Sorry I've been a lazy blogger.
Yesterday when elder Grandson was here he picked these truss tomatoes from the plants in pots outside the laundry door. They grew from the mini New World pots I collected back in 2020. Smallest grandson planted the seed then bigger grandson and I planted them out into bucket size pots and now they are bearing fruit! Lovely mid sized and tasty. ( so Raewyn if you have just planted yours they should still do okay )
Here are the plants a while ago. As well as the tiny toms I have a kumara in a pot ( climbing up a string at the back ) and a yam ( bottom left )
All need daily watering or they wilt but no bird problems this close to the house. Down the garden birds keep pecking R's Big tomatoes so we have hung CDs to deter them.( they sparkle away in the sunshine as they twirl in any breeze - if we have some. ) The 2 little Grandsons love planting seed and watering and picking any produce. Its good if they can eat some on the spot especially little 2 year old as he is a fussy eater. They have skills of picking strawberries, beans, tomatoes, peas and even corncobs.
( My cucumber is not not thriving or producing anything good yet. It's strange how crops vary )
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Lately I have been reading some books I would recommend. "Where the Crawdads Sing." by Delia Owens. Its an unusual book but factually very accurate and a a compelling plot.
( her first fiction )
Local NZ writer and sometime blogger Carole Brungar ( her blog Madness and Mess hasn't been written since 2018 - I used to read it as she is a gardener and quilter as well as now writer ! )) has now written several books. R and I got given her 2 Vietnam War themed books for Christmas. The characters going off to the War grew up in the Manawatu area at the same time as me. The stories feature Himitangi and Foxton Beaches that I knew well as a child and teenager. She got all the local info very accurate and it it made me remember my time in that area of NZ. Well done Carole. Please keep writing. I will look out your other books. I hope your wonderful daffodils are still thriving.
The 2 books are called, "The Nam Legacy " and The Nam Shadow."
Kiwis especially would enjoy these and people who remember the time of the Vietnam War and the way the soldiers were treated on their return.