Last season I spent over $200 purchasing tomatoes plants, this year I was determined not to purchase any.
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/07c08bb7-3cb5-4f84-bab9-591e8633ce53.png) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/07c08bb7-3cb5-4f84-bab9-591e8633ce53.png.html)
These were started from seeds, my wife told me I wouldn't be eating tomatoes this year with those.
I don't know, after 4 week they look pretty good to me and already about 2' tall with flowers.
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2011%209%2004%2023%20AM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2011%209%2004%2023%20AM.jpg.html)
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2011%209%2004%2049%20AM%201.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2011%209%2004%2049%20AM%201.jpg.html)
I believe I will be eating some and probably better than usual ;D
Sal
Those look nice and healthy Mr. C.
Tomatoes, garlic, and parsley are like my favorite ingredients. Hope you have a bumper crop, looks like a great start!
......................Lou
The taste of home grown tomatoes can't be beat.
Sal, I wish you were closer, I could fix ya up for those tomato plants. My dad deals in plants and produce...we always have left over plants that don't sell...and whoever is around at the time gets a killer deal. We are just starting to get a few green ones. Hope your plants do well. 8)
Quote from: RowdyW on June 11, 2017, 02:21:14 PM
The taste of home grown tomatoes can't be beat.
Straight-Up! I don't even bother buying 'em anymore.
Gfish
We planted last week, it froze the last 2 nights and looks like it will 2 more. We were ready for it and know how to survive.
Cool Beans....errr Tomatoes ;) Looks like it's gonna be a good harvest brother.....Bill
Tomatoes huh.....we use a bunch of them in our house too!!! You are talking about making salsa right ;D
Brett
We planted cherry and plumb tomato and they are doing great! Mine are like 30" and have more flowers than ever. We have not had the best weather either. The best tomato growing I ever had was in Nevada. Hot, dry air with plenty of water at the base of the plant. Had giant crops.
Andy
Quote from: Keta on June 11, 2017, 02:31:44 PM
We planted last week, it froze the last 2 nights and looks like it will 2 more. We were ready for it and know how to survive.
:D :D
I already know that you know how to survive, i've listened to your stories for some time now.
As going out in the middle of a snow storm and get the snow off the roof before it caves in, chopping ice off the pond so the sheep could drink, crawling under the foundation to melt the frozen pipes. ;D
And at times you get lucky with shotting off the heater when a heatwave of above 35 degreese rolls in.
I still don't know how you manage Lee. ;D
Sal
One good thing is our summers are not too hot Sal. Some of our corn is just now coming up and is protected by being 2" below the surface level in post holes. My garlic is over 2' tall and thriving. My bees are cold though. The peppers and tomatoes are planted alongside fence panels so we can cover them up in the spring and fall. If we survive the next 4 days we should be OK until late August or early September.
Quote from: steelhead_killer on June 11, 2017, 03:40:50 PM
We planted cherry and plumb tomato and they are doing great! Mine are like 30" and have more flowers than ever. We have not had the best weather either. The best tomato growing I ever had was in Nevada. Hot, dry air with plenty of water at the base of the plant. Had giant crops.
Andy
Iowa is a good place to grow anything but I could not deal with the humidity and the long drive to saltwater.
Try growing some 349h parts.
Mike
Quote from: mikeysm on June 11, 2017, 05:36:50 PM
Try growing some 349h parts.
Mike
Spools, bearings, rings, stands and gears.
Stuff grows pretty fast here but tomatoes are really difficult for us. The piercing insects ruin them before they can fully ripen. In the most recent attempt we were putting each green cluster of fruit in a little mesh bag to protect them. They did great until the last few weeks when the rats found them and chewed the bags and tomatoes.
-steve
We are having a heat wave here, it has warmed up to 45 with wind and trying to rain.
I am so ready for some Home Grown Goodness.
I eat them until the corners of my mouth start cracking from the acid content.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TWwyhCVBDg
Quote from: Shark Hunter on June 11, 2017, 08:59:46 PM
I am so ready for some Home Grown Goodness.
I eat them until the corners of my mouth start cracking from the acid content.
That hit the spot. Thanks Daron.
Quote from: Shark Hunter on June 11, 2017, 08:59:46 PM
I am so ready for some Home Grown Goodness.
Store bought fruit and vegetables are mostly crap, tomatoes and peaches are some of the worse. Last year we drove 90 miles over the mountains to
Medford, OR and picked 200# of ripe peaches, canned and possessed for a week but we are eating good. Jalapeno peach jam is very good. I ate over 10 peaches to make sure the ones we were picking were good...:0)
In my family growing up we always had a family garden, I remember the first time I put one in after my wife and I married, she couldn't understand why I would go through so much work? After eating the fresh tomatoes there was no looking back. I just finished tilling for the garden this morning after not having a garden the past three years, I couldn't stand it anymore. I just have to figure out how to keep the rats and squirrels out of them. Last year they took every single peach off the tree, the night before I was going to harvest! I'm told the best repellant is to get a dog, so I took some boards off the fence so my neighbors dog can come over and chase the rodents away. Hope it works!
Quote from: STRIPER LOU on June 11, 2017, 02:03:03 PM
Those look nice and healthy Mr. C.
Tomatoes, garlic, and parsley are like my favorite ingredients. Hope you have a bumper crop, looks like a great start!
......................Lou
Lou you forgot basil... I can't grow tomatoes in my yard the nights are too cool. Dominick
Dom, our basil plant is in the front window. Whenever I want a piece, I just head into the living room with a pair of scissors. We have Basil all year long!
......................Lou
Quote from: Keta on June 11, 2017, 07:07:20 PM
We are having a heat wave here, it has warmed up to 45 with wind and trying to rain.
