Does Anyone Know What’s Happening With My Tomato Plant?

You’ll see in the picture that some of my tomato plants are acting rather strangely (no, they won’t be nominated for an Oscar this year…). What’s happening is that they’re getting a flower in the very centre – so stopping any further upward growth.

It’s a new type of tomato for me ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’, so I’m not sure if it’s growing as it should … or if I’ve got a rogue element amongst my plants ... an alien in the midst so to speak?

Any advice you could share would be gratefully received ...

Or At Least Our Greenhouses ...

Tomatoes are so.o..o easy to grow, it seems we often forget this when we start planting. In our enthusiasm for fresh, home grown tomatoes (unlike their watery cousins growing on the supermarket shelves) we plant like we’ve never planted before … so end up with so many tomato plants we could literally supply our own canning factory!

As you’ll see we’ve just got a few (ha) potted up, waiting to be transferred into their own grow bags (I imagine tomatoes see the grow bag as their own little ‘heaven’). As well as growing in grow bags in the greenhouse, we’ll also be having them fill one side of the polytunnel and still have some to plant out in the allotment (the equivalent of tomato ‘hell’ I guess – where they suffer the harsh British weather) which will supply the fruit for green tomato chutney at the end of the year (gosh, I bet we’ve still got a jar left from last year … better eat that up quick).

You Say To-may-to and I Say To-mah-to ...
With so many varieties to select from, this year we’re growing the stable ‘Gardeners Delight’, the more traditional ‘Red Pear’ and the beautiful sounding (and tasting) ‘Golden Sunrise’ as well as Plum Roma and Tigerella.

So, with my taste buds watering I’m looking forward to those ‘salad’ days of freshly picked tomatoes bursting with flavour ...

‘It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.’
Lewis Grizzard

If We Could Grow Rainbows, How Happy We Would Be ...

I’ve just spent a lovely bank holiday afternoon at Lea Gardens, near Matlock in Derbyshire. Started in 1935 by John Marsden-Smedley, these gardens cover an area of about 4 acres and are covered by a massive collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias as when as many different types of alpines, acers and many other really interesting plants.

Now ‘run’ by Peter and Nancy Tye, Lea Gardens are the perfect example of managing to retain a family run business rather than a commercial concern. Although you have to pay (£3.50) to enter the gardens, it is like walking around someone’s back garden (but on a grand scale).

The gardens are planted so that you can meander around the gardens, along narrow pathways and woodland areas and fall upon beautiful displays of colour around ever corner. With tiny Rhododendrons offering ground cover to massive blooms growing on Rhododendrons of ‘tree like’ proportions.

Not only are you astounded by the range of sizes and styles of blooms, what is also astonishing is the inexhaustible range of colours ... from bridal whites and palest pinks through to vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. It certainly seems as if a ‘rainbow’ of colours is growing from the ground ...

And Back In Our Allotment ...

As you can see, we’ve been busy planting beetroot recently. One of the easiest vegetables to grow, we started ours off in our polytunnel – it germinates really easily (it only needs to be kept above 7º C for healthy growth).

Once growing, we’ve hardened off the plants by standing them outside the tunnel for a couple of weeks. And, whilst the weather has held off, we’ve finally managed to get them planted out into the allotment – beautiful, straight, weed free rows (although I guess it’s just a matter of time before the weeds move back in!).

Beetroot is one of my favourite summer vegetables ... I much prefer fresh beetroot over the traditional jars of beetroot in vinegar (which generally graced our dining table for the traditional Christmas salad). Freshly boiled beetroot is one of the most distinctive flavours of the summer – if a little messy to achieve.

Cooking Beetroot
Although it only takes about 20-50 minutes to boil (depending on its’ size) you need to watch out for those ‘beetroot’ splashes. Before adding to the pan, simply remove as much of the top leaves as possible – but leave some of the stalk in place as this helps retain its flavour. Once boiled – test that it’s soft using a skewer, fork or sharp knife – drain away the water and allow to cool. You’ll then be able to easily ‘rub’ away the outer skin under cold water … then it’s ready to eat.

Beetroot Makes A Come Back
Back in fashion, beetroot can now be found gracing the plates of fashionable restaurants. But beetroot has allows been in favour, in fact we can trace its roots back to 400BC …
When beetroot leaves were used as bandages.
The Greeks prized beetroot for its medicinal qualities – it was used to treat fevers, skin problems and digestive complaints.
It was the Romans who began eating beetroot in salad dishes with oil, vinegar and mustard.
In the 16th century its’ medicinal qualities were again praised, when it was used as a ‘blood builder’.
Whilst in Victorian times beetroot was known as the ‘blood turnip’.

Why Is Beetroot Healthy?
Declared by health experts as a ‘superfood’, you can eat beetroot with a clear conscience because it’s:
Virtually fat free – there are only 36 calories per 100g
Rich in iron – good for tiredness and anaemia
Rich in folic acid
A good source of vitamins (A, B and C) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium)
High in fibre
And it has antioxidant properties.

Does Beetroot Make Us Happy?Recent research has declared beetroot a ‘mood’ food. Betaine found in beetroot is known to help us relax and make us feel good. Whilst recent press coverage has labelled it as a ‘sexy’ vegetable – containing high levels of the mineral boron which is thought to affect the production of sex hormones.

Hoorah ... This Years Must Have Garden Accessory Is Back In Stock

As you know, since the hose pipe ban started to be big news about two months ago, the demand for water butts has just gone through the roof!

