As you know, the limery is full of plants at the moment – chillies, peppers, melons, Cape gooseberry (Physalis), the carnivores, germinating seeds, ginger, passion flowers and tomatoes.
Hmmm… tomatoes… as some of you know, I don’t really like the tomato plants. Don’t get me wrong, I like the tomatoes, just not the plants. Peppers form lovely plants; the melons are trained to climb over the door, the Physalis are statuesque, but the tomatoes are untidy… and smelly. And because I’m not keen on them, they are the plants most likely to get a bit neglected.
Looking around yesterday, I decided that I needed a bit more space as I wanted to plant a few seeds in trays and there was not much room on the window sills. My eye immediately fell on the two most scratty tomato plants which, despite regular feeding, look very neglected and sorry for themselves. Not being keen on throwing plants on the compost heap when they are still cropping (even if only a bit), I decided to transplant them outdoors. Our newest raised bed is slowly being filled with material to compost in situ (leaves, grass clippings, cardboard, tea, paper etc) and is currently home to some impressive courgette and squash plants:
hard to get the scale, but they are huge
However, one end is unoccupied. So, as an experiment, I have planted the two tomatoes in this area. The compost (you can’t call it soil, really) is amazing – very organic and full of worms, as well as being warm because of the decomposition that is happening remarkably quickly. Of course growing medium isn’t everything and we might be let down by the weather, but fingers crossed these will survive and continue to crop:
you can see they are currently not very happy – I hope that will change
Elsewhere in the garden, the crops continue to be abundant:
this morning’s harvest
And even that sad sage plant I mentioned a few weeks ago has perked up…
it’s growing!
I hope, if you are a gardener, you are enjoying abundant crops and, whether you are or not, that there is abundance elsewhere in your life.
The Snail of Happiness 
nanacathy2
/ August 4, 2017My Gran grew tomatoes and the smell of them in the greenhouse reminds me of her, which I love.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 4, 2017They do have a very distinctive smell.
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Annie
/ August 4, 2017Hope your tomatoes appreciate their second chance.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 4, 2017Well, they certainly have good stuff to grow in.
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thecontentedcrafter
/ August 4, 2017They do have a recognisable aroma don’t they – I hope they transplant successfully, it’s an interesting experiment if nothing else. Look forward to hearing more in due course 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 4, 2017Yes, I don’t really mind if it’s not successful – there are still four plants in the limery and our local organic farm always sell off their surplus tomatoes later in the season.
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Laurie Graves
/ August 4, 2017Keep us posted about those tomatoes.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 4, 2017I’m hoping they flourish – I don’t usually grow them outside as it’s too risky with our weather.
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katechiconi
/ August 4, 2017I reckon they’ll be fine – look at what unpromising positions volunteers come up in. These have got air, light, a comfortable bed and the place to themselves. If they don’t flourish they’re ungrateful little b…..s
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anne54
/ August 4, 2017What a bountiful crop this morning! Late summer is just the best veggie gardeners, and now that you have the limery to extend the season…….Last night I picked and stir fried one of my buk choi plants. It is the first time I have grown them, and was pleased at how easily they grew from seed. I must sow some more seeds.
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arlingwoman
/ August 5, 2017Is it the smell of tomato plants or their general unruliness? I know people who dislike the scent of the plants. I dislike their tendency to spread, but cope anyway…What a nice set of crops you have. Good luck with the continued season.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 5, 2017The smell I can manage (although I’m not keen), but they look so straggly… perhaps if I was better at managing them…?
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arlingwoman
/ August 5, 2017There are ways you are supposed to train and trim them, but I’ve never understood. There are people in my garden who have beautiful, upright, bushy plants and it has to do with trimming off the right shoots as well as a good tomato cage. I however, have sprawling things I tie up…
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Born To Organize
/ August 5, 2017My tomato plants are straggly this year, too. We’ve had minimal production. But as I’m reading that temps above 90 are not conducive to good growth, I’m chalking it up to that. I hope your transplants are happy in their new spot. Isn’t composting fun? I love that you can turn “waste” into gold for plants. I’m happy to see that the rest of your crops are doing well. I’ve just harvested the most perfect pumpkin. It makes me so happy.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 5, 2017Oh I love pumpkins and squashes… I don’t have any ready yet, but hopefully we’ll have at least a few in the autumn.
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Born To Organize
/ August 12, 2017How do you like to prepare them? Do you roast, steam or put them into soups or casseroles?
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quercuscommunity
/ August 13, 2017Impressive crops. I’m really missing our physalis this year.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 13, 2017I can’t wait for ours to be ready to harvest.
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quercuscommunity
/ August 13, 2017🙂
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