Last week we had the coldest June day on record for the last decade. It was in the low 70's...
Quote from: STRIPER LOU on June 12, 2017, 12:44:10 AM
Dom, our basil plant is in the front window. Whenever I want a piece, I just head into the living room with a pair of scissors. We have Basil all year long!
......................Lou
Lou
I have 3 Basil Plants in my window sill. They look like bushes. Also Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley & Oregano. I think we are covered.
Mike
I can't imagine dealing with all those pests,
Our main pests are squirrels and chipmunks. The occasional Deer, Racoons and Possums.
If any of these disturb my only crop, they will be shot.
I live in the city, but I will not tolerate any vermin in my garden.
22 to 12 gauge. You are not getting my maters. ;)
Being so close to the 4th of July, I can fire a gun in the back yard.
My mater garden is right outside the back door.
It was a firework. ;D
One trick that has worked for me... When the plants get "leggy" (tall and thin) and before blossoming, dig them up, remove any leaves near the bottom of the stem, and replant them much deeper, a 5-6 inches below the newest leaves. The stem that you have just buried will sprout roots, and the existing roots will be even deeper in the soil, where there is more moisture. Even if you can't go much deeper, you can lay the stem sideways to plant it. More roots -- healthier plants. If I buy plants late in the season, they tend to be scrawny, too big for their pots, and cheap, but after replanting them that way, they thrive. It's hard to kill a tomato plant. ;D
Home grown tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, EVO, balsamic and a piece of semolina bread..
It's what's for dinner!
Quote from: Bulldawg on June 12, 2017, 10:30:35 PM
Home grown tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, EVO, balsamic and a piece of semolina bread..
It's what's for dinner!
You got it Bulldawg! I recently dicovered mozzarella from Hole Food store...good stuff.
Sal
Great stuff Sal !
In our hot climate. we can only grow produce in the winter time. Summer is too hot for most things to survive.
Truss tomatoes are the only edible ones in the supermarkets and they are pretty pricey at he moment - A$7.00 per kilo.
A great simple snack is avocado on bread topped with fresh rocket (Arugula) and tomato with a bit of pepper.
It's a magic combination!
~
Yeah, fresh veggies and fresh fish. I have trouble eating the store bought salmon my wife buys.
The tomatoes in the store have the texture of potatoes, and no flavor.
Some health food guru, ona radio program the other day, said if you want the high nutrient value stuff from tomatos, the best source is from 1) tomato paste, 2) tomato sauce. Ok, but what about the excessive salt concentration...
YES! Golden State! Champs again!
Gfish
Any true health food guru would have said to avoid commercially canned tomato sauces or pastes, altogether. Besides the addition of sodium, there are the government approved levels of non-food materials in our commercially canned food products.
My mother hated the appearance of tomato horn worms. Yet, she worked every summer for years grading tomatoes on harvesters in the Sacramento region. She knew that horn worms and other debris find their way mixed in with the tomatoes during the commercial canning process. She would only use her home-canned tomato sauces. Granted, the final commercial sauce and paste product has been cooked and sterile canned, my mother still would not have had commercially canned products in her food if she could avoid it.
Even spaghetti sauce!! I got no Ragu until I went away to Humboldt. (No control over the canned products used in "dime-a-dip", spaghetti feeds, or other benefit meals.)
Looky here folks...a few ripe tomatoes already! These are Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes and the peppers are Gypsies. Those Candy onions are doing well too. 8)
Mo, I just have a feeling you might be the guy to enjoy this....
When I was a kid working in a paper mill, I spent many a graveyard shift with an old black guy that turned me on to it.
You take a saltine cracker, lay a slice of sweet white onion on it, put a bunch of tiny shrimp on there, then a slice of your freshest tomato. Top it with another saltine and crunch away. Simple but tasty as heck.
If you use the canned shrimp you can take the whole lot fishing for an easy lunch. Take more than you think, it's kind of addicting. Just don't breathe on anybody. :o
Looking good Mo! I believe my plants grew another 6" in the past couple of days, the weather has been very hot and humid here, a good combination. I did see some tomatoes emerging...it won't be long.
I'll do that snack Randy, sunds good!
Quote from: Alto Mare on June 11, 2017, 01:56:41 PM
Last season I spent over $200 purchasing tomatoes plants, this year I was determined not to purchase any.
Sal
Sal, looks like about 30 tomato plants... Roma? Down here in S FL we can't garden in the summer.... well, we can grow native plants, but food stuff is grown in the winter when we have to water (it's our dry season) but the sun is a little lower in the sky. We close our upstairs deck from Memorial Day to Labor Day - it's just too hot to use - but the rest of the year it's like heaven up there. I may grow some tomatoes next winter. I have done so in the past, but this past winter I couldn't get tomato plants to grow. I do so in containers, there's nematodes in the ground that like to eat roots.
Sid
Quote from: sdlehr on June 14, 2017, 01:43:34 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on June 11, 2017, 01:56:41 PM
Last season I spent over $200 purchasing tomatoes plants, this year I was determined not to purchase any.
Sal
Sal, looks like about 30 tomato plants... Roma? Down here in S FL we can't garden in the summer.... well, we can grow native plants, but food stuff is grown in the winter when we have to water (it's our dry season) but the sun is a little lower in the sky. We close our upstairs deck from Memorial Day to Labor Day - it's just too hot to use - but the rest of the year it's like heaven up there. I may grow some tomatoes next winter. I have done so in the past, but this past winter I couldn't get tomato plants to grow. I do so in containers, there's nematodes in the ground that like to eat roots.
Sid
Interesting Sid, i thought you could grow those all year.
