Tomato watch

This is the first post that I've written since losing my camera, where I'm really gutted that I'm not able to post a photo. My aim is that this will be the first in a series of posts tracking the growth of my tomatoes, about which I am very excited; not least because the first baby green tomato has just appeared on one of my two plants.

I bought the plants for 25p each from outside a house in Whitstable in May and they have now reached perhaps 3 or 4 feet in height and I am beginning to worry about 'pinching out' unnecessary shoots, which is apparently essential if you want to get a good crop of toms in July. I am unclear as to which shoots are viable and which are hindering the plant's progress. If anyone fancies popping round to consult on this question, they would be most welcome.

Anyhow the good news is that the plants seem very healthy and they loved being transplanted from their pots inside into a bag of compost outside. There they have been joined by two courgette plants which also seem pretty happy. They were about 70p each from Stroud market and today I picked up an aubergine and melon plant from Islington farmers market for 80p each. All I need now are a few more plants and another bag of compost and I am going to have, I hope, quite a market garden out back. Tomato watch will return.