Garden update 2015

New to gardening or a seasoned pro? This is the place to share your knowledge or ask a question.
Vaeagen
Posts: 168
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:03 pm

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by Vaeagen »

Ok Jackielou,
I have to ask...how do you pickle tomatoes? I know how to pickle in general but never tried in on tomatoes. Do you mean red, ripe tomatoes? Can you use small tomatoes like grape or cherry tomatoes?
I have a lot of those this year, waaaaay more than we can eat and would love to pickle them but have never heard of doing that to ripe tomatoes. Can you do that to these?


Valerie
User avatar
Jackielou
Posts: 13395
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by Jackielou »

I usually use green tomatoes and pickle them, more along the lines of a relish than a true pickle.

I am going to make chili sauce with the rest of the red tomatoes as they come in. I have enough frozen now to last the winter.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
Shelsmiles
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:19 am

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by Shelsmiles »

I've pulled all my regular tomato plants. Salsa and tomatoes canned as well as frozen tomatoes, I have enough to last all year. The cherry tomato still producing and my mini pig loves them for snacks.

Poblanos producing like crazy and I'm a bit overrun with them. More roasting today. Bell peppers and jalapeños still going well and eggplant about done.

I have 2 cantaloupe that I will pick soon. All the squash has been done for a while now. Spinach didn't sprout, but lettuces and kale are doing great. Fall beans are doing well too. I didn't plant pumpkins this year. Don't know what I was thinking. :( I guess I'll try to barter with my friend for a couple. I have a lot of acorn squash and poblanos to trade. Lol.
dlrcpa
Posts: 1546
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:45 am

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by dlrcpa »

Jackie and Shel how big are your gardens? I am just curious. My rental plot is supposed to be approx 20X30'. Not all that big but I think I have done a good job of cramming in a lot of stuff. Soil not great, I added a lot (probably too much) shredded leaf mulch since the county provides it right nearby. I bought 4 bags of topsoil to fill in a sweet potato bed, and a small bag of veg fertilizer that I added when planting. Looking into where I can get manure or similar by the bag.

Things that did well: volunteer cherry tomato (bought plants did not produce much); yellow squash; pie pumpkins, bush string beans, cucumbers, most herbs, swiss chard, bell pepper plant I started (bought plants did not produce as much). Zinnias, marigolds, and petunias. The petunias were free but I won't waste the space next time. I just like zinnias.

Green onions and chives I planted never seemed to sprout. Only got a few zucchini. Pole beans take too long. Eggplants only produced a few small ones and not worth the space. Basil did not do well. Still waiting to see what the sweet potatoes do. Rabbits kept eating the foliage so I am in suspense!
User avatar
Jackielou
Posts: 13395
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by Jackielou »

Mine is only about 25 X 35, but Hubby knows exactly how far apart to plant the rows in order to fit in the rototiller. We also use lots of trellis for the beans and peas.

I also plant my herbs and cherry tomatoes in pots, so they are not in the garden. The same with my strawberries.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
dlrcpa
Posts: 1546
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:45 am

Re: Garden update 2015

Post by dlrcpa »

Saturday Sept 5 got another half-pound cherry tomatoes, 2.25 lb yellow squash, a large cucumber (will be lunch), and swiss chard. Cooked, chopped and froze the chard like spinach in a pint container. Cooked the oldest yellow squashes and pureed to use like creamed corn and froze that also, about a pint.
Watered everything. Turnips have tiny leaves, I hope they survive. The mustard/spinach/lettuce patch in the yard patch has sprouts but something dug a hole in there. Need to come up with more fencing materials.
Post Reply