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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

“Loving your country does not mean lying about its history.”

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Their boy Ron is an empty plastic cup that will never know pudding.

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Sometimes the world just tells you your cat is here.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Tick tock motherfuckers!

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

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You are here: Home / Garden Chats / Garden Update

Garden Update

by John Cole|  July 12, 20107:02 pm| 78 Comments

This post is in: Garden Chats

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The garden is just exploding right now, so I thought I would show some pics. Some heirlooms lead this row:

Now some nice peppers:

Much more below the fold.

I still have two more full crowns growing, but even the broccoli I cut once is still producing:

Peas are doing ok:

Going to give the green beans another couple days to get bigger and fuller before I do a pick:

Here is some generic tomato (big boy? Better boy? Who knows…):

Another broccoli crown:

Couple cabbage at about this stage:

Finally, I have about ten Roma plants, and they all are exploding, which is great, because I would love to be able to freeze a lot of them for the winter:

The jalapenos, bell peppers, and other peppers are also doing well, but I didn’t want to make you to jealous.

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Reader Interactions

78Comments

  1. 1.

    jeffreyw

    July 12, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    Looks good to me. We’ve picked 3 ripe tomatoes so far, several banana peppers, a few bells, and a jalapeno or three. Gonna be lots o maters if they don’t get ate by bugs or other critters.

  2. 2.

    Carrie

    July 12, 2010 at 7:11 pm

    I’ll take all of them, thanks. :)

  3. 3.

    General Stuck

    July 12, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    What’s this black thumb stuff. Should be green thumb. you doin’ good with gardening

  4. 4.

    Ailuridae

    July 12, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    That looks fantastic. Gardens are one of the few things that would ever take me out of the core of a major city.

    As long as its produce related yellow squash and zucchini were 10 cents each today at my market. Umm, I have no idea how I should cook them (besides steaming.) Suggestions? I have fresh herbs and an otherwise full panty

  5. 5.

    Keith G

    July 12, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    Puppehs?

  6. 6.

    jharp

    July 12, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    Indianapolis.

    The jalapenos and marconi peppers have been producing for weeks.

    Cherry tomatoes are just ready to pick about today.

    Cucumbers are kicking in after getting one or two.

    Heirloom, Roma, Big Boys etc are still ten days out, at least.

  7. 7.

    BethanyAnne

    July 12, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    no clue what I’ve done wrong. I have tomato plants 6 foot tall at this point, and no tomatoes. I get flowers, and eventually they die. Maybe it’s too hot in Houston now?

  8. 8.

    ricky

    July 12, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    Cain’t cuddle no peppers. Never met a tomato that could fetch.

  9. 9.

    Sarah in Brooklyn

    July 12, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    so jealous. what a gorgeous garden.

  10. 10.

    Quicksand

    July 12, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    @ricky:

    Never met a tomato that could fetch.

    Don’t worry; Monsanto is working on that.

  11. 11.

    Chat Noir

    July 12, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    The garden looks awesome. And the alt-text captions are awesome too.

  12. 12.

    jharp

    July 12, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    @BethanyAnne:

    I have the same issues with two of my plants. Most likely it’s some sort of disease. Or not enough sun.

  13. 13.

    Libby

    July 12, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    Very nice. Thinking the cabbage is going to be your crop failure of the season. You clearly have those big wormy things eating them. They’re going get into the heads.

    But looks like a bumper crop of tomato and peppers. I see crockpot chili in your future…

  14. 14.

    jl

    July 12, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    looking good.

    If those peas are snap peas, or sugar peas, the tips of the shoots (minus the tendrils) are good, especially in scrambled eggs.

    Edit: No summer squash?

  15. 15.

    jharp

    July 12, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    @BethanyAnne:

    Oh, and I did read that temps over 95 kills the flowers.

    Anyone know of a good nutritious instant noodle? Does such a thing even exist?

    My daughter is headed to college this fall and she wants to make noodles in her dorm. And I know most of them are total shit.

  16. 16.

