Visit to the Garden Centre

A visit to Blooms has given an idea for growing tomatoes in more style next year (George has some better photos).  We love these wooden grow bag holders with their neat top with holes to hold the canes in place but we would need 10 to hold all our tomatoes.  At £35 each this isn't going to happen but we think we could make our own so are going to give it a try.

Didn't discover Tumbling Toms until it was too late to sow my own so have bought this one in a hanging basket.  If it does well I will sow them next year to hang along the fence.

Finally we have been thinking about vegetables to keep us going through the winter so have bought yet more seeds (and cabbages).

30 May - 6 weeks (and a day) after sowing

What's changed in the garden this week?

We built some protection from the cats who are loving all the freshly dug soil and keep digging up my plants.  This idea is taken from a reader's letter to Grow Your Own last year.  We bought a woggle, float or whatever you might call it from the leisure centre and cut it into 3 inch pieces, then used it to hold canes to make a frame for the netting.  The best thing (other than the minimal cost) is that once the cabbages etc are big enough it can be taken down and stored in a small space.  The cabbages, broccoli, sprouts and kale have all been planted out now.  Had to dig another 12 ft of garden to fit them all in.  Also planted out the sweetcorn.

This picture was taken to show that we plant  out the blackcurrant yesterday  but it can't really be seen as it's hiding in the ivy.  We should have a handful of fruit this year, not enough to make our own Ribena though!

Potatoes are doing well and were "earthed up" on Saturday.

 Not been good at successional sowing - so this week I have planted half a tub of carrots (large and small) so I can sow the other halves in a couple of weeks.  Also made a new salad tub with rocket, lettuce, salad leaves and radishes.  Just hoping today's rain hasn't washed all the seed away.

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Planted out the courgettes and they seem to be doing well

Tomatoes have also been planted out - we will have more than 30 plants - good job we have lots of ideas for a tomato glut: slow roasting in the oven; chutneys and pizza sauce so none will go to waste.