Hello world

[Workslave]

Hello fruit and veg world
I am Steve, a 19 year old with autism spectrum disorder
I enjoy gardening as I cant get along with humans very easily as they are very difficult to understand and have very vague rules which often I find hard to understand.
I have been taking lessons in human emotive response and would like to learn more of your jokes so I can make people feel more at ease with my condition, as I'm told it is often difficult for humans who meet us.

Thank you for allowing me to try to integrate into society a little more.

[veggiechicken]

Hello Steve and welcome to our growing world.

Do you have a garden or allotment where you grow fruit and veg? Please tell us what you like growing and eating, of course, as there no point growing something you don't enjoy eating!

My favourites are tomatoes, can't wait to pick the first ripe tomato of 2019 - but it'll be a few months before I can do that, May or June I hope.

[Workslave]

Oh hello again, I responded in the wrong order I apologise
I have always just gardened at home but now I will be getting my allotment this week, that is why I signed up so I can ask some questions.

I enjoy growing anything but I really love foliage plants most even though you cant eat most of them
Im excited about big leaves, like courgettes, pumpkins and any of the other curcubits.
Iike to eat all my vegetables as they help my autism symptoms sometimes I eat
them even if I don't like the flavour just so I can feel better.
I really liked the flaour of Delikatess cucumber last year.

Which types of tomatoes do you like to grow? which ones would you recommend for me to try? I will have access to a shared greenhouse.
You will have tomatoes ready in June? that seems very early is there a secret I need to learn?
Which tomato do you think has the best flavour?
sincerely
Steve

[Atta]

Hello Steve its a great forum you joined hope you will enjoy here.

[Chrissyteacup]

Hi Steve welcome to the forum!

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Steve

Everyone has their favourite tomato mine's called 'Black Cherry' they're small, sweet and very tasty.

[mrmauy]

Welcome to the vine Steve. My favourite tomato is currently Gardeners Delight, although this year I am going to try Black Cherry and Sungold as well. Do you prefer the small cherry tomatoes (like me), standard salad or a big beefsteak type?

If you're a fan of big leaves you could look at things like the Asturian Tree Cabbage and a lot of the kale varieties.

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine
I don't get on with humans very well either, I like to be left alone to play in my garden.
But most of the humans on here are very friendly and very helpful.

I also like growing pumpkins and courgette, because they grow so quickly.
Maybe you would like to join in with vine Tromboncino competition.
Tromboncino are a climbing courgette and it's a funny shape.
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ion_98739.html
It's just a bit of fun. There's no prizes and no rules.

As for tomatoes there's so many different ones. My favourites are sungold and Black Russian. Because there are so many different varieties I try to grow at least one variety I've not grown before every year.

[Baldy]

Welcome along to the forum Steve.
You can get early plants by doing things like starting them off on a sunny southfacing windowsill - or buying a heated propagator. Having access to a greenhouse will also give you lots of benefits.
My favourite tomato is rosella - but I'll be trying to grow a few other varieties as well this year.
Godd luck.

[gardening_gal]

Hi Steve. I have two kids on the spectrum and also a nephew recently diagnosed with Autism and another nephew presently being assessed for Asperger's so I am aware of the difficulties you face in life generally.

It's really good you have found an interest in gardening, you are right in saying plants can help with your symptoms. Juicing green plants especially is really good to help with this but you really need a masticating juicer which unfortunately isn't cheap. My daughter dislikes the taste quite often but she does try to drink my juices as she knows they help her.

Spinach and kale are very good for you and are easy to grow.

As for tomatoes, I don't know about the one with the best flavour, but I got lots and lots of tomatoes from a strain called 'Shirley'

Anyway, I really hope you visit this site a lot, there is a lot of good information here and everyone is very kind and friendly.

Questions are good here. If you need to ask something, someone will be able to help.

I'm not an expert gardener so I ask loads of questions. As soon as I get an idea in my head, it spills out and I usually ask have to questions about it here straightaway.

Good luck with your allotment. I expect it will be a lot of hard work at first but it will be worth it.

[Snoop Puss]

Hello, Steve. Hope you have a great growing year on your allotment.

As for my favourite tomato, I like all the ones I grow. Not many tomatoes I don't like, in fact. However, there is one tomato that's the best of all and that's the very first one of the season!

If you like big plants, are you thinking of growing any potatoes this year? They grow quite big and it's always exciting digging the potatoes up. The first potatoes of the year are also the best.

See you around the forum. Lots of friendly folk here willing to share information and laughs.

[Aunty Social]

Steve, what a lovely introduction!

One of my best friends is also on the spectrum, a very fine artist & filmmaker; I love corresponding with him because his grasp of language & events is so unique.

As Small Pumpkin mentioned, I too struggle with humans: I prefer solitude and moved to a rural mountaintop to get it.

But when I need a bit of company I come here, as these guys are just the best I've never met. Also they are so happy to help!

My favourite tomato was the one I grew last year, Herzfeuer, which I believe are about 39p a packet at Lidl. This year I'm going for Alicante. Gardeners Delight if you like cherry toms is a good one if you're a newbie. It's always tricky on the mountaintop because of wind & random sun...

Oh, and the only secret to growing toms I know of is, don't give up! Our landlords were shocked when we gave them ripe tomatoes last year as they'd never been able to grow tomatoes when they lived here.

All best of luck with your garden, hope you enjoy the Vine

[Lumpy]

Hello Steve and a very warm welcome from me as well.
Like others I find ‘people’ difficult to deal with but on here I’ve found out that my virtual friends really are fabulous.
The toms I like the most are Tumbling Tom Yellow. I have a very small garden and use hanging baskets etc. They are pretty and very sweet. They freeze well but do make a delicious but strange coloured sauce or soup.

[SarrissUK]

Hi Steve and a warm welcome to the forum

My favourite tomato is Red Pear - a very sweet little cherry tomato in the shape of a droplet.

My favourite vegetable is asparagus. When you let them grow, and don't cut the spears, they grow into absolutely massive ferns! If you want to have a look, Charles Dowding features them in one of his videos

[Tripmeup]

Hi and welcome Steve..
beetroot is nice and leafy too so you can add that to your list..
Don't forget a chilli or two if you have access to a greenhouse!!😁