Tomato Problems – Wilt

With September with us, I was hoping that the tomato season would be extended through this month and into (at least) next. I usually get tomatoes all the way through until mid-November with the late beefsteak varieties providing something all the way through. However, this year (2020) I don’t think its going to be like…… Continue reading Tomato Problems – Wilt

August 2020 – Report so far

Most things are doing fine. The tomatoes are cropping well with much the same weight of tomatoes as the previous couple of years so far. The 2018 crop seemed to peak in a few weeks time so it will be interesting to see how they compare. 2019 wasn’t a very good year overall, this year…… Continue reading August 2020 – Report so far

Recipe – Fantastic Simple Red Tomato Chutney

This year (as usual) we now have a glut of tomatoes. There are only so many one can chop up and freeze, or turn into tomato sauce or eat, so we’re aways looking out for other things to do with them. This year (2020) our mix of colours is heavily biased to wards red tomatoes…… Continue reading Recipe – Fantastic Simple Red Tomato Chutney

Recipe: Warm Sausage Salad

At this time of year (July – August) we get a glut of salad items to the point where just eating them as a cold salad isn’t enough. We’ve found a number of recipes for warm salads and have found this is one of the most versatile. The basic recipe can be extended by adding…… Continue reading Recipe: Warm Sausage Salad

Cherry Tomatoes in July

As the tomatoes start ripening, I’m pleased to see that we’ve grown a range of different colours, particularly in the cherry varieties. The standard and beefsteak tomatoes are yet to really start doing anything but here’s a picture of the varieties we picked today. The only new ones for this year are the Dancing with…… Continue reading Cherry Tomatoes in July

Guttation – Droplets on the Leaf Edges

Sometimes, usually overnight or when the weather is cool and damp, droplets of liquid form along the edges of the leaves of plants. This is “Guttation”. Not to be confused with the early morning dew, guttation is caused by the “water potential” in the roots of the plants. Because transpiration doesn’t occur at night or…… Continue reading Guttation – Droplets on the Leaf Edges

July 2020: First Tomatoes ripening

I’m not sure if its just because we are in partial lockdown (we were partially freed yesterday but that doesn’t make me want to go out unnecessarily) but I think I’m watching the tomatoes more closely than usual. Whilst the weather hasn’t been the best, there are signs that the crop will start soon. These…… Continue reading July 2020: First Tomatoes ripening

End June 2020: The Tomato Journey so far

Surprisingly its now 106 days since I sowed most of my tomatoes. Fruit is now set on all but six of the thirty or so cultivars that I sowed but there’s no reason to suspect that the rest won’t set in the next few days. Based upon past experience, its still a couple of weeks…… Continue reading End June 2020: The Tomato Journey so far