Harvesting sunflower seeds and stems - autumn garden update!

[@Quaker521]

Thanks for the video Andy, I found it very relaxing to watch. I think you can say that this year has been a bit of a success and the whole garden is looking great which is a testament to all the hard work you have put into it. Cheers.

[@ncey8713]

I think you've earned a promotion from 'very' to 'quite' amateur gardener

[@andyc972]

Thanks Andy, great update, what a brilliant first year you've had with your greenhouse and veg growing, you've certainly been self-sufficient in Tomatoes, have you had to give loads away ? As far as the plants go now, I would remove most of the foliage as they don't need the energy from them they just need to ripen so the less shade there is the better, it also helps with air circulation to avoid moulds and the dreaded blight ! Many salad leaves are cool weather crops so you could raise some seedlings ready to plant out once the tomatoes are cleared, some will be fine outside too especially things like lambs lettuce ! Food to see you composting everything, the compost you create is your best friend for sorting out the areas with poor soil so the more the better, you can also use the spent compost from your pots for mulching or even top-dressing the lawn ! Finally if you like sun-dried tomatoes it could be worth investing in a dehydrator/dryer, It takes a while but they're cheap to run and you get to keep your glut of lovely fruits in oil for a year or two, good for mushrooms, plums, apples etc too !

[@karenanderson7873]

I've never had good results from those F1 hybrid tomatoes bought as expensive plants or seed. The best tomatoes have been from fruit bought from small greengrocers that I've liked the taste of. Cut one in Feb/March, squeeze out the seeds and shove them in a pot on the kitchen windowsill. Job done. Repot up to the first TRUE leaf as soon as you can to stop them putting on too much vertical growth (lack of light) and stick them in greenhouse roughly April. If your decking is a sun trap, as a test try two pots there and see if that makes a difference for ripening next year. I found it did, I think because of reflected heat from walls.

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Andy, that time of year now, I must say the tomatoes are still looking good I would leave it for 3 weeks or a month. Did not know about sun flower stems to be used as sticks to support plants the following year. As always a great video Take care

[@yanbbrox]

Onion sets(check variety), plant now, get them going in the greenhouse, then plant out and over winter, harvest late spring or early summer. Garlic, plant cloves now for a crop around mid June. You can overwinter purple broccoli. Getting them in and rooted will give them a huge boost come spring, just a couple of ideas for you

[@peathead4450]

Curly kale is (by far) most delicious after frost. The the plant produces sugar to prevent the plant from dying. In NL curly kale mashed with potatoes and good (= no supermarket) sausage and crunchy baked lard are a winters' treat.

[@janiefield5556]

Hi I am really enjoying your gardening journey and I also grew tomatoes and cucumbers for the first time this year. I watch a lady on youtube who is in Canada but she grows all kinds of fruit and veg and explains so much on how to grow and look after them and when to pick etc. I've learnt so much from her videos so maybe give her a watch to get some info on your brocolli and kale and tomatoes and sunflowers? (She loves sunflowers!!) Her channel is called Little Mountain Ranch. Hope this helps xxx

[@SteveMonk1956]

I still have tomato plants outside with fruit ripening. Mind you I live in Kent.

[@JRP58]

Removing the excess foliage on the tomatoes should help them ripen.

[@karenanderson7873]

Also, if you look back at this vid towards the end you'll notice that whatever that is growing house-side of your greenhouse is casting shadow; that won't be helping in terms of full sun for ripening the plants at the back of the greenhouse.

[@chrischilds7245]

Take off all the leaves and new flowers from the tomato plants and the ripening will sharp speed up! Mind the plants don't look appealing 🤢, I'm also in Newcastle and did this a few weeks ago and the harvests have been abundant!

[@Nasalkeihpos]

My tomato is also still trying to make fruit. It’s not even in a greenhouse! Totally mad

[@carolinegreenwell9086]

I was told that to finish off ripening fruits, put them in a paper bag with a banana. Would that work with tomatoes? Otherwise, lots of chutney.

[@HiruS22]

It's never worked for me, but I do like the chutney.I add onions and the whole 200g of gooseberries I get per year 😂

[@Russwig]

Do you eat your Nasturtiums? The flowers are good in salads.

[@HiruS22]

And the leaves, as long as you don't let them get big and tough

[@Blade1310]

The seasons are all over the shop. If it doesn't break the bank you may as well try seeding early if only to see what happens. Carry on experimenting Andy!