Saturday Gardening Thread: Special Visitors [KT]

Hello, Horde! We have some photos of very special garden and farm visitors today, some things to eat and some lush flowers, too. Next week, I think, an ummm. . . unusual flower.

The visitor above came to see Illinwek, who also has a garden update:

Garden is overgrown, getting some raspberries again, muskmelon coming along ... will have to fence out the chickens next year.
So here are some recent trail cam pics ...
Bobcat out midday?? ... not far from the house.

and raccoon family in a row

lots of deer ... here is a nice buck, needs to fatten up

Mom and fawns, same day

Fabulous photos! Thanks, Illiniwek.

Here is a garden denizen who took time out of his busy schedule to visit the Federal Building in Sacramento. Waiting in line like everyone else.

And how about this?

I have a pair of these guys keeping an eye on things at the farm for me. On evenings I don't see them I can hear them nearby. Very cool. Weasel

Admirale's Mate had a visitor, too. Also dramatic, in a different way:

The Edible Garden

I think that Shanks for the Memory just planted some fall beans. Here, a kidney bean germinates to Strauss:

Here are some really enticing green bean recipes. You can use bush beans if you want to. Check them out:

Fortex, Gold of Bacau, Nor'easter, Rattlesnake. Fortex is the best if you have the climate for it.

Pole beans with pasta

Gordon has produced his first salsa. I think I see some pickling cucumbers, too.

Some of us may need the recipe.

S. Lynne has lots of produce coming on. More photos next week.

Honeycrisp apples. Fresh. Wow.

Gardens of The Horde

Blake, who lives in Bakersfield, sent in the following:

I've sort of nicknamed this particular crape myrtle "Sideshow Bob Myrtle."
Note, though, my neighbor's crape myrtles are also putting on quite the show.

Admirale's Mate has a couple of fine lilies:

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:09 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 01:12 PM (BbGew)

2 hiya

Posted by: JT at August 24, 2019 01:14 PM (arJlL)

3 Beautiful pics. That myrtle is gorgeous, but my fave is the bottom lilies. What kind are they, I wonder.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 24, 2019 01:14 PM (/+bwe)

4 The Owl and the Bobcat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat...
Nice.

Posted by: DR.WTF at August 24, 2019 01:16 PM (aS1PU)

5 Great pics.

Posted by: Ronster at August 24, 2019 01:17 PM (NOanj)

6 My cucumbers are finally going, should pull out 1 that deer chopped down almost straight away, it really didn't produce much, its neighbor will be going soon. Right now as of this morning there isn't one good red tomatoe, there are dozens but all green.
And as have said end of last few week threads been harvesting dill seed pulling off heads and putting in a paper bag. Eventually the seeds will dry and fall to bottom.

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 01:17 PM (BbGew)

7 Do have 1 big red Anaheim pepper that will grill today to make a chile releno

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 01:19 PM (BbGew)

8 My tomatoes are going gangbusters...it is turning into an engineering project to keep them supported. I find that ripping thin strips from a sturdy cotton shirt works best to tie them up with. I stick 8 foot sections of scrap trim wood as needed around the plants, with notches to secure the ties to. Former roommate of mine started the garden and didn't space the tomatoes properly...or anything else for that matter

Posted by: Model_1066 at August 24, 2019 01:26 PM (vDbXI)

9 The salsa looks delicious. Recipe please!!!

Posted by: shibumi, future Ohio dental floss tycoon at August 24, 2019 01:29 PM (AkkRZ)

10 Love seeing the pics of the garden produce transformed into table food. The pasta and the salsa both look delicious!

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 01:31 PM (DJFLF)

11 FINALLY this morning was cool enough to go out my deck and talk to the plants.
This past summer was brutal, temperature and tempest-wise.

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 01:32 PM (DJFLF)

12 Does anyone know the seed gathering process for salvia plants - the flowering kind?
https://tinyurl.com/yxzqqtr7
I planted the above a few years ago. They have been throwing volunteers, but I would like to plant them next year in a less haphazard fashion.

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 01:35 PM (DJFLF)

13 Fall-like day here in western Connecticut. Lots of perennials still blooming, including roses, phlox, helenium, helianthus, day lillies, cone flowers, autumn joy, Russian sage, lobelia, hostas (hanging on). And of course the annuals are at their best right now and for 2-3 more weeks.

