Sunday 28 August 2011

Bargain Plants

We had a trip out today to the Yorkshire Dales, and whilst there, we visited a candle making workshop. Outside the workshop were some plants which were for sale and an honesty box for payment. I love coming across plants for sale in this way, you can pick up some real bargains, and that's just what happened today. I came away with an Alchemilla Mollis and an Astrantia, each costing just £1.50. I'll pot them on in to larger pots and wait to plant them out until next spring. You can read about the rest of my visit to the Yorkshire Dales on my other blog, Through The Keyhole.

I've made the decision that I'm definitely going to have a go at growing tomatoes outdoors next year. I'm not going to grow them at the allotment for fear of blight, but I shall grow them in containers in the garden. I now need to do some research as to which tomatoes grow well outdoors, so if any of you have any recommendations I'd be happy to know.

It's been an extremely wet week compared to the summer we've just experienced. I had hoped to lift my onions this weekend, but I'll put it off a while longer to see if the rain stops. If not, I shall have to find room for them in the greenhouse until they're dry. I should have been weeding at the allotment this weekend too but I've put that off in favour of some trips out. Any excuse.

7 comments:

  1. It's been really windy and cold here too - not good for gardening.

    WE can get away with tomatoes in the garden rather than the plot - my sister has some tumbling ones in pots but they are very slow to set fruit and ripen. I guess evening temperatures in fact daytime too at the moment are to blame

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  2. Good luck with every thing and well done on the bargain plants!

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  3. Well done on your bargains, two pretty cottage garden plants, good for spreading and cutting too, so you'll get lots for your money!
    It will be interesting to see how your outdoor tomatoes do next year.

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  4. I always grow Sungold outside, they ripen even quicker than the greenhouse ones. Most toms can be grown outside, but it depends on the summer as to whether they ripen quickly or not. Tumblings toms do quite well, although mine got battered in the winds, but still managed to produce fruit, and are still going strong.

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  5. Gardener's Delight and a yellow variety such as Golden Sunrise.
    I think that you need to get those onions lifted! Flighty xx

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  6. I had success last year with Ferline outside, they are meant to be blight resistant. ditto Sungold, I'm doing them indoors and outdoors, both have been ripening for several weeks now. Well done with your bargain plants - I got a trolleyload of half price bargains from the garden centre the other day, but not as cheap as that!

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  7. I've always found tumbling tomatoes to produce plenty of fruit, Sue. It just shows how the weather is playing havoc with things this year.

    Thank you, Tempewytch. I'm always looking out for a bargain.

    I do love both these plants, Bluebell, so I was really pleased to pick them up so cheaply. I've just got to pick some tomato varieties to grow outdoors now, though I'm going to have a go with Tangella as they've done so well for me in the greenhouse this year. It would be good if they do well outdoors too.

    It's interesting to hear that Sungold ripen quickly outdoors, Elaine. I haven't grown any tumbling varieties this year, but I'm going to grow some next year. I want to get a decent quantity so that I can make some sauces.

    Gardener's Delight is one of the varieties I used to grow outdoors before I got my greenhouse, Flighty. They haven't done very well this year, it's the first time they've let me down. I think you're right about the onions, they're still not up.

    I've grown Ferline in the greenhouse before, but not outside, Rachael. I may try them outdoors next year. It's great when you find some bargains. I'll be popping to Wyevale soon for their 50p seed bonanza.

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