What is your favourite crop? Judith loves her tomatoes.
It was a dark and stormy night. The too-many cats and I watched TV while under a blanket as the rain tapped on the window. This morning the air is cool and fresh, and the sun is shining bright. This afternoon it should be dry enough to harvest some more seeds.
I have noticed that my calendula has started to produce seeds. This particular flower is yellow but if it is a hybrid then I might find myself with a different colour next year. As you can see in the picture the bright yellow flower turns to a brown seedhead over time. Once it is dry, I shake the seedhead into an envelope and store the seeds in a cool, dark place. I love calendulas. They are very easy to grow in the ground or in containers and they attract all manner of pollinators. They are edible so I don’t worry if someone wants to taste one. Calendulas come in a range of colours and deserve a spot in your garden.
Calendula with seedhead
My Indigo Rose tomato is starting to ripen. These blue-black tomatoes turn red on the bottom when they are ripe. They have a rich tomato taste, but I grow them because they are such a fascinating colour. I find that they are a very fussy tomato, but that is normal for an heirloom. They split easily if they get too much water and I have never seen a tomato so attractive to slugs. Looking at the cascade of dark tomatoes always makes me smile, so I shall continue to grow them as a fun addition to my garden. I will choose a nice, ripe Indigo Rose tomato and save the seeds for next year.
Indigo Rose tomatoes.
I grew a new-to-me tomato this year called Bumblebee. It is a lovely little tomato that I grew from seeds that I was given. I believe it is an indeterminate variety and it has a lot of fruit. I do find that the fruits take longer than my other tomatoes to ripen. I need to remember to wait until it gets very red-orange, and the reddish stripes are very noticeable. I may have harvested a few of them too early. Lesson learned.
Bumblebee tomatoes from green to ripening.
All of the tomatoes are ripening, and I am in heaven. I am enjoying tomato sandwiches and tomato salads. A freshly picked tomato has such a wonderful taste. I am picking every tomato that is ripe right now to make my salsa. I use all sorts of tomatoes in all sorts of colours. It is such a pretty salsa with all those colours. I am using a few of my sweet peppers as well as a hot pepper or two. It gives the salsa a bit of a bite.
The weather is starting to change. I ordered wood for the stove, and it is all stacked and ready to go. It is a busy time of year for my art business, and I will be going to lots of local shows. Do not forget to carefully observe your garden so you can review it over the winter. I have already decided that I need to try more tomatoes.
Enjoy your week. Judith
(Email: sghorticultural@gmail.com)
Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/articles/veggie-bites/
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