Saturday Gardening Thread: Summer Rules [KT]

BLT, burger or straight-up tomato?

Hello, Horde! Well, we got a surprise post from The Big Guy this morning, so we're a little late getting to this thread. Some events need timely attention. Same is true in the garden. Which is one reason for the sad state of my garden right now.

One thing gardening does is make us aware on a frequent, personal basis of how things change with time. Next Saturday, we will have entered Official Autumn. There are members of The Horde who are already preserving tasty garden produce for the coming winter, but how about we take some time to celebrate veggies, particularly tomatoes, that are so wonderfully fresh in summer, one last time? Which are your favorites?

There are exceptions (such as the desert) but in most parts of the country. cutting gardens are at their best in summer, too. And today's post features a cutting garden favorite from Australia, where gardeners are preparing to enter Official Spring. This plant happens to be a good flower for seasonal transitions.

Summer Tomato Review and Preview

The tomatoes in the photo above are from my garden, but not from this year. My garden this summer left a lot to be desired. But I did try one new determinate tomato, a bush version of one of the "Boy" series of tomatoes. It is not outstanding, but it still has two tomatoes on it even though it is a determinate tomato. I planted it in a 5-gallon pot in afternoon shade. The shade seems to have made a difference. It is next to a Sungold (cherry) tomato which is also still bearing.

I thought it would be appropriate to quickly review the topic of determinate tomatoes at the end of summer. Determinate tomatoes bear fruit near the ends of branches, which then quit growing. Some determinate tomatoes ripen all at once, like the commercial tomatoes that fill trucks around here during the summer.

Others ripen over a fairly long season. Many of the most adaptable hybrid tomatoes, like Celebrity, are determinate. Some are short and some are bigger, but they are usually bushier than the more vine-like indeterminates. Some short-season growers only plant determinates.

There are also some open-pollinated determinates like the old Burpee's Quarter Century, recommended for containers in the desert; Moravsky Div (Wonder of Moravia), a determinate or semi-determinate version of Stupice, called the best early slicer; and Fish Lake, a determinate oxheart for short seasons.

My favorite determinate tomato remains Sweet Tangerine Hybrid from Burpee. Golden Girl Hybrid, sold by Pinetree, tastes almost as good. Both are disease-resistant. They seem to alternate bearing over a long season. I hope to plant them next year. Along with some big pink heirlooms like Stump of the World and Dr. Lyle, for pure luxury. And some workhorse tomatoes. Maybe a new-to-me oxheart, too.

Sweet Tangerine

Did you have any notable results with a particular tomato this year? Planning on a new kind for next year?

Cutting Gardens

Why not give someone you like the surprise of a summer mixed bouquet. "Filled to the brim with garden goodness. Zinnia, strawflower, Black-eyed Susan, snapdragon, chocolate lace flower, Queen Anne's lace, butterfly bush, butterfly weed, amaranth, calaminth, baptisia foliage, love in a puff vine, scabiosa, lemon verbena, and dahlia. Summer rules."

If you can incorporate lovely design elements into your cutting garden, more power to you.

A well-designed cutting garden

But a cutting garden can also be utilitarian. You can think of the flowers as a crop and lay the cutting garden out just like a vegetable garden plot. Or cutting garden plants can be included in the veggie garden. Many attract beneficial insects. Some of your more fancy-schmancy vegetable seed catalogs include several kinds of flowers for cutting, but not many flowers for bedding. Some flowers for cutting bloom on gangly or unattractive plants. Do you have a cutting garden? What do you grow there?

Strawflowers

Strawflowers (Paper Daisies) are common denizens of the cutting garden. The annual ones tend to develop dry leaves at the bottom of the plant, so they may not be the ideal choice for front yard display. But they are extremely useful as cut flowers, either fresh in summer or dried in fall or winter. We have discussed other easily dried "everlastings", such as celosia and statice in previous threads.

I generally like the double annual strawflowers best before they are fully opened, when the petals (well, bracts) are still curved over the large central golden-yellow disc in the center of the flower. There are some kinds with smaller central discs, though. I think the flowers look more balanced.

Below is my favorite fully-opened strawflower. I think the yellow "collar" is fun. I could only find a wholesale seed source, and they typically don't provide much information on the plants they sell. They are into personal relationships with their customers. But I think it may be marketed by Proven Winners as Sundaze Flame. It and Sundaze Blaze are dwarfs, only 10 to 14 inches tall. There is a video with growing instructions for professionals. Sounds like these outback-friendly flowers REALLY like to be kept dry. Best watered by drip, or from below if in containers. These dwarfs are promoted as "living bouquets" for the garden.

Sundaze Flame?

Proven Winners sells the 'Sundaze' series as annuals, but Sunset says they are perennial in dry, mild-winter climates, including mine. There are other perennial "choice shrubs and subshrubs", popular in Australia and New Zealand. 'Diamond Head' is only about 3 inches tall and spreads into a mat. 'Dagan Hill Monarch' and 'Cockaoo' are about 2 1/2 feet tall and 3 or 4 feet wide.

These plants were once known as Helichrysum bracteatum. But plant taxonomists have been hard at work, and I am really not sure which scientific name to use for some strawflowers now. These perennials are now known either as 'Bracteantha bracteata' or 'Xerochrysum bracteatum'.

More suited to the cutting garden than the refined "shrubs and subshrubs" above are the more common 2 to 3 foot annual specimens and the "giant" strawflowers, with plants measuring 3 to 4 feet in height. I kind of like this red one. Seeds are available from Annie's Annuals and Perennials. .

Monster Fireball Red

I could go for an Apricot/Peach Mix, too. Annual strawflowers from Australia are now known (by most botanists) as Xerochrysum bracteatum, but may still be found in the trade as Helichrysum bracteatum. They may have been cross-bred with multi-colored Helichrysum species from South Africa by a German plant breeder near Erfurt. They became popular across Europe in the 1850s. They can be sown indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost, or sown in place at the same time you sow zinnias.

Around the disc is an involucre of modified leaves, the bracts, . . petal-like, stiff, and papery. Arranged in rows, these bracts curl over and enclose the florets, shielding them before flowering. . . These bracts are papery and dry, or 'scarious', with a low water content, unlike leaves or flower parts of other plants.

There is an alpine Xerochrysum that resents drying (unlike its cousins) and seems not to do well at low elevations. Note that many plants from Australia prefer low phosphorus levels in soil.

