waist height and tie this to the structure above. Then I let out more of the twine and more the tomahawk or knot over to one side so that the middle section of the plant is slightly horizontal and the top part goes vertical again. This continues as the plants grow, and they end up overlapping with the plant next to it in the row. I have begun putting in an extra clip when it crosses the next secondary twine - or add additional pieces of twine to support the plant where it is running horizontal.

@@REDGardens thanks for the info! How close do you let the pruned vines get to each other? Do they totally overlap or do you try to keep vertical spacing? Also what do you do at the ends of your rows?

www.fruithillfarm.com

It is apparently made of natural fibres of jute and a natural viscose - so very biodegradable.

cool idea

Tomatoes will grow roots from parts that touch the ground.

I get it from www.fruithillfarm.com/compostable%20crop%20twine.html

Excellent, thank you. I love your videos by the way. Just an excellent resource for practical market garden research.

www.fruithillfarm.com/compostable%20crop%20twine.html

I don't know the brand name, but I got it here www.fruithillfarm.com/compostable%20crop%20twine.html

@@REDGardens thanks. Sadly, I can find no alternative in the states. Looks like straight twine is all I can get, here.

Outside, I would agree with you, but in the polytunnel there just isn't enough space for that, or I don't want to give them too much space, so thought I'd try vertical growth.

@@REDGardens good point.

Interesting suggestion, thanks.

@@REDGardens "Control" in modern commercial agriculture is often a euphemism for "kill".