Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Tuesday, August 04, 2015

Five a Day

 Well, this is the time of the allotment year when everything is coming along in gluts!  There is no need to worry about getting your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.  One very useful lesson I learned is about choosing which seedlings to plant out.  When the advice says sow 2 or 3 seeds in a pot and plant out the strongest.. THIS IS GOOD ADVICE.  Being a bit of a scrimper and a saver I planted 3 Defender courgette seeds in the Spring.  One came up strong and healthy, the other two took ages to germinate and always looked spindly.  Nevertheless, I planted all 3 out and guess what?  The other two plants continue to be a waste of space. Never really looking happy and not producing very much at all.  Note to self... Choose the healthy seedling and get rid of the time wasters!
 Lovely Sungold tomatoes in the greenhouse are ripening every day.  This really is my favourite tasting tomato.  I've tried lots and lots of others... this is the best tasting.
 This is another good variety of beefsteak tomato called Country Taste.  Beautiful round, nicely shaped tasty tomato.  This is the one to have with sliced mozzarella, olive oil and fresh basil leaves.
 Meanwhile my greenhouse chilli Joe's Long is getting longer.  I am growing this as part of a competition to get in the Guinness Book of Records for the World's longest chilli.   Being organised by Joy at Sea Spring Seeds, it is worth having a go !
 Lovely greenhouse cucumber Dalizia is cropping well, but I have another attack of the dreaded spider mite in the greenhouse.  I thought I had conquered them last year with my greenhouse hygeine measures and with some natural predatory mites.   Oh well, lesson learned!
Meanwhile these Rouge Vif D'Etamps pumpkins are plodding along.  Keeping them watered and fed with home made comfrey liquid.  Note to self... keep bucket of smelly comfrey juice out of reach of thirsty Labrador!!!

4 Comments:

At 7:31 PM, Blogger Mark Willis said...

What do you do if all three of your seedlings look strong?

 
At 9:31 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Hmmm.. that's difficult, I don't like to throw anything away. I would probably find space for all 3. It is probably just a way to weed out the weaklings.

 
At 8:21 AM, Blogger Kelli said...

Things are looking good at your end. The long chili is impressive. Good luck in the competition to get into the Guinness Book of Records!

 
At 5:18 AM, Blogger Lexa said...

Matron- Your garden is really looking well. And such good advise about the plant starts. But I am afraid I hate to toss anything away and normally end up planting all three just like you did, with the same results too! I planted pumpkins this year too. It had been much too long since I last did and they bring me such joy. Happy gardening this week-

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

>