NO MORE TORTURED TOMATOES

All these years have I been torturing my homegrown tomatoes?

Usually they are standing straight, tied to reach the sky, with leaves trimmed for better sun absorption (although I have never been one for much spraying – with age, even less so). I have taken so much pride in these controlled plants serving up their fruit, and love the heritage varieties, their deep flavour that few of the modern hybrids can achieve. I grew lots of basil around the plants and they received a squirt of soapy water each week.

This last summer I grew from saved seed ‘Black Krim’ (a favourite), also a smaller version of the same variety, a big red, and a large and small yellow variety.

Christmas arrived, so did visitors and with the New Year came the rain. Due to ill health the vege garden was neglected. By the time I got to it – oh dear! – a riot of growth and tangled vines had taken place. Where were my tidy plants? Instead great bushes had emerged, spilling left and right in uncontrolled delight, with lots of flowers setting fruit.

Oh well, I thought, it was too late to untangle so better make the most of what I had and let nature take its course. Wow, it was the best crop ever! Soups, relish, and preserved toms were enjoyed by all.

No more will I torture tomatoes by tying them up, neat and trimmed. Rather I will let them grow in wild abandon, to give me the delights of their fruits. Mary Thorley, WHITIANGA