The start of my serious blogging

November 20, 2009 (Friday)

Today I upended the compost bin at the top of the garden to reveal a big pile of superb compost, which I am spreading on the site reserved for tomatoes.

I will be sowing several varieties of tomato in a small propagator given to me by my brother-in-law Alf, of Leicester, who is like me a keen vegetable grower.

I have rough-dug most of the garden and pulled up the beansticks, some of which can be used next spring.

In my rather battered old greenhouse (several panes of glass are missing) I am already raising two varieties of onion seed for spring planting -- they are an inch or so high -- and some cabbage and lettuce seedlings.

In the open garden, the new autumn-sown variety of onion set from seed merchants Thompson and Morgan are doing very well (on November 26 they are six inches high).

In summer I bought one tomato plant from the garden centre for 99p. From this I took enough runners to raise 15 or so plants, which seem to be coming on quite well. I have sprinkled a little bonemeal around them.

The tropical dasheen plant which Ruth brought me from Barbados is not doing so well, after a good start in summer. I don't think the colder weather suits it!