Tomatoes For Christmas

This event is fast becoming my favourite!

Many customers are coming in store to shop for Christmas, (lots of Joseph Bently Tools are going under Christmas trees this year).

Last minute orders for water tanks and two beds of garlic to harvest. Needless to say something got over looked....The Hot House. In just a week as a result of no attention, I have over sized beans, several cucumbers, zucchini and the best thing I discovered is that I am going to have tomatoes ripe for Christmas. Awesome, I can't help but contribute the amazing growth and produce results to growing in Autopots. Furthermore by using the 4 pot Autopot system I feel I have reduced the pest and disease by having more air flow about the base of my pots. This is fantastic system for your Summer Tomatoes.

I have discovered that vigilance is still necessary to prevent mildew and whitefly. In just one week, I have had a small out break of both. Time for action! I have stripped away more leaves especially the ones with mildew as this will spread. The dead and infected material I have put in the rubbish bin because I don't want mildew spreading to my compost heap. I'm going to treat the mildew with baking soda and water and then the white fly will get an unwelcome drink of Beat a Bug. Now that I have a bit of an outbreak of white fly it will be important for me to spray with Beat a Bug for several days in a row as this will deal to the eggs that will hatch over the coming days. I am feeling a bit deflated about this, but it's just one of those valuable nature lesson.

Furthermore, given that I am on a mission to feed Ross and I on only home grown produce, I need to "suck it up" and keep moving on. The home patch is starting to look like, "the day of the triffids", we have had gentle rain most nights this week and warm days so again this will deliver great results in the produce department, along with bugs a plenty. If I spend an hour or so in the garden all will be rectified and get me back on track. No matter your life, Christmas really does impact on us all someway or another and the veg patch is feeling my neglect. The garlic I harvested this week however looks fantastic, some of the bulbs are on the small side. This is a direct result of planting small cloves...more about growing garlic in May. Next job is to plait the garlic and hang it up to cure. A gardener's work is never done!