Good eye, yes about 30 plants and all of the same kind, I usally mixed them up with 4 varieties.
Roma tomatoes are usually the only ones we use for jars, these were giving to me by an older gentleman about 4 years ago, I was so happy with them that I kept the seeds.
The fruit is very large and unusually mild for the size as in acid content.
Here is a pic from a couple of years back, comparing with one of my 4/0. Sorry, that's all I could find around here to make the compare it with ;D
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/012_zps94846290.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/012_zps94846290.jpg.html)
These are very meety, I enjoy them diced up and fried with extra virgin olive oil and a little garlic. I would cook some spagetti al dente , toss them in the frying pan and that's about it.
Some times I'll add a dozen little necks whole, some red pepper flakes and fresh italian parsley...good stuff.
I used to plant a dozen Roma plants, then slice them and dry them on a rack on top of my patio. We would have dried to,atoms to cook with all year plus enough to give to my kids. 30 plants will produce enough for a small army. I'm planting two plants this year just for eating fresh off the vine. Like an apple only better.
Quote from: David Hall on June 14, 2017, 11:01:51 PM
I used to plant a dozen Roma plants, then slice them and dry them on a rack on top of my patio. We would have dried to,atoms to cook with all year plus enough to give to my kids. 30 plants will produce enough for a small army. I'm planting two plants this year just for eating fresh off the vine. Like an apple only better.
Not at my house Dave, 30 plants will produce enough for the summer, maybe up to early fall.
Thanks folks for chiming in, I too try to grow my own tomatoes. Butt we must use a small south facing greenhouse. It works ok, but limits the size of your project. I have 2 bushy early types that are now flowering, and this year, and started the seeds this year in the greenhouse. In past years the starts are in the house untill leggy. Sometimes we get a late frost in the late spring and it gets my zucchini plants. Gardening in SE AK is a challenge, Butt the food is really special! Sorry no pictures yet. gst.
Dealing with 150"-200" of rain and most days overcast does make it hard to grow anything but mold in SE Alaska.
Hopefully "winter" is over here now, last week we survived 5 mornings of below freezing weather with 28 the coldest. We had a bit of frost burn on 1 tomato plant and one pepper but the corn made it....being planted 3" below ground level in postholes helps. Our garlic thrives with colder mornings and is now over 2' tall. Our new "livestock" has increased our berry production and it looks like we will have surplus and our apples made it past the blossoming stage for the first time in 3 years.
Quote from: Alto Mare on June 14, 2017, 04:12:45 PMInteresting Sid, i thought you could grow those all year.
In the summer it's above 90F by 9:30am and stays that way until after 8pm, with humidity hovering around 90% most of the time. Even if we could garden in the summer we wouldn't spend much time outside unless we were wet - which happens whether you want it to or not in about a minute and a half. Even indoors the humidity creeps up to where it takes noticeably longer to dry completely after a shower. We get 8 months of heavenly weather and pay for it during the four months of summer heat. But I never have to shovel snow, and that's a bargain!
Sid
I know I'm late to the party. ;D Once a week I spray an Epsom salt solution on my tomatoes and peppers. I do 2 tablespoons to a gallon in a sprayer for 30-45 seconds per plant. They do really well as long as I keep the slug traps full of beer. I have cherry and grape tomatoes in hanging 5 gal buckets and and the rest in 5 gal buckets on the ground. I don't have a large enough garden to plant them in the ground as I have a ton of other veggies growing in the beds.
(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/scHEEO.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnscHEEOj)
Down here in the south....a slab of cold tomato, some Duke's mayo (on both sides of white bread) and some black pepper....and it's feeding time.
I live in a county where it is illegal to fire a gun of any kind...and the deer population knows it. I'd have to have a 20ft fence around my garden.
Had some nice tomatoes last year in Philadelphia but the squirrels ate all of em. Down to five plants this year. They all doing fine so far.
Just got my third plant in, I've actually had tomatoes up into December here. Some years are funny that way.
I am waiting patiently for my crop.
We have hit a cool spell, I have plenty of green ones.
The time will come.
I also planted a passel of peppers, including poblano, jalapeño, Serrano and ghost peppers, need to find a couple habaneros to add into the mix. Keep them carolina reapers though.
Quote from: David Hall on June 27, 2017, 04:16:53 AM
I also planted a passel of peppers, including poblano, jalapeño, Serrano and ghost peppers, need to find a couple habaneros to add into the mix. Keep them carolina reapers though.
I have some you can have for free! Pick up only though. I had a hard time finding habaneros early in the seaon, so I bought seed. That took forever and I eventually found some plants and bought and planted them. I now have about 10 plants and have reaped 3 peppers so far. I don't know what I'll do with the res. :-\
Quote from: Army_of_One on June 27, 2017, 12:17:55 PM
Quote from: David Hall on June 27, 2017, 04:16:53 AM
I also planted a passel of peppers, including poblano, jalapeño, Serrano and ghost peppers, need to find a couple habaneros to add into the mix. Keep them carolina reapers though.
I have some you can have for free! Pick up only though. I had a hard time finding habaneros early in the seaon, so I bought seed. That took forever and I eventually found some plants and bought and planted them. I now have about 10 plants and have reaped 3 peppers so far. I don't know what I'll do with the res. :-\
Okay where are you located?
The very first flowers came off, maybe too much rain in the beginning.
After approximately 6 weeks it went from this:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/07c08bb7-3cb5-4f84-bab9-591e8633ce53.png) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/07c08bb7-3cb5-4f84-bab9-591e8633ce53.png.html)
To this:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2046%20PM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2046%20PM.jpg.html)
Looks like things are moving along nicely.
