A trip to the garden centre and I thought all my tomato problems were over. £20 got me a plastic greenhouse. Happy days. Easy to assemble and small enough to fit up the side of the house. I thought this was ideal: some shelter from the wind, plenty of sun, not in the way. And possibly most importantly it wasn't going to get me moaned at by Mrs VegBox - there's only the bins there and it's well hidden from view.
Initially all 6 plants went in, and they shot up, forming flowers several months ago. They got so big so quickly that quickly I had to throw three of them out and let them fend for themselves outside. Not to worry, I thought. One plant in particular was forging strongly ahead. This all went on for some time; plants looking good, growing well. And then, it fell over. Three nights running. Each time it fell over and I put it back together again some more of the plant fell off.
I still can't work out how it can ever have fallen over in the first place, never mind three nights running. After three falls, I submitted and gave up; dismantling the greenhouse and leaving the plants to fend for themselves. They don't look at all like they did. Although I'm still getting some tomatoes off - I'm not sure there will be enough for ketchup making.
In other garden news, first the good:
- The need to find courgette recipes continues with productionn at 2 or 3 weekly
- I'll be eating home grown onions and garlic for quite some time yet
- I've had three pan fulls of lovely fresh peas
- Both my chilli peppers and normal peppers seem to have given up
- My squash plant grows one new leaf for every one that dies; but shows no hint of producing a squash
- The local birds all have strawberry moustaches
- Or are they raspberry moustaches?
- Then again, blueberry?
Hey-ho. Next year I'll invest in better netting and a better greenhouse.