There are still lots of non-Australian plants classified as 'Helichrysum'. One is licorice plant, useful among other plants in a hanging basket plant or tumbling over the edge of a retaining wall. The species has silvery leaves. There are chartreuse and variegated cultivars. This plant is perennial in mild climates and has become a pest in Northern California.

Curry Plant is a grey-leaved little plant that sort of resembles lavender or sagebrush before it blooms. "The taste of the flowers has been likened to blue cheese". The clusters of small, fluffy flowers attract hoverflies and other beneficial insects. They are easy to dry for arrangements. Curry plant is perennial in mild climates.

A few leaves can be added to a salad or meat dish for an interesting flavor. The aroma of the essential oil distilled from the blossoms is "popular in fragrance for its unique scent, best described as a mixture of burnt sugar and ham." (???) It is also used medicinally.

Australian Cultural Notes

Last week's Garden Thread featured clarinets made from carrots, played by an Australian guy. I thought the two-carrot clarinet really sounded a lot like a . . clarinet. You can skip to 1:35 to hear it. However, Mr. Curly, made from a garden hose, sounds kind of didgeridoo-ish to me. In honor of the Australian origin of strawflowers, here is a real didgeridoo, played in a rather non-traditional manner.

Shameless cultural appropriation

They say that the circular breathing involved in advanced didgeridoo playing is useful for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Circular breathing involves breathing in through your nose while blowing out with air stored in your cheeks, making the player look, at some moments, sort of like a chipmunk transporting nuts. I haven't figured out how to do it yet. Are there any didgeridoo players in The Horde?

Have you been sprangled lately?

I feel kind of culturally illiterate because last week was the first time I remember encountering the word, "Sprangled". It described the roots of wild carrots.

There is a "Sprangled" website that includes this definition: "To spread in different directions, branch out".

Seems to fit the wild carrot roots.

The Free Dictionary says "Sprangle" the verb means:

to struggle or sprawl with limbs spread out wide

The Urban Dictionary says "Sprangled" means:

A state of utter drunkenness in which the person inflicted is off their face, yet happy and usually sprawled in a horizontal position

Are you aware of other definitions?

There are several grasses known as 'Sprangletop". They seem to prefer moist to wet soil, including alkaline or salty soils. Tough plants.

People seem to know what "Sprangled" means in India. There is a strawflower mixture called 'Sprangle'.

Strawflower 'Sprangle Mix'

If you can figure out why this mixture was given that name, let me know.

Anyway. have a great week. Have fun in the garden. And don't let your best friend get sprangled on homemade cider.

This dog needs a job chasing a squirrel, not more cider.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:05 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 First!

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:05 PM (Sfs6o)

2 Patio Garden Update: another cherry tomato! And the cucumber vines are staging a comeback - last week's yield projection was in the 2 unit range which may need to be revised upward. The next few days will be critical.

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:09 PM (Sfs6o)

3 Hey, Weasel, how's that garden doing?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:10 PM (qahv/)

4

I didn't get any fried green tomatoes OR okra this year.

Posted by: In Vino Veritits at September 17, 2016 01:11 PM (WVCC6)

5 Fantastic news, Weasel. Applied for that farm grant yet?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:11 PM (qahv/)

6 Monica was pretty good and played my didgeridoo with gusto.

Posted by: Bubba Clinton at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM (cCxiu)

7 BLTs!!!!
Thanxs for the suggestion.
Sadly autumn started here in the Northwest in July. But my Romas have turned out well and are rich in flavor.
Lunch is going to Rock! I'm thinking a Pinot Gris to wash it down.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM (0tfLf)

8 My tomatoes had a lot of blossom rot this year. First time for me and couldn't figure out why. Ended up cutting the bottom half off the tomatoes and canned them as tomato sauce.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM (f1/cC)

9 Me neither. What variety of okra do you like?

Lemon Boy is especially reccommended for fried green tomatoes. Next year?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM (qahv/)

10 Okra is VILE!

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:15 PM (0tfLf)

11 Comment #9 was for In Vino Veritits at September 17, 2016 01:11 PM

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:15 PM (qahv/)

12 And she can blow my didgeridoo anytime!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:16 PM (0tfLf)

13
My tomatoes had a lot of blossom rot this year. First time for me and
couldn't figure out why. Ended up cutting the bottom half off the
tomatoes and canned them as tomato sauce.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM

Calcium deficiency. Spray them with foliar calcium when they first start to bloom and it acts as a bloom setter and keeps the rot away. Then spray them about once a month until they are done producing.

Posted by: huerfano at September 17, 2016 01:16 PM (jkkMG)

14 "Okra is VILE!"

Properly fried, it's delicious.

Boiled, it becomes a pot-o-snot

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at September 17, 2016 01:16 PM (J+eG2)

15 Thanks KT. I have been disappointed by the green pepper and eggplant production. The plants are very robust looking and have flowered, but nothing seems to happen and the flowers fall off. The cherry tomato plant seems to have some sort of affliction that causes the branches and leaves to shrivel and die from the bottom up. The banana pepper plant is the only one really doing well.

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:17 PM (Sfs6o)

16 Diogenes, where in the NW are you? Fall for me in the Willamette valley kind of started today with our first moderately heavy rain.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:17 PM (f1/cC)

17 Pot-o-snot is exactly right.
My mom made them like that all the time. Gawd!
It's the only vegetable I won't eat.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:18 PM (0tfLf)

18 Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:13 PM

Blossom end rot looks nasty. Anything happen to make calcium in your soil less available? pH change?

Some of the long paste-type tomatoes are especially susceptible to BER. Same is true for more rounded tomatoes, if you changed varieties this year.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:19 PM (qahv/)

19 Okra is deplorable.

Posted by: Cicero -- Profoundly Deplorable But Pretty Dependable at September 17, 2016 01:20 PM (8ZskC)

20 Octiparan, I'm near Tacoma.
It's been a cool summer up here. Only a few days all summer in the 90's. More clouds than usual too. Just a crummy year it seems. But that's ok. Wouldn't mind ski season coming early.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:21 PM (0tfLf)

21 12 And she can blow my didgeridoo anytime!!!
Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:16 PM (0tfLf)

Damn, beat me to it!

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable. at September 17, 2016 01:22 PM (0mRoj)

22 14 "Okra is VILE!"

Properly fried, it's delicious.