Tomatoes are starting to show up:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2028%204%2059%2058%20PM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2028%204%2059%2058%20PM.jpg.html)
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2014%20PM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2014%20PM.jpg.html)
and so are the eggplants and zucchini:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2052%20PM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2000%2052%20PM.jpg.html)
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g431/pescatore1/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2001%2000%20PM.jpg) (http://s1101.photobucket.com/user/pescatore1/media/Photo%20Jun%2028%205%2001%2000%20PM.jpg.html)
I'm guessing in two weeks I'll be eating tomatoes. These are grown naturally, by the way, just a little fertilizer during planting.
Sal
I just had a flashback to when I was a bartender/sommelier in an Italian restaurant, almost 40 years ago.
The chef made an incredible eggplant Parmesan.
And I went out with a lot of waitresses. ;D
3 years in the new house and I still have not started my raised/potted garden.
Sigh. Next year, maybe.
Sal, that's a great spot for growing you have there.
All that brick radiates heat, add water, and a green thumb, hard to beat!
With 3 acres, I have no garden. There are so many deer here one would need a fence 8 ft. tall.
Thank goodness farmer Joe's is right up the street. Man, there ain't nuttin like a homegrown tomato!
..................Lou
Quote from: STRIPER LOU on June 29, 2017, 08:07:36 PM
Sal, that's a great spot for growing you have there.
All that brick radiates heat, add water, and a green thumb, hard to beat!
With 3 acres, I have no garden. There are so many deer here one would need a fence 8 ft. tall.
Thank goodness farmer Joe's is right up the street. Man, there ain't nuttin like a homegrown tomato!
..................Lou
Make that fence 8' tall and surround it with Rosemary, deer will stay away.
Ive had no deer problems with my garden, and dont want to put up a tall fence. This works good for me. I call it my "Watchman". ;D
(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/DSC_0246_zpsyk5rwgem.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/DSC_0246_zpsyk5rwgem.jpg.html)
He/She also keeps the neighbors little dogs out of my yard! ;)
:D :D...
Quote from: gstours on June 30, 2017, 04:57:59 PM
(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/DSC_0246_zpsyk5rwgem.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/DSC_0246_zpsyk5rwgem.jpg.html)
gstours!
Drop 'm!
Bear stew is excellent!!!!
Wayne
That would be a deterent. Keep just about everything and everyone out of the yard.
Since mr scruffy wasnt always willing to sit in the yard all day ive even hired an alternate to protect my tomatoes. Meet mr. Big B. :o
Everything seems good except when he poops. Hence the name! :P
(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/DSC_0241_zpsngtd177l.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/DSC_0241_zpsngtd177l.jpg.html)
My daughter has certainly grown over the years. Tomatoes, however, are about the same.
Very nice Long Enuff! I let them get tall as well, I don't like to cut the tips.
Sal
Very Nice.
A small garden is one of the simple things in life that keeps me sane.
Just a simple pleasure.
There are pests that keeps others from such a thing.
I consider myself lucky. ;)
yes mr sharkee dude, gardening is therapy, so is working on fishing stuff! :)
I had a row of Kale winter over first time ever. Like rhubarb it rises to see the sun, now is 4 ft tall and flowering w yellow colors.
Got so tall I had to tie it up . Enjoy what you have. ;)
Quote from: Alto Mare on June 14, 2017, 04:12:45 PM
These are very meety, I enjoy them diced up and fried with extra virgin olive oil and a little garlic.
Compadre Sal, can you school me a bit more on how do you prepare those fried tomatoes?
I really like to eat tomatoes at any way/form specially fresh, on a breakfast with the eggs I usually slice a whole tomatoe and eat it like candy.
but I've been hearing about frying tomatoes but really dont know whats the correct way to do it
here in Mexico we have a nice variety of tomatoes but what I usually buy (really hard to grow tomatoes in the desert) is the "pear tomatoe" and Jitomate
Pear tomate
(http://hawofruits-spain.es/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/tomate-pera-646x298.jpg)
Jitomate or tomate ball
(http://goo.gl/TLj8UM)
Hey compadre, we call those Roma tomatoes, or plum tomatoes. We used to get a couple of hundred bushels from Jersey farms, when my Mom was around. I have friends that still do, that's what we use to make tomatoe sauce.
We do fry tomatoes sometimes, but only the green ones, not the ones from the early season, we usually use the ones from late season that are left on the vine.
We have many dishes we use tomatoes for, today I happen to be in and out and decided to make zucchini parmigiana.
These are from my garden, but not the tomatoes
(http://i.imgur.com/pmZDH3A.jpg)
I dip them in egg, breadcrumbs and fry them up
(http://i.imgur.com/tkzDHCe.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pZIzrsZ.jpg)
those will then get assembled in a baking pan in layers with fresh tomatoes that have been cooked in some olive oil and garlic, topped with the king of cheese and mozzarella. Will then bakes for 45 minutes.
(http://i.imgur.com/sSSgTRC.jpg)
We also make stuffed tomatoes with rice, you could also add ground beef, we like it without.
The dish we make the most at my house is tomatoe salad. Very simple, tomatoes cut into wedges, placed in a bowl with a piece of garlic, sliced ognions, fresh basil, sliced cucumber, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
At times we'll add lettuce to it, depends on the mood.
Sal
Alto it's not sauce......it's gravy!
Quote from: George6308 on July 05, 2017, 08:45:36 PM
Alto it's not sauce......it's gravy!
haha...I have seen this argument go on for some time and never got anywhere. :)
I'm imported and where I come from, we would consider gravy same as that brown gravy you would get with your sloppy joe's ;D.
