Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[Toliver]

Don't know if this is science or superstition, but it's worked well for me the past couple of years. I also remember some of my neighbors in Lockhart would buy the red mulch product to achieve faster ripening.

More on Colored Mulches.

...tomato plants grown over red mulch yielded about 20 percent more fruit than those grown over standard black mulch.

So the red paper, boxes, etc, may aid in the ripening of the fruit.

And for you chileheads out there, Chile Pepper Magazine had a recent article on colored mulches and found that silver plastic mulch was best for growing chile peppers.

[fifi]

I have a sneaking feeling that the use of red paper or mulch has nothing to do with the color. What you are actually providing is an environment where the ethylene gas can hang around. That is the key. If you are in a real hurry, put an apple in a paper bag with the tomatoes.

[andiesenji]

I have about a million tomatoes turning slowly red. We have had 2 feet (literally) of rain in the last couple of weeks. I am having to pull some of the tomatoes before fully ripe due to splitting and end rot because of the rain. It is also in the nineties here in the daytime and the plants will not last much longer, so they have got to start getting ripe quickly or come off of the vine.

Any hints on ripening tomatoes off of the vine? I had an awesome crop and don't want it to go to waste from rot on the vine.

My sister takes the last of her tomatoes (in West Virginia, early fall) and wraps each one in newspaper and puts them in boxes in the basement. She said they last until Thanksgiving, slowly ripening.

I tried it once and they all rotted on me before they ripened. If you can keep them cool enough down there it might be worth a shot, though.

Do NOT pull the tomatoes off the vine. Cut the stems. This will maintain the "callus" at the stem end and the tomatoes will keep longer.

I do wrap tomatoes in newspaper, snugly in two layers of paper, and place then on narrow shelves in my pantry, not touching. They will keep for several weeks and will not ripen until they are opened or in close contact with another tomato. Keep them away from apples and bananas.

When my pepper plants have reached a certain stage I apply mulch, often white river rocks which reflects light up under the foliage. They also keep moisture from evaporating from the surface of the soil.

[GG Mora]

Wanted to share this tomato flower pic:

Tomato variety Black from Tula

I've never seen anything like it. It's more like a dandelion or some kind of aster. Maybe a portent of things to come? Highly unusual flower = highly unusual tomato? Will report back, of course.

Also, "dumpster" potatoes...

Not much to look at, I know, just sharing another unorthodox method.

Last year, my husband discovered some very healthy potato plants growing out of the compost. I'd heard that you could grow potatoes in a large bucket or pail, just adding dirt as the plant grew. So I cut holes in the bottom of a few trash barrels, transplanted the potato plants, and filled away. By the end of the season, each barrel of dumpster potatoes yielded nearly 10 lbs. This year I bought certified seed potato (Yukon Gold) and am trying it again. An organic farmer pal tells me you can actually use straw for fill as the plants grow; since the nutrients come from the roots at the base of the plant, the fill only serves to support the tubers and protect them from sunlight. I may give that a shot.

[andiesenji]

Also, "dumpster" potatoes...

Not much to look at, I know, just sharing another unorthodox method.

Last year, my husband discovered some very healthy potato plants growing out of the compost. I'd heard that you could grow potatoes in a large bucket or pail, just adding dirt as the plant grew. So I cut holes in the bottom of a few trash barrels, transplanted the potato plants, and filled away. By the end of the season, each barrel of dumpster potatoes yielded nearly 10 lbs. This year I bought certified seed potato (Yukon Gold) and am trying it again. An organic farmer pal tells me you can actually use straw for fill as the plants grow; since the nutrients come from the roots at the base of the plant, the fill only serves to support the tubers and protect them from sunlight. I may give that a shot.

This is a great idea, particularly if you want to grow several varieties or in particular, the "fingerling" potatoes.

I am not growing them in containers this year because the main garden has been expanded so they could be grown in the raised beds, however I have in the past with exellent results, though not as great a yield as yours. I had purple and red, the Finnish yellow and a Peruvian blue. The Finnish yellow were similar to the Yukon gold but more buttery tasting.

We drilled holes around the the containers on the sides, about 1 inch from the bottom.

Any container here with holes in the bottom is invaded by the very aggressive roots of the fruitless mulberry and cottonwood trees on the property, unless a barrier is between the container and the ground.

