Yearly Archives: 2015

heritage veg, tomatoes

Heritage tomatos in the poly

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I confess to not knowing a lot about heritage veg. I am trying it though, especially tomatoes. There are few varieties that I have sown beyond the usually money maker. I have yellow stuffer, as well as marmande, cream sausage and true black brandywine. The seeds for cream sausage and true black brandywine were from nicky’s nursery.

The true black and marmande beefsteak tomatoes. I have a little success marmande, there were lots of green tomatoes of this variety last year. Which is why, I have put the tomatoes in the poly tunnel this year. The first thing that you notice, is the shape of the flowers. On the cream sausage tomato-this a yellow, pear drop type fruit apparently, you have the traditional propeller blade flowers. On the other hand, the beefsteak tomatoes have a fuzzy sunflower type flower. The leaves are also different. I am intrigued as to how black the true black brandywine beefsteak will be, as I know that the yellow tomatoes really are a bright sunny yellow. These were ripened on the sill last year, and made into hot yellow sun chutney. With the exception of the smaller, plants, the vast majority of the tomato plants are starting to form buds and unleash bright yellow flowers. They are small still, less than 30cm high, but I am hoping that if we have warm bright weather, they will start shooting up and out. When I remember, I am trying to armpit them. When the plants were outside last year, they did take their time getting go, so we shall see how long it takes before everything starts flourishing.

Dorset and Bengle Naga, Experimental Chillies and be;;s, tomatoes

Polytunnel Plug in Post @Maroon5 concert

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poly

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing Maroon5 again. Prior to this, I spent time in the poly tunnel by way of a warm up. Singing,rather loudly, I might add. This involved putting manure into the poly tunnel and refreshing the soil. I also plugged in the vast majority of tomato plants bar one. Bar one, as the plants are still only two inches high.

The concert was epic, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Have now seen Maroon5 four times in ten years, and I was twice the age of their current fans. Maroon5 on shuffle tends to be what I have playing on the plot, all the time. Many slugs, have been slain, to the sound of Maroon5. Something about the vocals and guitar.

Anyway. the poly tunnel. This morning, I went to water the contents. We have vast variety of plants in there as listed below.

Tomatoes:

  • moneymaker
  • marmande
  • yellow stuffer
  • cherokee purple
  • true black brandy wine
  • cream sausage

Chillies:

  • cayenne
  • orange habanero
  • orange and chocolate habanero
  • pumpkin
  • raindrop
  • bellaforma
  • aji limo
  • serrano
  • apricot
  • purple haze

purplehazechilli

Above is the purple haze. This along with the Dorset Naga was purchased from sea spring seeds when they had a stall at the edible garden show. I bought plug plants of these two as the time had passed to sow from seed. Otherwise, I have sown and grown all the plants from seed. As you can see, there are two tiny purple chillies on the plant. So far, this is the most productive chilli plant, those are chillies number two and three! making this year already more successful than last year. We have had a spot of drama though, in having an aphid attack. The poor plants are only just starting to recover and send out new leaves. Lessons have been learned from last year. The chillies are in pots, and not in open ground. The result being, that the plants look happier, are more productive and don’t send out lots of bushy foliage with no flowers. Even the small plants in the brown pots are sending out flower buds. The additional benefit is that the pots can be moved around as things-fingers crossed-grow. I have one absent chilli-pettie belle-that is still to move on, plus four aubergine plants that are still being nursed at home.

tomatoes

Tomato Tales

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Having had a mild panic last week with the tomatoes nearly dying, five of them have been transplanted. Think there are are dozen or so plants left to sink in the poly tunnel. Think the one’s in the photo’s are marmande, true black brandy wine, money maker and cream sausage. A majority of the plants are tall, and leafy; with some now starting to bloom and set trusses. The true black brandywine, is a heritage variety, a number of them are this year in fact; and that has just started to form fuzzy yellow flowers. These are quite different from your average tomato flower with its propeller blade shaped blooms. The plan is to sink the rest of the plants in the coming days having refreshed the soil a little. The tomatoes will then be bunk mates with potted chillies and maybe, maybe even this years aubergines that are only just getting a wiggle on.

