Big Vern's blog

No problems Vern. Stick your giro on trap seven in the 2-56 at Crayford.

Dowse your tomatoes (and yoursself)in petrol and strike a match.

No need to thank me.

 

When I started work here back in 1967 the boss told me that he had another 'pom' employed and I might know him. I asked where he came from and he said 'Birmingham'. When I told him that Birmingham was about 130 miles from where I lived in England he said that I "would probably know him then".
P.S. I didn't.

 

I love beef tomatoes.

So juicy.

Vern, please confirm what type of tomatoes you specialise in. Do you sell any?

 

A brand called Gardeners delight and I have been trying beefsteak tomatoes.
I don't think I will have enough to sell sadly.

 

That is a shame.

 

There’s a fellow on this forum from Portsmouth way who, by all accounts, is some form of authority on growing garden fruits – perhaps he’ll be kind enough to advise?

 

Have you ever considered immersing your face in a grow bag?

 

Well a word of warning Vern, if your Tomatoes do turn red by the time you show your young lady them, don't make the mistake of saying they look ripe, firm and juicy you might get your face slapped. Just saying like.

 

Re tomatoes: Gardeners' Delight is a cherry-type tomato highly regarded for its flavour, the most 'tomato-like' you will ever taste (nothing like supermarket- tomatoes). Do you have a greenhouse or are you growing them outside? I have never grown beefsteak tomatoes so can't comment on them.

It has been a poor summer for ripening. They should ripen given time. Leave them on the vines for as long as you can but make sure you pick the tomatoes before there is a risk of frost (with the little green 'star' still attached to protect them against rot). I find that they will ripen on a sunny window sill. Ripening them this way, I have eaten my own tomatoes into December, throwing the last of them into stews.

Keep up the blog Vern.

Hulot

 

If we're talking tomatoes I've had great success with Sweet Neat Yellow and Lizanno varieties this year. Grown outdoors from May, no greenhouse and a massive crop ripening now despite the crap weather. Gardeners Delight and Ildi varieties looking good too, although still all green at the moment.

 

I tried for the first time this year....I have the crop of 1 very small green tomato still attached to the plant....but loads of strawberries this year? and the potatoes came on very well

 

I had a cup of tea this morning.

 

The new house we are moving to has a nice allotment plot at the back of the garden.
I am sure my good lady will grow some nice crops next year.

 

Many thanks for the tips. The plants are laden with fruit but still no signs of redness.
It's strange how satisfying it is to grow a fruit which is already very affordable in the shops.
They are being grown outdoors but have plenty of sun

 

was it nice...and how many biscuits and what type?

 

I tried strawberries too. Out of 6 plants I got a grand total of 1 edible strawberry. The rest rotted before they'd even finished developing.

 

Does anyone have any advice on feeding a lawn. I had two sections levelled and re-seeded in April. I want to give it a decent feed prior to autumn but would appreciate any tips on what to use. I used granules a couple of months ago but ended up scorching some sections.

 

I think posh people feed their lawn by rolling it up into pillow size packages, put it on a lorry and take is somewhere nice.

 

I'm not posh and the lawn cost a small fortune to level and seed. I need advice on good quality lawn feed to apply prior to Autumn.

 

Why do you want to feed the lawn? The grass will only grow and then you will have to cut it. Simple rule of thumb is that grass needs a nitrogen-rich fertiliser whereas tomatoes (and strawberries, Altrincham Tiger) need a potassium-rich fertiliser.

I don't have anything as posh as a 'lawn'. But I do have 'grass' (which I don't smoke, before you ask). I have gardened organically for more than thirty years and I allow clover to grow in the grass. This is a leguminous plant which fixes nitrogen into the soil from its roots, thus feeding the grass for free. I also allow it to flower to feed the bees. An old organic trick was to empty the teapot on the lawn. Tea leaves are quite high in nitrogen and make a natural fertiliser. Obviously, this isn't so easy to do with tea bags ...

Re strawberries: yes, half of mine rotted in the rain. I lay shredded paper under them to keep them off the wet soil and away from slugs but it was still a poor year.