Any plants will soon appear sick and will die off. If you dig in the soil in the container you find fine roots and as you dig deeper the roots get bigger. My gardener tried to move one container in which the incoming root was an inch in diameter and he had to cut it with a saw to move the pot. The cottonwood trees grow rapidly and provide a lot of shade but they can send roots out for long distances to reach water and nutrients.

[GG Mora]

We drilled holes around the the containers on the sides, about 1 inch from the bottom. 

Any container here with holes in the bottom is invaded by the very aggressive roots of the fruitless mulberry and cottonwood trees on the property, unless a barrier is between the container and the ground.

Thank goodness we have no such aggressive invaders (well, aside from slugs). I don't actually put the holes in the bottom bottom but, rather, cut out triangles using a utility knife, close to the bottom of the sides.

[chezlamere]

Well this is just an AWFUL site. The envy...

I sold my raised bed garden and fruit trees along with my house.

I loved that garden and yard. Since I've moved I've gained so much weight ( i was always making new beds or moving bolders from the mountains to my rock gardens.) And now I have nothing to do in the evenings after work in this apartment. I hate it. And I've become so lazzzzzy. I NEED A GARDEN. Planting in containers just sucks in comparison. And I miss those green beans.

[sparrowgrass]

Come on over, chezlamere. The green beans are ready to pick, and the taters are ready to dig--I had some for dinner on Sunday.

(Might have to wait the til the garden dries out a bit--lots of rain today.)

The chickens ate every leaf off my peas and broccoli/cabbage plants.

[lovebenton0]

I have about a million tomatoes turning slowly red. We have had 2 feet (literally) of rain in the last couple of weeks. I am having to pull some of the tomatoes before fully ripe due to splitting and end rot because of the rain. It is also in the nineties here in the daytime and the plants will not last much longer, so they have got to start getting ripe quickly or come off of the vine.

Any hints on ripening tomatoes off of the vine? I had an awesome crop and don't want it to go to waste from rot on the vine.

In addition to the other comments, Mayhaw Man.

We have had to cut tomatoes -- yes do cut them so stems stay attached, even in clusters if you want a bunch to ripen at approximately the same time. If in clusters set them carefully so the tomatoes still have room to breathe. I set mine in flat baskets or some just on the counter in the kitchen when we have dozens at a time to salvage for whatever reason. I have picked them still green and had to hurry if I wished to use them in that state before they start to ripen. You can prolong the ripoening by following the other good advice of wrapping in newspaper or in paper bags. Never refrigerate them -- not good for tomatoes anyway -- and if they start to ripen too fast to use all of them fresh, make salsa or freeze them whole for later use once ripe.

And how's your okra? What variety are you growing this year? We are putting in our fav again, Louisiana Velvet, this week in the spots left by tomato plants that didn't make it and squash that have been overgrown by larger sisters surrounding them. Disappointed in the heirlooms we tried, no Brandywines for us. So gumbo to pickling what's your favorite okra?

[jschyun]

Well, this is nothing like last year. My tomatoes are all coming in like gangbusters. I have now decided to focus mostly on cherry tomatoes next year, because a) I'll have a lot less time than now b) they seem to be the most popular.

light yellow: Dr. Carolyn, orange: Sungold, oval red: Jelly Bean (grape), purple-red: Black Cherry. My snow whites haven't come in or this would be even prettier. I chose not to grow green ones.

[GG Mora]

:low, admiring whistle:

Well, at least mine are starting to flower.

Edited to add: :drool:

Edited June 20, 2004 by GG Mora (log)

[andiesenji]

They look wonderful. My cherry varieties are coming along at about the same rate as most of the standards.

The only one that is almost ready to pick is Celebrity, and it is loaded with fruit. I took this pic yesterday.

Most of today I have been busy processing apricots. Because of the high temps we had earlier this month they ripened about 3 weeks ahead of schedule.

I split and pitted 13 trays full that are now in the two Excalibur dehydrators.

I pitted 7 pounds and cooked them down until I could put them through the food mill to remove the skins. That batch is in a large container in the freezer for later processing into preserves.

I still have a bushel basket full and have to do something with them tomorrow. The pickers worked all day yesterday and will be back Monday to strip the tree. There are still a lot left but they are up in the higher branches. This is a very big tree, nearly 50 ft at the very top.

