Tomatoes and Veggies, The Winter Edition

I haven't been the best at blogging during lockdown, my apologies. With John working from home my office and computer have been commandeered, as has the dining room table. And yes, he does have an entire spare room designated as his home office as well, although we've now learned it doesn't get our wonderful rural wifi internet signal terribly well. Zoom video conferences have restricted my movements around the house.

So I've been preoccupied managing around "All Things John" as a result rather than all of my normal pre-COVID activities. Like most people, there's been a new normal.

But I'm wanting to get back on track with Level 2 starting to happen shortly. And there's good news to report from here at Struan Farm!

The tomato plants grown from seed to experiment with a winter crop in the glasshouse have been thriving. I've got seven big plants flowering and starting to fruit, with four more seedlings off to the side. I managed to give some of my surplus seedlings to others in the community with glasshouses, but still have four remaining. They're vigorous and flowering. I can't bear to toss them into the compost bin, so I may end up putting them into big pots and staking them, turning the glasshouse into even more of a tomato jungle than it already is.

I've also got planters going with rocket/arugula, mesclun lettuce, Italian parsley, spring onions, silverbeet/chard, spinach, Cavalo Nero and another type of kale in the glasshouse as well. All started from seed. Outside in the troughs and beds are silverbeet, beets/beetroot, curly kale, spinach, winter lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, peas and coriander. Snails and slugs decimated the first rows of carrots I planted, but I have resown seed and returned the favour so it doesn't happen again.

What we don't eat will go to the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand, due to re-open in Level 2, or the local foodbank. We're all in this together.

Comments

[hammaste valgendamine]

those tomato plants are looking lovely and i can totally understand why you are having a hard time even thinking about moving them towards the compost bin!

what kind of seeds are you using for italian parsley?

[Karen]

Italian Parsley Gigante from Kings Seeds.