I had thought that my plot was a little delayed. There were a number of green strawberries below the raspberry canes, and they didn’t seem to be ripening.
Then the sun came out.
In the space of 12 hours, the fruit has gone from being smudged with red, to a lovely shade of ruby garnet. We’ve not had punnets and punnets of fruit, but this is the first time we have ever had a mass of strawberries. And to think it’s not Wimbledon Fortnight yet. If we do get more, might experiment with making some ice cream.
Today is something of a red-letter day. The polytunnel on the plot now has everything tucked into it. The Growing season is officially ready to rock and roll. Unless the weather or the world has a huge great big episode. If you have a look at the tags, you will see just how much is plugged in or potted up.
With exception of two plants-the Dorset Naga and Purple haze chillies-everything in that polytunnel has been sown and grown from seed. That tomatoes, chillies and aubergines. All of which have had some form of drama attached to it. The tomatoes got dehydrated, the chillies had aphids, the aubergines were and are somewhat developmentally delayed.
The chillies are now starting to flower, even the tiniest of the pots that contain the chocolate and orange habaneros have flower buds on. The Cayenne’s have a clutch of white flowers, and the purple haze is a spot purple.
true black brandywine and marmande
Cream sausage tomato
transplanted tomatos
The last of the chillies was potted up today, pettie belle, as were the four aubergine babies. The aubergines are a little smaller than I would have expected, but I did sow them later than I could have and on a whim.
Our challenge now, is to keep everything happy. Watered, fed, happy and not too hot. There is one vent open to help cool and offer some form of ventilation. Valuable lessons are incorporated into all of this. The chillies are in pots, and will stay that way, as will the aubergines. Previously both of these have been in the ground, and not a lot has happened. Tomatoes are plugged in, they have worked well outside in the ground. The added bonus of being under cover might help them this year. Copper tape is around most of the pots, as well as little blue pellets of doom.
Tomatoes are now looking happy, and they are sending out little yellow flowers. So this with the white chilli flowers is a sign of some positive things. I am not too sure about the Aubergines, they might catch up, they might not.
With everything plugged in, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Spotted a couple of the Garlic bulbs had formed flower heads and started to bolt. Rather than leave them; have harvested to rather pungent bulbs. Don’t they have split into individual cloves though.
My dinner tonight, was methi roti and raita. That’s chappatis that have been stuffed with fenugreek.
Mum had broadcast sown fenugreek seeds right at the foot of the allotment in an area that had had been previously uncultivated. Fenugreek is used both as a green manure and as part of Indian cuisine. The former, was my intention, the latter was my mum’s. The rain and warmth have formed a lush carpet of green leaves that can now be harvested. Mum has been after a harvest for days, so this evening we harvested two fists full of the stuff. As you can see, that is quite a lot int he harvest and quite alot left on the plot. What was harvested tonight, was enough for about six stuffed chappatis.
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.
Early June, very early June and already we have our first bouquet of roses. No idea what they are called, except for the orange one. That one is called Lovers Meeting.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
horticultural 'obbit 