Late Winter Bits and Bobs.

[oldherbaceous]

The March issue of the KG Magazine looks very good this month.

I hear there might be a shortage of salad stuff anytime…

[tigerburnie]

Already talking of a shortage of tomatoes, think I might start up a farm shop lol.

[Stravaig]

For heaven's sake. A shortage of salad and tomatoes? And our local Asda keeps running out of eggs.

What a mess!

Tiger, I think you're kidding about starting a farm shop but I think it would be terrific if allotment gardeners could have shops to sell off their surplus produce. I'd be first in the queue! Fresh, local, good price, support your local gardener. What's not to like?

Please do it. And start a trend for others to do it too.

[Primrose]

We have just one border left now for growing climbing beans and tomatoes and a few minor salad crops, given today our main veg patch was prepared for grassing over. ( sad day for me - Gardener said the soil was wonderful which made it feel even worse,)

Can somebody suggest the best tomato variety to grow for an abundance of crops , both fresh and for freezing?

[Westi]

Lock up your salad veg!

Just saw on the news that tomatoes & other salad crops available now are going to be in short supply & limited numbers per customer from tomorrow. Due to the really poor weather on the continent. Although the UK grow some out of season in huge warm tunnels these won't be ready for a while yet! I think this is pretty late news as I've seen loads of posts about how expensive toms & salad crops at the French Markets, apparently one bunch small toms (3) was priced at 5 euros!

It reminds me of the loo roll grab & go at the beginning of Covid so the shelves were empty and as they reported this today & the limits come in from tomorrow it will probably be empty shelves from the off tomorrow!

Obviously I have no toms but my winter lettuce are just getting to a good size to pick & I was looking forward to a proper tasting salad - so maybe it will just be a green salad, or just creative use of tin tomatoes to make a tomato flavoured dressing?

[Shallot Man]

Tiger. We did try some years ago putting a stall in our local library one Sat. To give surplus to Pensioners. Only happened once. Someone complained to the County Libraries.

[Shallot Man]

Re tom variety's. Pop-In is my favourite, don't know about freezing. can't go far wrong with the following. Clibrans Victory. Rose-de-Berne. Harbinger. And that old favourite Ailsa Craig

[Geoff]

Seemed enough in Lidl today, we bought some for 85p. Don't know the weight, bin day tomorrow and I've already put the bin out so can't check the packaging (I've got an early trip to the garage in the morning). The 5 left weigh over 400g and we had one each with lettuce, rocket and cress from the tunnel as salad to go with cold chicken; nice change. Tomato sowing tomorrow.

[tigerburnie]

We have just one border left now for growing climbing beans and tomatoes and a few minor salad crops, given today our main veg patch was prepared for grassing over. ( sad day for me - Gardener said the soil was wonderful which made it feel even worse,)

Can somebody suggest the best tomato variety to grow for an abundance of crops , both fresh and for freezing?

Not sure if these can be grown outside...https://www.mammothonion.co.uk/product/ ... st-tomato/

[tigerburnie]

I don't like shop bought tomatoes and rarely eat them, I eat seasonally, plus after the glut I had last summer, I couldn't face a tommie for a bit yet anyway.

[Colin2016]

All this talk about short supply of food, look to the seasons and adjust.

There is an abundance of winter crops so use them while you can they wont be around in the summer.

[tigerburnie]

A couple of people near our village have honesty boxes to sell their free range eggs, I reckon something like that might work with excess tomatoes lol(I am joking by the way). I know of two local gardeners who go to farmers markets to sell their products, but one has over an acre of ground and it's almost a full time job, not for me!

[retropants]

Ah, thanks for the explanation Tiger, that makes sense! Mine blew away last year, it was also a collector of a good amount of rainwater!! The cover survived, but the frame didn't, so we will build a timber frame for it this year. I use it only to keep the blight off the tomatoes. I mean to watch your videos, but I am always on the PC at work, and don't want to get into trouble!

[oldherbaceous]

I’m sure the whole office would be watching them after seeing a couple of them….they always make me smile and I mean that in a good way!

[Colin2016]

Have honesty boxes for lots of produce around here eggs/veg/jams/chutney/cakes etc, always use them, brought 1/2 doz eggs £1.20 cant go wrong.

Any surplus I have is given to neighbors or community fridge club.