Well, just a quick tour, as it's getting late (I've been to an excellent gig by Tuneyards, if anyone's a music fan).
View through the back window into the greenhouse/lean-to. It won't be long before all the tomatoes grow up and fill the space (which means we can't dry our washing in there for much longer or else they'll get yellow tomato stained)
I've potted-on all my tomatoes now. I used a mix of my own compost, bought peat-free compost and horse manure. I'd usually put a scoop of garden soil in too, but there wasn't anywhere I could scoop from, so I also added a bit of old compost that had soil in it. Some of the leaves are a bit speckled but I think that was from when they were still in their small pots.
I planted them all deep (removing lower leaves) and under-planted most with basil (I'm growing green and purple). Ha, just noticed a cameo from minxie, bottom right, in the middle of a clean.
Most of my toms are cordon / indeterminate varieties (that just keep growing up unless you pinch the top out) but I've got a couple of bush ones too, as they usually produce ripe fruit sooner, for me anyway. Here's one on the right, with basil and aubergines too.
I've got more basil that needs potting on, though I've pinched out most of the tops now (and made a lovely pesto)
The chamomile is doing well, I've been hardening it off outside during the day so will plant it out in the lawn soon. I did nearly lose it all yesterday though, when it got quite frazzled in the heat but it's recovered after watering, phew. You can just see some peas peeking through in a tray below.
My attempt at overwintering sweet peppers didn't work. They were still alive when I potted them in but then I think they dried out. So I ended up buying a couple of plants as my seeds didn't germinate either (I'll try a fresh pack next year).Here's one of the bought plants.
And I still have quite a lot of squashy plants to go out on the allotment plus cucumbers, I just haven't had chance to clear the space for them......this weekend that will be my goal! As it's been so dry, some had already been affected by mildew, so I gave them a 30/70-ish milk/water spray the other day. It's worked on the whole but I think I'll do it again. It's better to use as a prevention rather than cure but, well, there's just not time to do everything eh? This weekend will be sunny which is when it's meant to be most effective.
Not greenhouse-related but it's nice to have the elder flowers coming into blossom in the garden. It's good timing too, as the laburnum's starting to lose its flowers, so the bees will still have tasty pollen to feed on :D
The garden also needs weeding and re-sowing some runner beans that've been nibbled. Another job for the weekend.
But, now I've started to digress, so will say nighty night, and get up early to do some watering on the allotment tomorrow, hopefully joined by lots of birdsong :D
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There's always weeding to be done isn't there. I like the idea of drying washing in the greenhouse. I'm in need of somewhere to dry the washing, I wonder if I could get a greenhouse on the strength of that... My overwintered chilli hasn't worked either, it will be going in the compost soon I think. Your tomatoes are looking lovely. I've popped a bit of purple basil under mine as well. Have a good weekend, CJ xx
ReplyDeleteYep, there's certainly plenty of weeding to be done CJ. Ha ha, I was just saying how I'd really like a washing line outside, but the back garden's not big enough. We do have one in the front yard but it faces North so not that useful. The toms seem to have settled in, just need to keep an eye on watering as it gets so hot in there. I find the purple basil takes longer to get going than the normal green, but looks very pretty. Hope you're enjoying your weekend.
DeleteIn the past I have made loads of pesto with green Basil (I freeze it in ice-cube trays), but this year I also have some purple Basil. What shall I do with it? The idea of purple pesto sounds a bit weird!
ReplyDeleteGood idea to freeze the pesto Mark. I used green and purple basil together, it came out a bit brown but had a lovely flavour (just don't look at it!)
DeleteTomatoes will soon turn our greenhouses into a jungle won't they?
ReplyDeleteYes, not too long now sue :) I had to make sure I left enough space to get through to the door once they get bigger, it was tempting to squeeze more in
DeleteJust checked out a youtube on tuneyards - love the sound! Tomatoes look fantastic, and I LOVE the idea of drying wash in the greenhouse. Will try myself sometime (after tomatoes are done).
ReplyDeleteHi Susie, glad you liked tuneyards! They were all so talented musicians and effortless singing, a great gig. Thanks, hopefully the toms will carry on growing well. I've given my spares to a neighbour. Once they've been fruiting a while I'll probably top up the pots with more compost as a nutrient boost. Drying washing in there is handy for us as we don't have a line out the back (facing south) so otherwise have to dry indoors. Yep, definitely don't want stained tomato clothes!
DeleteYour tomatoes and basil look amazing! When I first transplanted my tomatoes last week, they were so tiny (and I transplanted them deeply too) that only an inch or 2 showed above the soil! After the bit of rain (or a lot of rain actually!) and some warm days recently, they are looking much better & have grown quite a bit. Nowhere near as big as they were last year at this time, but I guess I can't expect that since I planted them a full month later this year.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret, I still need to pot on the rest of my basil. I sowed some more the other day too, to extend the cropping period. And would you believe it I spotted some actual tiny tomatoes growing. Hopefully yours will appreciate the deep planting and the rain and will catch up with previous years. It's surprinsing what a bit of water and warmer temps will do for plants. My squashes outside look like they really need a bit of both too.
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