Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Little_Vics

I've had a proper inspection after the floods.

Straws are ok - some fruit appearing, and some flowers. They appear to be putting out runners already which is interesting.

Herbs (purple sage, marjoram, thyme, chives) are all flourshing.

My 2 remaining courgette plants are still alive, but not big by any stretch of the imagination.

Inside pepper has some fruit, but the leaves really are dropping off. I won't be too upset if it dies to be honest - it's MASSIVE.

no sign of fruit on the quince, but it's only the first year so I'm not too disappointed.

Aubergine is well and truly drowned.

My one last squash plant is being squashed - by a &*£!^&@! potato.

Toms are doing well. There is the odd flower. I seem to recall that I'm supposed to pinch something, but can't for the life of me remember what/where/when etc etc - help??

vikicats

mrbadexample wrote: »

had a quick furtle to see if the spuds are ready yet (Pentland Javelin). It would appear that they are, so I harvested three for my tea

Hope they are as tasty as they look! :j

Wonder if mine are ready yet?

greenbee

Pre-war_babe_33 wrote: »

Great Garden Fay - am now wondering if you are going to need a bigger hat!

Just waiting for my glut of tomatoes to ripen. They are Maskotka for anybody who is interested. I think I have enough to feed the whole district and I`ve only grown ten plants but I only had ten seeds to start off with so 100% success rate so far - sorry Drea!

Oh, is it possible to freeze tomatoes if I cook them while still frozen? Would that work?

I just chuck them in the freezer as I go (I have just taken the last of the 2011 crop out, half defrosted, chopped and bunged in a curry...). It makes them easier to peel, and they are great instead of tinned toms. Obviously if you cook them first they take up less space, but you are more restricted in what you can do with them.

djohn2002uk

Little_Vics wrote: »

Toms are doing well. There is the odd flower. I seem to recall that I'm supposed to pinch something, but can't for the life of me remember what/where/when etc etc - help??

You pinch out the side shoots that grow from where the leaf joins the main stem. If there isn't one there don't bother about it, if there is when it gets manageable at about an inch long, just pinch it out. Job done.

Drea

djohn2002uk wrote: »

You pinch out the side shoots that grow from where the leaf joins the main stem. If there isn't one there don't bother about it, if there is when it gets manageable at about an inch long, just pinch it out. Job done.

I've read this over and over in various places and it's how I came to almost killing off my tomato plants

I just don't get it

Bluegreen143

Well I haven't been posting for a wee while so it took me some time to get through the pages and pages of posts! Everyone's garden looks lovely, I must learn how to post pictures! Though my garden is not that impressive sadly :rotfl:

Was getting a bit depressed at not having anything to eat except herbs, BUT yesterday I harvested my first salad leaves and ate with homemade pizza, so very happy, they were SO good! And one of my chilli plants now has a 1cm green chilli forming :j

To the person with the indoor pepper with the wilted/thin leaves - (sorry can't remember your name because ive just read 6 pages of posts ) don't know how you're getting on, but my chilli did the same thing a couple of days ago and I just watered it well and left it to it. It's absolutely fine now, completely perked up again, so I don't know if it just got too hot through the glass which made the soil all dry out.

djohn2002uk

Drea wrote: »

I've read this over and over in various places and it's how I came to almost killing off my tomato plants
I just don't get it

But you must be pinching the wrong bits out. Take your time and make sure it's the shoot growing between the main stem and a leaf.

annie123

Drea, pinching out tomato picture below:


http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/images/tomato_side_shoot.jpg

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_july_1b_tomato.asp

Drea

annie123 wrote: »

Drea, pinching out tomato picture below:


http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/images/tomato_side_shoot.jpg

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_july_1b_tomato.asp

Thank you! I finally understand :rotfl:

Pre-war_babe_33

I have heard say that if you take large enough side shoots of tomatoes out you can put them in water until they forms roots, then pot them up and keep indoors over the winter for new plants next year. Bush tomatoes do not need their side shoots taken out.

Personally I never take the side shoots out after reading somewhere many years ago that it is totally unnecessary to do so - nothing like saving myself a lot of work I would say as the things grow back again directly your back is turned and you have to do it all over again.

The only thing I do is remove a few yellowing leaves at the end of the season to allow the autumn sunshine to get to the last of the ripening fruit.