Posted by: Caliban at August 24, 2019 01:41 PM (QE8X6)

14 Honeycrisp apples. Fresh. Wow.

Honeycrisp are the best.

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 01:43 PM (L9eMC)

15 Bobcat out midday?? ... not far from the house.

yeah. what's up with that ? must be a youn' one.

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 01:44 PM (L9eMC)

16 Great pics!
Illinewek has that touch...
I've seen bobcat and fox, but they NEVER show on the game cams. Go figger.
Model_1066- we have tried every staking system imaginable- the Texas weave; 4 post, 3 posts... you name it.
This year we let half the tomatoes sprawl on straw. Staked the other half.
Next year, all get to sprawl on straw. VERY wet year, and no real fungal issues at all, so we go wide, not up.

Posted by: MarkY at August 24, 2019 01:46 PM (4QJX6)

17
Bobcat out midday?? ... not far from the house.

Not unheard of. Last summer we had a bobcat hanging around the shop building around midday. There's a creek running just on the north side of the building and he was walking from there around the corner of the building while a couple of us were in the parking lot. Didn't have enough time to grab phones to take photos though. Too bad, he was a big 'un.

We get lots of critters coming around from the creek. A couple of snapping turtles walking across the parking lot (the stench from those things is unreal). Snakes getting into the warehouse, of course. A couple of months back, we had a frickin' crawfish that walked about 150 yards away from the creek to die in the middle of the warehouse floor.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at August 24, 2019 01:47 PM (veoSD)

18 We get lots of critters coming around from the creek. A couple of snapping turtles walking across the parking lot (the stench from those things is unreal). Snakes getting into the warehouse, of course. A couple of months back, we had a frickin' crawfish that walked about 150 yards away from the creek to die in the middle of the warehouse floor.

==

that creek must have ducks or something, he was looking for food probably

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 01:50 PM (L9eMC)

19 snapping turtles are mud dwellers; always see them sunning on banks of some disgusting wastewater

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 01:52 PM (L9eMC)

20 Beautiful crepe myrtles ... now I want some. The deer really loved my first honeycrisp, chomped the limbs till it died. My second one is on its second year, not looking great ... but this pictured one gives hope. Salsas also look scrumptious.

Cool bean video... maybe it's not too late. We got 3" of rain over the last week, so plenty of moisture to start something, but also lots of mowing. 74 degrees and a nice breeze ... so it's all good.

cheers to the growers.

Posted by: illiniwek at August 24, 2019 01:56 PM (Cus5s)

21 So there I was this morning, minding my own business, picking some green beans in Idaho's Treasure Valley, where I see 2 hot air balloons overhead - and then, not quite so overhead - and it really looked like one was considering coming down in my yard! I think they came down in a vacant lot on our local main street, not far away. (I might have *wanted* balloons, today being my actual birthday, but that was a BIG surprise.)

Anyway, today's harvest is red raspberries, zukes, cukes, green beans, lavender, chamomile - and some larkspur from the hummingbird garden for a vase in the kitchen. Also the first 3 heirloom tomato 'Black from Tula'. Our new neighbor has been giving us corn (I think he works in ag, and his corn variety's way better than our 'Bodacious'). We already gave them some red raspberries - later I'll take over some of these fresh green beans.

Yesterday we picked the first of our 3 watermelons, but we haven't tasted it yet. Earlier this week, we noticed the fingerling potatoes 'La Ratte' were crawling out of the top of 2 of the 3 pots!, so we harvested them, 14.5 pounds total, though the green ones won't be edible. I'm saving the green ones and the tiny ones to plant next year - anybody know if this will work well?

This week's food processing - 7 pints of dill spears, 8 pints of dill slices, frozen corn and green beans, and steamed chokecherries - still have another batch of those to steam. Total weight processed will be 14 pounds, and I'll see what the total juice volume is when I'm done, then see how much jelly that makes.

Bad news for the week - we've had 2 recent bouts of heavy wind. The first took 2 branches off the Golden Delicious tree, the second took another branch. That poor tree was never pruned right by the former owners, and this year, it's so heavily laden that it just couldn't hold up to extra stress... We'll probably have to take the whole top out of the tree. Well, we have our plan to start our little orchard - 3 apple trees next spring as the first installment - and we will make sure we learn how to properly prune an apple tree!

