Fight the Blight

I’ve had rather good germination of my tomatoes this year, sowing Money maker; Sungold; Yellow & Super Marmande, which is all great but there is a limit to the number I want to grow myself.

I’ve given plants to everyone I can think of and I know I have the space in the polytunnel but the first year I grew them in there they got blight so i’m reluctant to try it again.

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is a fungus-like organism that causes disease of the foliage and fruit of tomatoes and potatoes causing them to go brown and rotten and is more common in wet weather.

Earthing up of potatoes provides some protection also not leaving them in the ground too long, plus good old crop rotation (not growing the same thing in the same place two years running).

Tomatoes are more susceptible unfortunately the wet warm weather we have does not help.

The best control is to burn all infected material. Make sure you don’t leave any infected potato tubers in the ground.

So I’m sticking to growing them in my green house making it the tomato zone once I have had a big move around of all remaining seedlings they pretty much take over.

I’m using my preferred method again this year which is to take a grow bag, shake it up, cut it in half, then turn each half up on end to form two grow bag style pots for the tomatoes.

Supporting them with bamboo canes, pinching out the side shoots as they grow and tying them in so the stems don’t snap under the weight of delicious tomatoes.

Herby Delight

Keep consecutive sowing your salad and herbs in guttering for continuous crop throughout the summer, try this delicious recipe by Sarah Raven to make the most of them, which can be enjoyed hot, or cold on a picnic … we hope!

Serves 6 – oven 180 degrees C / Gas mark 4

6 skinless chicken breasts; 150g mixed garden greens, spinach, chard, rocket, watercress, coarsely chopped, 30g fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 350g cream cheese, grated zest of one lemon, salt & pepper, 200ml vegetable or chicken stock.

Cut the breasts, opening them out like a book, cover with clingfilm and bash gently with a rolling pin, flattening to about 2cm.

Put the green and three quarters of the tarragon in a food processor or large bowl, add the garlic, cream cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper, and whizz briefly or mix with wooden spoon then spread the mixture evenly over the flattened breasts, roll them up and pack in a baking tin.

Pour in enough stock to cover about a quarter of the way up the chicken breasts. Put into middle of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until chicken cooked all the way through. Enjoy hot by removing chicken, add remaining tarragon to juices and simmer for 5 minutes to enjoy cold allow to cool completely, no sauce needed for serving this way.