Lost label roses, project othello

First flush: Roses 2015

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There are lots of roses on the plot. Over twenty at the last count. On the first half, we have the roses that we have labels for, we know vaguely what they are. On the second half however, contains roses that are lost label roses. I have no idea what their names are, or even what variety they are. What I do know, is that they are pretty. From what I remember, they are pretty in pink, but there are a few yellow ones in there.

These have now been on the plot for three years, so they are getting more established. In essence, the second half the plot, Project othello, has an avenue of roses and fruit trees that line the central path.

I am going to take it as good omen, that the roses are kicking off the growing season. Can’t eat them, no, but they do look pretty and add a spot of ambience to the plot.

Potatoes

First aloo harvest: Red Duke of York

spuds

I have somewhat lost patience with the poly tunnel potatoes. Whilst I understand that this is for an early crop, I am not sure  that I would repeat the exercise. The tiddly tiny crop, is a lovely shade of red. Rather matches Mum’s nail varnish. But ntot very big. I could have left them in a bit longer, I realise that. But the room is needed for tomatoes and chillies now, so they didn’t stand a chance really. The ground is to be refreshed with a spot of farmyard manure, and the tomatoes are going in as soon as possible.

Runner and climbing beans, Squashes

plant out day: Squashes and beans

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With the end of May, being the closing of our frost window; today was plant out day. This was the result of plants being hardened off over the last week or so in quiet anticipation. Plus the plants were starting to get a bit too big to be stashed in the 4TB.

First thing first, three of the metre square beds had to be filled up, these were filled with well decayed farmyard manure. Then, sixteen squash plants, yes, sixteen, have been sunk. There’s half and half split, with some being plugged into raised beds, with the others being plugged into open ground. These were the seeds sown the second time around as the first batch had become cold and damp. Compared to what squashes have looked like at the same time in previous years, they are a bit smaller. I haven’t managed to sow and germinate pumpkins or butternut squashes, so this may be a jet episode.

Next came the beans. We had about thirty plants. These were the traditional scarlet emperor runner bean, as well as cobra and blue lake french climbing bean. All of these three varieties have in the past been very productive. I have another tray sat on the window sill germinating, so I may need to make some more wig wams at somepoint.

Jammed up

Preserving pan playing

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Over the weekend mum and I have been playing with the jam pan. Hoping to get over the runny jellies from before, we used this opportunity to get things right. Plus with all the soft fruit on the plot; this was something of a dress rehearsal for when do have excess crops that we don’t know what to do with. There was a fair bit of rhubharb on the plots so this has been used for two preserves.

We have also learned how to use powdered pectin properly. Rhubarb, raspberries and strawberries aren’t full of pectin. So it was somewhat necessary for set preserves. There were two jellies made as well as two jams. Chutneys and chilli jams are on the schedule in the coming weeks.

Soft fruit

soft fruit flowers

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pears raspberryfloower

The fruit trees were positively frilly with blossom. The blossom has long since disappeared with the wind, and it is now possible to see whether or not the fruit has set. The concorde pear tree, which has til now had not a lot going for it; does appear have set something. Not many nobbly bits are visible on the otherwise quite leafy tree. But they are there. The braeburn, falstaff and worcester pearmain are also showing signs of fruit setting.

Then there are the raspberries. Now, we have a number of different varieties, which span the growing season. What you see is the first flower on the summer fruiting canes. Not many of the all season collection have sent out green shoots and runners. So it was a surprise to see a white bloom. I know that the canes have to be so old before they send out shoots and runners. All of the canes are what I believe to be two years old.

The varieties that I have are:

  • Tulameen
  • Malling Jewel
  • Glen Cova
  • fall gold
  • Autumn bliss

The latter two are the autumnal ones. Sadly, I can’t remember which bed had which other summer raspberries in. I have also seen the autumn raspberries start to develop white blooms. A bit early, but I won’t argue with mother nature. I remember last year that the autumn bliss were really an abundant cropper, even with two single canes.

herbs

Rosemary re-homing

Mum has rather successfully cultivated two epic sized rosemary bushes. And they were taking over the garden path. So armed with my fork, she dug them up. We then trundled down to the plot with them. Again, she took up a gardening spade and dug two holes to plug them in.

There was a lot rosemary fragrance wafting around.