Grow your own Tomatoes 2008

Week commencing 28 July 2008:
The Plum tomatoes are doing pretty well, still got a while to go before they're big and ripe enough to pick.

Spotted a bad one and looked up the problem in my book and it's called Blossom End Rot which is caused by the soil drying out, so have to make sure they get lots of water!

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Week commencing 23 June 2008:
The plant seems to be doing really well and now has quite a few flowers. I've been feeding it with tomato food about once a week and keeping it watered with a water bottle spike. However it looks like it needs some attention, so being the inexperienced gardener I am (you could say I'm green!), I've read my Vegetable and Herb Expert book and searched online for advice on what I should do next.
Here's what I've learnt:

• If growing a cordon type plant (grows upwards) pinch out (remove) the sideshoots regularly when they are about 2.5cm long. Those grown as bush or hanging basket types do not need to have sideshoots removed.
• When the plant has 4 trusses (branches of flowers) pinch out the growing point of the main stem at two leaves above the top truss. By this stage you should have plenty of fruits forming that need to grow and ripen. Let the plant put all its energy into these potentially succulent fruits.
• Remove yellowing leaves below developing fruit trusses.

I found this video which was really helpful in explaining what to do: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-prune-tomatoes

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Week commencing 28 April 2008:

Last year we grew cherry tomatoes which were a bit disappointing taste-wise so we only used them in cooking. This time we bought a Plum tomato plant so hopefully we can use them to make some nice tomato sauces.

Grow your own Chilies 2008

Week commencing 28 July 2008:
Good news and bad news.

The good news is the Cheyenne chillies are growing thick and fast and we'll be able to harvest the little beauties soon.

 The bad news is the Apache plant is pretty much dead, the most likely culprit being over-watering - Steve's mum waters the plants too and sometimes she does it when I've already done it! Nevermind, we're going to have more Cheyenne chillies than we can handle so I'll have to make some chilli flakes to store them.

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Week commencing 23 June 2008:
There are loads of little fruits now and still some flowers. The fruits have started to transform into chillies so hopefully it won't be long until they're red and ripe.

I've read that I should mist the foliage regularly with tepid water to discourage red spider mite and to help flower set and subsequently cropping, so that's the next job to do!

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Week commencing 26 May 2008:
The first fruit has grown! This is on the Cheyenne plant which is doing better than the Apache. We think I might have stunted the Apache's growth with my home-made plastic bottle cloche! I only used it for a few days but took it off as it didn't seem to be doing the plant any favours.

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Week commencing 28 April 2008:
This week we bought some new chilli plants, an Apache and a Cheyenne. We grew a load of different chillies last year (Jalapenos, Hungarian Hot, Anaheim) but only the Apache's were successful and we got a bumper crop of small fiery red and green chillies. After picking them I left them to naturally dry out for a few days before properly drying them in the oven on the lowest temperature and whizzing up in a mini-chopper to make chilli flakes. I've kept them stored in an old jam jar since late last year and used them alot to spice up stir-fries and anything else that could use a kick!
The Cheyenne should yield medium-sized orange chillies and is apparently a good companion to the Apache (I'll admit I didn't know that when we bought them, it was just good luck!).

Butterscotch Brownies

When I first looked at this recipe I thought that the cocoa powder was missing as I'd always associated brownies with a chocolate flavour. However these brownies aren't supposed to have cocoa, as the main flavour is the butterscotch which comes from the brown sugar turning into a lovely caramel. This recipe is very easy to make and unlike a lot of brownie recipes I've tried, this one really works and results in moist and chewy brownies!

• Makes: 16 squares
• Oven shelf position: middle
• Oven temperature: 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4
• Baking time: 18-20 mins
• You will need: 8x8 inch baking tin lined with baking paper & a medium saucepan

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (80g/3oz) butter
• 1 cup (220g/7.5oz) brown sugar (I used Dark Muscovado for a really deep treacle flavour & darker colour)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt (omit if your butter is already salted)
• 1 cup (125g/4oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup (75g/2.5oz) nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Melt the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan until it is a syrupy consistency but do not boil.
3. Stir in (do not beat) the egg, vanilla and salt.
4. Sift in the flour and baking powder.
5. Add nuts or chocolate chips, if you’re using them, reserving some for the top.
6. Spread the brownie mixture into your tin and sprinkle the reserved nuts or chocolate on top.
7. Bake until lightly browned, approximately 18-20 minutes. Do not overcook, or the squares will not be moist and chewy.
8. Cool before cutting into squares.