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I've already bought or ordered just about all the seeds I need for next year, so I already know what I'll be growing. I suppose there'll be one or two extras which creep in nearer the time, but the staples are already chosen. I've decided to cut down on tomatoes next year, not the number of plants I'm going to grow but the different varieties. There's only three types which I've bought, though an extra one or two more might be added later. The first is Ailsa Craig. This is a medium sized tomato and one which is known for having a good taste. My dad is a fan of this one and always used to grow it, so I'm sure he'll be pleased to see this on my list. The second is Gardener's Delight, a must have as it's a variety which rarely lets me down, either in yield or in taste. This one is a cherry tomato and delicious when picked from the vine and popped straight in the mouth while still warm from the sun. The last one I've chosen is Totem, a bush variety. I grew this last year and was so impressed with the yield that I'm growing it again. The plants were literally covered in medium sized fruit which had a good flavour. I also like the fact that bush varieties require much less maintenance than cordons. I still had to give the plants some support by the way of a cane as the huge amount of fruit produced on the plants made them inclined to be top heavy and topple over, but there was no pinching out of side shoots or tying in as they grew. I usually grow a plum variety but haven't been very successful with any I've tried in the past. San Marzano are a favourite but they always ripen very late in the season and have never given me a very big crop so I'm not going to bother next year. One which I may grow again is Costoluto Fiorentino, a beefsteak variety which I grew for the first time this year. It was just like biting in to a very ripe peach, it was so juicy and sweet. I have a few seeds left so I may give them another go.
Hubby had some trees tidied up at work so he asked the tree surgeon if he would bag up some of the resulting wood chips for him. I've now got quite a few bags of the stuff which I'll be able to lay out some paths at the allotment with. I know that some sites have wood chip delivered free of charge, I wish this happened on our site as I could certainly make use of some more.
The fence panel which got blown out in the high winds last week wasn't as damaged as I first thought. After Hubby nailed the top back on, it slotted back in to place between the concrete posts, so that's saved us a bit of money. We managed to find all the bits of the greenhouse which had blown in to various neighbour's gardens and that's also been put back together. How long it will stay that way for remains to be seen. More wind has been forecast for this weekend, though I'm not sure if it will hit this part of the country, but stay safe, wherever you are.
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We're feeling so unorganised at the moment - its about as much as we can do to get the house in order for christmas and our garden is feeling woefully neglected. Sounds like a good set of tomatoes, I hope you get a good crop from the next year.
ReplyDeleteI may be organised with my seed order for next year, but I'm sadly lacking where Christmas is concerned. I haven't got the tree or decorations up yet, nor have I written my cards. It'll all get done in the end, hopefully this weekend.
DeleteGlad you have repaired your damage without too much expense. The council parks people deliver our wood chippings as a good way to get rid of them. Try some tree surgeons as I'm sure they will need somewhere to off load. We have sorted our seed order but is is still to be sent off.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased that the fence could be repaired and that I managed to locate all the bits of my greenhouse, we've been really lucky with it really. I could try some tree surgeons, though it would be handy if the parks department would drop off some loads. Our allotment society take the seed orders in during October, though we don't get them delivered until February.
DeleteI always grow gardeners delight, I may try some of your other ones next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to hear that your greenhouse and panel are ok, it would have been awful come spring with no glass house! Fingers crossed for the weekend.xxx
Gardener's Delight are hard to beat for reliability and they've got a great taste too. I couldn't imagine being without a greenhouse now, I'm so glad we managed to find all the pieces and put it back together again.
DeleteMe too, although I do always order a few packets of flower seeds from the new Chiltern Seeds catalogue.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a Gardener's Delight fan so will be growing them as usual next year, along with the yellow variety Golden Sunrise.
Good to see that your fence and greenhouse have been sorted. Flighty xx
I think Gardener's Delight is a great tomato. Lots of people grow it but I don't think it gets the praise it deserves. It was a relief to get the fence and greenhouse sorted out without too much trouble, I'm just waiting for the next onslaught now.
DeleteI'm leaving my seed-selection until the Christmas holiday - though I already have few ideas more or less firmed-up. This year I tried to cut down on the number of different tomato varieties I grew, but I think it was still 12 or so! I'll definitely have Cherokee Purple again, just because it was so good-looking, and Ferline for its blight-resistance, and ....