Other than birthday balloons, the other surprise was a SNAKE under a bush green bean on Tuesday. And today while kneeling to pick chamomile, a hummingbird got so close to my face, it was within arm's reach, just hovering for a few breaths, while we stared at each other.

Under puttering: Husband has been digging a trench to put in a barrier strip, to keep the wild roses from growing into the lawn. Today we went out there and painted straight glyphosate on all the rose sprouts on the lawn side of the trench - hopefully all of them, anyway. We'll probably have to do this more than once... hopefully all the rose roots in the lawn will die, and the roses will keep all their roots on their side of the barrier strip!

Posted by: Pat* at August 24, 2019 01:56 PM (2pX/F)

22 WeaselOwl!

Posted by: Weasel at August 24, 2019 01:56 PM (MVjcR)

23 illiniwek, you sell to any of the "farmers' markets" 'round town ?

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 01:57 PM (L9eMC)

24 This past summer was brutal, temperature and tempest-wise.
Posted by: kallisto

AMEN Sistah !

Posted by: JT at August 24, 2019 01:58 PM (arJlL)

25 I have a picture of a Bobcat hunting but it's not as good as the one above. I took it while sitting in my car waiting for the BobKittuh to cross the road. It was just slowly, slinking, across. It had a bead on some varmint. At some point it realized It wasn't alone and looked up, saw me, and then kept hunting. Didn't seem to care I was there. The was on the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA.

Posted by: Puddleglum, job huntin' at August 24, 2019 01:59 PM (MznaC)

26 Pat, Happy Birthday!
Apples, and really all fruit trees. You can trim them however you like!
Orchards (we used to have plenty close to KCMo) used to use unskilled labor to top them, and cut back long limbs.
I'm gonna keep our peaches and apples low enough to pick and spray from the ground.
Rules go out the window when pruning fruit trees (or any tree that is "actively" dwarfed). Don't leave stubs is about the only rule. Prune out crossing limbs, prune out dead, prune any root suckers.

And my lovely wife bought some strawberries to make me jam, cause I'm getting low!

Posted by: MarkY at August 24, 2019 02:03 PM (4QJX6)

27 I tried planting tomatoes where mom used to have them. But 20 yrs of weed barrier and bark made it impossible. When it cools off a bit, I need to dig all that crap out and start with new dirt for next year.

The bark and barrier need to come out of the rose beds as well.

Posted by: Infidel at August 24, 2019 02:03 PM (BLFnH)

28 As always, the photos are great. Our little cherry tomato plants continue to give us enough for daily eating. The dill has self regenerated for a third go around. The Lebanese cucumber put out lots of blossoms but nary one fruit did we see. Bummer.

I suspect the heat wave did in the replant of leaf lettuce. It has just been miserable. (Note to the local news stations: this was NOT record breaking weather, although it got close. Those records were often set many decades ago. They can take their 'worst summer evah' mantra and stick them.)

Posted by: JTB at August 24, 2019 02:08 PM (bmdz3)

29 WeaselOwl!

You need one more for the WeaselArk.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at August 24, 2019 02:10 PM (fuK7c)

30 the bobcats on the trail cams are usually early or late, or at night. But yeah, sometimes in the day. My chickens are out in the day ... they rove maybe 60 yards from the house at times. I've never seen a bobcat except on the trail cams, so hopefully he doesn't get any friendlier. This one was only another 100 yards from where the chickens might play, but usually the chickens are near the house.

Posted by: illiniwek at August 24, 2019 02:13 PM (Cus5s)

31 Weasel, do you know what kind of Owl you have?

Posted by: Ronster at August 24, 2019 02:13 PM (NOanj)

32 Orange Flowers Bad.

but they look and smell good in the White House like Melania.

Posted by: saf at August 24, 2019 02:13 PM (5IHGB)

33 That's a weird looking bobcat to me. The ones I grew up with were gray/spotted, but that one is tawny, like a mountain lion. Cool.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at August 24, 2019 02:18 PM (5aX2M)

34 31 Weasel, do you know what kind of Owl you have?