    Crusty Dem

    July 12, 2010 at 7:26 pm

    @BethanyAnne:

    The hotter it is, the harder it is to get the tomato flowers fertilized to start the tomato. You could try rubbing them against each other to facilitate fertilization, but I think if it gets warmer than ~85, they won’t…

    I had the same problem when I was in Houston, moved to the NE and couldn’t believe my luck. I think you just have to start the plants in either January or July to get the flowers while it’s cooler..

    @Ailuridae:
    Cut up a yellow onion, slice the zucchini and squash on the bias and saute in a little olive oil. Toss in salt, maybe a little thyme, simple and delicious.

  17. 17.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    I envy you your green peas John. It is too hot in NC for them now. My maters have all been eaten to nubs by the Tomato Hornworms but they are putting on fresh growth now that the hornworms have quit eating them. My green beans stopped producing for a while (I think cause of no rain) but they are putting on blossoms again now. Broccili is toast (too hot), cabbages are recovering from the Cabbage White caterpillars, my rhubarb is going great guns, I have a fridge full of maters that I harvested before the hornworms came to town, and my green peppers have flower buds on them. I am most delighted at the state of my leeks however, they are going great guns, and I cannot wait to harvest them and make the most rib sticking leek and potato pie.

    http://recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/leek-and-potato-pie

    PS) this tickled the treacle out of me when I got home and let the dogs out this evening.

    http://crittersbybritty.blogstream.com/

    And for anyone who is interested Samantha is doing well, she is either nestled in the triangle bed at the side of the garage or is nestled in the flower bed under the front window. I think, she thinks, she is home.

  18. 18.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    July 12, 2010 at 7:29 pm

    @jharp:

    Anyone know of a good nutritious instant noodle? Does such a thing even exist?

    I think instant noodles are pretty neutral nutrition-wise (noodles aren’t a particularly rich source of nutrition), but the seasoning packets are the things that are really bad.

  19. 19.

    Josie

    July 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    omg I am so jealous. All my stuff is swooning in the heat no matter how much I water them. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are barely hanging on, and green beans and squash are gone. The only thing that likes Texas heat is okra. I may plant three times as much okra next year for that reason.

  20. 20.

    Jasper

    July 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    @Ailuridae: The way I did it today was to put a layer of squash/zuchini, then a layer of sliced tomatoes, top that with a little mozzarella and plenty of basil, do another layer of zuchini/squash/tomato/cheese/basil, then top the cheese with panko bread crumbs mixed with a little olive oil and salt/pepper, and bake. It’s fantastic. Takes 5 minutes to make and 45 minutes at 375 or so to bake.

  21. 21.

    General Stuck

    July 12, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    A new beginning as the Great Hummingbird Wars reignite. The bully thug Rufous have arrived taking on all comers, and the tiny, but quick little bandit Caliope’s hold their own.

    Elegant Lady Blackchinned

    Downhill Charlie

    My mater plants doing ok, but still a few weeks away from ripe ones.

  22. 22.

    burnspbesq

    July 12, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    @Ailuridae:

    ” I have fresh herbs and an otherwise full panty”

    If you didn’t mean to say “pantry,” that’s probably something you don’t want to share with this group.

  23. 23.

    jeffreyw

    July 12, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    Neighbor just brought over some melons. We’re fixin to whack the watermelon.

  24. 24.

    jl

    July 12, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    @General Stuck: That is one huge and scary hairy old hummingbird you got there.

  25. 25.

    Apsalar

    July 12, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    @Ailuridae:

    Things to do with zucchini or yellow squash:

    slice into rounds or long skinny pieces and stir fry
    slice into rounds, coat in cornmeal, and pan fry
    small dice, add to spaghetti sauce
    dice or thinly slice, put on a pizza
    add raw to salad
    grate and make zucchini bread

  26. 26.

    jl

    July 12, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    @Apsalar: slice and grill, too. I love grilled summer squash and eggplant.

  27. 27.

    Central VA

    July 12, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    @BethanyAnne:

    try ‘blossom set’

  28. 28.

    trollhattan

    July 12, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    VERY fine looking garden, JC. You’re doing supah.

