Me? a gardener ?

Today was a sad day for toms, the ones  in the greenhouse I mean, but I do include myself to some extent because it’s that time of year when the greenhouse had to be emptied of them.

Before

After

It only seems yesterday that I was sowing those tiny seeds, then pricking the seedlings out and keeping them warm, before placing them gently into their final growing positions. Such a contrast to today as I mercilessly lopped them off at the roots for the compost heap.

I grew one of my old favourites again, Gardener’s Delight, but I’m going to ask for my money back under the trades descriptions act, because I was far from delighted with the quantity this year. I think they'll have a good laugh at  me implying I'm a gardener though, no doubt.

The Alicantes in contrast, which I grew for the first time this year, were very prolific. They were disappointing in taste as fresh tomatoes I thought, but they made fantastic soup, I'll certainly be growing them again next year.

One variety that I regretfully didn't grow this year, was another of my old favourites, Shirley. Oh how I  missed those ripe, firm, pendulous handfuls, and I missed the tomatoes pretty much as well !

You may notice in the ‘After’ photo above, a solitary little runt  left in the corner of the cleared greenhouse. That is a plant I grew from the single seed of a supermarket bought tomato,  left on my plate one particularly reflective afternoon . I'd sat there ages marvelling at its dormant potential, and wondering if it would grow, and it did ! It's a commercially grown variety called Brioso, and although it struggled it surprisingly produced about a dozen decent  fruit.

It’s not all sadness however, as cleaning the greenhouse out will give me a chance to see where those bloody slugs and snails keep getting in. Having  re-erected it after the house move, I'm far from satisfied with its position, and seem to have chosen slug central for it, urgh !

Did I ever tell you I suffer from Molluscophobia, a condition not to be recommended for gardeners, so I'll be alright..

Me ? a gardener ? you must be joking!