[memesuze]

wanted to pass along two things:

for those of you with tomatoes, check out the Tomato Problem Solver from Texas A&M University

and for a natural mosquito repellent, into 4 ounces of almond oil add the following drops of essential oils [can be found at a natural food shop, Whole Paycheck, Central Market, aromatherapy, or herb store]: 8 drops of lemongrass oil, 4 drops of thyme oil, 4 drops of lavendar oil, and 4 drops of peppermint oil.

There will usually be sufficient room in the air space of the new bottle of almond oil to add the essential oils. Let the mix sit for a day before using - Slather onto your exposed surfaces, and watch the mosquitos buzz around but not light. Smells good too.

[McDuff]

Does anyone know the optimal look of a gooseberry when it's ready to pick? We have a sprawling plant right outside the back door, some of the berries are getting a rosy blush, but most are still green. I made rhubarb gooseberry preserves last year, and have about 4 times the amount of fruit this year. Lot of tailing and topping. I may have picked them a week or so later on last year, but still didn't know what I was doing.

[jackal10]

Does anyone know the optimal look of a gooseberry when it's ready to pick? We have a sprawling plant right outside the back door, some of the berries are getting a rosy blush, but most are still green. I made rhubarb gooseberry preserves last year, and have about 4 times the amount of fruit this year. Lot of tailing and topping. I may have picked them a week or so later on last year, but still didn't know what I was doing.

Depends what you want them for. For Jam and Pies, anytime now..

For eating on their own, wait until they soften a little from rockhard, and go sweet.

The colour depends on variety - some go deep pink, some a little yellow, some stay green.

[Smithy]

Most of today I have been busy processing apricots.  Because of the high temps we had earlier this month they ripened about 3 weeks ahead of schedule.

<details of the harvest elided; it's just tooo painful >

I am sooo envious.

In the 20-odd years I've lived here in northern Minnesota, produce shipping and handling has improved to the point where good nectarines - really good nectarines, as in 'I grew up with nectarines and I know what I'm talking about' good - can be had in the grocery store if you shop carefully. Peaches take a bit more care, but they turn up once in a while in good shape, with good flavor.

Good apricots are as scarce as good navel oranges.

I don't understand it. I'd think that if you could get one variety of stone fruit out in good ripeness, shape and flavor (did I mention that good cherries arrive here too?) that you could get them all. It doesn't happen with apricots. I have recipes galore celebrating apricots - tarts, brandied apricots, the list goes on - and never a chance to use them. Grrr....

Enjoy those apricots, Andiesenji....!

[jschyun]

My friend from Tennessee just told me about the great tomatoes they get there. Juicy, sweet, and they just grow plain old Celebrity and Bradley. She said she thought it was because they grow so fast. August she said, wait for August. The heat and rain make them super sweet and firm.

The beefsteaks we get here in SoCal are not as spectacular, even for the best gardeners in our coop garden. In fact, I don't like them. The only beefsteak that I have ever come back for was Brandywine. that was my first experience with a juicy sweet, wonderful tomato. Comments?

[andiesenji]

My friend from Tennessee just told me about the great tomatoes they get there. Juicy, sweet, and they just grow plain old Celebrity and Bradley. She said she thought it was because they grow so fast. August she said, wait for August. The heat and rain make them super sweet and firm.

The beefsteaks we get here in SoCal are not as spectacular, even for the best gardeners in our coop garden. In fact, I don't like them. The only beefsteak that I have ever come back for was Brandywine. that was my first experience with a juicy sweet, wonderful tomato. Comments?

I grow Brandywine and it is quite good. However for the past couple of years I have preferred the Beefmaster and especially Park's Whopper. I have several plants this year and while they are not coming on as quickly as Celebrity, Mr. Stripey and Cherokee Purple, they now are loaded with marble-sized fruit.

Park's Whopper

However my absolutely favorite, which I have not been able to grow here, (in Lancaster) in spite of estabilishing a micro climate with a wind screen to protect them from the hot winds) and trying several growing mediums, is the old pink Ponderosa. I love them, they have very few seeds, the flesh is dense and the flavor is outstanding. It seems to be a problem with this area because no one else I know can grow them either.

Pink Ponderosa

Where is your co op garden?

