Tomatoes

I made up my mind earlier this year that I wouldn’t be growing tomatoes. Our youngest daughter’s wedding was booked for July this year and we, plus our nearby family, would be away from home. Summertime, with no family to tend them, and not wanting to put the chore onto friends, I decided it would be best to just give them a miss this year.

But we all know that many weddings have suffered due to the current, awful situation that the county, and indeed the world is in. Our daughter and her fiancé made the decision last week to cancel.

When I got up this morning I remembered the tomatoes and then I remembered that we were no longer going to be away from home during the summer. So, why not buy some small plants and grow tomatoes after all. Hmmm…there’s a thought.

Decision made. It didn’t take long. This evening I made a selection.

I don’t have a large greenhouse – it’s just big enough to take six plants reasonably comfortably – so I’ve ordered two Gardener’s Delight, two Sungold (we both enjoy those varieties) and two Tomato ‘Noire de Crimee’. They’re part of a collection from Sarah Raven, which also includes four seedlings, Genovase Basil. My basil seeds didn’t do too well last year, so I’m happy not to attempt them again this year.

I haven’t tried Tomato ‘Noire de Crimee’ but anything described as ‘a delicious, juicy, Russian variety which grows and crops reliably in the UK, even outside’ appeals to me. My mouth is watering already.

All photographs copyright of Catherine Wood unless otherwise stated.