Author: MTT
Sparrowhawks
As I’ve probably said before, we back onto a small woodland. This year we seem to have been lucky enough to have a family of Sparrowhawks take up residence. My guess is that the young have relatively recently fledged and they are swooping around, screaming to each other. I don’t have the equipment (or patience)…… Continue reading Sparrowhawks
Collapsing Tomato Plants
A lesson learned. This year, I decided to reduce the use of plastics in the tomato greenhouse by using ordinary garden string to support the plants, rather than the plastic string I have used in previous years. What I do is to tie the string through the holes I have made in the bottom of…… Continue reading Collapsing Tomato Plants
Recipe – Courgette and Apricot Chutney
The glut of courgettes is always difficult to deal with. They need to be picked often to encourage more to set but if you miss one it can rapidly get big. Chutney of any sort is always a good way to deal with a glut and it will keep for up to 12 months in…… Continue reading Recipe – Courgette and Apricot Chutney
Recipe – Courgette, Ham & Cheese
With the courgettes growing quickly, its easy to miss some so this is a recipe that uses the large ones you’ve missed. It also continues to use the tomato sauce you made last year when the tomato glut hit. Its also simple and quick. A meal in a dish Ingredients (for one) Large Courgette (700…… Continue reading Recipe – Courgette, Ham & Cheese
Peacock Butterfly
There seems to have been a shortage of butterflies so far this year (although the cabbage whites are keen to lay eggs on my broccoli). However I was pleased to see this in my garden the other day. Its interesting to see how the caterpillars can change into something so attractive.
Recipe – Grilled Courgette with Parmesan Cheese
This is one of the simplest recipes for using courgettes, getting some of the glut used up. It makes a tasty side-dish to accompany whatever you may be eating. Simply slice the courgettes into piece about 1/2cm thick and put in the oven/under the grill for 10-15 minutes to cook gently/soften. When soft(ish) cover with…… Continue reading Recipe – Grilled Courgette with Parmesan Cheese
2024 – Preparing for a Glut of some vegetables
As I’ve said before, this year has been strange. The cool start to the season meant that many things didn’t germinate when I expected them to (in fact there’s been poor germination throughout). The result was that I sowed some things again and I ended up with more plants than I expected. The second issue…… Continue reading 2024 – Preparing for a Glut of some vegetables
Tomato – Yellow Perfection
A small/medium Yellow Standard sized tomato on Potato Leafed Indeterminate plants. Description The description given on the packet is of a “Tasty, heirloom (heritage) cultivar with small golden-yellow fruit so it sounds a bit like one of the many yellow cherry varieties we have grown over the years. We bought the seeds from our local…… Continue reading Tomato – Yellow Perfection
July 2024 – A Slow Year for Tomatoes
The tomatoes have been sown (early March), potted on, molly coddled when they started and eventually planted out into their final spaces in the greenhouse (early April). However, the cold, dull weather seems to be making it hard work for them to grow on as strongly as I would like. All the indeterminate varieties are…… Continue reading July 2024 – A Slow Year for Tomatoes