Boiled, it becomes a pot-o-snot
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at September 17, 2016 01:16 PM (J+eG2)

^This. Fried okra is good stuff.

Posted by: Insomniac - Irredeemably Deplorable. at September 17, 2016 01:23 PM (0mRoj)

23 Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:17 PM

There could be several reasons for the bottom leaves of tomato plants drying up.

As far as blossoms falling from peppers and eggplant, it might be an issue of wet/dry soil cycles or of soil that stays too wet, keeping air out. And sometimes it is surprising how dry the soil in the center stays even if you water containers well.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:25 PM (qahv/)

24 Insomniac.
Yeah. She has excellent breathing technique. I spent some time down under and didn't see any didgeridoo players looking like her.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:25 PM (0tfLf)

25 Okra is VILE!

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:15 PM (0tfLf)

I couldn't agree more. I can't believe people are stupid enough to have watched her shitty show for all of those years. You go girl. Off a cliff

Posted by: TheQuietMan at September 17, 2016 01:25 PM (auHtY)

26 Hi KT, there wasn't anything that really stood out. All the tomatoes were planted in the same mixture. Half the plants had the rot, a couple simply went from green to splitting within a week, and on the last one the fruit was fine but low yield.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:26 PM (f1/cC)

27 Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:21 PM

I was up in the Tacoma area recently. Didn't see a lot of veggies, but saw some purty flowers.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:27 PM (qahv/)

28 Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:26 PM

Were they all the same variety?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:29 PM (qahv/)

29 D. We had a really nice summer this year. All sun and only about 15 days in the 90s to low 100s. Spent a number of nights sleeping outside on the deck.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:30 PM (f1/cC)

30

Okra is delicious fried or baked or boiled. It must be properly cooked and all snot can be avoided. The snot is 'mucilage' the same stuff in aloe vera, fyi.

If you are not going to fry or bake it - which eliminates the snot problem - boil it VERY slow in acid water - vinegar specifically - with tomatoes, onions, garlic, file', paprika, salt. It should be thick, a Cajun stew if you will. Utterly delicious. This is one time to avoid open cast iron as the iron turns the okra dark.

Another recipe, courtesy of autocucumber:

Orkra Stew

First, catch your Ork...

Posted by: In Vino Veritits at September 17, 2016 01:30 PM (WVCC6)

31 KT.
Sadly there used to be hundreds of acres of flowers around here (daffodils and tulips) but those farms are mostly gone. All turned into trucking site and warehouses.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:30 PM (0tfLf)

32 Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:25 PM (qahv/)
-------------
I was wondering about the soil moisture fluctuation. These are in smallish containers on my deck so they tend to dry out on the surface pretty quickly. I suppose it would have made sense to poke around in the dirt a bit before dumping on water every day.

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:31 PM (Sfs6o)

33 I had really good luck with eggplant and tomatoes this year, but only on the Siletz and Willamettes (and the volutneer cherries). I had some Cherokee Purples and they did poorly and the plants died and the fruit rotted as soon as they got ripe.

I also truly love the black tomatoes and the green zebras for the flavor.

I am now cooking down tomatoes and eggplants to make a babaganouj type spread, and later I will be cooking my four gallons of mixed tomatoes into more sauce.
Tomatoes, a couple of eggplants, peppers, onions lots of garlic and spices cooked together and cooked down to thick sauce is really good for pasta and pizza sauce.
It has just started raining and every ripe tomato I don't pick will spit and be spoiled

Oh, and cantaloupes. I have lots and lots of cantaloupes this year. nom nom nom.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 01:31 PM (lDj6i)

34 Oh, and tomato heaven:

Fresh tomato on canned corned beef, mayonnaise and fresh bread.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 01:33 PM (lDj6i)

35 Mucilage!!??
Ahhh. A word that sounds like is looks.
Good one!

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:33 PM (0tfLf)

36 KT, different varieties...... I thought but a number of the plants ended up with the same type of fruit. I suspect the little identifying placards were switched.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:33 PM (f1/cC)

37 Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:31 PM

As a general rule, the bigger the container the better for tomatoes, if they have air around their roots. We need to do more on containers, I guess.

The same is probably true for peppers and eggplant, which are related.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:35 PM (qahv/)

38 Tomato sammiches - should alternatives to white bread be considered?

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:35 PM (Sfs6o)

39 Okra didn't produce much this year, but I saved a couple weeks' worth for *one* big batch of fried goodness, so there's that.

Hops dried down to about 7 ounces total, all vac-packed and frozen now. My brother is excited and planning to brew soon.

Today it's raining, but not too much-- will venture out soon and decide whether to rip out the whole garden... after gathering the tomatoes, red- green- or in-between, of course!

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 01:36 PM (044Fx)

40 Been waiting for this. Thanks, KT.
Before I kill this thing I found eating my parsley this morning, anyone know what it is? Or, what it will become?

http://tinypic.com/r/2iktpip/9

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 01:36 PM (+Lg5n)

41 OT for Kindltot. I saw the other night you were at the Steam Up. Were you a vendor? I volunteer as a EMR at the event. You may have seen me tooling around in ATV with my medical vest.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:37 PM (f1/cC)

42 Kindltot at September 17, 2016 01:31 PM

Thanks for the cooking tips. Sounds great.

If you like the black tomatoes, you might like Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye, which is said to do well in cool-summer climates. It's not exactly "black" but it is sorta dark.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:38 PM (qahv/)

43 I do not like tomatoes but I like stuff made from tomatoes such as ketchup, pizza sauce spaghetti sauce.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 17, 2016 01:39 PM (IqV8l)

44 Weasel.
If you can find it, try sourdough, toasted.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:41 PM (0tfLf)

45 38 Tomato sammiches - should alternatives to white bread be considered?
Posted by: Weasel
----------------
Nope.
For tomatoes that purty, just Dukes, American cheese, and a huge slice of 'mater. S&P, natch.
Manna.

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 01:41 PM (+Lg5n)

46 Chi, that's a swallowtail butterfly caterpillar!

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 01:42 PM (044Fx)

47 Speaking of sammiches, some get that chick in the video a couple, STAT!

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 01:45 PM (+Lg5n)

48 44 I do love sourdough - but it's hard to mess with the perfection Chi describes at #45. Plus, I'm not allowed to have carbs anyway.

