Recent warm days (20 degrees) could encourage gardeners to start planting outdoors, hoping for an early spring. With forecasts for the next two weeks including frost and 0 degrees, this would be a mistake. The last couple of years have seen very disturbed springs with plunging temperatures. It is safer to hold off planting out …Read More about April: Still waiting for spring
Posts relating to tomatoes
Moving indoors
With temperatures falling outdoors it is convenient there is so much to do indoors. Tomatoes and chilli peppers that were dehydrated from the summer crop can now be processed into xmas gifts. This is quite a lot of work so it is good these jobs could be moved from the summer busy time of harvesting …Read More about Moving indoors
Raised bed changeover
The summer raised bed is ready to be changed over for winter planting. The remaining tomato plants have to be removed and composted and the bed fed with compost and comfrey tea. The tomatoes did well this year, despite conditions. The overhead weather protection diffused heavy rain and provided shade in the heatwaves. Plus the …Read More about Raised bed changeover
End of summer
Summer appears to have finished rather sharply this year, switching straight into winter weather. It is to be hoped this will be short term and then winter planting can get on. It is not ideal to plant winter crops in water logged ground. So while waiting for the weather to break it is back indoors …Read More about End of summer
Summer extra
Gardeners are known for reading the weather. This is becoming more difficult these days with strange swings in the weather. Belgium presently has a late summer heatwave, due to last another week before temperatures drop by about 10 degrees. This end of season extra heat is ideal for finishing off tomatoes presently green, so good …Read More about Summer extra
Tomato harvest
Tomatoes are best picked young from the plant. While bunches of ripe tomatoes are a pleasure to behold in the garden the best tomatoes are those picked regularly through the season while the fruits are firm and just coming to full colour. All tomatoes should be harvested before they start to soften and stored at …Read More about Tomato harvest