ReplyDeleteIt will be a nice activity choosing what to grow over the Christmas holiday. I buy most of my seeds in the 50p sell off at The Garden Centre Group and my seed order has to be in to the allotment association around the end of October so it's really taken out of my hands as to when I make my choices. I find it really hard to cut down on tomato varieties, there's just so many good ones out there.
DeleteI wish that I was that well sorted with my seeds for next year Jo :) Himself is working throughout the festive season so I plan a session with my seed boxes, catalogues and a glass or two of something suitable for the occasion. 'Gardener's Delight' are an automatic entry on the list every year. Glad to hear that the fence has been repaired and that you managed to catch up with the greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great activity for the festive season, deciding what to grow next year. I think I've grown Gardener's Delight every year too, certainly every year since I discovered them. I'm just hoping that the fence and greenhouse stay put now, I don't like strong winds.
DeleteI have got as far as getting my seed box on my desk. I now need to go through it and see what needs replacing. Sounds like a weekend job with rain coming this way.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good job to save for a rainy day. I've got lots of packets of opened seeds so those need sorting out, that'll give me something to do when the weather's bad.
DeleteI've wanted a bush tomato variety to try to grow, so I will have to look out for Totem in the garden centres. I skipped growing tomatoes this past year and I missed them.
ReplyDeleteI was really impressed with Totem. The fruit is quite large and I got a great crop. I would definitely miss tomatoes if I didn't grow them.
DeleteI cant believe it is time to get ready for next year again- thank you for this timely reminder and your review. Massive fans of Gardener's Delight here too!! Hard to believe in 6 months we will (hopefully) be putting the tomatoes out again :)
ReplyDeleteI think tomatoes are my most favourite thing to grow. I love choosing which varieties to try so I'll probably end up growing more than those I've already chosen. I don't think you can go wrong with Gardener's Delight.
DeleteI'm glad that you have managed to get back all the pieces of the greenhouse and fence to your own garden! I am very impressed that you have your plans already made for what you will grow next year, I wouldn't think of that at this time of year. Way to go Jo! xx
ReplyDeleteI've usually made my choices of what to grow next year by now as I buy most of my seed in the clearance sale at The Garden Centre Group. They sell them off at 50p per packet so it ends up saving me lots of money. We tracked down the bits of greenhouse in our neighbour's gardens so it's all back together again now.
DeleteI have never found that varieties sold here. Sound that varieties are really good. This season I only plant local varieties that adaptable in wet and warm weather
ReplyDeleteI think you're wise to grow varieties which you know will do well in your climate. We have so many varieties to choose from that it can be overwhelming at times.
DeleteI never do very well with Gardener's Delight. I love its taste but it always seems to produce a very small crop. I must do something wrong as everybody else raves about it!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that the Gardener's Delight plant which I grew in the greenhouse this year didn't perform particularly well, though neither did the other varieties grown in there. The plant I had outdoors more than made up for it though. I've grown it successfully in the greenhouse previously though, I think I just had a blip with indoor tomatoes this year.
DeleteEveryone seems to think highly of Gardener's Delight but I've been too tempted by other varieties to give it a go; I think next year may be the time as they do sound good! Well done, Jo, for getting ahead with your seed list. I hope to be able to avoid buying any more seed as my seed box seems to be full to bursting! Hope the windy weather passes you by safely - weather trauma in the lead up to Crimbo is not good!
ReplyDeleteI love the taste of Gardener's Delight, but I agree, there's so many other varieties to try. I'm hoping that I've got all the seeds I need now, though I may be tempted by some others before sowing season begins. We haven't had any wind here yet so I'm hoping it's passed us by, I could do without having to chase the greenhouse around the neighbourhood again.
DeleteYou know what fans we are of bark chips - in a year or two when the stuff on your paths has rotted it makes a great addition to the compost bin.
ReplyDeleteIt's a win win situation. If only I could get my hands on some more of the stuff.
DeleteChat up the tree surgeons in your area - worked for me!
DeleteI'm definitely going to make an effort to get my hands on some more, it's so handy to use and as you say, great for the compost bin afterwards.
DeleteI only grow three varieties of tomatoes now Jo, one each of plum, standard and cherry. Reading your post made me remember that I haven't put my seed order in for the allotment shop. I really need to get it sorted so thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got all your damage sorted quickly and cheaply.
I always try to cut down but I end up hearing about another variety that I just have to try. I'm full of good intentions to cut down again this year but I'm sure another couple will be added to the mix before next year. I'm so pleased there wasn't more damage in the high winds, it could have been much worse.
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