With manufacturers being unable to keep up with demand from gardeners stock has been in very short supply. But finally, we saw delivery of new stock at the end of last week!

Since we got them onto the website they’re being snapped up, so if you haven’t already placed your order I’d suggest you do so now ... before this illusive product goes out of stock again ...

Keep Your Galoshes On Hand At All Times ...

OK, I give up … since all the publicity over hose pipe bans all we seem to get is rain, rain and more rain.

If you wait for a dry spot, by the time you’ve donned your coat it’s started raining again. So my question is, if you want to be in the garden but can’t ‘cause of the rain, what do you do instead? Or are you so hardy that you just put on your galoshes and carry on gardening?

‘The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.’
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Situation Vacant ...

OMG, innocently stepped out into my garden this evening to feed my rabbits (Honey & Sweetie) and couldn’t get to them for the wall of ‘green growth’ blocking my path ...

Am I sleeping beauty ... did I fall asleep last night and sleep for a hundred years? And if so where’s my prince?

As he didn’t appear, I’ve spent the last half hour pruning my way to the rabbit shed and filling my green bin with the results! The plant which put on the mass of growth I hear you ask? Well, it’s an evergreen clematis (an armandii variety if I recall correctly), the first plant I every bought for my garden.

I pruned it quite strongly last year and this seems to have given it a massive boost of energy this year ... but it looks beautiful when it’s in full flower so I’ll let it off all the hard work it’s causing me at the moment!

Yes, Own Up ... Someone Has Stolen The Last 7 Days ...

I can’t believe the last week has flown by so quickly! Only last Friday I was sat on the motorway trying to get to the Malvern Spring Show in bright sunshine and warm temperatures ...

Since then it seems like someone has forgotten to turn off the tap ... rain has stopped play virtually every day ...

Thank goodness Mother Nature keeps moving on ... my garden is doing its’ thing even when I’m not managing to do mine ... especially the weeds which seem to have a cunning plan to take over the world (or at least my garden).

Come on now, can we all agree, the next 7 days should be slower, a more sedate pace so I can appreciate the days and get into the garden (on this one ... if anyone’s listening, can you please turn off the tap and turn on the light?) ...

When Does Rain Stop Gardening...
Well, in my case rain stopped play yesterday as I drove home, desperately trying to see the other cars on the motorway through all the spray!

Got home to get wet through just dashing from the car to the house ... no way was I going to go into the garden (or even greenhouse) ...

But I’m sure more dedicated gardeners than I were out, togged up in wet weather gear and ploughing on (so to speak ...).

“Whether the weather be fine, Whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather, Whatever the whether, Whether we like it or not”

Should this be the gardeners motto??

A Real Crowd Pleaser ...

If you weren’t able to visit the Malvern spring Show this year you missed a really good day out (note to oneself: add to diary for next year!) ...

I went down on Friday 12th, weather was excellent (only the sound of thunder ... no actual rain!), company was good (took my Dad ... a very enthusiastic gardener and a man who’ll chat to just about anyone) and the show was brilliant.

I’ll give you some brief highlights throughout the week of what I thought ... and would love to hear what your ‘best bits’ from the show as well ...

P.S. The picture gives you just a small indication of how busy it was ... you had to fight your way to the front of the stands ...

Do Your Plants Prefer Tea Or Coffee?

I’ve recently been told two different bits of advice, and I’d like to know what you think ...

My sister tells me that her roses flourish due to being fed a constant supply of coffee grounds (and take it from me, my sister can drink a lot of coffee ...).

Our call centre manager at Two Wests tells me that the way to grow good, strong sunflowers is to feed them with tea!

So, I’ve somewhat of a dilemma ... I don’t drink tea or coffee, so should I be adding PG Tips and filter coffee to my weekly shop to give a caffeine fix to my plants or should I just ‘let them drink water’ (echoes of Marie Antoinette) ...

Encourage Young Gardeners To Get Planting ...

Everywhere I look at the moment children are being encouraged to take an interest in gardening. Not a bad thing, in my opinion ...

You’ll not only benefit from them using up some of their ‘endless’ energy outdoors ... instead of destroying the house indoors!

But if you’re lucky you can actually get them to eat some of the vegetables they grow (children all over the world are now ‘gagging’ at the thought that they might actually have to eat something that is green!).

Legoland have picked up on the trend and invited ‘Fifi and the Flowertots’ (used to be Bill and Ben when I was young, does ‘Fifi’ sounds more PC ??) to theirs for a weekend of workshops to encourage children into their gardens ...

Whilst you might think this is just a clever marketing ploy to get more people to visit (which of course it is!) if your child goes in fancy dress (garden themed) although you pay, they get in for free! Children throughout the country can now hail me as their hero as I’ve found them a real strong bargaining point for getting their parents to take them to Legoland (finally...)

Cambridge Boffins Say Gardening Is Good For You ...

I’ve known it all along ... but now Cambridge research is backing me up! It is good to garden and here are the reasons why:

Exercise ... in my case much needed but at least being in the garden (I don't mean sat at the patio table with a martini) doing some gardening lets you get some gentle exercise

Fresh air ... obviously depends on your location (and if it’s barbeque season!) but at least you’re outside and not sat in front of the TV

Better diet ... if you grow your own fruit or veg (always tastes better than the supermarket spoils)

But best of all ‘exposure to plants helps reduce stress levels, increases concentration and productivity and improves mood.’ Based on this statement shouldn’t I be sat in my garden working rather than my desk??? I’ll let my MD decide!