Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

Makingabobor2

My cherry tomatoes are at last starting to ripen, but only had 2 from the plum variety, the rest won't even turn red on the window sill. Think I'll have to try brown bag or box idea tomorrow. 

themadvix

MAB it can take months for them to ripen - give it time. I think I ate the last of our tomatoes in November last year!

Sunshine_girl2

Thanks foxgloves for the info re the tomatoes , I am going to sort my mums out today . 

foxgloves

Indoor ripening times can certainly vary. My Roma tomatoes were ripening swiftly on a tray in the conservatory so I was transferring red ones to the fridge regularly. Expected to get back from our few days away to find the rest of that tray had ripened but only 3 of them had. I expect the nights were cooler & the sun wasn't shining on them as much. Not much evades the big paper bag method but I shan't progress to that yet as I'd prefer them to ripen more gradually atm.
I'm aware this has turned into a rather tomatoey diary. Can feel some serious batch cooking coming on.
Then it will probably be marrows.....
F

EssexHebridean

We look like making it to the end of next week without the significant temperature drop that is forecast for some areas, so I am hoping to get away with leaving my toms for a little longer yet - although I will be keeping a close eye just in case! Handily the chap I buy delicious sourdough loaves from at the farmer's market always pops the loaf into a sturdy brown paper bag and in turn I always stash them for further use, so as and when ripening is needed I have the necessities on standby!

foxgloves

@EssexHebridean - I have also stashed just such a sturdy bag & have it at the ready. Temperature here forecast to fall to 14° midweek but I think the rain will be the main thing.
F

foxgloves

Hi Saturday Savers,
A mix of crossword-doing, reading & garden action today. Had planned to go out, but with today looking very much better than tomorrow, we thought it better to swap for a garden day. Budget helping activities:
*Harvested squash (guatemalan blue), a large colander of pears, peppers, a bunch of carrots & cavolo nero. 
*Mr F chopped up all the outdoor tomato plants, spent bean vines & squash plants for compost/garden waste wheelie, while I did the same with finished peppers/remaining chilli plants.
*Both remaining summer salad troughs moved to greenhouse. Trimmed, weeded, watered & administered a general 'glow-up' so we can keep picking for a bit longer as winter salads only just coming up.
*Managed to rescue (hopefully) one of my container heuchrellas which has been under attack from Evil Weevil.
*Collected ripe sweetpea seeds for sowing next month.
*Emptied a spent growbag into a big empty compost sack as I can re-use that for planting container bulbs which will save on using all new.
*Inspected courgettes & tromboncino - courgette plants in particular look pretty ropey but are still producing, so I will leave them for a bit longer. Pumpkins left also, as still plenty of ripening to do.
*Then some free fitness marching up & down the garden to boost my steps total which was looking quite rubbish considering all my efforts in the garden today. 
*Leftover crumble from yesterday.
Feeling tired & ready for some sofa time.
F x

Sun_Addict

It’s been lovely in our neck of the woods today hasn’t it until around 4pm when black clouds started to appear and there was lightning on the horizon over the airport. Sounds like you had another productive day. Enjoy your evening. 

foxgloves

We didn't get any lightning here until about 7.45pm, @Sun_Addict, but when it came, it stayed for about 40 mins all in the same direction. We were trying to work out which bit of the county was under the actual storm & reckoned WB. 
Pouring with rain atm. Have kindly set up litter tray for Soot & Ash, though Ash is generally happy to go out in any weather, as long as he can dry himself on Mr F's trousers when he gets in. Forecast looks pretty wet for us most of the week but I have heaps of indoor jobs to do. I hope you can avoid walking to work on.the wettest mornings. If you live roughly where I think you do (& you probably don't!), it's a fair old walk.
F

badmemory

It has been so overcast here for hours that I just keep wishing it would chuck it down & get it over with.