I was going to ask that, too. My guess is a screech owl. It looks pretty small.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 24, 2019 02:18 PM (S+f+m)

35 Also, from his forepaws, he looks like an adolescent. I bet he's gonna be yuuuuge.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at August 24, 2019 02:19 PM (5aX2M)

36 kallisto at August 24, 2019 01:35 PM

I love that Salvia. I think you can just snip off the stems with almost-mature seed heads, put them in a little open paper bag and let them finish drying, then shake out the seeds.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 02:23 PM (BVQ+1)

37 Love the bobcat.
I have a video of type of wildcat, Central American, I think. It has the long and tapered, black ear tip fuzz, intense green eyes, shorter fur, beautiful coat.
Anyway, someone managed to quasi-domesticate it, but it is very intimidating in appearance.
Looks to weigh about 125 lbs.
It does not purr, it either growls or hisses, but it did tolerate the affection of its human companion.
Up to a point, I suppose.

Posted by: navybrat remembers wax pistols at August 24, 2019 02:23 PM (w7KSn)

38 Posted by: Pat* at August 24, 2019 01:56 PM (2pX/F)
Happy birthday!
Mostly watering here. It's still too hot to stay outside for long. I did move some "Egyptian Walking Onions" out of an earthbox so there's room for radishes or carrots this year. One year I grew the sweetest carrots in a pot but I haven't been able to replicate that.

Posted by: gingeroni at August 24, 2019 02:25 PM (/XPvv)

39 You shoulds thank Presdent Obana for makering this happen !!!!!

Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Obamaboro, VT and proud of it !!!! at August 24, 2019 02:28 PM (qM84C)

40 And if you don't have small pets that bobcats will eat, they're great to have around your garden for pest control.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at August 24, 2019 02:29 PM (5aX2M)

41 It does not purr, it either growls or hisses, but it did tolerate the affection of its human companion.
Up to a point, I suppose.

yeah, don't go petting wild animals. even small ones. some idiots try to domesticate wolves. no bueno.

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 02:32 PM (L9eMC)

42 36. Thank you KT

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 02:32 PM (7YFuT)

43 Wife will pick her second cucumber this year. Whoo. Quite the gardener she is.

Posted by: Ronster at August 24, 2019 02:34 PM (NOanj)

44 yeah, don't go petting wild animals. even small ones. some idiots try to domesticate wolves. no bueno.
Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 02:32 PM

A former coworker of mine lost her puppy because a nearby neighbor decided that putting out dogfood dishes for wild animals during the winter was a great idea. All it did was make coyotes, raccoons and whatever else come right up to houses.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 24, 2019 02:37 PM (/+bwe)

45 Kitty-cat! Dear Illniwek Park Service, please train your kitty-cat better so that my children can pet him. Thanks in advance!

Posted by: t-bird at August 24, 2019 02:38 PM (z9nOg)

46 Have a dozen cucumbers going to compost, their coming in yellow and not looking good. Can't complain probably have had 50 + from them. Not a good tomato year.

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 02:40 PM (BbGew)

47 45 Kitty-cat! Dear Illniwek Park Service, please train your kitty-cat better so that my children can pet him. Thanks in advance!
Posted by: t-bird at August 24, 2019 02:38 PM (z9nOg)

It's the "thanks in advance" that really nails it.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 24, 2019 02:43 PM (/+bwe)

48 some idiots try to domesticate wolves. no bueno.
Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 02:32 PM (L9eMC)

-------

It can work... sort of. My ex-FiL had a pair of timberwolves that were domesticated. They were docile and affectionate with him and his kids. They were reserved and standoffish with visitors, even frequent, friendly ones like me.

Unless he wasn't home.

If he was away, they would kill interlopers. They never killed anyone (they did hurt one really dumb guy) because most people have the sense to turn around and walk away when they see a fenced yard being patrolled by angry wolves.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at August 24, 2019 02:43 PM (5aX2M)

49 Happy B'day Pat! I'm interested to learn how to grow fingerling potatoes in pots.

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 02:45 PM (7YFuT)

50 Outstanding year for garden. I tried cattle paneling arches for vine plants, and its amazing how easy gardening can be. Great success with using basalt-volcanic ash too ! Advise not to buy at ebay or amazon, you'll get screwed on price. It's a tomato and melon year !