*sigh*

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:46 PM (Sfs6o)

49 Really? Cool beans.
Maybe I should let it have the parsley, then...
Nah, I'll just put it over here in the azaleas.

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 01:47 PM (+Lg5n)

50 True enough. Chi's on point.
But variety is good.
For example today may be a Didgeridoo but tomorrow, a little boomerang toss in the outback.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 01:50 PM (0tfLf)

51 Hmmm, a tomato sandwich sounds really good about now. Bet it would go good with an Oktoberfest beer!

KT, in your opinion what size container is best for beef steak sized tomato plants?

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:50 PM (f1/cC)

52 Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:35 PM

White bread is mandatory if you use mayo, I think. Other good bread can be considered if you use butter. Or avocado.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:51 PM (qahv/)

53 Chi, looks like your caterpillar is about ready to pupate. It can't eat azaleas. But you can put stems with some of the less desirable parsley leaves in a little vase with water and the caterpillar will eat those.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:54 PM (qahv/)

54 The apple tree across the highway from me looks like it's about ready to be raided. Green apples, and I plan on trying my hand at making some apple jelly, (with Stevia instead of sugar). Has anyone tried this? I know the added sugar in jelly recipes helps the product jell...and I'm not sure if Stevia will do this.

Next on the bread list, I'm going to try making a whole wheat sourdough. I've got two jars of starter fermenting away in the kitchen, and they're about ready. So I'm going to do an overnight soak, (Water, sugar, yeast, starter, 2 cups whole wheat flour), before mixing/kneading/baking. I'm hoping the overnight soak will help make the finished bread more sour...and also give it a smoother, softer texture.

Posted by: Sticky Wicket at September 17, 2016 01:56 PM (HXSuw)

55 Quick note...a 7,700 feet in the Rockies, gardening season is over. And a deer finished off the last of the lettuce the other night due to the cover blowing off that box.

Posted by: Meremortal, ride to the sound of the guns. at September 17, 2016 01:57 PM (3myMJ)

56 Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:50 PM

Five gallons with excellent soil and drainage is the minimum. With pruning. Some people use 15 gallon. Guess we need to cover this in a post.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:57 PM (qahv/)

57 62 Mayo only. I'm a purist!

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 01:58 PM (Sfs6o)

58 This there a way to get just the garden thread and not the whole ace experience?

Posted by: subhuman taxpayer at September 17, 2016 01:59 PM (rg0SM)

59 Sticky Wicket at September 17, 2016 01:56 PM

There are types of pectin that don't require sugar. Look around. Pomona pectin, available online, gels with calcium. But I think it often results in a product resembling Jello.

Sugar is also a preservative in jelly. So watch your processing information.

Green apple pie is good, too. Green apples with pork, also.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:00 PM (qahv/)

60 Meremortal, ride to the sound of the guns. at September 17, 2016 01:57 PM

Wow, you are up there, aren't you?

Might be time for some micro-greens in a South window . . . .

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:02 PM (qahv/)

61 Green apple pie is good, too. Green apples with pork, also.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:00 PM (qahv/)

Oh heck yeah on the pork/apples. I've got a nice big pork roast sitting in the freezer too. Hmmm!

I'll check further online for more info on canning without sugar.

Thanks!

Posted by: Sticky Wicket at September 17, 2016 02:02 PM (HXSuw)

62 Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 01:37 PM (f1/cC)

No, just been going since it was a vacant field with a roped off area for parking.

And of course I get obsessed about things like that.

I wish I'd known, we could have met in meat-space.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:09 PM (lDj6i)

63 subhuman taxpayer at September 17, 2016 01:59 PM

Just noticed that I stomped on Ace's second morning post. Depressing, no?

We try to put up the Saturday Gardening Thread about 12:30. When the news is calm.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:09 PM (qahv/)

64 Hi all, Has anyone tried the "new" Garden Gem tomato out of U. of Fla.? Wondering how well they grow in more temperate zones.

Posted by: random lurker at September 17, 2016 02:12 PM (WF5ei)

65 BTW, I think the Monster Red Fireball Strawflowers have a kind of alien look. Maybe it's the photo.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:14 PM (qahv/)

66 Sticky Wicket, you can do apple sauce with no sugar or spices, as long as you like the flavor of the apples. And hot, it is woooooooonderful with baked ham and pork roasts. As in "I wish my mouth were bigger so I could stuff even more in at at time" wonderful.

And if you are going with the two cups of whole wheat, two cups of water and yeast and stick it on the drainboard, you can let it work until most of the solids sink to the bottom, and then it is extra sour. If you do it only over night it is not as sour.

You can also try a couple cups of cracked wheat instead of sourdough, that gives it a much more complex and nuttier flavor

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:15 PM (lDj6i)

67 I wouldn't consider it a stomp, KT.
it's good to have a news thread at the same time so those who live and breathe politics/news all day & night can hang there -if they have no interest in gardening (or pets or food thread, etc).

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 02:15 PM (+Lg5n)

68 Good afternoon, Horde!

Sorry for the O/T, but:

Please check the sidebar for info on this year's Southwest Ohio Moron Meetup.

Posted by: ibguy at September 17, 2016 02:17 PM (vUcdz)

69 Chi at September 17, 2016 02:15 PM

Thanks, Chi.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:18 PM (qahv/)

70 ibguy at September 17, 2016 02:17 PM

A fine thing. You can talk gardening whilst meeting up!

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:19 PM (qahv/)

71 Cracked wheat instead of whole wheat, sorry. Whole wheat is a good flour but it is a bit heavy for making airy bread.

One of the dodges I use is to do the sourdough (sponge stage if you prefer) with cracked wheat. The flavor is good, and the long soak makes the cracked wheat easier to chew.

And if the rest is straight flour it is a lot lighter

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:19 PM (lDj6i)

72 Five gallons with excellent soil and drainage is the minimum. With pruning. Some people use 15 gallon. Guess we need to cover this in a post.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 01:57 PM (qahv/)
I agree!

Large containers are often hard to find or prohibitively expensive, which kinda defeats one purpose of gardening: saving money....

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:20 PM (044Fx)

73 Starting to wonder if I should have posted the didgeridoo video with the guy in curly pigtails who wanted me to feel the same thing a turtle feels?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:21 PM (qahv/)

74 JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:20 PM

There are some DIY containers that the tomato addicts make. Cost of potting mix is less if you buy bulk. Still, cost is a consideration.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:23 PM (qahv/)

75 @64 I grew 2 garden gems and was not very impressed. I started from seed and they were slow growers, not an impressive yield and the taste was very good but not great. We loved Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, Brown Derby, Stupice and Better Boy much better for taste and yield. Supersweet 100 and Sunglods tasted great but had thick skins this year. So they ended up in the food mill for sauces.

