Ripening

Can you believe this is the same bowl of tomatoes? It's amazing what a little bit of sunshine can do. I think they're gonna get made into some chutney now.

Fried green Tomatoes anyone?

Tomato harvest is now complete. It felt like kicking a puppy, tearing the plants down. But they're done the job, and technically we've created more seeds for next year. Even though I'm going to eat them.

Harvest festival

Today was the day of reckoning for my potatoes. This was my ENTIRE potato harvest. The foliage suggested to me that I was gonna get a much bigger crop. Huh!

Let's hope they're delicious!

Come to Fruition

It's no lie that it's been the tomatoes that I have been really excited about. It's been a long job, but considering the growing conditions I had some good success. I had my first one in a cheese sandwich the other day and now have a small crop to do something with.

And even though it's the end of September, they still seem to be growing. There's plenty of green ones left on the plants.

In the meantime though, here is today's crop:

Tomato

That's what I'm talking about....

I've been doing some serious cutting back. Lots of pruning of the extra nubbins (some were practically branches) and one of the plants has bought it - it wasn't growing any fruit so I ripped it out. This means only x2 tomato plants remain, but both are bearing fruit.

Lessons for next year:

1) Always break off the extra leaf bits, otherwise there is chaos and you can't tell what plant is what.

2) Give them adequate structural support. They seem to like the board to grow up. I could fix a frame, and get them growing up that thing.

3) I think they had liked the shelter of the wooden board too.

4) Give them LOADs of water. I've been watering them loads but not all the water has been going in I think. The biggest, healthiest plant might have borne more fruit, but I'm still working on it.

5) The key is maintenance. They've grown quick in July. I haven't kept on top of them and they've grown all over each other.

Chilli

Turned my back for the weekend and look what happened!

It seems to be going great guns. My work removing green fly and eggs when I spy them seems to be helping

Neglect...

It's been ages since there's been an update. So much has gone on. Lots of the plants have looked worse for wear in the terrible rainy weather. It has brightened up a touch though. The biggest success flower wise are the African marigolds. I remember having them in the garden as a kid, so wanted to give them a go.