Weekly Gardening Thread – 2011 (Vol. 27) July 15

Free Republic | 07-15-2011 | Red_Devil 232

[Red_Devil 232]

Good morning gardeners. It has been another week of hot humid weather. My little garden got its small share of a 60% chance of rain yesterday afternoon. A nice pop up T-storm spent about half an hour dropping a nice steady rain on my garden. There is a 70% chance of rain today. If the percentage for rain is not above 50 the pop up T-storms seem to pass me by. I did get to harvest about a dozen ripe tomatoes this past week but they are on the small side. My replacement paste tomato plants are coming along just fine so far. I will leave them to develop in their 5 inch peat pots for a couple of more weeks before setting them out in the garden.

If you are a gardener or you are just starting out and are in need of advice or just encouragement please feel free to join in and enjoy the friendly discussion. Our Freeper community is full of gardeners, each with varying interests and skill levels from Master Gardener to novice.

I hope all your gardens are flourishing.

[greeneyes]

We are having a nice day here in Missouri(got a break from the heat). It is 84(feels like 88)degree high expected of 88 and low tonight of 71. Better than the heat index of 111 we reached last week. We had some showers this week. One sent about 3” of rain and lots of wind.

It flooded some of the raised beds and laid down the corn, and exposed the roots in the newest planted section. Some of the soil washed out of the bed too.

Tomato branches that I hacked off and stuck in pots are doing well with lots of flowers, and some tiny green tomatoes finally appearing. The ones I planted this spring are growing very slowly. Hubby has had a few cukes and enough green beans to cook up a couple of batches.

My beans have flowers right now, but no beans yet. Corn has silks, but they were burgundy colored, and the leaves at the bottom were kinda yellow and red. I put a Tablespoon of blood meal between the plants, and the silks are a better color now, so I guess they needed nitrogen.

Hubby still has not planted the garden where he harvested the wheat. He decided to make it bigger, and put in raised beds about 40” by 32 feet. He may just have to plant a fall garden at this rate. LOL

We have had several batches of wild blackberries and some great looking volunteer tomatoes in the compost heap.

Have a great weekend. God Bless.

[Arrowhead1952]

I may try to get something to shade the plants. I had some in big pots a couple of years ago, but they didn’t do well at all.

[Red_Devil 232]

Your tomato plants look 100% healthier than mine!

[greeneyes]

Glad to hear the babies are doing fine.

[who knows what evil?]

I had some in big pots a couple of years ago, but they didn’t do well at all.

Even though Earth Boxes and global buckets are containers; they are SELF-WATERING systems, and that is KEY.

[who knows what evil?]

Tomato branches that I hacked off and stuck in pots are doing well with lots of flowers, and some tiny green tomatoes finally appearing.

The two branches that broke off my beautiful Purple Haze tomato plant in a storm a couple of weeks back are BOTH rooting nicely...even MORE PH maters to enjoy! Nom!

[greeneyes]

My fall garden is little different. In September, I plant some lettuce, onion sets, carrots, and spinach. When the first frost comes, I protect it with row covers and add straw, and other protection as it gets colder.

I harvest the spinach and lettuce all winter and spring. The carrots are ready in the spring, and the onions are pulled in June.

In October, I plant winter wheat, and garlic. The garlic is not ready until next October, but the wheat is ready mid-June of the next year, and can be followed by a crop like beans.

[Arrowhead1952]

I may try the Earth Boxes next year for some of my crop.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Hi there? Im Zone 6, what are you? And curious what you're planting for a fall crop. I'm thinking turnips, maybe spinach. And you?

I need to get ambitious today!

[who knows what evil?]

I love Earth Boxes...I add a few to my collection every year. I just noted on another gardening forum that tomato growers in the Dallas area report great success with shade cloth...they were talking temps in the low 100’s.

[Mrs. Don-o]

If you're willing to pick a couple tomatoes green, here's a truly delicious, use-it-every-day, spicy-not-sweet

Green Tomato Salsa Relish
Makes about 3 cups

2 large green tomatoes, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, scored and chopped
1 tart apple, 'Granny Smith' type, chopped
2 jalapenos, cored, seeded, finely chopped
...(hotter or cooler as you wish, of course)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs chopped fresh herbs
...(this could be cilantro, mint, basil, mixed -- your choice)
½ tsp. cumin (optional)

Combine the tomatoes, onions, peppers, apples, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour.