We call it salsa di pomodoro:
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/italian-english/salsa-di-pomodoro
Sal
Thanks Sal, those zuccini look so yummi
Btw, I would call that a Salsa too. ;)
Finally! My Rife's Pink tomatoes are ripening...they are always the last variety to mature...but so worth the wait. I posted this pic on the Facebooks but just had to share it here too. That's the tomatoes double stacked on a big ol' burger and an ear of Silver Queen sweet corn...Lord have mercy! 8)
My plants are finally at their peak.
They were planted the second week of may at about 10" tall.
They took their sweet time.
Pick three or four about every day.
This won't last long, but I am enjoying it!
Mine went in really late, they're just about four feet tall and blossoms galore, no fruit yet but soon.
I did get a dozen jalapeños harvested yesterday! One ghost pepper on the bush. A ton of serano peppers, a few arboles. Pickled the jalapeños. Next batch is getting stuffed and smoked.
I wish I could grow any vegetables here :'( :'(
miles around is desert and extremely hot and dry, only few trees and green plants survice, all the rest are local desert spicky bushes and plants
Early Saturday morning harvest:
(http://i.imgur.com/PxYtmoY.jpg)
The large tomatoe in the back weighs 1.5 lbs, here she is resting on my tank for size comparison
(http://i.imgur.com/n9udwTz.jpg)
Sal
Sal I have to ask what you do with the Italian peppers? Do you pickle or eat them fresh?
A contractor friend of mine texted me these photos yesterday while driving to Bend, OR.
The 6 tomatoes weigh 14 lbs!!!!!
His problem is the local rat population, but this time,
Jim 14 - Rats ZERO!!!!
These tomatoes are Summer time ripe and so delicious !!!!!!
Wayne
No Wayne, you tell your contractor friend my is bigger ;D.
I've never seen anything like that, interesting.
Give him my address and let him squeeze some seed in a paper towel and send it to me. I would like to try those, if he doesn't mind of course.
Sal
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 19, 2017, 02:00:18 PM
Early Saturday morning harvest:
The large tomatoe in the back weighs 1.5 lbs, here she is resting on my tank for size comparison
Sal
Nice harvest Sal.....I can't help but drool on that "tomato" plinth in your pic :D :D
Ted
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 19, 2017, 03:52:15 PM
No Wayne, you tell your contractor friend my is bigger ;D.
I've never seen anything like that, interesting.
Give him my address and let him squeeze some seed in a paper towel and send it to me. I would like to try those, if he doesn't mind of course.
Sal.
Sal!
Your wish is my command!
I'll take care of this & send you some of those seeds! ;)
Wayne
Cool!...Thanks Wayne ;)!
I gotta hurry up and eat these small 'maters...the big ones are coming on now...hee hee! They sorta dwarf the hamburger bun! :o
Quote from: El Pescador on August 19, 2017, 03:07:20 PM
A contractor friend of mine texted me these photos yesterday while driving to Bend, OR.
The 6 tomatoes weigh 14 lbs!!!!!
His problem is the local rat population, but this time,
Jim 14 - Rats ZERO!!!!
These tomatoes are Summer time ripe and so delicious !!!!!!
Wayne
Wait are those pumpkins or tomatoes? Just kidding but it could be the pruning technique, that helps develops such large tomatoes but interesting variety.
Heres a few pics from our local garden...We haven't gotten near the results we got last year but its still more than enough for the wife and I....
Quote from: wailua boy on August 19, 2017, 10:33:25 PM
Wait are those pumpkins or tomatoes? Just kidding but it could be the pruning technique, that helps develops such large tomatoes but interesting variety.
wailua boy!
I'll ask Jim when I get back regarding the tomato variety & planting, pruning & growing techniques.
Wayne
Quote from: pjstevko on August 19, 2017, 10:47:46 PM
Heres a few pics from our local garden...We haven't gotten near the results we got last year but its still more than enough for the wife and I....
Nice. I just can't learn to like ampalaya (bitter melon) and I can eat just about everything.
I love tomatoes and although Florida grows a ton of them for the Winter market, it seems the northern east coast tomatoes have a better flavor.
Those armenian cucumbers are around 2ft long and we pick about 3 a day!!!
Quote from: pjstevko on August 20, 2017, 12:29:08 AM
Those armenian cucumbers are around 2ft long and we pick about 3 a day!!!
I thought they were bitter melons and not cucumbers. My mistake, they sure have similarities.
Quote from: El Pescador on August 20, 2017, 12:03:12 AM
Quote from: wailua boy on August 19, 2017, 10:33:25 PM
Wait are those pumpkins or tomatoes? Just kidding but it could be the pruning technique, that helps develops such large tomatoes but interesting variety.
wailua boy!
I'll ask Jim when I get back regarding the tomato variety & planting, pruning & growing techniques.
Wayne
From my personal experience, pruning didn't do much for size. Some I keep low, but others are now over 9' tall and still producing flowers...we'll see if I get many more.
Nice to see everyone else, thanks for sharing guys.
Today I made a tomato pie, I cooked it on the grill at low temperature, it came out perfect, nice and crispy. Those grill mats are doing a great job on everything I grill.
I also fried those banana peppers with a couple of hot ones, I had those with some bread and extra sharp provolone...good stuff!
I set up a aquaponic growbed a few years ago and love it but stick to mostly lettuce but have grown strawberries and they seem to do well in the system. I did want to try tomatoes in system one day. Give it a try if any anyone is looking for a fun project. The kids love seeing the fish.
Thanks for the tomatoe pictures you all; and here is my prize. ::) It is vine ripened in SE Alaska. They say it cant be done? ;)
(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/IMG_5308_zpsojnfhng2.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/IMG_5308_zpsojnfhng2.jpg.html)
There is nothing like a vine ripened one for flavor! ;D Our season is short and much cooler, the passive greenhouse helps me.
