Today, we managed two walled gardens: a second look in at the one in Helmsley, followed by one at Beningbrough on the way home. At both I sighed to see ginormous squash. Still, it gave me hope that I would see progress back home.
Beningbrough squash
In the event, I wouldn’t say there was nothing – the courgettes look like they might actually produce something that could feed us – but the only way in which the butternut squash have spurted is to make their way into the tomato plants and out the other end.
‘Growing out of chaos’ tomato
I remind myself that if all else fails there will be plenty of biomass – and as long as blight doesn’t strike, there will be a fair number of tomatoes. Perhaps they will have a hard time ripening under all that foliage but I am keen to make green tomato marmelade again, so all will not be lost!
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Pinch out all growing tips now on Tom’s (well, should have been done early / first week August), remove all foliage below all fruit and keep all above, this helps with ripening and flavour. Also, plant Nisturtiums next to your Tom’s, it improves flavour and distracts black fly! 🙂
Thanks for your tips, Jeff.
It can be discouraging when you see massive plant growth, yet little food production. I hope your tomatoes produce well.
Thank you, Alys.
You’re welcome, Helen!
Oh don’t say that ‘b’ word .. 😃
Fingers crossed…. 😉
One year we planted butternut squash on the open compost heap. It did quite well and we got three fair-sized squashes. The sunny summer we had that year helped a lot. We had less success growing them during cooler cloudier summers.
Yes, I’ve heard they like it warm! It will be interesting to see if, at the farm where I volunteer once a month, they have any this year.