Green tomato chutney

It was quite hot today. I was up fairly early anyway so I was at the plot at 1000 (early for me!). After a comment on Gardeners World last night, I thought I'd plant out the 7 chilli plants I had in the lean-to. They were still in the 3 inch pots they were started off in so they were bursting to get out. A couple of them were fruiting though.

When I arrived at the site, I bumped into one of the regulars. I asked him whether he had sprayed his tomato plants yet as I knew he did last year (it didn't stop the blight it turns out). He showed me his tomato plants - Fantasio I think he said - which are believed to be blight resistant. Sure enough - lovely big fruit with no real sign of blight though one fruit I spotted had a brown bottom. Could be blossom end rot or something. He removed it then and there. I asked what the taste was supposed to be like as I assumed that a compromise would have to be made between taste and blight-resistance. He said that he would let me try one when they are ready. In return, I gave him 2 of my chilli plants.

I was thinking of planting the chillies in Bed 7 in the space vacated by the tomatoes but I could do with putting some more brassicas there. Bed 4 offered more promise. I ended up digging over the whole bed around the globe artichokes and mint. Then I planted out the 5 remaining chilli plants and watered them in.

Another plotter came past and commented that the pods on my remaining broad beans plants were ready to be picked for seed. I thought they had gone black because of a disease so I was going to rip them out and discard them. Apparently, they blacken when they dry. Lots of seed for next year or for swapping then.

It was getting a tad warm so I nipped home for a spot of lunch. While there, I set about making green tomato chutney (thanks to my friend Ben and his Nanny Foo Doo for the recipe). As luck would have it, there were just enough tomatoes for the recipe. See below for the result...



...though I haven't taken a photo of the ruined pan.

While waiting for the chutney to cook down, I watered some plants and sowed some chervil (from saved seed from the plant on the windowsill that had gone to seed), rocket, lettuce, dill and coriander.

I popped back over to the plot this evening to start clearing the area behind Bed 8. Lots cleared ready for digging tomorrow. Lots of comfrey for the compost heap and loads of bindweed and brambles. Beats the gym any day. Plus, I spotted some ripe yellow plums growing on a young tree underneath the willow - don't think I'd seen that before. That's breakfast sorted.