Posted by: keena at September 17, 2016 02:24 PM (j37Ud)

76 KT, I don't believe you 'stomped' either.

(Remember when Y-not used to also post a "below the gardening thread" thread for politics?)

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:25 PM (044Fx)

77 After reading that, is sounds like a dig. It wasn't intended to be that at all.
Personally, I just have to tune out of the news every once in a while.

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 02:25 PM (+Lg5n)

78 JQ, I found that the big box stores like Home Depot heavily discount their containers this time of year. Now is the time to buy the large ones for next year.

Posted by: Octiparan at September 17, 2016 02:27 PM (f1/cC)

79 Didgeridoo Girl is posted just fine KT. Between writing down recipes and fixing my BLT, I realized she made my boomer rang.
Yup. Took me nearly 45 mins to come up with that.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2016 02:27 PM (0tfLf)

80 Pulled a few plants today, 2 squash, pepper but worst thing is it hasn't rained here in 3 1/2 weeks. Even weeds are wilting, good side is haven't pulled out garden tractor in as many.

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 02:31 PM (8lPj5)

81 Chi at September 17, 2016 02:25 PM

I don't think you insulted anyone. People have different cycles of interest.

Can't keep your bow strung all the time or the string gets weak, though. That's what the topical weekend posts are for, partly.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:36 PM (qahv/)

82 Thanks for the effort you put into this thread each week, KT.

Posted by: Weasel at September 17, 2016 02:37 PM (Sfs6o)

83 Skip at September 17, 2016 02:31 PM

Doing anything for fall?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:38 PM (qahv/)

84 Thanks, Weasel.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:39 PM (qahv/)

85 What is a good suggestion for Fall planting? I already have Kale in.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:40 PM (lDj6i)

86 JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:25 PM

I still try to keep a "Thread below the gardening thread" ready for slow news days.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:41 PM (qahv/)

87 Tomatoes are going strong. Six rolls of hanging tape this year and I can still do more of that. I'm getting about 18 pounds per week right now. Lotsa salsa, lotsa sauce.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 02:41 PM (/THdv)

88 Cracked wheat instead of whole wheat, sorry. Whole wheat is a good flour but it is a bit heavy for making airy bread.

One of the dodges I use is to do the sourdough (sponge stage if you prefer) with cracked wheat. The flavor is good, and the long soak makes the cracked wheat easier to chew.

And if the rest is straight flour it is a lot lighter

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:19 PM (lDj6i)

We've got a grain mill attachment for our mixer, and several five gallon buckets of wheat, so I can make my own cracked wheat.

If the end result is too heavy, or dense, I can try again by swapping out the plain white flour for bread flour, and/or adjusting the ration of whole wheat, to white.

Thanks!

Posted by: Sticky Wicket at September 17, 2016 02:43 PM (HXSuw)

89 Chi - a dozen of the little bastards at least ate all of my 3 dill plants, I let them live this year at least.

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 02:43 PM (8lPj5)

90 Kindltot at September 17, 2016 02:40 PM

Maybe some turnips, kohlrabi broccoli if you can find plants of the latter. Might be too late for beets where you are. Maybe baby beets.

Also greens like lettuce, arugula, mustard, etc. Territorial puts out a fall catalog. Should have planting information.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:44 PM (qahv/)

91 I cut a gallon of grapes off the vines. What is the best way to wash them? I usually just soak in plain water an extra long time and figure my system can handle a wee bit of wild bird crap residue if any remains but if there are good tricks to clean produce w/o getting a soapy taste I'm listening.

Posted by: PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:45 PM (Jen0I)

92 Wow, Gordon.

No wonder you have fancy canning equipment. Maybe we can address next week.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:45 PM (qahv/)

93 Now is the time to buy the large ones for next year.

Posted by: Octiparan

Oh, absolutely! Thank you!

WalMart
(love or hate them...) also 'closes out' their garden shop at end of
summer, as do many other department stores, locals, etc... usually right
before the 'back to school' season, if not right after 4th of July.

There are also ways to repurpose *other things* for container gardening, or build-your-own from scraps, etc.... I have an old stainless steel washing machine tub which I hope to use for something. Actually I think it would make a wonderful Yuuuuuggge colander.

Hubby built the boxes for our hops (he had leftover cedar strips). Boxes measure 2' x 2' x 18" deep, hold 4 cu. ft of soil mix-- about 30 gallons-- each.

These were supposed to be temporary, but I still don't have a place in yard prepared, and hope to not destroy the boxes while removing the plants! I should've lined them with burlap, but (duh!) wasn't thinking.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:46 PM (044Fx)

94 PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:45

Maybe give them a rinse after soaking. I like running water for cleaning produce.

What kind of grapes?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:48 PM (qahv/)

95 They are a seedless white grape. I don't recall the specific plant name, I believe my mom just bought them at a local nursery many years ago.

Posted by: PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:54 PM (Jen0I)

96 If y'all have Ollie's Oulet stores nearby, they always have the best deal on planters around.
They're basically a dumping ground for irregular stuff, overstocks, buyouts of bankrupt retailers, etc.
Now you're making me wonder if they discount even more this time of year...

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 02:55 PM (+Lg5n)

97 PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:54 PM

Does the skin slip off if you squeeze them, or are they California-style seedless grapes?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 02:56 PM (qahv/)

98 They must be California style. The skins don't slip off, but do not have any bitter taste as some grape and plum skins do.

Posted by: PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:59 PM (Jen0I)

99 PaleRider at September 17, 2016 02:59 PM

It's great that you have such a good home variety. Many California-style grapes need special treatment.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:00 PM (qahv/)

100 I never tried a fall garden

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:00 PM (8lPj5)

101 Well, Bonanza is over.
I should be out doing real work now.

But I think I'm just going to putz around. Maybe start whittling that hatchet handle out of that big pecan limb that came down during Hermine?

