Day 18 Leps and Tomatoes

Wednesday, April 1

Not a good catch last night. Few in both number and species, although Pam tells me that we have logged 20 species so far this year. 

How could I have forgotten to photograph Clouded Drab! 

After taking a phone call from Cromer Eye Clinic regarding my appointment next Tuesday (the Consultant thought that I should come in but it was up to me), it was time to pot on the tomato and cucumber plants.

Amazon is amazing.

I consulted Which first as to what was the best general purpose compost this year. Getting decent stuff really pays off in the quality of the plants produced. The one they recommended, with many more marks than any others, was a make I'd never heard of. Guess what. Amazon stocked it. Twenty four hours later, this bag was carried round to the greenhouse by the delivery driver, who had received the request through a closed window.

It's also peat free and smells wholesome.

The seeds were planted in a seed tray topped with vermiculite before potting on into 2'' pots and kept in a propagator for ten days. 

Now a good size and well rooted

it was time to pot them on into 6'' pots, their final resting place before being put in the lean-to greenhouse soil.

Sitting on a perching stool with everything to hand, I was perfectly content carrying out my babies' house move. Many more than I need, all the seeds germinated, I'm sure that there will be recipients of the extras. I have grown three varieties, all have their own qualities and are not generally available in garden centres and supermarkets.

Ferline

A thin skinned 'normal' tomato with good flavour

Sungold

A yellow, cherry-type, fruit good for arthritis sufferers - less acidic

Big Daddy

Large fleshy fruit with good flavour. Looks like a continental fruit.

A friend to whom I gave a plant last year, grew one tomato which weighed a pound and a half . Another of a pound was on the same plant plus some smaller.

I always grow for flavour rather than crop size.

The cucumber plants are always slower to grow but, if anything, had an even better root system.

 I suddenly remembered that it was the first of the month and paid more attention to the garden birds. The raucous  call of a Jay was the pick of the bunch. Pam's up to 17 already. Must try harder........
To-morrow's job will be putting together our new bird table. The last one disintegrated.