Harvesting the garden
We've been having a pretty spectacular year for tomatoes and other veg, a combination of the decent weather we've had this summer and the increased amount of time I've had in the garden since giving up the allotment back in March (a decision I've not regretted despite it seeming so hard at the time). I love, love, love my garden and pottering about in it but I'm a very relaxed, wine glass in hand (oh go on...another one?, yes please!) type of gardener, who is rather inclined to let Nature take her own course rather than spray every living thing in sight with chemicals. There is something rather hypnotic in watching the slow movements of a snail even if it is eating through your borlotti beans.
The garden itself is small but it is south facing and walled so quite sheltered. I grow the tomatoes (three plants in one grow bag) against the kitchen wall as this has the sun all day and the wall retains a lot of heat. This year I've grown one beefsteak (Belriccio), one yellow (Orangino) and one cherry (a nameless tumbling type that was excess to my Dad's self seeding success). Over the last month in particular we have been picking a huge bowl full a week and there are still loads more to come. In the flower borders there are a couple of courgette plants, one patty pan, spinach and Swiss chard plus cardoon and artichoke plants that will (fingers crossed) produce something edible next year. We also have an ancient and gigantic rhubarb plant, planted by a neighbours father (she was born in our house and is now in her late eighties). M hates it but I think it's been here so long it should stay.
In pots around the back door I have carrots and dwarf French beans, Padron peppers, chillies, strawberries and some exotics that have yet to prove their worth, guava and goji. Elsewhere I have two figs trees, some gooseberry bushes and a kiwi vine. For the winter I've sown land cress, pak choi, an Asian spinach, rocket and radishes. Nothing tastes as good as what you've grown yourself.
The garden itself is small but it is south facing and walled so quite sheltered. I grow the tomatoes (three plants in one grow bag) against the kitchen wall as this has the sun all day and the wall retains a lot of heat. This year I've grown one beefsteak (Belriccio), one yellow (Orangino) and one cherry (a nameless tumbling type that was excess to my Dad's self seeding success). Over the last month in particular we have been picking a huge bowl full a week and there are still loads more to come. In the flower borders there are a couple of courgette plants, one patty pan, spinach and Swiss chard plus cardoon and artichoke plants that will (fingers crossed) produce something edible next year. We also have an ancient and gigantic rhubarb plant, planted by a neighbours father (she was born in our house and is now in her late eighties). M hates it but I think it's been here so long it should stay.
In pots around the back door I have carrots and dwarf French beans, Padron peppers, chillies, strawberries and some exotics that have yet to prove their worth, guava and goji. Elsewhere I have two figs trees, some gooseberry bushes and a kiwi vine. For the winter I've sown land cress, pak choi, an Asian spinach, rocket and radishes. Nothing tastes as good as what you've grown yourself.
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