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 03:00 PM (+Lg5n)

102 We have a Big Lots... sometimes the prices are no lower than elsewhere, so have to shop carefully.

One cool close-out thing I found at a larger farm/feed store: replacement coco-liners for various size and shape hanging baskets. These really hold soil while allowing drainage, plus can be massaged to fit odd shaped containers and you can open up holes to plant right through the sides if putting them into a filigree-style basket. So versatile and *cheap*-- 75+% off regular price.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:02 PM (044Fx)

103 I would put the grapes in a colander and spray water over, do in smaller batches if need be. Thats all we do with a bag from the grocery store

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:03 PM (8lPj5)

104 We just finished putting a hoop up in my backyard for a green house. We will see how warm it stays during the winter.
We are awash with figs and pomegranates. The other pomegranates aren't ready yet.

Posted by: CaliGirl at September 17, 2016 03:04 PM (Q5Ymk)

105 Tomatos are just starting to produce so persistent cold weather should be here tomorrow.

Posted by: Headless Boy of Agnew at September 17, 2016 03:05 PM (FtrY1)

106 White grape skins don't have that same bitter taste as red. White Zinfandel wine is made from red grapes without the skins.

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:06 PM (8lPj5)

107 JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 02:46 PM

Have you read up on the best time to transplant hops?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:06 PM (qahv/)

108 Tomatos are just starting to produce so persistent cold weather should be here tomorrow.

Posted by: Headless Boy of Agnew

I *totally* feel your pain!

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:06 PM (044Fx)

109 Supposed to be 90 degrees here again around Thursday

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:07 PM (8lPj5)

110 Have you read up on the best time to transplant hops?

Posted by: KT

Transplanting? Not really. Everything I've read so far has been re: planting new rhizomes.

I'm assuming Spring, but figure I should at least have their new spots prepared (soil amended, loosened, weeded) before ground freezes.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:10 PM (044Fx)

111 Mayo is snot in a jar!

Posted by: Okra at September 17, 2016 03:10 PM (mBYZv)

112 For all you okra haters -

Try it grilled. Cut off the top and the tip, split it in half lengthwise, then toss it with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper.

My kids actually ask for it. Yeah, I know.

Posted by: bluebell at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM (xpSCc)

113 OT on the garden thread but wondering out loud kinda, how did this site become anti football?
(Watching Penn state and Temple game)

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM (8lPj5)

114 Shivved again by automiscorrect.

Posted by: Headless Body of Agnew at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM (FtrY1)

115 A neighbor tried the straw bale method of tomato growing this year. It eliminated his mite problem, as well as his Septoria.
He just grew one plant per bale, but I think 2 would work easily.

Posted by: MarkY at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM (ya48c)

116 >>>BLT, burger or straight-up tomato?

I'll have a beefsteak tomato, between two slices of tomato.

Posted by: Yuimetal at September 17, 2016 03:12 PM (dtWKK)

117 Bluebell you might be right, its the only way I eat sweet potatoes and best way for squash.

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:12 PM (8lPj5)

118 We cut down a big palm tree by the pool last Thursday. I liked the palm tree but the fronds and seed pods were dangerous and the tree was hard to get a truck to. I'll miss it.

I need to plant something else there that doesn't need so much maintenance or kill someone.

http://tinypic.com/r/25qdd2x/9

Posted by: CaliGirl at September 17, 2016 03:12 PM (Q5Ymk)

119 I forgot. Okra pickles are vunderbar!

Posted by: MarkY at September 17, 2016 03:13 PM (ya48c)

120 KT, did you get my email?

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 03:14 PM (5fJpW)

121 KT, very nice thread. I wish I had your knowledge and green thumb.

I just love that photo of the flower arrangement in the milk glass container. If I were rich, I would have arrangements like that all over my house.

Posted by: bluebell at September 17, 2016 03:14 PM (xpSCc)

122 Pet Nood is up

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:15 PM (8lPj5)

123 Chi at September 17, 2016 03:00 PM

A hatchet handle would be a fitting reminder of the storm.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:15 PM (qahv/)

124 Chi, do you actually get pecans from your tree? I would think you're a little far north for that, but maybe I'm wrong.

Hoo boy, would I love a pecan tree. Just think of the pecan pies . . . . not to mention all the other pecan goodness.

Posted by: bluebell at September 17, 2016 03:17 PM (xpSCc)

125 Okra pickles are indeed vunderbar.

Yuimetal, my wife would like your sandwich, but she would want a side of assorted cherry tomatoes.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 03:18 PM (5fJpW)

126 I remember as a tot looking at Burpee catalogs, and then belching and giggling (*Burp*-ee). I wouldn't be surprised if Joe Biden still does this.

Posted by: Yuimetal at September 17, 2016 03:18 PM (dtWKK)

127 Generally speaking, either spring or fall is good for transplanting just about anything...

Don't know if I can protect the hops' roots from freezing if they stay in containers over winter, so guess they need to get in-ground a.s.a.p.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:20 PM (044Fx)

128 CaliGirl at September 17, 2016 03:04 PM

I'm jealous of your figs. Gopher got our little tree. Next time, the roots go in a basket.

Tried our early pomegranate today. Still needs a few days.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:20 PM (qahv/)

129 MarkY at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM

Thanks for the info. I'm going to look into the details on the straw bale method.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:23 PM (qahv/)

130 CaliGirl at September 17, 2016 03:12 PM

Palm trees are a pain to remove.

Sunset has a whole section on pool-side plantiings in their Western Garden Book.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:29 PM (qahv/)

131 Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2016 03:11 PM (8lPj5)

Not anti-football, Skip.

Anti-NFL because: tolerant of SJW crap, while intolerant of patriotism. Or something like that. (Fball isn't my fave sport anyway....)

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:35 PM (044Fx)

132 Off to the garden, bbl.

Thanks for a lively thread, KT!

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 17, 2016 03:39 PM (044Fx)

133 BLT's are the best - one of my favorite summer foods.

We always had a shit ton of tomatoes from the garden when I was a kid and I loved picking out a big beefsteak tomato and eating it with nothing but a bit of salt. I have discovered they're great with basil, fresh mozzarella and a little bit of olive oil too.

I ate fresh tomatoes like crazy as a kid, but I just hated canned and stewed tomatoes unless the canned tomatoes were an ingredient in spaghetti sauce. Still not nuts about stewed tomatoes.

Posted by: Donna&&&&V. deplorably brandishing ampersands&&&&so there at September 17, 2016 03:41 PM (P8951)

134 Yes, bluebell, I do.
I made a few pecan pies for Christmas last year from scratch (first time ever) and they were a total hit. Nobody in the family believed I made them - "No you didn't! You bought thsee at Food Lion!"
My BIL ended up eating a whole pie himself over the course of 24 hours.