I have a million maters, all green. The heat put them into suspended animation I think.
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 19, 2017, 03:52:15 PM
... squeeze some seed in a paper towel and send it to me. I would like to try those, if he doesn't mind of course.
Sal
Sal!
I did some horse trading today, traded my contractor buddy 12 of the Last-Of-The-Season white corn on the cob for his LAST Single Huge Vine-ripened Tomato, 4 garden crisp cucumbers, and a dozen fresh Chicken's-scratching-on-the-ground brown eggs.
I'll dry the seeds here for several days, and then mail them to you.
BTW, I asked Jim where he purchased these seeds, what is the variety name, etc.,
He said, "Purchased these seeds??? They come to me after 4 generations of old Italians here in the San Mateo, CA area trading with each other, good luck to your buddy back east!"
Wayne
Haha... very cool Wayne.
Passed on from 4 generations, they're even more valuable than I thought ;).
Thank you Wayne, please thank your contractor friend for me as well.
Sal
We made September 1st without a frost. The garden is booming, lots of tomatoes, corn and our pepper crop is unusualy good. Onions and garlic harvested, cured and ready to store. Our beans got hit hard by earwigs and I don't think we will get any. Fall crop peas and radishes are looking good. Hard times for the garden are comming, we always get good growing weather in October if we can survive 2 to 4 killing frosts. The deer ate 1/2 of our squash, the top 1/2 of every one.
My "livestock" is doing well, we went from 1 colony to 5 then consolidated 2 weak hives so I have 4 colonies getting ready for winter, hopefuly they will all survive the winter.
This year was poor for my tomatoes but we got lots of cherry ones. real sweet. of course lots of zucchini, peas and carrots. Fresh is better.
(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/IMG_5317_zpsdvsrra4i.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/IMG_5317_zpsdvsrra4i.jpg.html)
This morning its clear and sunny butt 34 degrees. ouch?
I have one of my three plants loaded with other two were loaded with flowers then we got three days in a row over 104 degrees and all the flowers fell off. Amd here I was hoping they would enjoy the heat.
I have found a local Farmer at work that gives me as many as I can eat.
He has canned over 300 and has them coming on strong. I am trying. Cottage Cheese and Tomatoes, Bologna and Tomato.
BLT's for Lunch tomorrow.
He puts them out in three stages over the summer.
I am relishing in this. I put 6 on my window sill at work last Friday. I ate four of them today.
One with a big Home made Cheeseburger and corn on the cob!
Sorry, no pics. I ate them all! :P
What no bacon?
OK all of you tomato fans...top this one! I've never seen one like this before...must be manipulated by aliens. 8)
Haha... looks like you're getting a lot of water as I am. :)
My garden is still producing some nice tomatoes,the plants couldn't stay up any longer and folded over.
The peppers are also going crazy this year, I never had peppers plants get as tall as 9'.
(https://i.imgur.com/fjxDspI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Tc6iYVr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hSfKQjT.jpg)
Sal
Here are my two tomato plants this year
Mike
Our crop is doing well —
Planted from seeds 94 days ago —
Probably won't have to apply for a crop disaster loan this year.
Best,
Fred
Mine are still small, but I will be having some BLT's shortly. ;)
Been in the ground since the first week of May.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48069317857_0fa9d6b9ba_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2geHPun)IMG_4504 (https://flic.kr/p/2geHPun) by Daron Dyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152091480@N03/), on Flickr
Wow, you guys got tomatoes already. There has been so much rain here this year, I'm just starting to get a bunch of flowers.
(https://i.imgur.com/fyPam8h.jpg)
These are all from California, a gift from Wayne.
I started them from seeds...we'll see :-\
Sal
I'm getting some green ones...won't be long. Have a cherry tomato hanging basket out front that has ripe ones on it. The pepper plants in the pic below have peppers coming on now...and the pole beans are plum to the top of the cage. Photos are a week or so old. 8)
Sal!
You are being generous!!!
I am just a humble messenger,
All thanks here go to contractor buddy Jim and his Italian wife's heritage - 4 generations of her family, mostly Grandfather & Uncles, growing these monster tomatoes here in San Mateo.
Keep us posted,
Wayne
Hot Dog! Looks like I'll have ripe 'maters by the 4th this year! 8)
Ours won't make it by the 4th, Darn it, but they will be close! Funny thing, the ones coming as "volunteers" in the compost pile are going to beat the "planted ones"!!
Looking good Mike, I can't believe they're almost ready to enjoy.
I started mine with seeds, as I usually do
(https://i.imgur.com/xszobAI.jpg)
They were taking their time, but looks like I'll be eating tomatoes in 10 days or so...can't wait
(https://i.imgur.com/LDg24ti.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/P0VlpF6.jpg)
My seeds for some reason didn't make it this year, these are all from CA, from Wayne's buddy.
Sal
Two of My plants got so tomato bound, they fell on themselves.
Gave It two weeks and pulled them off the plants as they started to turn.
They are Bigger than your fist and in the window sill for now.
The cherry plants are producing ripe ones as big as a quarter. ;)
Finally getting ripe, it won't be long for me to enjoy some
(https://i.imgur.com/JflHFUk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qKccVkm.jpg)
These have nothing added but rain water, some in the back row are really big, should be called pumpkinmaters :)
Sal
Hey those are some nice ones Sal! I think you saw this one on facebook a few days ago...I forgot to post it here. So far it's still the only Rife's pink to ripen. Getting a few
Bush Goliath and Marglobe also. 8)
Sure did Mo, I bet it tasted as good as it looked. :)
One of our favorite summer dinners this time of year —
Half a BBQ'd Ribeye
Tomato, cucumber, red onion, oil & vinegar salad
2-Day Sourdough bread to soak up the juices
Fresno State Corn on the Cob
The fresh home-grown tomatoes are the key.
