Monday, April 14, 2008

tomatoes, basil and strawberries


my room is such a nice place to be right now. look! miriam grew about fifty tomato plants from seeds and gave me five for my very own. they are so happy and glossy. i turn them each day cos they follow the sun so quickly, and their leaves smell faintly like tomato plants.


i have three varieties. one type has stripey fruit, another has little yellow fruit shaped like pears, and another has lots and lots of tiny little tomatoes.


i've staked them with left over protea stalks from my dried flower arrangement. once it is consistently warm outside i'll put them in bigger pots still, with proper stakes, and leave them on the back verandah all summer.

then i'll combine home grown tomatoes with home grown basil and make a feast! here's where the basil's at:




they're growing slowly but steadily. i keep sniffing, but they don't smell like basil yet.

the strawberry plant is very happy. it's grown another flower since i took this photo:


it's been beautiful warm weather for the last three days (top of 14 and no rain) and it's such a joy to be growing things. i've also been spending a lot of time on my bike again - huzzah! - mostly out enjoying false creek and surrounds.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

So you are living in a hot house?
I love it when it is time to plant basil. I've frozen lots of pesto to use for my yummy risotto over the winter.
I learnt a bit very helpful information from Tony at the weekend. I was roaming his enormous vege garden looking at the leeks, pumpkins, capsicum, parlsey etc and I was bemoaning the fact that my coriander is never successful. Apparently you can get coriander for seeds, and coriander for leaves. The one for seeds goes to seed immediately and that must be the sort I have been getting. I now have a handful of seeds for leaves to sew in the spring. We'll see if he is right!!
Wish I could tase your home grown tomatoes. haven't had one for ages.
Love
JT
xxx
ps how do I get not to be anonymous?

Anonymous said...

isn't nature wonderful?

so good that you have the family green thumb

today i have been out harvesting our 9 pumpkins and finding recipes for them

have just made vegie curry

we have hundreds of potatoes - first time ever

i sprinkled seeds from our summer coriander back on the pots and they have all sprouted, so lots of little plants

Anonymous said...

lovely! really enjoyed the photo essay. how is cassandra?

Anonymous said...

sorry, that was me - xovta

Anonymous said...

formidable! (in french, with enthusiasm)

reminds me to plant the leeks, coriander and strawberries I have waiting.

gumtreefid farmer said...

jt,

something like that. except it's actually pretty nippy, cos the mushrooms don't like being above 18, so i can't put the heater on. the sacrifices one makes. . .

aw, that's a good story. glad tony was able to help. maybe i should grow coriander. i love it so. (except they call it "cilantro" here.)

i don't think i'll have tomatos here for a while, but i'll send you a photo when i do! nearly as good!

i think if you click "name/url" when you post you can type in "jt" and not be anon. can another commentor help here?

love

gumtreefid farmer said...

grot's'

yes! it's so exciting watching everything get bigger and more complex! and they smell nice!

you should make pumpkin pie. it's a whole new kind of nice. i could ask around for a recipe if you want - it must be handed down the family, not googled, like other recipes.

your potatoes and coriander and everything are very inspiring. ta. my basil is still little.

love

gumtreefid farmer said...

vta - glad you enjoyed it! you will have to ask cassandra how she's going (do you have her email?). i don't feel comfortable telling her stories on my blog, cos they're hers, you know?


itchy - huzzah! but how can it be time for you to plant those things when *i* just planted strawberries? isn't it a once a year deal?

Anonymous said...

strawberries can live all year if you keep them warm enough, probably won't fruit though.