It took Mom to set them all straight. "I helped pick the damn things up out of the yard, dammit!"

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 03:42 PM (+Lg5n)

135 Gordon,

No I didn't get your email. Where did you send it?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 03:48 PM (qahv/)

136 Wow Chi, how awesome is that! Living the dream there. Pecan pies are so easy to make and so deadly. I only make them at thanksgiving and once in a while at Christmas. Otherwise, we'd eat them nonstop.

I also make these spicy/sweet roasted pecans that my family loves. They are great in salads as well as just eating in great handfuls.

I hope for your sake and your family's that you have a bumper crop.

Posted by: bluebell at September 17, 2016 03:54 PM (ZpmgM)

137 Sticky Wicket, I have a grain mill that I use to process my own whole wheat, but I don't expect other people to have the same equipment.

If you use just straight wheat berries without removing the germ and whatever the millers do you get a very heavy whole-wheat. I make that in round loaves, and don't bother with the pans. But I like to use plain flour so I can use the pans

The wheat berries you can grind and then wash the starch out of. I am not sure why people want to do this, but apparently you can take the remaining gluten and make a sort of frying cutlet out of it.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2016 03:58 PM (lDj6i)

138 Skip,

Looks like The Horde has turned Ace's disturbing news post below into a sports thread. Unstringing the bow right inside a comment thread.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 04:09 PM (qahv/)

139 I also make these spicy/sweet roasted pecans that my family loves. They are great in salads as well as just eating in great handfuls.
---------
Oh Lord, yes.
Spicy Candied pecans - I lived on those things for a week.
I couldn't get the coating to "set" just right, so they were a bit sticky. And scrumptious.

Posted by: Chi at September 17, 2016 04:38 PM (pcLT/)

140 70 KT

Indeed!!

Posted by: ibguy at September 17, 2016 04:52 PM (vUcdz)

141 How do I know when my pomegranates are ripe? First year growing. They're not huge but definitely nice shape and color. Does that little tail on the bottom have to disappear
?

Posted by: keena at September 17, 2016 05:07 PM (j37Ud)

142 KT,
Bailesworth at aol.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 05:24 PM (5fJpW)

143 Make that at Gmail, not aol.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 05:29 PM (5fJpW)

144 That's Y-not's email. I'll ask her to forward it.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 05:47 PM (qahv/)

145 KT
In the lead pic what are those dusky tomatoes? Esp the very lobed one on the left. Looks like what we grew out of our 150 yr old privy dig.

Posted by: Farmer at September 17, 2016 06:11 PM (o/90i)

146 Got text and photos, Gordon. Thanks!

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 06:17 PM (qahv/)

147 Farmer at September 17, 2016 06:11 PM

Could be Cherokee Purple,
could be Black Krim,
could be JD's Special C Tex.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 06:23 PM (qahv/)

148 Thanks KT.

And on okra, if you're ever near Sikeston MO stop at Lamberts, the place famous for throwing dinner rolls at you. I never had it before, but the fried okra was quite good.

Posted by: Farmer at September 17, 2016 06:27 PM (o/90i)

149 Thanks, Farmer.

Mr. Bar-the-Door eats the typical fried okra with cornmeal. I'm allergic to corn. I like okra stewed with tomato and onion.

Guess I'll have to look for some tempura okra or something. Heh.

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 06:40 PM (qahv/)

150 KT, the machinery really helps when the full buckets are crowding the counter. I feel like they turn a 4-hour job into something much less. I am much less experienced at canning than a lot of the folks here, having started really only two years ago. I wanted to learn, in part, to keep a valuable skill alive. I can make the stuff by hand. I have. But the tools do give me time to enjoy other things.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 06:41 PM (5fJpW)

151 KT, have you tried running pork rinds through the food processor until they're very fine? It might make a good substitute for the cornmeal. I use them more coarse in place of panko.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 06:42 PM (5fJpW)

152 Gordon,

I'll be in touch if I have questions on the equipment.

What kinds of things do you use pork rind Panko for?

Posted by: KT at September 17, 2016 07:17 PM (qahv/)

153 I use them where I either want low carb or gluten free. As an example, the wife's meatball recipe, and my meatloaf both call for breadcrumbs. I can sub in coarse ground pork rinds and serve it to those who can't have a wheat product. It also works for panko breading on fish and chicken.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 09:28 PM (mzTVj)

154
The wife is a very sophisticated and stellar cook. She started cooking for her parents when she was nine years old, learning by watching Julia Child. As good as she is, the best thing I've ever eaten in my life is her tomato sandwiches in late summer.

Hot homemade sourdough bread
Hellman's mayonnaise
Big heirloom tomatos fresh out of the garden, sliced at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches think
Salt and fresh ground pepper
And cold one-day pickles again from the garden.
With Cape Cod potato chips

Posted by: Levin at September 17, 2016 10:19 PM (iZGeA)

155 I don't really eat raw tomatoes, but that sounds very good.

Posted by: Gordon at September 17, 2016 11:07 PM (5fJpW)

156 Having a problem posting this week's Idaho Banana Belt report!

Posted by: Pat* at September 17, 2016 11:39 PM (qC1ju)

157 I keep getting:

500 Internal Server Error
The server encountered an unexpected condition which prevented it from fulfilling the request.

(Even when I try to post only 1/2 report at a time, thinking it might be too long.)

Posted by: Pat* at September 17, 2016 11:42 PM (qC1ju)

158 Hi, Pat*!

Copy your post, and paste it into 'Notepad.' (Save the new 'notepad' document, just in case.)

Then, copy it from Notepad, and paste that into the comment box.

Looking forward to your report!
--JQ

Posted by: JQ Flyover at September 18, 2016 12:07 AM (044Fx)

159 Levin at September 17, 2016 10:19 PM

Oh, my.

Posted by: KT at September 18, 2016 12:38 AM (qahv/)

160 Pat* at September 17, 2016 11:42 PM

The reason JQ Flyover recommends copying your text into Notepad is that the program on which the comments are posted has a hard time handling word processing, like, say, Word.

Notepad should put the text in "simple text". Sometimes this helps.

I have stopped pasting any text into the comments after some bad experiences. Including web links. I re-type them directly in the comment.