Pretty good groceries...
Best,
Fred
Now they're coming on at that rate where we end up putting a slice on everything...but ya have to...come January you'd pay $25 for a 'mater like these! ;D
Those look really good Mo, enjoy them!
Fred, I was not aware you guys at the opposite side of the coast enjoy them fixed the same as we do.
That is also the way I like them best. My wife has added a splash of balsamic vinegar to that same recipe
recently and I must say it tastes even better.
Sal
Today I was in the mood for pizza for lunch, I'm actually having it now and will probably go back and grab another slice :)
(https://i.imgur.com/9zf35SR.jpg)
Made the dough and cooked some of those wonderful tomatoes from CA with olive oil, 1 piece of garlic and oregano.
Placed the dough in the oven for 5 minutes and then added the tomatoes that were cooked for about 15 minutes, bufala mozzarella, this mozzarella tastes really good, I got it at Costco if anyone is interested.
(https://i.imgur.com/9Nl57aL.jpg)
Pizza came out very tasty and crispy.
(https://i.imgur.com/dDdzaxp.jpg)
Sal
Looks pretty good !!
That looks great Sal!
I'd sure like to try that but ....... Where's the Beef? More sauce, More cheese...... that's just me. :D
Sal that Pizza looks delicious. Next on your list building a brick pizza oven using your masonry skills?
Did a few for friends George, when I remodel the house it will go in.
Rudy, tomorrow I'm taking one slice to work. I split it with a knife and added a couple of slices of prosciutto parma.
I make pizza many different styles, I wanted to keep this one simple so I could taste the wonderful tomatoes.
They are very tasty :).
Sal
I wasn't going to plant this year but my wife said we needed to keep it alive.
Again these were started from seeds, most are the CA variety that Wayno gifted me about 3 years ago. You're a good man wayne👍
They are very low in acidity.
The front two plants are cherry tomatoes, they make a nice sauce for spaghetti and clams, along with the long hots you see in the front row.
They are coming along nice,I already picked some cherry tomatoes.
[img] https://i.imgur.com/qcbgmC7.jpg[\img]
https://i.imgur.com/u5dDQkE.jpg
Sal
Your wife is a wise lady Sal, you can't beat fresh tomatoes - I bought some from a supermarket a week or two back that looked great but tasted like they were 3D printed. ;D
Mike
Quote from: mhc on July 01, 2020, 11:14:14 AM
Your wife is a wise lady Sal, you can't beat fresh tomatoes - I bought some from a supermarket a week or two back that looked great but tasted like they were 3D printed. ;D
Mike
Thanks Mike... I hope you are doing well.
Sal
Hi Sal, I think I sent you some pics of the tomatoes I grow through winter last year with plastic sheeting over them, doing the same this year, mid winter now, and still picking them, last year the plant was still producing till September, I strans planted two mature plants last week, they are doing well,cheers Don.
They're lookin' good Sal! Ours are coming on also...peppers and 'maters about the same size. I'm not keeping up with the weeds as well as you, but trying. The green onions did so well we couldn't eat them all...still some in there. I planted two late tomatoes in them.8)
Quote from: Alto Mare on July 01, 2020, 10:41:07 AM
.... most are the CA variety that Wayno gifted me about 3 years ago. You're a good man wayne👍
Sal
Sal,
YOU make me blush 8)
Like the Good Book says, "Ask and it shall be given."
Wayne
Quote from: Donnyboat on July 01, 2020, 01:11:45 PM
Hi Sal, I think I sent you some pics of the tomatoes I grow through winter last year with plastic sheeting over them, doing the same this year, mid winter now, and still picking them, last year the plant was still producing till September, I strans planted two mature plants last week, they are doing well,cheers Don.
Yes Don I remember that pic and you had quite a few on there...good job!
Quote from: mo65 on July 01, 2020, 02:26:47 PM
They're lookin' good Sal! Ours are coming on also...peppers and 'maters about the same size. I'm not keeping up with the weeds as well as you, but trying. The green onions did so well we couldn't eat them all...still some in there. I planted two late tomatoes in them.8)
Mo, those look good as well. Mine usually come in in about a month from now.
The cherry tomatoes are already producing and taste like candy.
Quote from: El Pescador on July 01, 2020, 03:39:40 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on July 01, 2020, 10:41:07 AM
.... most are the CA variety that Wayno gifted me about 3 years ago. You're a good man wayne👍
Sal
Sal,
YOU make me blush 8)
Like the Good Book says, "Ask and it shall be given."
Wayne
You're the best Wayne, I really like these variety's.
Thanks everyone.
Finally! The Goliath and Mountain Fresh tomatoes are ripening. The Rife's Pink are still green, probably mid august on those. Lots of peppers coming on too. Sliced the first few Goliaths today for lunch...nothin' like a home grown 'mater! 8)
Great job my friend,,,,,, ;) there's a art to it,,,,,,, :D and making it happen,,,,,, ;D
Got my first ripe tomato last week. I think this is the first time I had a ripe one before the 4th.
Way ta go Daron! I don't get ripe ones before the 4th every year but I did this year. Peppers are coming on good too...with a few ready to pick. 8)
It has been too wet to get to my maters but was able to get a few small ones today before dark.
Hope to get some Big ones in a week or 2.
