Katrina’s Allotment Diary
I can’t believe it’s September already and the growing season has almost come to an end! I thought I would do one last tour of the polytunnel (below) to show how the plants have progressed with their new support and water systems in place.
Continue reading “September Polytunnel Video Tour”
It’s been almost a month since my last polytunnel post, when I planted out the tomatoes with string supports. Everything is growing well, the tomatoes are loving their support system and have lots of flowers and fruits. I keep the polytunnel door open permanently to prevent blight even though it’s quite cool. I also feed the tomatoes every Friday with a liquid feed. Check out the video at the botttom of my post for a tomato tour! 🍅😄 I’ve just harvested the first of honeybee tomatoes and they’re so sweet! I can’t wait to try these in a Mediterranean veg tonight.
I’ve learnt a few lessons from last year. I grew too many tomato plants in too little space which meant there wasn’t enough airflow and most of the plants succumbed to blight before I could harvest the bulk of the fruit. The plants grew in big plant pots which I sunk into the ground. I watered them from the top of the pots, but since I didn’t remove the base of the pot (I drilled it instead), the roots weren’t spreading or taking up enough water.
I’m doing things differently in the polytunnel this year. Gone are the days of wonky bamboo canes that inevitably poke me in the eyes, head and/or face. The future is string! At least, I hope it is. I planted out all my tomato plants at the weekend, using a new system that I hope will increase my harvest, reduce the risk of diseases, improve watering and take the frustration out of using those bloomin’ bamboo canes. Continue reading “Supporting Polytunnel Tomatoes with String”
I was hoping to update you on my thriving courgette plants, but well… they aren’t any longer. I foolishly forgot that the polytunnel air vent was left open after the hot spell we had. Jack Frost had his wicked way and has taken not just the courgettes, but also my tomatoes and chilli plants too! 😢
I’ve learnt the hard way. Don’t trust the weather forecast when is suggests lows of 3°. The thermometer read -2.2° for last night! If only I brought them home for the night. *sigh*
I know the courgette plants can be re-sown but what about my unusual chilli and tomato seeds? It’s far too late to be sowing chillies now, so I might have to resort to buying plug plants instead. Maybe it isn’t too late to re-sow some tomatoes at home, as I was really looking forward to trying my new varieties, black cherry and honey bee.
After a few months deliberating which one to buy, another month of waiting for it to arrive and weeks of clearing the un-touched ground, my polytunnel finally stands proud at the highest point of the plot. [Erected on 31/05/2016]
The small greenhouse is becoming very crowded! Only thing is, I still have even more (yes, I probably over did it a little..) pepper and tomato plants growing at home, eager to be moved into the new polytunnel. Fingers crossed it will *finally* go up this weekend – that is IF the weather holds out.
Last Friday – Good Friday in fact was such a gorgeous day to be on the allotment. The first day of the year to be comfortably wearing shorts (YES i know!) and the perfect day to put up my mini greenhouse..or so I thought. Over the Easter weekend rather windy storm – ‘Katie’ they called it paid a visit to the UK… Continue reading “Undercover”
Homegrown Garden 
