Extreme weather

[Beekay 5,183]

I don't have a greenhouse or a shed, but have managed to successfully start off some tomato seeds that I've had wrapped up for nearly two years. As it's my first time, I'm looking to Mrs.B to guide me along. I believe they may be some type of Beefsteak toms.

Edit. Should'nt be on this thread I know, but who's watching.

[Jill Sparrow 10,319]

Years ago, when I worked at 24 Low Pavement, some of us grew tomato plants in pots placed in front of the large, Georgian windows and overlooking the garden at the rear. They did well there as they got lots of sunlight.  At lunchtimes, fresh tomatoes, straight from the plants tasted very good. There is nothing to compare with the taste and smell of homegrown tomatoes.

[philmayfield 6,193]

There’s nothing nicer than fresh, home grown tomatoes. Soon I’ll be lunching daily on tomato salads. Sliced tomatoes, olive oil, wine vinegar, pepper and salt, garnished with chopped chives, with wholemeal bread to mop up the ‘gravy’. 

[Jill Sparrow 10,319]

The only changes I would make to that are to lose the salt and pepper and substitute granary bread for wholemeal. Otherwise, yummy!

[philmayfield 6,193]

A tomato salad without the seasoning to enhance the flavour?

Well chacun a son gout! 

[Jill Sparrow 10,319]

I never use salt and don't like pepper. I'll substitute herbs instead. Just as tasty.

[philmayfield 6,193]

We’re great users and growers of herbs as well. It is the finest sea salt and freshly ground black pepper that we sprinkle.

[MargieH 7,613]

My mum always used to sprinkle a little sugar on sliced tomatoes, add a little pepper on strawberries and always had sliced cucumber in vinegar. 

[MRS B 533]

Any fruit and veg that you grow yourself always tastes better than shop bought. A classic example is strawberries. Those huge ones from supermarkets are awful, give me a smaller sweeter home grown one any day of the week. The storage and carbon footprint on shop produce takes the flavour away. I grow melons in my greenhouse and although small they are like nectar. 

[philmayfield 6,193]

My grandmother used to sprinkle sugar on a salad. I didn’t get that.

Our local strawberry growers, Starkey’s in Southwell, have dug up their strawberry beds as they can no longer get the cheap foreign labour to pick them.

[Jill Sparrow 10,319]

Basil. Oregano, lemon balm. All easily grown at home. 

[plantfit 7,634]

Mrs P trying to catch snowflakes, Edinburgh Christmas day 2009

 

 

Twas cold, windy and snowy

 

Rog

[nonnaB 4,900]

On 4/26/2024 at 9:57 AM, philmayfield said:

My grandmother used to sprinkle sugar on a salad. I didn’t get that.

Our local strawberry growers, Starkey’s in Southwell, have dug up their strawberry beds as they can no longer get the cheap foreign labour to pick them.

Brexit once again

[nonnaB 4,900]

We are getting concerned with the weather too. It’s cold ( freezing too ) one day then the flooding day we are sunbathing. No wonder people are suffering with colds and sore throats

[nonnaB 4,900]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:20 AM, Jill Sparrow said:

Basil. Oregano, lemon balm. All easily grown at home. 

I always have basil on the kitchen windowsill all the others grow outside. Origano ( Italian)we get dried from either Sicily or Calabria much better taste. Fresh we just leave to look pretty! Lemon balm ,Pineapple sage and normal sage live together happily. We already have figs quite big which surprised us. It’s freezing cold at the moment and very windy. Tomorrow will be hot , just you wait, bet it will be.

[nonnaB 4,900]

On 4/26/2024 at 9:29 AM, MargieH said:

My mum always used to sprinkle a little sugar on sliced tomatoes, add a little pepper on strawberries and always had sliced cucumber in vinegar. 

Margie your post reminded me of my grand parents, (living near the sea.)grandad used to take me along what I supposed were the mud flats to collect Samphire and grandma used to pickle it. Funny the things that you think you’ve forgotten

[Oztalgian 3,330]

On 4/26/2024 at 4:53 AM, Jill Sparrow said:

There is nothing to compare with the taste and smell of homegrown tomatoes.

I agree Jill. When working I went to a hydroponic tomato growing facility in the Riverland. Walking in there immediately took me back 60 years to walking into my grandad's greenhouse. The smell of the tomatoes was heavenly. The role of this facility was research into controlling whitefly. Like many of the supermarket products today tomatoes are tasteless. It is autumn here and the new seasons apples, grown in the Adelaide Hills, are in the shops. We bought two varieties as I like an apple with cheese for my lunch, they too were devoid of any taste. They may be new season, but which season? I wonder how long they had been in cold storage. Selective breeding for appearance and extended shelf life have left so much of our fruit and vegies lacking in any taste.

[nonnaB 4,900]

That’s what I like here in Italy. The fruit and veg in the local markets are really local and they are always so fresh you can smell the freshness of the earth. There’s one that is only a small stall but he picks his produce in the morning he’s selling them. What a difference .