My tomatoes are small and bright green. It is too cool at night to grow decent tomatoes in my back yard. I visited with Alan last week and his tomatoes are great. I should have taken pics of them to post. When Alan reads this post he might post some tomato pictures. Dominick
Old thread, but it's harvest time! Can't plant tomatoes in MN 'till late May at the earliest, so we tend to be later than other places. But, worth the wait. Tried "Supersauce" this year--a paste tomato for salsa, sauces, etc. Picture is of a one-pounder--looks like a small orange eggplant. Having good luck with Jetstars this year too.
Frank
(coin is a quarter.)
Ours garden production sucked this year. It was so hot and dry early that plants wouldn't grow and it got so hot later tomatoes cracked & even dry rotted. Cucumbers were bitter and woody and the squash bugs got that plant after only two squash. We're finally getting some bell peppers but for some reason they're a variety that look more like an Anaheim, big top, long and pointed. Never had bell peppers like that before. ??? Looks like no stuffed peppers from the garden this year. We're finally getting some decent tomatoes since it cooled down a little. The best half canned quite a few pints this last week or so, but they're a good month behind other years and we got everything in mid May. :-\
Same here Tommy . Absolutely WORST year I ever had and been gardening since I was 8 years old .
Heat Ruins the Tomatoe Setting of blooms and then the Drought just wiped every thing else out except NUT GRASS ,got a Bumper Crop this year . Squash grew pretty big but NO Squash .
Beans just dreid up and died, Carrots NADDA . Planted 25 pounds Red potatoes got 5 in yield .
OKRA will damn near grow on a Rock . Nothin this year.Cucumber vines sprawled out a mile then just Died .
Have replanted everything the last two weeks and HOPING to get something to put up later,
We had the opposite here, a late frost killed all the cherry blooms on both my trees. No cherries this year. We have been getting 15# plus each year, after sharing them with tree squirrels. Bill
Damn, sounds like a tough agricultural report. Down here in the Riverbottom our growing season is pretty much almost all year for some varieties/plants. Got a pretty good late harvest of tomatoes setting on that should be ready between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Zucchini still going strong. Peppers, hell they are pretty much a year-round crop anymore. Tomatoes, you folks all use any Blossom Set or was that just something my parents did? - john
Did somebody mention peppers? Bell peppers ("Crispy" hybrid) and pepperoncini; latter get pickled in jars and are just waiting for a Thanksgiving dinner or a snowy evenings supper this winter.
Frank
Thats why your happy, Happy, great job man, cheers Don.
It was a bad year for the garden here also, everything was late, and the quality of the produce was way below usual standard. I got plenty of salsa made despite having to cut a lot of bad places off the tomatoes and peppers...hoping for a better yield next year. 8)
Boy, that looks good, mo.
Frank
Quote from: happyhooker on September 19, 2022, 01:03:05 AMDid somebody mention peppers? Bell peppers ("Crispy" hybrid) and pepperoncini; latter get pickled in jars and are just waiting for a Thanksgiving dinner or a snowy evenings supper this winter.
Frank
next time I want to try with tomatoes, hopefully I can find some of those big ones that look like pumpkin
this time is the 1st one I harvest something from my garden, some jalapeños from this lonely plant.
What kind are they Alex?
Jalapenos in the store are all messed up now. It started when Texas A&M Univ started screwing around with selective breeding them. For us, we never know what we'll get in terms of heat. I like the old dark green ones with netting. The giant shiny greens ones are completely unpredictable.
Quote from: oc1 on September 25, 2022, 05:24:13 AMWhat kind are they Alex?
Jalapenos in the store are all messed up now. It started when Texas A&M Univ started screwing around with selective breeding them. For us, we never know what we'll get in terms of heat. I like the old dark green ones with netting. The giant shiny greens ones are completely unpredictable.
I dont know what kind of jalapenos are this ones, they are pretty hot but have the "meat" really thin, I dont know if thats how the variety of this jalapenos is or if they needed more TLC to have the meat thicker.
the plant was given to my wife from a friend of her but it was supposedly a weird kind of pepper that grow the peppers in a bunch and pointing upside down on the plant but when the plant had the peppers they ended up being normal Japalenos.
the next is the plant that my friend's wife though she was giving to her.
Down at the hotel I stay at in San Jose del Cabo they serve a fire roasted jalapeno pepper. I don't know if fire roasting tames the heat, but I find them most enjoyable. Somewhat hot but flavorful. Dominick
Quote from: Dominick on September 28, 2022, 12:07:07 AMI don't know if fire roasting tames the heat, but I find them most enjoyable. Somewhat hot but flavorful. Dominick
the heat and direct fire give the Jalapeno peppers a better flavor and make them more soft, its pretty common in Mexico to have Jalapenos or Yellow jalapeno pepper that way, direct fire, them salt, pepper, lemon juice and soy sauce but you have make them in many other ways .. yumm
Those pepper dishes are amazing!
"Blander" fare: my sister-in-law has light, sandy, loam--perfect for potatoes. So, we planted a long row last spring, and dug a little earlier this week. Presto: five 5 gallon pails full from about 20 plants. Something in excess of 100 lbs. I suppose. Will last all winter. Some spuds neared 10 in. long. Burbank Russets. Dry 'em a little, then into a cool, dark spot.
Quote from: happyhooker on September 29, 2022, 01:04:35 AMI suppose. Will last all winter.
How do you make a potato last all winter ?
100 lbs. of potatoes should last all winter. Dry 'em out a little, pack in light-tight materials, then store in cool, dry, dark place. Take a few lbs. out at a time as needed.
Some of the potatoes you buy in a store in, say, June, might have been harvested someplace during the previous autumn. May or may not be the greatest. Another reason why growing your own & controlling storage, etc., gets you the best quality food.
Frank
thanks, I didnt knew that.
Minnesota is known as a corn & soybeans state, but up north they grow a lot of potatoes for....potato chips!
Frank