Posted by: ron n. at August 24, 2019 02:50 PM (om5HK)

51 PPS preying mantis WILL KILL AND EAT YOUR HUMMINGBIRDS !

Posted by: ron n. at August 24, 2019 02:52 PM (om5HK)

52 48. Back in the day we had this quaint habit called 'hitchhiking'. I thumbed a ride from a guy who had a dog riding shotgun. Got in the backseat. To make small talk I asked him what kind of dog? It was half wolf.

Posted by: kallisto at August 24, 2019 02:53 PM (7YFuT)

53 It was half wolf.

those are messed up animals. i think wolf genes are dominant ?

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 02:56 PM (L9eMC)

54 34 31 Weasel, do you know what kind of Owl you have?

I was going to ask that, too. My guess is a screech owl. It looks pretty small.
Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 24, 2019 02:18 PM (S+f+m)
-------
You know, I sure don't. It's a pair and they are about the same size - maybe 10 inches tall. They come around my little clearing at dusk and perch on the lower branches. Mostly brown and white and, well, feathery.

Posted by: Weasel at August 24, 2019 02:56 PM (FWLEy)

55 Being feathery, that's a dead giveaway.

Posted by: Ronster at August 24, 2019 02:58 PM (NOanj)

56 wait a sec, didn't ace post some video some time ago - researcher(s?) who tried to domesticate foxes to extrapolate wolf to dog evolution ? more of a pet thread discussion, sorry to derail.

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 02:58 PM (L9eMC)

57 Weasel--

You said you'd heard the owl at night. If it's a screecher, then it should be easy to identify it from the sound. It's pretty unique.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/sounds

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 24, 2019 03:03 PM (S+f+m)

58 Grabs Peterson's Field Guide. Feathery, feathery, feathery...

AH! It's a owl.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at August 24, 2019 03:03 PM (fuK7c)

59 Hello gardeners. Just in from spraying my burrs. I leave the less noxious weeds alone. I kind of like the bee weeds and sun flower cousins for their flowers and figure anything w/o stickers is fine to limit blowing sand in the horse pens.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 24, 2019 03:04 PM (vrfMC)

60 Yesterday weather for casted 80, only 73 here now.

Runner, do remember a thread like that

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 03:04 PM (BbGew)

61 Ah, I found the species of the cat in my video.
It is a caracal. From Africa, not Central America.
Medium sized wild cat.
Gorgeous.

Posted by: navybrat remembers wax pistols at August 24, 2019 03:07 PM (w7KSn)

62 And, here is the video.
Unsuitable for the pet thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPA778_lcOo

Posted by: navybrat remembers wax pistols at August 24, 2019 03:11 PM (w7KSn)

63 Pet thread up.

Posted by: HH at August 24, 2019 03:13 PM (mIJBI)

64 esearcher(s?) who tried to domesticate foxes to extrapolate wolf to dog evolution

I think it was Russian fur foxes in the 50's. Beautiful coats for furs, nasty temperaments. So they bred for tameness so they could get an easier harvest. This ruined their fur value as they became puppy-like, with different colors and different coats. Wagged their tails and such.

Posted by: t-bird at August 24, 2019 03:14 PM (z9nOg)

65 Bees are gardening related, right?

A comprehensive guide to yellow stripey things:

http://bit.ly/30ylRCS

Posted by: Bandersnatch at August 24, 2019 03:21 PM (fuK7c)

66 Pat, thanks for your update, as usual.

Great job with this thread, KT.

And thanks for the compliments.

Sideshow Bob myrtle was trimmed back after the flowers were gone and, behold, it bloomed again and looks great.

We've several crape myrtles around the house but the one pictured is the best one, though we've got one pushing 15' that has a snow cone shape to it. Though, the flowers aren't nearly as spectacular as the one shown.

Posted by: blake - used pronoun salesman at August 24, 2019 03:22 PM (WEBkv)

67 IIRC domesticating foxes will make big strides in the first five generations, but then hit a wall. It really does take thousands of years.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at August 24, 2019 03:26 PM (LxTcq)

68 Bees are gardening related, right?

A comprehensive guide to yellow stripey things:

that's a good one. from bitter experience I totally, unequivocally agree - yellow jackets are "just assholes"

Posted by: runner at August 24, 2019 03:29 PM (L9eMC)

69 49 kallisto: First we bought some 20 gallon cloth pots (really a heavy felt-like fabric). Then we added a few inches of soil, and one or two potatoes. Then we covered them with another inch or two of soil.

