I'm not growing much again this year but I'm not making the silly mistake of doing without my beloved tomatoes for a second year running. Maskotka are my absolute favourite variety, a cherry tomato with a thin skin and a sweet taste, I can eat them like sweeties. They're a bush variety so don't need staking but they're not a compact plant, they tend to sprawl so they should be given plenty of room. I've got four plants growing, they're still not all that big but I'm hoping to get them potted on for the final time today, their next move will be into their final pots. My dad enjoys this variety too and four plants will give me plenty for our needs.
I discovered Mini Munch cucumbers a good few years ago now and they're my preferred variety to grow. Mick doesn't eat cucumber so the snack size fruit is ideal for me, there's no wastage. I wasn't going to bother with cucumbers this year but I had an old packet of seeds in my seed stash so I sowed a few but only one germinated. Unfortunately, it isn't really a viable plant, it isn't growing well at all so it will be composted. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.
I wasn't going to bother growing potatoes either this year but whilst browsing in Wilko I came across this Jazzy variety. I'd never heard of them before but after a little research, I've discovered that they're a waxy potato with a thin skin, they give huge yields and are bursting with flavour. It's a second early variety which has been given an RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit) for it's superb performance. I've only bought one small packet containing five tubers, I'm growing them in containers, three tubers in one container and two in another. It will be interesting to see how they perform. They're romping away at the moment.
I'm also growing these cosmos Sonata White which Mike from Flighty's Plot kindly sent to me. I usually grow Purity but they can be rather tall for a small garden so it will be interesting to see how this shorter variety compares. Thank you, Mike, I'll let you know how I get on.
I'm only growing a few things this year but I'm hoping for good results from them all.
You have no idea what a relief it is to me to read your first few words - because I have not managed to sow anything yet this year.
ReplyDeleteI really need to get some runner beans going though . . .
Hope all the new-to-you varieties live up to your hopes and expectations. xx
There's still time to sow things, we're only in May after all, and things do tend to catch up. I had a bit of a year off last year and I'm doing the same again this year really, but I just can't do without homegrown tomatoes two years on the trot.
DeleteFingers crossed they all grow well for you. We could just do with some more sunshine to get things going. X
ReplyDeleteAmen to that. Rain again here today but Mick's cricket match hasn't been called off, yet.
DeleteLove cosmos, they are such a delightful, old fashioned flower, to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are even growing potatoes!
All we grow here, are flowers, these days. :-) But we used to have a garden. He will still want a couple of tomato plants though.
I love cosmos too, I'm a sucker for the white varieties. Only a few potatoes this year but I do enjoy a little taste of home grown. Tomatoes just aren't the same unless they're picked from the plant and popped straight in the mouth so I can understand anyone wanting to grow their own.
DeleteGood luck with your growing and sowing! We usually grow tomatoes and potatoes.
ReplyDeleteGood choices. I found out last year that I can't do without my home grown tomatoes, and home grown potatoes are a real treat.
DeleteIt's good to see you growing a few things again this year. Shame about the cucumber seeds. I hope the cosmos do well, I direct sowed some recently and they're just starting to appear.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing how it all does over the coming months. xx
It is a shame about the cucumbers but I only sowed the seeds because I found them in my seed stash, I wasn't going to bother anyway so it doesn't really matter. I've got some cosmos started in pots but I may scatter a few direct as well, the ones growing already are doing well though, I just hope the slugs don't get them when I plant them out.
DeleteI agree. So many mental health charities advocate gardening as a form of therapy these days and I can understand why. I've only started growing roses the last few years, I didn't really like them before, but I can't get enough of them now. They're so beautiful and so many varieties, something for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI have one tomato and one cuc plant, enough for our needs, I also have lettuce, spring onions and radishes, so lo Ely salads. My fruits are doing really well so I have everything crossed for a good harvest. I do not have any space left in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI think it's nice to have home grown food available, even if it's just a few things. We had plenty of veg when we had the allotment but I'll still be happy with my tomatoes and a few spuds when harvest time comes round.
DeleteAll the best with growing your seeds. We aren't growing any food plants this year, though we may grow a few tomato plants if we see any for sale in the village. People often put plants with an honesty box at the gate. Cx
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely pick up some bargains on the side of the road where people put out their surplus plants. We have a plant sale here twice a year and I've been known to grab a few bargains from there.
