How do i stop my plants going mouldy in my pollytunnel?

As a beginner gardener i dont know too much. My tomatoes and other plants in my polly started to get large mouldy leaves and then drop off ( no tomatoes this year...sob!). What can i do to stop this for next year. Also were do i collect the seeds off my dahlia and cosmos plants for next years seeds, are they on the plant flower head after it dies...would appreciate help on this

FlowersBirthday FlowersSympathy Flowersok... mouldy polytunnel... try putting netting over the door so you can leave it open on warm days and nights to improve the ventilation and still keep birds out. You can also get fungicides to spray which help against botrytis (the biggest fungal problem with Tomatoes). The best and most organic way is to improve ventilation and not to overwater, Tomatoes take a lot of water but try no to wet the leaves, just the compost and don't leave them swimming! :)





With large Dahlias you can lift the plant, chop the top off and store the tuber by letting it dry then wrapping in newspaper. The replant it next spring and it'll grow again, magic!


Plants such as cosmos and small, bedding dahlias are easiest grown from bought seed as the seedlings are more likely to come true (ie have the same colour and be healthier) than if you try to keep your own.... it's always worth a try though!


hope this has been helpful :)
Reply:Better ventilation and don't let the leaves get wet...That's why they go mouldy. Water from underneath the leaves :)
Reply:First this is called botritus and it occurs because of lack of eventalation, you need to get more of an air flow and it needs to be kept dryer.





Your better off buying dahlia and cosmos seed as the ones in your garden will not come true to form, if you want to grow the same dahlias then dig them up and save the tubours
Reply:Better ventilation is needed. Good luck.....
Reply:The mouldy tomatoes are probably infected with botrytis as already stated, but the best way to avoid this is not to water your plants in the evening. Water them first thing in the morning. That way they will not be cold through the night which is when plants get infected. As for the seeds yes they are the plant flower heads. Wait until the seed matures before cropping them. Try them for a bit of fun, you never know you might get a new variety and with it a fortune. You would be better off though if you bought some neww seed just incase of any misshaps, (sterile seed, seed not ripe when cropped or F1 seed reverting to a parent). Anyway gardening is supposed to be fun so collect all you want and see what come up.


Hope this helps you and good luck
Reply:i do not know
Reply:yes
Reply:Increase the ventilation.
Reply:it sounds like you have been watering over the plants and not just in the bag/pots. try watering them more often using less water, also remember that because you are feeding them with a proprietary fertiliser you need to make sure that they are watered 200 % to makesure the nutrients are not sitting in the pot yes you can over feed tomatoesand strawberrys. I also think that you have a lack of air movment in your tunnel small fixed tunnels create a perfect micro climatewhich mildew will thrive in open all vents doors etc andi belive this wont happen again.
Reply:needs good airflow through polytunnel, for more info just go to





www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics.fitness