Its all about tomatoes .... and some water harvesting
This week I give an update on the tomatoes, highlight a couple of fab tomato & chilli events and remind you about water butts.
Finally, the tomatoes are ripening in the greenhouse. The sun and warmth have pushed them on, so we’re approaching that glut phase when it is tomatoes for lunch, snacks and dinner. I grow lots of different varieties, some favourites and others new, so I have an interesting selection of tomatoes to eat and photograph.
This year I sowed some saved seed of Lucid Gem, India Stripe, San Marzano, Nagina Plum, Colgar and Shimmer plus purchased seed of Crimson Crush, Costoluto Genovese, Ethel Watkins, Moskvich and the weird looking Reisetomate Pocketbook Vine (the one that looks like a cluster of small tomatoes stuck together).
For their size, the microtomatoes (Veranda Red) have performed really well, delivering lots of tasty cherries. They are coming to an end, but they were first to fruit back in May and each has produced multiple clusters (bottom right of photo).
Taste
I am not convinced that the weather this year has helped their taste. The fruits on my Shimmer plants, in particular, have sat on the vine for ages before ripening and I found the skin quite tough, although the taste was flavoursome, while the Costoluto lacked its usual depth of flavour and its flesh was a bit pappy.
The ripening of tomatoes is a complex process and is easily affected by the weather. There are a number of key chemical and physical changes that are driven primarily by the hormone ethylene, and this initiates a cascade of reactions, including the breakdown of chlorophyll and the synthesis of lycopene and beta-carotene (the pigments responsible for the fruit's characteristic red and orange hues). As the tomato ripens, its texture softens, sugars accumulate, and acids balance out, all of which enhances its flavour profile. This ripening process also increases their nutritional value, as the concentration of compounds like vitamins A and C rises.
I have noticed that some of the more recent tomato flowers are shriveled - a consequence I suspect of the high temperatures during our mini heat wave, when temperatures exceeded 45C in the greenhouse during the afternoons, despite shading. Definitely not ideal for the flowers, especially those near the front glass panes.
Last week, I mentioned that I had a moth caterpillar munching leaves and Jill warned that they can burrow into the fruits. I thought I had found them all, but obviously missed one. And why do they have to burrow into the largest fruit!
How are your tomatoes performing? I’d love to hear and compare notes If you have the substack app you can make comments or start threads in Chat.
Pomodoro
I thought pomodoro was Italian for tomato, so hands up if you knew that Pomodoro was the name of a time management technique for staying focused, organised and mentally fresh! This technique was devised by Francesco Cirillo back in the 1980s who used a tomato (pomodoro) shaped timer….
The Pomodoro Technique is about working in short bursts of activity to maintain concentration and sense of achievement. You start the day with a list of tasks and a kitchen timer. Start with the first task, set a timer for 25 minutes (one pomodoro) and start work. When the timer goes, take a 5 minute break and then start the timer for another 25 minutes, and so on. And on the completion of the 4th pomodoro you take a longer 20-30 min break. Should you have a particularly complex or lengthy task that will take 4 or more pomodoros, you break it down into a series of short actions, while for short tasks, you can group them together into one action.
I’ve attended plenty of time management seminars over the years, so it was interesting to read about this method. I’m driven by lists – I have a pop up sticky note on my screen where I can make to-do lists and add useful notes and links. I make sure to take plenty of breaks - walking to the kitchen, running up and down the stairs ,or diving outside to do a bit of watering - but may be not as frequently as every 25 mins.
Tomato Fest at Trill Farm
Still on tomatoes, there is a Tomato Fest taking place at Trill Farm near Axminster, Devon on Sunday 11 August. Trill Farm is a brilliant place to visit – so much to see and learn from a leading organic grower. Definitely looking forward to the tomato tasting session.
Sea Spring Seeds
And another event that may tempt some of you (its tempted me!!). A guided tour around Sea Spring Seeds, West Bexington which is a few miles from Bridport. There are tickets available for tours on Sunday 25 August. You will be able to see their chilli and tomato variety trials, some of their exotic crops and other veg trials. Book here
If you cant get to these events in person, don’t worry as I’ll be giving an update in the coming weeks.
Check your water butts
We had a heavy downpour the other night which filled our water butts. With the potential of a few more dry weeks ahead, it may be wise to empty the water into other containers so your water butts are ready to harvest more rain for you. I empty the water into large containers that I can use as mini ‘dipping ponds.’ They make it quick and easy to fill the watering can, saving me lots of time in the morning.
Happy water harvesting!
Sally
PS
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Talks
Talk 13 September Talk by Sally at Yeo Valley Gardens, Organic September Celebrations, nr Bristol - you can book a ticket via the Yeo Valley website
Talk 21 September Sally is speaking to the Somerset Hardy Perennial Society, West Monkton, nr Taunton
Sally and Kim give talks on a wide range of topics. Please get in touch if you would like to arrange a talk or webinar. You can also arrange group visits to Sally’s experimental garden.