A few weeks earlier she had held a Garden Seed Giveaway and I was fortunate to be among those drawn to receive my own choice of a pack of seeds.
After much deliberation and perusal of the seed catalogue, I requested some Tomato Carbon seeds, which are described as having a wonderful flavour.
Despite the dreadful growing conditions this year, they have shown true Texan spirit and have survived, and done their best in adverse conditions.
Some were grown in the conservatory, others in the greenhouse.
The yield was low, but the flavour was wonderful.
They are sweet and delicious...and did I mention that they are almost as big as Texas?
I thought it would be interesting to compare them alongside cherry and plum tomatoes - so you can get an idea of the scale.
We have saved some seeds, ready to try again next year. We know the flavour is great, now we need to increase the yield...
Watch this space.
We had a surprise visitor tonight ... he came down to the patio doors in the dark of the early evening, then scuttled off when the light was put on.
The word 'tomatoes' caught me! Love the hedgehog.
ReplyDeleteHello Susan, I hope this little hedgehog decides to stay around - he could grow really big and round on the number of slugs which munch through our garden. Natural pest control.
DeleteOh tomatoes are summer's most precious jewel. We do not have hedgehogs here, but I do love them. What a cute little fellow. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteHello Bonnie, I agree, a good tomato is a real delight, and these are full and flavoursome. I have my fingers crossed that we pass inspection and he decides to stay.
DeleteYou cannot beat a heritage tomato...the flavour is AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteI miss the snuffling of hedgehogs in the garden.
Jane x
Hello Jane, I love real tomatoes, I don't mind what they look like as long as they taste good - and these are wonderful. I really hope this little hedgehog decides to make his home around here - I have already warned George that he can't just go strimming the edges any more.
DeleteNo, it's me who lives on the edge of nowhere! We could have a competition. At least people have heard of Lincolnshire.
ReplyDeleteAs for tomatoes, ours are green and still sitting in their pots on the terrace; we were supposed to have eaten them by now but I think they're probably waiting for next summer.
Hello Friko, The edge of nowhere can be a wonderful place to live - wherever it is! It really hasn't been a good year for tomatoes - but I was delighted to try these new ones. We have lots of little green outdoor tomatoes, too. I must harvest them and see about pickling them.
DeleteI've never seen a hedgehog (well, at zoos, but never in someone's garden). I had no idea they were such desirable visitors. And I'd never heard of a hedgehog house. Ah the things I learn under the Pear Tree.
ReplyDeleteHello Mitch, I will keep a look out for him - and I'll also try to get a better photograph, they are cute...so are hedgehog houses - one of ours even has a turfed roof and looks a bit like a rather wide, green hedgehog itself! I should get out more.
DeleteThat is a huge tomato. I love a tomato sandwich in the summertime. The hedgehog is a cutie. I don't think I've seen one in person.
ReplyDeleteHello Amy, The Carbon tomatoes have nearly all been huge, one slice virtually makes a sandwich. I, too, love tomato sandwiches - but then bread and tomatoes are two of my favouritie foods!
DeleteI just googled up hedgehog house. They are charming little affairs; Christopher Robin may well be in charge, or maybe Mr. Badger. Your two are in good hands.
ReplyDeleteHello Joanne, I must get out into the garden with my camera, I'll try to get a decent shot of our little hedgehog houses. I take them for granted, we have had them out there, with a vacant sign, for so long. Mr Badger does live just along the old railway line...
DeleteSo jealous of your beautiful tomatoes--my mouth is watering for a tomato sandwich too! I didn't know hedgehogs ate slugs, but it's lovely you're making him welcome to your garden; teamwork, XOXO
ReplyDeleteHello Susan, I wish I could whizz a beautiful tomato sandwich over to you, they are superb (thank you, Meggie!). Cute little hedgehogs can really aid the gardener, I plan to encourage him all I can!xx
DeleteOur best tomato is 'The Portuguese'. Not sure if they are available in the UK, but worth looking out for. As for hedgehogs, we used to have them in the garden but I haven't seen any sign for ages. I once built some winter hibernation nests for them, but they remained unused. Probably too many other animals around.
ReplyDeleteHello Cro, Thank you for that, I'll get searching to see whether I can find it. I am delighted to be able to report on something other than a rat invasion after the harvest! We have spotted the hedgehog twice, so I reckon we are probably on his regular round, but I would love him to settle - time will tell.
DeleteHello Elaine:
ReplyDeleteCan there be anything nicer than home grown tomatoes? We rather think not. And these, the 'size of Texas' certainly look and sound interesting. The problem always arises in Britain of insufficient sun during the growing season to ensure bumper crops. But, as you say, next year might result in better yields.
We do hope that the hedgehog will keep returning.
Hello Jane and Lance, The nice thing about this variety they are huge and yet they still have an intense flavour, that makes them a winner for me. The outdoor tomatoes (less exciting varieties) are determined to stay green, I can see I will need to pickle them - or try 'Fried Green Tomatoes' as Meggie suggests!
DeleteWe could do with a hedgehog to keep down our slug population! The tomato is so big, looks delicious. x
ReplyDeleteHello Cheryl, I will have some tomatoes sent over to you, straight away! I'm going to be doing my very best to make Mr Hedgehog so comfortable that he won't want to leave!
DeleteDearest Elaine....what a wonderful post on "our tomatoes'. Have you heard of Fried Green Tomatoes? They are good too!
ReplyDeleteDearest Meggie, I remember watching a film entitled 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe' - but I have never had fried green tomatoes...do you simply fry them, or is there something else I should put with the tomatoes? PS Thank you for those seeds. We really have had some wonderful tomatoes from them.
DeleteOh, how I wish we had hedgehogs here in the States ... I have to go on morning slug hunts during the height of the growing season ... the slimy buggers love to eat my pansies and marigolds ... so I pick them ruthlessly and give them to the neighbor boys to feed their chickens!
ReplyDeleteAs for your tomatoes! Those heirlooms look wonderful! What a great idea for a giveaway!
Hello Susan, Slugs are disgusting things - it is a constant battle to beat them to our produce, so any help we can get from the hedgehog is welcomed. We tried letting our old hens eat the slugs but they practically lifted up their petticoats and ran from them. They preferred scones or cheese!
DeleteI wish I could share the taste of these tomatoes with you all, they are delicious.
I'm looking forward to more about the hedgehogs and their habitation! Do they hibernate in the winter?
ReplyDeleteHello Ms Sparrow, I'll try and work up a post about our new little visitor. Mother Nature is being very kind to us at the moment, we have had a few new visitors dropping in - the difficult part is photographing them, especially if the cats or Toby are anywhere near. To answer your question, yes, hedgehogs do hibernate in winter, so I had better get working on some photographs before that happens.
DeleteThose tomatoes are huge! I'm gald they've done well inspite of the awful weather. Jx
ReplyDeleteHello Jan, The tomatoes are like a little bit of Texas sunshine on a plate, warm and full flavoured. Delicious!
DeleteThanks for your comment - yes I loved the way the roots had grown around the rock. Did you see the rocks on our latest walk? Those tomatoes look as though they would be so tasty.
ReplyDeleteHello Susan, I hope you are feeling a lot better now. I did see the rocks, quite stunning formations! New Zealand is truly a land of drama and beauty.
DeleteI didn't know hedgehogs ate slugs. How very handy! I'm out of luck though, no hedgehogs in Canada.
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny, Isn't it wonderful that slug munchers look so cute! We can provide him with all the slugs he needs plus anything else he requires...I've got two little houses out there with a vacant sign, he is welcome to either of them!
ReplyDelete