After that, you water them and wait. (And keep watering them periodically like any other plant, right? You knew that.) Eventually you get some leaves and stem. Like other potatoes, you add soil every so often, leaving some of the stem and leaves showing each time. When you get to the top of the pot, you stop adding soil.

When the plant starts dying back, or when potatoes start showing out the top of the pot!, then you harvest. Nice thing about cloth bags is you can just get a tarp, lay it out, dump the whole potato bag onto it, and pick out the potatoes.

Posted by: Pat* at August 24, 2019 03:52 PM (2pX/F)

70 "illiniwek, you sell to any of the "farmers' markets" 'round town ?" runner

no, I harvest some for myself, not even very diligent at that. Farmer's Market around old Washington Park seemed like a fun idea, but it becomes a chore all too quickly, and doesn't pay very well. The prepper concept is good, so if I need to I could go into "production mode" pretty quickly, other than that it is fun to watch things grow ... weeding, less fun. ha

Posted by: illiniwek at August 24, 2019 03:53 PM (Cus5s)

71 Tomatoes are petering out, even though the temp has only crossed 90 degrees a few times here on my southern Appalachian mountain. The Celebrities and Early Girls are undersized now, and the Better Boy has quit altogether. One exception - the Cherokee Carbon (cross between Cherokee Purple and Carbon) is still putting out delicious full size tomatoes. I'm going to plant a couple of these next year, including the spot that Better Boy held this year.

Posted by: Cumberland Astro at August 24, 2019 03:56 PM (d9Cw3)

72 Come back later today for the salsa recipe. I am away from the house.

Posted by: Gordon at August 24, 2019 04:15 PM (nKAB3)

73 Wrapped up the last of my tomato harvest yesterday and cleaned out all the old plants. Had a very prolific year. One variety which proved to be absolutely amazing was something called hillbilly potato leaf. Produces these beautiful huge yellow/orange tomatoes that are very sweet. Had an amazing number of tomatoes on the vine. Another one of my favorites was Momotaro. Also for the first time in a long time my San Marzano's went gangbusters. Making gazpacho for dinner. Then have to figure out what to do with all the rest. My canning is over. I am not gonna do that again this summer. Probably some lucky people at work on Monday going to get a bunch

Posted by: keena at August 24, 2019 04:36 PM (RiTnx)

74 I usually get tomatoes up until frost though they slow down at cooler temps. Take the green just before wrap in newspaper and they will turn red .

Posted by: Skip at August 24, 2019 05:05 PM (BbGew)

75 My wife is muttering, "no, you can't tell them the recipe."

12 cups cherry tomatoes any variety or mixed
cut up halves or quartered packed to eliminate air gaps in the measuring cup

3 cups chopped red onion

18 cloves garlic chopped

3-4 poblano peppers
8 large or 10 small to medium jalapeno peppers
2-3 habanero peppers
All seeded and chopped

1 cup packed chopped cilantro

2 Tbls salt

the juice from 2 limes

1 cup vinegar

Put all ingredients in a large heavy pot and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, tomatoes should be tender. Take off heat and run immersion blender through until tomatoes are mostly broken up. Put back on medium heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Put in prepared pint jars and process in canner for 15 minutes.

Yield is 8 pints plus some.

Posted by: Gordon at August 24, 2019 05:07 PM (Uf/md)

76 THANK YOUR WIFE for the recipe, too, Gordon.

Looks great.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 05:46 PM (BVQ+1)

77 Pat* at August 24, 2019 01:56 PM

What a great report! The balloons are fun.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 05:58 PM (BVQ+1)

78 She just finished another batch. My role is to clean and chop the peppers. It is very good right after the finish when it is hot.

Posted by: Gordon at August 24, 2019 05:58 PM (Uf/md)

79 Ronster at August 24, 2019 02:34 PM

Yay!

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:00 PM (BVQ+1)

80 PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 24, 2019 03:04 PM

That's about my attitude. If the weeds don't have stickers, they are low priority. Except maybe Bermuda grass and other really persistent perennials.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:02 PM (BVQ+1)

81 ron n. at August 24, 2019 02:50 PM

The arches sound great. Where is your garden?