DeleteWe already have tomatoes, onions, peas, beets, savoy cabbage and curly kale growing. There'll also be radish and lettuce in the greenhouse and my favourite, courgettes. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a variety of things growing, I just haven't had the time really over the last couple of years. I won't be making the mistake of not growing tomatoes again though, they were really missed last year.
DeleteLovely to see you finding time for a bit of veg gardening again after none last year & giving up the allotment. As you know, I didn't do any this summer just gone either & it's the tomatoes, silver beet(chard), butter beans & zucchini I miss most. Good luck with it all & let us know what the potatoes taste like. Take care & huggles.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to tasting the potatoes, they've got good reviews and they seem to be growing well so far, I just hope they're doing their thing below the soil as well as above it.
DeleteWe’re growing Jazzy too as one of our ‘new to us’ trial varieties. We’ve grown Mini Munch since you introduced us to it.
ReplyDeleteIt will be good to compare our results with Jazzy, they sound good. I haven't found a better cucumber for me than Mini Munch, they're such a great size too so no waste.
DeleteLovely to read that you are growing a few things this year, you really can't beat home grown!
ReplyDeleteJazzy sounds such a fun named variety :)
All the best Jan
I agree, I love homegrown produce, it nearly always tastes better than shop bought. I can't wait to see what my Jazzy potatoes taste like.
DeleteGood luck with your growing. Mother nature and spending time in the garden can be so healing. Never tried those tomatoes, will have to mention them to DH, although he has far too many plants in his greenhouse growing so maybe they'll have to wait till next year. c
ReplyDeleteI'd sown the seeds just before my mum died otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered but I'm glad I did now, something else to focus on. There's so many different varieties of tomatoes, I don't think we'd ever get chance to try them all.
DeleteYou've recommended Maskotka before, Jo. It sounds like a good variety of cherry tomato. It's satisfying when you find a variety you know will give a crop that you enjoy eating. Mr P has four varieties of plum and cherry tomatoes that he likes to grow. He's happy when he's nurturing his tomatoes so I'm happy too even though the plants take up a lot of room and effort to get results. I like the idea of growing white cosmos. It's such a pretty flower. All the best with the gardening, Jo.
ReplyDeleteMaskotka is my very favourite tomato, I recommend them to anyone who asks. I think we all have our favourites though as our tastes are all different. You're right, cosmos is a pretty flower and I love the white varieties, I'm looking forward to seeing how this dwarf variety performs.
DeleteGood to see your choice of veggies. I've found that seeds have germinated poorly over the last few years, even good quality ones, I suspect the compost.xxx
ReplyDeleteI've had rubbish compost from time to time and even buying a well known brand doesn't mean it will be any better.
DeleteIt's so nice to have home grown anything. I've got tomatoes and potatoes in the greenhouse for the first time ever. I don;t like tomatoes but Andy does and I can use them for pasta sauces and such. The potatoes are really going for it, it's rather exciting!
ReplyDeleteI'll make a note of the tomato variety you like, they sound perfect for Andy. I just picked three different varieties as I had no idea of the difference between them.
Happy growing!
xx
Daniel doesn't like tomatoes either but he'll eat them straight off the vine so do give them a try. If you've got a sweet cherry type they're like sweeties, so moreish. I can't believe how quickly my potatoes have shot up, I just hope there's as much going on beneath the soil as there is on top.
DeleteI'm so glad to see that you are growing a few things! I tend to keep packets of seed for a long time too & usually only get rid of them when I know that they are no longer viable (which is unfortunately the same way you found out - when germination/growth is poor). But it works out in the end as I have had significantly more successes (in terms of keeping seeds longer than I "should") than failures, which I'm sure has saved me a few dollars.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love that you refer to your tomatoless year as a "silly mistake" :)
Seeds usually keep much longer than the date on the packet, though there are exceptions. I'm glad I wasn't relying on the cucumbers, I would have been disappointed but I'm not overly concerned that they didn't germinate. Yes, last year was a very silly mistake as far as tomatoes go, my tastebuds are already crying out for a taste of homegrown, it's been so long!
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