Stir in the jalapenos, herbs, and cumin if using, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Carefully blenderize until still somewhat chunky. Season again to taste.

• A tangy alternative to traditional salsa in quesadillas and tacos
• Mixed into guacamole
• Eaten hot, cold, or at room temperature.
• Stir it into refried beans or cooked rice
• For a spicy burrito filling, lightly brown some ground turkey or diced chicken in a skillet, add equal parts green tomato relish and water, and simmer until thickened.
• Put green tomato relish on a cheeseburger in place of ketchup and pickle
• Mix a little into diced home-fried potatoes, or even hash,just before serving
• Will keep for several weeks in the fridge (but it won't last that long)
• As a dip with tortilla chips (my favorite: spread fritos scoop-style chips on a plate, sprinkle with shredded cheddar, nuke 20 sec. til melted, then use to scoop up green tomato salsa)
• Could revolutionize your view of green tomatoes :o)

[greeneyes]

Great Pictures. Do you use the rye grain or just plow it under?

[greeneyes]

Tell me more about this “Dr. Earth”. Please.

[Just mythoughts]

Yes that is exactly what mine looked like. Mine are now over a foot tall and blooming with the green lantern looking fruit. I finally had to resort to using some ‘sevin’ and I got talked into some http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/DE-Diatomaceous-Earth-50lb by the local farm supply nearest me. I am told this sprinkled on will ‘dry’ up nearly all insects/worms. I cannot say yet for sure but my plants do appear to be staving off the very small black hard shelled type bug that is feasting off them, my horseradish leaves, radishes, and beet leaves. I have not seen this small bug before.

And you are most probably correct that it was Jungs that I received these free seeds from, as I ordered some beans and my corn from them.

What I cannot find to control is the helmeted tannish/brown/gray squash bugs. I have about given up on planting zucchini no matter where or what soil I plant them in as soon as they start blooming they are immediately infested with these plant killers. I spent over an hour just on three plants, killing by hand the mating adults, some newly hatched young, and cutting out the eggs laid on the leaves of the plant. I HATE squash bugs.

[texas_mrs]

Thanks for the info! The first time I planted black-eyed peas, 3 years ago, they were excellent & were just some dried ones from the grocery store meant for cooking. Last year I did the same and they had no flavor. This year they are, like yours, just now being harvested & the taste is good, but seems like there are too many ‘onesies’. I remember that 1st year the pods were reeeaaaally long and well filled out. Maybe as the season progresses this will improve. Thanks, again for your help.

[Just mythoughts]

Ground cherries.... It’s no wonder to me that they give the seeds away - if you plant them once you’ll never have to plant them again. LOL I’ve never seen anything that comes volunteer like a ground cherry. They’re tasty little things for sure. I’m thinking they might make a pretty good jelly.

This is good to know. I have no clue what I am in for and I have planted the plants in two separate locations. Both places are tiller accessible IF I get to that. But my dilemma has been to stave off the bug attacks. We shall see if I ever get to harvest even one fruit.

[greeneyes]

I too do not plant as much in each sq ft. as they say, because I like to go back in and plant a little beans with the corn, and basil with the tomatoes.

[Red_Devil 232]

1 sweet red pepper, scored and chopped.

What is meant by scored?

[greeneyes]

Well now I am jealous, I had some seeds for Cherokee purples that I was going to try, but Hubby took them to plant, and then lost them. We have searched everywhere, but no luck.

Since y’all are saying how good they are so , I'll be sure to try some next year.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Last year I had hanging tomatoes, hanging from my two clothesline crosses in big pots (plastic strawberry pots, lightweight but big.) Long story short, they started to fail when it got terribly hot, but I more-or-less saved them by shading them most of the day with bedsheet material.

That enabled them to survive and fruit, but it wasn't entirely satisfactory. My own conclusion was, I will never do "hanging" tomatoes again. They dry out too fast, plus are subject to stem breakage as they sway or torque in the wind.

IMHO, though, shading does help tomatoes in very hot dry weather.