Posted by: KT at September 18, 2016 01:10 AM (qahv/)

161 Better Boys (indeterminate) for canning. Mountain Prides (determinate) for the table.

Posted by: Sue at September 18, 2016 06:57 AM (I4JW8)

162 Interesting, Sue. I would expect to use Better Boys for the table and Mountain Pride for canning. Then again, I have never grown Mountain Pride.

For those who peel fresh tomatoes, Better Boy does not peel easily without blanching. I think they have better flavor than many hybrids.

Here is a video about growing Mountain Pride tomatoes in a container. For Octiparan, Weasel and others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HSzG5LIOis

Posted by: KT at September 18, 2016 09:36 AM (qahv/)

163 Since I don't eat them raw, my opinions on tomato flavor are not worth much. I asked my wife hers, but she was too busy wiping juice from her chin to say much.

Posted by: Gordon at September 18, 2016 11:21 AM (fTJ4W)

164 Oh, I was able to make out her saying "chocolate cherry." We didn't actually plant any of those this year, but we have three volunteers which are providing some.

Posted by: Gordon at September 18, 2016 11:26 AM (fTJ4W)

165 Gordon,

I have seen Stupice especially recommended for tomato juice.

I am not real mpressed with Chocolate Cherry in our hot summers, but it tastes great when the nights turn cold and most of the other tomatoes taste funny.

Posted by: KT at September 18, 2016 05:48 PM (qahv/)

166 I originally typed my report *directly into this comment box, as I always do*. It was not pasted from anywhere else.

And you are talking to a bright person, who could nonetheless be derisively referred to as an "end user". I have no idea what "Notepad" is. After not being able to post my comment, I saved the text to an Apple Pages document on a MacBook Air. If anyone is:
-still following this thread,
-extremely patient in explaining things to bright idiots,
-and technological vastly more knowledgeable than me,
we might be able to get my report for this past week up eventually.

Posted by: Pat* at September 18, 2016 07:48 PM (qC1ju)

167 Pat* at September 18, 2016 07:48 PM

Sorry for your frustrating experience. Someone with more experience dealing with this program will have to chime in if your original post was directly into the comment box. I don't know all the quirks of this program, just the ones that have caused me difficulty. Maybe someone with more experience will see this. I'll ask around, too.

"Notepad" is a Windows program, so you would not know what it is if you are working on an Apple machine.

Hope we can figure out how to get your report posted. We love your reports. Have a good week in the meantime.

Posted by: KT at September 18, 2016 09:35 PM (qahv/)

168 Pat*,

I asked on the ONT tonight and got some feedback. Comment #297.

Sounds like the same thing happened to someone else today. Special charaters are hard for the system to handle. Otherwise, sounds like it could have been a glitch specific to today.

Maybe we will get some additional ideas later in the thread.

Posted by: KT at September 19, 2016 12:15 AM (qahv/)

169 Idaho's Banana Belt reporting in late. Husband and I ran a rifle marksmanship training/American history event for the group we volunteer for, "Revere's Riders" (TM or copyright or something). Taught some 15-year-olds 3-position shooting, and about the history of April 19, 1775.

We put up fences on the fall crop of snow peas - we've harvested 4 pods so far. We've already gotten a number of fall radishes - but I put in another row, because you never know how early or late the first frost will be; and I filled in a few spots in the carrot rows and we'll see how lucky I get.

We picked and ate the final green beans - we will let the heirloom ones set what seeds they can.

I found a squash bug outbreak in the butternut squash - I'd gotten complacent about doing regular checks. Had to squish a lot of bugs. After I'm done with the rest of the picking tomorrow, I'd better check again.

I found 3 baby thyme plants, near where I'd taken out the big English thyme to move it to the new herb bed. I potted 2 and brought them inside. But I had to kill 2 tiny worms I found on the tinier plant - and tonight I found out the little thing died. So I might end up potting the other small one and bringing it in.

Tomatoes... I don't know why, but piles of the reds (Romas and Early Girl) decided to ripen at once. We pulled a sauce recipe out of "Backwoods Home Magazine" that involved roasting the tomatoes overnight with herbs (smelled wonderful!) But 7.5 lbs. of tomatoes only yielded a bit over a quart of sauce by the end - not worth canning, so we put in in jars in the refrigerator. We'll try using it as spaghetti sauce, to see if it's worth making more. We think our frozen tomatoes would probably work just fine in the recipe, so if we like the sauce, we'll make a lot of it and can it. (I still think "determinate, my ass" is a good description of the size of our Roma plants.)

The yellow pear tomatoes - which were transplants from out of the compost bin - have gotten so indeterminate that I now have trouble picking from the middle of the plant and we are woefully behind in eating those. Tomorrow it's probably yellow tomatoes for lunch and spaghetti with sauce for dinner. (Next year, no more compost rescues - and no more yellow pears. The Sungolds taste so much better!)

Our irrigation will only be on for another month at most, so husband is hurrying to dig the trench needed to redo part of the irrigation, so we can lay pipe and test it before winter. There are some corners at the side of, and behind, the shed, where the irrigation doesn't hit much, so the "grass" and weeds are ugly - we could put real grass in if we could get water there. Plus this reroute will let us get water to a planned 2nd red raspberry bed next spring.

I was digging out the grass in a ring around the backyard linden tree, so we could plant lily of the valley rhizomes there. The linden turns out to have very shallow roots - so we may put up a concrete circle that we could fill in a bit, to get the minor extra depth we'd need to put the rhizomes in.

A cutting garden is still a fond fantasy. I've left room in the herb bed for 2 Lavender "Provence", which I did find a local source for. They told me the plants should make it through all but the coldest winters here.

Today it hit low 80's, but the past week has been high 60's. The linden tree is half gold already. Soon enough we'll add raking leaves to our other garden chores.

And thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my long posts.

PS to original post typed Sat. night: I used one special character in my original post so I changed that. Since the original report, more radishes and snow pea pods harvested, ridiculous numbers of yellow tomatoes still coming in, tomato sauce tasted and found OK, so today's large number of reds plus some frozen ones to fill giant roasting pan are being baked tonight (Sunday night).

Posted by: Pat* at September 19, 2016 01:04 AM (qC1ju)

170 Was feeling flush and bought a few Sungold tomato plants for my vegetable garden from White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Conn. Best tasting cherry tomato I have ever tasted by far....like candy.

Posted by: spike at September 19, 2016 01:06 PM (Azcpm)

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