Plenty of ‘love apples’ to go around!

With Valentine’s Day love in the air, my thoughts as a gardener turn to sowing the plant known as the ‘love apple’ – the tomato. I got my favourite three varieties, ‘Shirley’, ‘Gardener’s Delight’ and ‘Alicante’. Knowing I was about to sow them, Mike turned up with packets of ‘Ailsa Craig’, ‘Incas’ and ‘Bloody Butcher’. Soon after, Ron turns up with a packet of ‘Black Russian’. I now have seven varieties to germinate with the usual caveat, ‘I only want a couple of each so you can keep the surplus’! They know I have my secret weapon, the airing cupboard, to start these off and my heated greenhouse to transplant them into. So now I have to fill seven pots with multi-purpose compost and sow all these varieties. I now have to convince my wife to give me part of her airing cupboard!

out for others. Everyone always helps out when the lorry arrives the season! dry, warm place in anticipation of sowing times ahead. Boy, was I glad to get my share out from the frosty stores and into my care, then placed in trays in my light, frost-free shed. Last weekend turned out to be like another Christmas for me! Not only did I receive staple items for sowing, another surprise arrived on my drive. My

So many toms to start sowing... green manure has been dug in, enriching my brassica patch, but now the pH of this area needs to be adjusted. To this end, I’ve now heavily limed it to achieve a reading of about 7.5 to 8.0. that soil but enables plant roots to take up more easily the nutrients already there. So, one area of my plot looks as if it’s been hit by a sudden snow storm!