SUCCESSFUL TUMBLING TOM TOMATOES

 Not only am I starting to wake up after semi-hibernation but my garden is waking up too.  Here, high up on the Pennines, things can be a little slow but the last few weeks of mild weather have stimulated trees and plants into growth.  Yesterday, on my travels to visit an aunt, I saw a camellia and a magnolia in such magnificent bloom that I have never seen before.  They were huge and smothered in colour.  Moreover, a sure sign of good weather is that lots of the seeds that I have in pots in my home, covered in plastic, are germinating.  Already the seeds that I dug out of a butternut squash, which I bought from Sainsburys's, grown in Argentina, have germinated.  The pumpkin and courgettes have germinated, as have a couple of  tomato 'Gardeners' Delight' seeds.  I shall still be growing Tumbling Tom, as I did last year (see below) but this year I have bought a yellow version too.  I am waiting on the sweet peppers and Ogen melon now. 

Tumbling Tom tomatoes

Last year was pretty disastrous apart from runner beans and tomatoes.  We had prolonged periods of rain and miserable skies and lots of my plants succumbed to mildew.  Just have to hope for better this year.  The runner bean I grew was 'St George' and it was declared 2010 Vegetable of the year.  It is a heavy cropper, stringless, and you might like to try it.  I'm growing it again this year.

I'm hopeful for plenty of sweet peas too.  That was a pathetic attempt last year and out of two packets I got 3 plants.  Served me right for expecting them to grow in stupid places.  This year I am trying Unwins Special Mix and being more careful. 

My garden is only a year old and before that it was pretty much neglected.  The soil is quite stony and never seems to have been cultivated in the past, so little by little I am hopeful things will improve.  It won't be for lack of trying.