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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Too early for tomatoes??

The last few times I have visited the plant shop they have had tomato seedlings galore (and they are very tempting). Now just last week we had our coldest night time temperatures of the year with severe frosts so  when I see people loading their trolleys and baskets with tiny little tomato plants I want to shout don't do it. Wait. Of course I don't, it's none of my business and in fact most likely the gamble will pay dividends. Today when I bought my own little punnet of tomatoes I felt like I should be looking over my shoulder just in case there was some crazy lady about to tell me not to do it and wait until it was safe. Alas, she was holding the basket and in my defence, my seedlings are going to be potted on and hang out in the greenhouse for a little while.
 
Tiny Tim tomatoes unfortunately photobombed by a dog's bottom
 "Tiny Tim" is a variety I haven't grown for a while. The last few years I've stuck with grape type small tomatoes and  black cherry tomatoes which have been prolific.


 The little greenhouse where my seeds start out is getting a bit too warm so I think I might move it just a fraction to cool it down a touch. I don't want the seeds to cook, just germinate. The okra were the first seeds to pop up and so far I have ten or so varieties of tomatoes in there plodding along.


 It might be too early for tomatoes to be in the ground here but apparently not too early for the almond to be in bloom.

Monarch on the plum
And not too early for the plum trees either. The apricot is going to be next to burst into flower. Any day now. It's good the flowering is staggered a bit, it gives the bees a longer time period to access the orchard flowers and it also means the bees can concentrate their efforts on pollinating only a few trees at a time. Win-win.
 
The turkeys have taken up nesting rights in amongst some lavender bushes. I'm not sure if I will leave them there and work out some sort of way to secure the mother bird from predators or if I will help her choose a more appropriate nest. My birds are fairly compliant until they start incubating the eggs that is.  It does sound rather dreamy though, a nest in the lavender.
 
Have you started planting any spring/ summer things yet?? Or are you settling down for the cooler seasons in the north?
 
Tracy

8 comments:

Fiona said...

nice to have the little greenhouse... I think I will wait a little bit longer before I plant anything...
Hugz

Val said...

That Monarch (on the Plum flower) photo is especially gorgeous. Wow! I'd have that in a frame in my home. That's beautiful. :)

We're in our last few weeks of summer here in the U.S. I love fall and look forward to it. I'm hoping my parents will have even one garden tomato left for me when I visit them next week, though. :)

Anonymous said...

still to wet to get into the vegie patch yet tracy,we have onion and garlic bulbs that we want to plant but just too wet.xx

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I can't wait to start tomatoes but it is almost fall here and I just collected seeds from the garden for next springs tomatoes. I saw the same thing here (Virginis US) last spring, people bought tomato plants on the first warm day and we got lots of cold after that. In fact we had cool wet weather most of the summer and it was a bad year for tomatoes, disease spread in the damp weather. I saved seed from the survivors and will try again next year. Have fun, it's almost spring!

Tania said...

It was 27C here today, and warming up to 29C by the weekend. I would say it should be okay to plant out. I check the night temperature online and cover any plants that are sensitive to frost. I picked a tomato today hiding in among the carrots. Somehow it managed to survive the winter :)

The garden beds are just about ready to go :)

Lisa said...

Eggs in the lavender does sound dreamy.
My gardening started so late, that I'm just picking now! Not much, though.

Lisa said...

Oh, and I once again have to mention how I love your view.

Staci@LifeAtCobbleHillFarm said...

Beautiful photos! I love reading this because I am currently knee-deep in ripe tomatoes. :-) I love this time of year for us - everything is at peak, I go into the garden daily and come out with bowls, bags and baskets full and wonder how in the world I'll find time to preserve, cook or use everything.