‘Home Grown’ diary project – update 11 … Veggie McVeg Patch…

If you’re going to grow fruit and veg… make sure you have plenty of time on your hands …

I’m so pleased, I’ve managed to sell some of the surplus plants and make a first donation to the charity of a whole £10… but I still have 17 tomato plants to sell… any takers … please?

While we’re on the subject of tomatoes, I’ve selected the ones I’m keeping (eight in all) and have potted them out in grow bags. The grow bags were actually for potatoes… but never got used. You will also spot that I’ve sunk a pot next to them – apparently this helps get water straight to the lower roots, as they need a lot to drink especially when there are thirsty tomatoes growing.

Tomato plants, grow bags, home grown, vegetables
I’ve sunk a pot next to them to water the lower roots.

These four are going to live outside in a fairly sheltered but sunny spot. A mix of both Alicante and Gardeners Delight variety – I thought I’d play safe with my first attempt at growing tomatoes.

Tomato plants, grow bags, home grown, vegetables
The tomato plants I’m keeping and transplanted into grow bags.

I’ve made a fairly basic support frame, with bamboo canes I harvested from the garden. Have done the same for four more plants that are staying in the greenhouse. So if it gets breezy, they won’t get battered and broken.

Tomato plants, grow bags, home grown, vegetables
These are being grown outside, so need some sort of support.

In order to attach them to the frame, found some really soft green cord in the shed, that I loosely tied round the stems as a support and in just a week am going to have to re-tie as the plants have grown so much!

Tomato plants, grow bags, home grown, vegetables
Found some lovely soft green cord to loosely support the tomato plants without damaging them.

So with the tomato plants potted on and surplus selling, I had a mini harvest last weekend… first courgette was picked – another milestone…

courgette, vegetables, harvest, home grown
Had to record picking the first courgette plant!

… plus some baby carrots – I know they look the colour of parsnips, but they’re ‘rainbow’ variety …

baby carrots, home grown, vegetables
Don’t worry about the colour, these are apparently ‘Rainbow carrots’.

… and baby beetroot… I just had to dig down and see how big they were 🙂

baby beetroot, vegetables, home grown
Just had to find out how big they were.

With kind creation from the household chef, we enjoyed a courgette, carrot, beetroot, bacon and feta salad, all sitting on a bed of salad leaves – yes I’m still picking those regularly 🙂

courgette, beetroot, carrot, feta, lettuce, salad, home grown, vegetables,
The household chef is a dab hand at coming up with wonderful food!

… it was hugely tasty and these two photographs are a further donation from the chef 🙂

courgette, beetroot, carrot, feta, lettuce, salad, home grown, vegetables,
The household chef is a dab hand at coming up with wonderful food!

Next week – someone’s had a munch at the lettuce!

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