My land in George Town, since sold for a very nice profit, was 1200mm clay over basalt. No wonder then that my Stella cherry tree sapling died—it needs excellent drainage, not something clay provides!

Clay has benefits: it hangs on to water and nutrients and provides minerals useful to plants. To show how it hangs onto water—I wanted a couple of pergolas built (the new owners pulled one down, the other is still there) so holes were drilled into the ground: the top 200-300mm were dry, then once through that crust sploosh into very wet clay indeed.

IT IS FATAL TO ADD SAND! Clay and sand practically turn into cement. No, what we do is to add gypsum. Dig over or rotary hoe the patch of soil you want to treat. You want coarse clumps. Do this in the fall, sprinkle gypsum thickly and let it be until spring. Now a little bit of sharp sand can be added if you like.

You can get liquid gypsum, apply with watering can etc.

You will likely need to add gypsum every three years.

Gypsum is something you should dig into your soil before planting tomatoes, especially if it is going to be a hot summer meaning lots of watering needed, meaning nutrients washed out of the soil. Lack of calcium means blossom end rot in tomatoes, a very ugly thing. Dolomite, a calcium=magnesium-carbonate is also good against blossom end rot. Liquid gypsum can be sprayed over the tomato plants.

I look forward to being able to plant 100 tomato plants: start them in greenhouse or polytunnel then plant out late November (or whatever, will see how weather goes around here but haven’t seen a frost for ages.)

Eat some tomatoes, preserve a lot more:

1. Jars of sundried tomatoes (cherry toms especially, dry quick and need minimum handling, slice in half) preserved in olive oil with a bay leaf, sprig of basil and a clove of garlic!

2. Bottle tomato juice for gazpacho or drinking etc

3. Can peeled whole tomatoes—not as cooked a taste as passata.

4. Make and can passata for pasta dishes etc

Give away some to neighbors etc.

With the juice, whole toms and passata I add a level teaspoon of citric acid. Does add acidity to the taste but by making the ingredients a bit acid you can safely can them using a normal waterbath else a pressure canner is recommended.