As I am writing this I can glance out and catch Luke tending his tomatoes in the greenhouse. We are pleased we went for the largest greenhouse we could find because, though we have not used it to it's capacity we will be able to grow lots of things in there and not regret skimping on the size. Fortunately our garden is big enough that it can accommodate the larger greenhouse without it dominating the area.
Luke has been inspired I think to tweak the side shoots out of the tomatoes after watching Gardener's Question TIme. It was explained that if you don't tweak out the side shoots the plant will grow into a shrubby shape rather than just a cordon with one main stem. You don't want to take out all the leafy growth but just cleanly tweak or cut out the shoots at a forty five degree angle to the main stem and the leaves. So Luke, having kept up with removing the shoots, is now tying in the taller growth to keep them strong and upright. We also have two cucumber plants growing well and some aubergines. We have companion planting of marigolds (their strong scent should keep the bugs away by stopping them smelling the delicious tomato scent) and basil (which as every Italian, Greek and, well, just everyone, knows go together so deliciously. Shame we couldn't grow an olive too and then we'd have our own salad prepared in one place.
We could have enjoyed the strawberries too only the chickens have discovered the fruits long before we have and have also brazenly swiped the raspberries off the cane whilst we watched.
Not only do they have the run of the garden they also get a treat each weekend of a dust bath in the greenhouse. They jump onto the wooden sleeper step, step over the doorway into the greenhouse and spend a good thirty minutes burying themselves deeply into the dry dusty soil to clean themselves off. You will probably have read me raving about how cute this is to view before but it never fails to delight. Bless them.
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