Tomato update

The growing season is so short in my part of the world. Winter is upon us. But I thought I should give you an update to my tomato saga

As it was getting colder, I knew it was time to get the plants inside, or to just reap the harvest I could, and let them go. They were doing so well! I hated to just throw them out, so decided I would take one of them in over winter, and the others would have to suffer in the cold. I just do not have the space to take them all in!

 I pulled in one pot -- well, actually, two pots -- and watched the other ones. Eventually, I did make space for the others, and took them all inside. I was moving to a new apartment, so there was additional space!!

 The little green balls that had formed grew a little, and then in the warm inside, they began to turn colour. First, a slight yellow, then orange, and finally to a bright red! It was so fun to watch it all happen! Here are some:

Now the odd thing is that some of the very tiny green balls just didn't grow much at all! They stayed as they were -- but ripened nonetheless! So I had these very tiny little red tomatoes!! They were so cute, but I was slightly disappointed that they hadn't reached their full potential. Maybe it was the sudden warm that caused them to ripen too fast.

It is so surprising how many little tomatoes I got off one plant! I was worried in the beginning that there weren't any, but then had more than I could handle. I did take that dish up for the lady that gave me the plants -- she said there was too much -- but they were coming at me left and right! No wonder gardeners are always giving away much of their produce!

 But now, the plants have decided they have done enough, and have stopped growing, and have dried up their leaves, and they are done. The remaining tomatoes are all red now, still on the plant -- I thought they would be better off there than if I picked them off -- and the season is over. There won't be anything remaining over winter. I did save some seeds and will plant them about February so they have a head start. It takes a long time for them to grow into flowering plants, and I want them all ready to go as soon as it warms up in spring. AND this time I will know to do the sex thing early on, and I should have lots more tomatoes all summer! Should is the key word.

Sex on My Balcony

[this will get your attention]

Yes, there was sex happening on MY balcony, and I don't mind admitting it. But there is a good reason for it, and I will tell you the whole story.

It all started about a couple of months ago. As you may know, since I do not subscribe to any internet service, I can access free wi-fi in the lobby of my apartment building. This is a service provided by one of the major internet and cable companies in the city. They have set up 'hot spots' throughout the downtown core, and the public libraries and other such gathering places.

So I go down and sit in the lobby at various times of the day to check on emails, and to surf the web, or to download television shows to watch later at home. Many of the residents have seen me and a few will nod a greeting or some will actually say hello to me. I have not spoken to any of them, but we now recognize each other. I am down there at all hours of the day -- or night -- and many of them wonder why I am there all the time! (No one will ask me) And no, I don't wok for the management company.

One day, a nice older lady stopped to ask me something about the managers in the building. She had seen me a few times there, and thought I knew more about them than I did. But she had a few concerns that were not being addressed, and I offered some advice. She liked to talk! We covered so many topics!

Then a few days later, she stopped again, and told me about her poor tomatoes on her balcony. She is on the north side, I am on the south. I had mentioned once that I had hoped to have a few tomatoes on the balcony, but didn't get any yet. So she suggested that I take these plants from her and put them on my balcony because they were so very unhappy on her side of the building. And what could I say?

Well, the tomatoes are very happy to be on my balcony in the full south sun. They are growing very well, and bushy, and producing lots of flowers. There were a few small tomatoes already formed, and they have turned red. I took the first four to her, and she was very happy with them. I had a couple myself. Very good!!

However, I could not see any more little green tomatoes being formed. Now, as you may know, all plants put out flowers, and need to be pollinated to produce seeds -- and fruit to cover those seeds. Since I am so high up, there are no flies or bees buzzing about to pollinate these flowers, so nothing is being formed. That is where I come in.

Research has shown me that tomatoes are self-pollinating. But results are better if they are. I made myself a little brush (I do have a bit of wool around the place!) and have gone out on the balcony, brushing each and every flower with my brush. This is to spread the pollen (a yellow powder) from flower to flower. This is what the bees do when they suck up the nectar each flower produces. They get the pollen on their legs. They also take the pollen back to their hive, and produce food from it.

I was performing the role of the bees in my little balcony garden. So that was the sex that was happening on my balcony. What were you thinking?? Good grief!! You have such dirty minds!

The results? Well, for several days and weeks following this event, I kept checking to see if any little tomatoes are forming. Nothing. I dutifully go out almost every day going from flower to flower, like a busy bee, doing my job. Nothing.

But yesterday, as I was going around from flower to flower, I did find one little green round shape where a flower was. And then another! So it WAS working after all! I was so very happy!! It's the little things in life that really get me all excited! And then, on a lower branch, I find the whole flower stem full of little tomatoes! You may not know this, but each flower stem branches out to about six stems with a flower on each end. You might find them sold in the stores as "tomatoes on the vine". And I had my own!!

Oh, this pleases me no end! Those of us working close to nature realize that sex is a necessary part of the continuation of the species. In order for us to have any food being produced, there needs to be sex first. The apple growers are finding a big problem today because there are very few bees anymore. All the farmers are saying this... there aren't any bees around to pollinate their crops; and this will be reflected in the amount of produce we find in the stores -- and of course, the prices!

Gee, I haven't posted anything in here for a long time! I have been too busy doing things to tell you about it. Gotta get down to that too one day.