Where would you put these?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I have impulse-bought 3 veg (or technically fruit...) plants in pots - a sweet pepper, an aubergine plant and a purple tomato (from the sale bench but looking very healthy after some TLC)!

At the moment I have put them into bigger pots and have them on the decking outside, by the house wall for warmth. Unfortunately it's not facing in the best direction though - they do get some sun, especially in the afternoon but not all day, and we are in the North East too so DH keeps telling me they won't produce anything there! But they look nice there and seem to be doing well so far (been out there about 5 days).

The other possibility is in the porch, if I can clear some space - that gets very warm and sunny, but the main risk is if I forget to water them for too long they'll probably croak! Also DH tried growing tomatoes there one year and although the plants grew and flowered well, he got almost no fruit (I suspect because not enough insects got in to fertilise them?). There is also a risk of being tripped over/having scooters dropped on them etc... so I can't quite decide! Do you think they are likely to do any good outside or should I bring them in?

I think that given that you are in the North East indoors might be better because they all need warmth to succeed. You can help to fertilise tomatoes by using a small paint brush and brushing each of the flowers.

Another vote for indoors and the paint brush.

I'm in Sheffield and have given up growing outdoor tomatoes here because of lack of heat and too much rain (which causes blight). In the east, you might be luckier on the rain, though!

Thanks! We don't get tons of rain here but it's true the temperatures are not always great. I will give them a try in the porch and just try to remember the water...

I told DH about the paintbrush thing but he didn't believe me Hopefully I can get lots of purple tomatoes and then he might!

I'm sure the paintbrush method works, but my friend with a market garden told me to just tap the branches while flowering, which has always been enough for fertilising. She also believed in a "tonic" of Epsom Salts, but I've never needed this, growing mine in sheltered spot outdoors (large mirror behind) in NE England. I was also advised to use metal supports, and hope for lightening strikes, but having a greenhouse was much easier.

I think anything works better than DH's method of just ignoring them! He always starts off all enthusiastic, then loses interest and lets them go all fallen-over and mildewy if I don't take over or nag him.

Well I have put mine in the porch and they are all looking quite happy so far and growing fast, so fingers crossed... Also gave them some tomato food today, must remember to keep watering though especially if we're meant to be getting a heatwave!

If you fancy a bit of extra heat/ protection, I've seen tomato greenhouses in Morrisons for c.£6

I'm in the North East as well and grew corking tomatoes in the porch one year. You can buy gizmos from the pound shop that go in the soil and you fill up with water- this then trickles into the soil at a steady rate

ask your children to remind you "water the plants mammy"...they will say it 55,000 times and you will never forget again

They are shooting up in the porch so far, I'm sure the tomato has doubled in size already! Now just need some flowers though. I have remembered to water them so far, getting the kids to remind me is a good idea though (well the little one anyway, the big one is usually so far off in a daydream that he forgets everything!).