I once had a school teacher who loved tomatoes so much he would send two volunteers down to the village fruit and veg shop every lunch time to get him a pound or two. What was both bizarre and befitting was that not only did he have red hair and incredibly red looking skin (and us kids would joke that it was because he ate so many tomatoes), not only that, but his first name was Redgrave, or Red for short.

Tomatoes are a real favourite of mine and I have many happy memories of picking them from my Grandad's and my Dad's greenhouses, from walking in there and smelling the unmistakable tomato plant smell.

So, I was most pleased to smell that smell from the mere wisps of seedlings that I had planted far too late for them to have much chance of bearing fruit.

Nevertheless, I have persisted and planted them on into grow bags. I am hoping that they will flourish over the late summer and I may get a late crop in September - October.

This is really my first foray into growing fruit and veg. I would like to grow more, not just because it's become trendy lately, but because it is what I grew up with. It's not going to be very practical with the garden layout we have now though, because the back garden is north facing, and just about everything struggles to survive in the chalky soil. I will see how I go with pots and growbags this year and in the coming years we may consider building some raised beds.

Labels: gardening