Gardening pics, hacks, successes, and or failures

[JWS]

Earliest beefsteaks we’ve had. Couple monsters over 1lb in there (biggest was 700g)

Strictly out of curiosity, why pick the green one this early?

 

[JWS]

Damn, nice haul. My plants are loaded with green tomatoes. Waiting patiently for a color change.

Same here, not sign of any colour yet

 

[Alex_c]

Strictly out of curiosity, why pick the green one this early?

I pick them when they start to change colour. There are a few reasons. Primarily, it allows the plant to focus on ripening other fruit, and since I live in the city and have a front yard garden, it generally keeps tomato bandits away. We also were on vacation for a week and returned to heavy rains and they started splitting. Picking them helps the splitting from getting worse, and they will usually heal up if you catch it in time

They usually fully ripen in a couple of days anyway. Maybe there’s a slight difference in flavour but not enough to really notice.

 

[CIVANO]

I pick them when they start to change colour. There are a few reasons. Primarily, it allows the plant to focus on ripening other fruit, and since I live in the city and have a front yard garden, it generally keeps tomato bandits away. We also were on vacation for a week and returned to heavy rains and they started splitting. Picking them helps the splitting from getting worse, and they will usually heal up if you catch it in time

They usually fully ripen in a couple of days anyway. Maybe there’s a slight difference in flavour but not enough to really notice.

Interesting video on when to pick tomatoes. a little long and repetitive but interesting

 

[Alex_c]

yep, I pick then in the breaker stage. Sometimes a bit earlier than he says to in the video, but always after they have started to blush

 

[IronNoggin]

Garlic Bulbils are coming together now:

 

[tubber]

Came home to a ripe one.

 

[IronNoggin]

Pretty good crop this year.

Banged off a couple of cases yesterday.

Today tackling the Peach & Blackberry Jam...

 

[IronNoggin]

Did a couple loads of Peach & Blackberry Jam yesterday.

Seriously Yummy!

 

[wildmanyeah]

Small batch of tomatoes sauce

 

[wildmanyeah]

Also Thinking about getting one of those fancy new electric canners, anyone have one or have good reviews on them?

 

[Alex_c]

Just pulled 12.5 lbs of tomatillos off 2 plants. Will be going into a big batch of my signature smoked tomatillo salsa verde.

Have more tomatoes than we can eat, have been giving lots away and will be freezing them and then making a big batch of sauce at the end of the season.

 

[One More]

Just pulled 12.5 lbs of tomatillos off 2 plants. Will be going into a big batch of my signature smoked tomatillo salsa verde.

Have more tomatoes than we can eat, have been giving lots away and will be freezing them and then making a big batch of sauce at the end of the season.

Sounds interesting. You willing to share the recipe?

 

[Alex_c]

Sounds interesting. You willing to share the recipe?

Smoked tomatillos, lime juice, peppers, cooked green pepper mash, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, brown sugar, hot peppers. All done to taste so I can’t really give quantities.

 

[IronNoggin]

Good run of Peach Jam:

Now just enough left for a couple of Peach Pies...

 

[Bill 310]

My wife gave up on growing veggies due to the visiting Black Bears, and Racoons.

We (my wife) replanted, putting flowers in the raised beds.

We have a narrow lot 22 feet wide but it is south facing and flowers seem to like it and makes our garden a hummingbird haven.

I counted 5 at the feeders or in the vicinity at one time yesterday.

I made a Hummingbird Heine Heater for the Winter so that they always have food.

Every day I get up and marvel at how lucky we are to live in a quiet secluded area like this 100 meters away from the Upper Lever Highway.

We live on a one way one, lane street, new families with kids playing and annual block parties. My wife is IT and Tech Support for all the Super Seniors (75 years plus) ,

 

[Doug]

Came home after a few days in Vancouver to 100s of ripe Sun Dipper tomatoes on two plants

 

[IronNoggin]

Few loads of Golden Plums being run through the dehydrator of late