[andiesenji]

On another note, I was out in the garden this morning, discussing some changes in some of the raised beds with my gardener. We walked back toward the fence that divides my kitchen garden from the big garden and I noticed some leafy vines showing behind the compost bins.

I asked Jose what they were and he went to look. It was several huge tomatillo vines growing out of the side of one of the compost bins.

We are talking "Day of the Triffids" creatures here. I couldn't get back there but the vines have completely filled the space between the back of the compost bins and the fence (3 feet), from the ground up to 4 feet high (the top of the bins) and spread 10 feet sideways.

Jose found some giant tomatillos, the biggest I have ever seen. He pulled out some of the vines but left three since they were doing so well.

He picked 15 of these huge fruits and I gave him several, keeping just these.

The largest is 3 1/2 inches across and weight 9 1/4 ounces!

Verde sauce is on the list of things to do tomorrow.

[jschyun]

Where is your co op garden?

It's on University California Irvine grounds. Our little site

We get these 12'x16' plots. I have 2. I pulled out all my squash and now I'm growing just 2 squash plants, variety of herbs, a melon, some cukes, peppers, eggplants, and too many tomatoes.

You prefer the Park Whopper? Why? That's very interesting. I'm also growing Cherokee Purple, along with another purple, Noir de Crimmee. One ripened fruit from Noir and it wasn't that purple.

[jayt90]

Brandywine did not do very well for me last year in the Toronto area. It was slow to develop and the flavour no better than the Beefstakes all around me. This year I am tryingout Beefmaster, and a few others. It's like a winemaker trying to find the best grapes for a particular area.

[mrbigjas]

for those of you with tomatoes, check out the Tomato Problem Solver from Texas A&M University

Wow, what a great resource. By which I mean it showed that not only am I having blossom end rot problems with my tomatoes, like I did two years ago, but I'm having issues with salt damage in the leaves.

(growing romas in pots on a deck)

sigh... if nothing else, this proves once again that I don't have the diligence to be a good gardener--especially in pots on a deck.

[andiesenji]

You prefer the Park Whopper? Why? That's very interesting. I'm also growing Cherokee Purple, along with another purple, Noir de Crimmee. One ripened fruit from Noir and it wasn't that purple.

For slicing tomatos I want fruit that are mostly solid with as few seeds as possible.

I have found that the whopper has a greater flesh to seed mass ratio than most of the others and the globe shape makes it easier to get perfect slices than it is from the enlongated and often boat-shaped brandywine and beefmaster.

The flavor is about the same as the others. The Cherokee is probably the most flavorful but doesn't bear as heavily.

I have one very sweet and flavorful cherry tomato, a no name which started as a volunteer in the compost heap last year, which has very solid fruit. I moved it into the greenhouse and overwintered it successfully then cut it back and moved the pot back into the garden in March.

It bore so heavily last year that I used them to make 18 quarts of marinara sauce and it has been very popular with my friends. I gave a quart each to several friends and they asked for more. It is loaded with fruit and my gardener had to tent it because the birds discovered it (Jays) and were having a field day. Bad enough that they ruin so many of the apricots.

[jschyun]

enlongated and often boat-shaped brandywine and beefmaster.

The flavor is about the same as the others. The Cherokee is probably the most flavorful but doesn't bear as heavily.

I have one very sweet and flavorful cherry tomato, a no name which started as a volunteer in the compost heap last year, which has very solid fruit.

Yeah, those weird shaped heirlooms are a tough sell to a supermarket jaded family. I'm thinking about trying Big Beef next year. I hear good yields, flavor and shape. I did Momotaro 2 years ago, and it was nearly as good as Brandywine, but the fruit size was kind of variable.

You wouldn't be oh, thinking about saving seed from that cherry tomato?

[andiesenji]

You wouldn't be oh, thinking about saving seed from that cherry tomato?

I did save a lot of seed last year but none of the seeds I planted developed into seedlings.

It may be a cross-pollinated sport that has muled out or produces unviable seeds.

What I am doing this time is waiting for a few of the fruit to completely ripen and drop off the plant (Ihave a little net bag around 6 of them) and will plant the whole fruit, which is probably what happened to the one that sprouted in the compost.

If I have any success with it this way I will simply dry the split fruit rather than separate the seeds.