A Year In Redwood

When I lived in Dublin I had a tiny postage stamp size garden.  In that garden the effort was put into growing flowers and plants, but I did manage to grow tomatoes and courgettes most years.

Since moving to North Tipperary the concentration has very much been on growing our own vegetables.  Flowers have hardly got a look in!

In the 7 years here, we have been quite successful in keeping ourselves in fruit and veg from about June through to October.  I have had no success with tomatoes.  Don’t know why, they grow, they flower, the fruit appears and that’s it…. they never ripen.

So this year we decided we would invest in a polytunnel.  The plan is that we will have our own vegetables all year round. We will have tomatoes – said with determination! I’m also looking forward to having our own peppers, chillis and aubergines too!  I’m not sure how it will all work out, but it’s worth a shot.

I have no experience of polytunnels at all, so I had to invest in The Polytunnel Book (by Joyce Russel) which is becoming my bible!

I had had a nice idea of having a greenhouse to bring on plants and maybe even grow a vine!  But maybe you can grow vines in a polytunnel – must check that out.

With the help of my sister, Sarah, we got the polytunnel erected over St. Patrick’s weekend. That was a mammoth task.  Digging that trench, erecting the frame and then waiting for a calm day to put on the cover, and back fill the trench!

So then it was over to me to start the planting.

I have been stunned at how quickly my seeds have sprouted in the tunnel.  The temperature most days is in excess of 70 deg!  Any digging, or weeding, needs to be done early in the day, or requires regular breaks out to fresh, cool air!

All that is actually planted in the tunnel at the moment are 3 very healthy looking tomato plants, and a selection of Chinese greens.  Lots of seeds almost ready though to be planted.

I will keep you posted on my progress – good and/or bad! 🙂