Back on the Plot, Planting Tomatoes

I’ve not been down to the plot all week until today. My wife’s not very well so I’ve been a bit at sixes and sevens myself. I’ve been re-learning a few domestic skills as well and discovering a few things. For example, when you put a gas grill on it is a good idea to ensure it is lit. When the smell of gas reaches the lounge, it’s not a good idea to rush into the kitchen and press the ignition button. The plinth blew off with a surprisingly quiet boom.

Anyway, net result of the domestic chaos over the last couple of weeks is that I’m way behind – things not sown, transplanted and so forth.. Well, those who can do and those who can’t teach so I’d better start a gardening school!

I did manage to grab a few hours today. Loaded up some tomatoes and headed for the plot. When I got there I took a walk around, it’s pretty wet and boy have the weeds grown. A massive thistle has appeared in the strawberry bed and even some of the dreaded horsetail has come back in spots.

All the Japanese autumn planted onions seem to have developed flower stalks so I cut these off. This bolting seems to have affected everyone with Japanese onions this year. I think it’s because they’ve had no real winter check and April was like July.

In the large greenhouse I have some carrots that are doing nicely now. Thinned them out and weeded in there. Where do those weeds come from? Next to planting some tomatoes in the border. 3 Ailsa Craig, 3 Harbinger, 3 Gardeners Delight, a Sungold, a Big Boy and one San Marzano plum tomato bush. The rest of the San Marzano will be grown outside. I’ll cloche them to start with although I think we’re going to be safe from a late frost now.

I’ll see what the difference in crop production is from the plant in the greenhouse and those outside. I’ve still plants left so a few will go into large pots in the small greenhouse.  I planted a few Tom Thumb lettuce started off in pots into border between the plants as well.

In the other border, behind the carrots, a couple of aubergines and chilli peppers went in. Peppers seem to be a really slow starter.

I’ve loads more plants to get round to the plot in the greenhouse at home but I just wanted to get there today. It was wonderful messing about with the radio for company. A couple of other people came and went so a bit of chat too. The social element of allotmenting should not be under rated. Seems like a month since I was there last.

The photo below is the greenhouse with the tomatoes just popped in. They still need staking and that will wait for my next visit. If the weather is anything like and circumstances permit, I hope I can catch up somewhat with everything.