Wow! Seventy tomatoes and counting...and they are still popping out all over the place. Seriously compromising access to the forward deck, I almost need a machete to get through these days. This is not a crop to be grown at sea I fear! However they have added a degree of interest to a long 'dock-bound' hurricane season.
The fruit are plumping up nicely, and so far, showing little sign of splitting or disease. Three have a strange black mark at the base and one plant is pushing out roots from all along its stems. I am being careful to keep those away from the teak deck or we may have a rather unusual problem to deal with!
The plants themselves are looking extremely healthy. A good dark green with plenty of foliage and strong growth. Interestingly the one that I staked is not producing as prolifically as the one I have allowed to grow 'au naturel'. Could be that they are marketed as a bush plant and that suits it better. Now we have to see what size they will get to and whether they will turn red without splitting. Fingers crossed...
The weather continues to be grey and drizzly and a lot cooler. Nearly lost the starboard plant this morning when a boat passing on the Rio created so much wash we went into a massive roll. I scrambled on deck to hold the plant in place and have now wedged it behind the 'granny bars' at the mast in the hope that if I am not around nothing will fly overboard!
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