January 28, 2008
That is the question! They went in late, due to the soggy spring we had and summer, so far, has been on the cooler side…..so progress is slow. I’m wondering if you can call yourself a bona-fide home gardener and experience a tomato-less summer garden?
January 29, 2008 at 12:09 am
I’d say you can call yourself a bona-fide gardener even if your garden is tomato-less. This happened last year to many people here - the weather just wasn’t great and few tomatoes ripened. Take heart!!
January 29, 2008 at 11:12 am
Don’t give up yet! Today I finally got my first tomato. Admittedly it was only a cherry tomato and from one of my self seeded plants rather than one I’d planted, but if there’s one, there’s bound to be another, and it is still only January. With tigerellas in particular I found last year that they don’t need to ripen on the bush, they ripen beautifully after they’ve been picked, so hang in there. I got my first crop of apricots this week too. They were cracked from the rain, covered in brown spots and most of them were green and rock hard. Nevertheless I patiently peeled them and was stunned to see that they made perfect and absolutely delicious apricot jam - 4 large glasses in fact!
January 29, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Kate: Thanks. The flowers are forming on some plants, while others are growing well. I’m hoping.
Lis: I have my fingers crossed for a late warm summer. I have been eating tomatoes from my mother’s garden in Sydney, so I’m not really deprived of the home-grown tomato experience but you know, I’d like to saunter out and pick my own.
February 1, 2008 at 12:32 am
If a tomato-less summer a home gardener does not make, then my completely barren garden must make me not even a mere shell of a home gardener. Too much sun followed by too much rain, too many chooks, too much pestilence, (and perhaps too little perseverance).
Bryan
February 2, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Hi Nada,
Good to find another Blackheath garden blog!
Over recent years we’ve grown a “cool climate” tomato called Stupice with a fair degree of success. This year our Rouge de Marmande plants are enormous despite the lack of warm weather - some fruits developing now. Have also managed to get a pot of basil to a reasonable size on the fourth attempt!
You might like to visit my blog at http://bmgpa.blogspot.com/ from time to time. I’ve only just started. It will mainly be a photo journal from gardens around Blackheath.
Happy gardening!
February 3, 2008 at 10:51 am
I have great plans for balconies full of tomatoes…So strange to live in a country where almost everything stops growing for a time. I have so missed gardening over the last two months, but there’s really nothing to do.
Roll on March!
February 3, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Bryan: Well that all seems too much. You do have chooks which surely counts for something!
Michael: A Blackheathen, hello! My vegetable garden grows on a site somewhat shaded by trees. Most people in my street wouldn’t bother but you see, growing your own food and then cooking it is one of my greatest pleasures! Basil is doing okay, especially holy basil. Pictures of Blackheath gardens is a great thing to share. I look forward to it.
Lidna: I’ve one thing to say to you, catalogues! Or if you’re really keen you use the time to do gardening tool maintenance….LOL!!! I should take my own advice.