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:04 PM (BVQ+1)

82 ron n. at August 24, 2019 02:52 PM

Didn't know that praying Mantises could kill hummingbirds. Keep them off that Salvia!

Our Mexican friend says that praying mantises kill cattle because they eat black widow spiders, then the cattle eat the mantises.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:07 PM (BVQ+1)

83 Cumberland Astro at August 24, 2019 03:56 PM

Cherokee Carbon sounds like a great tomato!

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:08 PM (BVQ+1)

84 navybrat remembers wax pistols at August 24, 2019 03:11 PM

You are right. We wouldn't want members of The Horde getting one of those cats!

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 24, 2019 06:10 PM (BVQ+1)

85 She says you're welcome, KT. She gives it out very reluctantly. But for you, hey....

Posted by: Gordon at August 24, 2019 06:14 PM (Uf/md)

86 @Keena...this is the second year that San Marzano hasn't set well for me. Anyone in my neck of the woods (Northeastern San Joaquin County) have luck with them? What non-GMO Roma do you grow?

@Gordon...sounds yummy, but I just processed 100 lb of whole 'maters and while they look like jewels in a jar... I'm so over canning. I've a half gal jar of pepper mash fermenting so I'll just go with frozen tomato salsa this year.

The next round of tomato picking I'll freeze'em and thaw as needed for salsa and pasta sauce.

Food preservation guru Kelly Wilkinson 'splains it @24:57

https://youtu.be/LUQxrnEFzB0

As KT noted I replanted bush green beans and red noodle pole beans, but the heat is back on so they're looking a little stressed. However, the second planting of zukes & pickling cukes are growing like weeds and Johnny's summer crisp lettuces are doing really well under a 60% row cover. A second summer planting is always touch and go.

Shanks

Posted by: Shanks for the memory at August 24, 2019 07:36 PM (TdCQk)

87 30 wild turkeys walked through the alpaca farm in North Idaho this morning.

Beautiful bobcat picture!

We own Scottish Highland horned cattle up here that line up and fight shoulder to shoulder when threatened. Just like braveheart. No lightning bolts shooting from their arse but they are great yard ornaments and are lean and furry.

Posted by: Potato Launcher at August 24, 2019 08:13 PM (vQMfc)

88 I hear you, Shanks. We are freezing peppers, because the wife's pepper patch is rather prolific. We also use power tools whenever possible. I'm about to unlimber the Ball Tomato Processor. It makes marinara and tomato sauce very easy. We have the Ball Jam and Jelly maker also. The wife put up about 48 half-pints of peach jam last Sunday nearly by herself. There is no way she would have done more than 16 or so on the stove.

Posted by: Gordon at August 24, 2019 08:48 PM (Uf/md)

89 Wonderful pictures of all the different animals. Thanks.
Pictures of plants beautiful as well.

Posted by: ZaN at August 24, 2019 10:02 PM (NLEnr)

90 Kalisto: re salvia-I think they transplant pretty easily.
Or pick the flowered stalks after they start dying, put in a paper bag till nutlets are completely dry-couple weeks, then squeeze out the seeds from the nutlets and plant.

Posted by: S.Lynn at August 24, 2019 10:39 PM (2lAaS)

91 @Gordon... I have a hand crank version of the Ball tomato press and it does make quick work of pureeing tomatoes.

I make jam a few pints at a time in an old copper skillet. I prefer to use honey instead of sugar and can do a batch while I cook dinner. I just made some peach preserves with orange blossom honey...oh my. We spooned some still warm over vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We gardeners eat well which is sort of the point isn't it?

Posted by: Shanks for the memory at August 24, 2019 10:41 PM (TdCQk)

92 Illiniwik: We have two honeycrisp trees. One looked like it was going to die. It has since recovered and the apples on that tree are bigger than the good looking one. We have coddling moth troubles so I set moth traps. You can look them up online. Uses a 1/2 gallon jug, apple cider vinegar, molasses, ammonia and water. Works GREAT.

Posted by: S.Lynn at August 24, 2019 10:42 PM (2lAaS)

93 Happy birthday Pat! What fun getting up close and personal with big balloons.
I sure miss crape myrtles. Wish they grew in southern Idaho but they like the warmth. So beautiful.

Posted by: S.Lynn at August 24, 2019 10:49 PM (2lAaS)

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