    OT, I just happened to catch live stream of them dropping the new cap onto the Gulf gusher and lo, there’s no visible oil anywhere along the string, going all the way to the bottom. I don’t know if this means it’s all going to the surface or not, but if so it’s the most important advancement since April 20.

    The new cap has a slogan: “THINK Twice Act Once!”

    I’m not kidding.

  29. 29.

    Josie

    July 12, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: I’m so glad you got Samantha to her new home and that she is settling in. Older cats can be difficult to handle as they hate change. It seems as though you communicated with her quite well. Hope she has a long and comfortable old age.

  30. 30.

    MikeJ

    July 12, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    @Ailuridae: Ruhlman’s latest is on zucchini. He mentions several things before the new recipe:http://ruhlman.com/2010/07/zucchini-fritters-recipe.html

  31. 31.

    El Cid

    July 12, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    Anthony Bourdain loves KFC’s macaroni & cheese.

  32. 32.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 7:54 pm

    @jharp:

    Ahhhhh if only she were in the UK (although you can get them on e-bay and various international food sites) but millions of college students in the UK have lived their entire life eating Pot Noodle

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_Noodle

    single men who leave home for the first time live on them (Mil Millington has the goods here)

    “Now, the thing is, if you’re an English male, what you do when you leave home is go to the shop nearest to your new place, buy a Pot Noodle (Chicken and Mushroom), feast on its delights slumped on the sofa in front of the TV, swill out the plastic carton it came in, then use this carton for all your subsequent meals until you get married. There’s a beauty of economy to it.”

    In case anyone has not yet checked out the old blog “Things my girlfriend and I argue about” I recommend it.

    http://www.mil-millington.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/things.html

  33. 33.

    jeffreyw

    July 12, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Who needs a piece?

  34. 34.

    jeffreyw

    July 12, 2010 at 7:58 pm

    @jharp:
    These are pretty good.

  35. 35.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    @Josie:

    Thanks Josie, I was horribly conflicted about whether or not I was doing the right thing. However when the alternative was her starving to death or being put to sleep I figured, what the hell. She is 19, she deserves to live out her life on her terms, not a vets. I am figuring that there are a whole load of pets out there facing the same predicament, elderly parent, no family wants to take them, what to do. I could not allow Samantha to be euthanized, it would have killed me. It has been three days now and she has not shown any indication that she is going to try and go back to her previous home. I think she has settled, or at least I hope so.

  36. 36.

    Rayl

    July 12, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    @jharp:
    Japanese udon noodles are quick, they only need 1 minute in boiling water and they are available in a whole wheat variety that is nutritious.

  37. 37.

    andynotadam

    July 12, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    A favorite zucchini recipe is to shred it, saute with EVOO a bit of chopped garlic and a pinch of salt and serve topped with toasted slivered almonds. Hmm. Maybe we’ll have that tonight!

  38. 38.

    abo gato

    July 12, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    Arrrrrgggghhhhhh…..I am SO jealous! I had some lovely tomatoes….a nice cluster of about 5 of them, all nice and green and just getting ready to turn……went out there a couple of weeks age and the damnable deer had plucked them off and eaten every one!

    Got a lot of small red and yellow cherry and grape ones that we’ve eaten but those big ones I was so looking forward to…..now, it’s just too hot here for much to happen.

  39. 39.

    Scott

    July 12, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    “As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.”

    Chance the Gardener

  40. 40.

    BethanyAnne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:14 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: omg, I love that old blog. He’s had me laughing so hard I could barely breathe :)

  41. 41.

    Violet

    July 12, 2010 at 8:15 pm

    Garden looks awesome, John! I’m so envious! Enjoy your bounty!

    @BethanyAnne:
    Yes, it’s too hot for tomatoes to set in Houston now. Tomatoes produce flowers all summer long but the fruit won’t set when the nighttime temps are above 70 degrees or so.

    You should be thinking about planting fall tomatoes in a few weeks. Houston has two tomato seasons. Spring tomatoes you plant in Feb/March, fall tomatoes you plant in July/August. Fall tomatoes are great, but you have to water, water, water during the summer months to make sure they don’t die from lack of water in the heat. A sunshade isn’t a bad idea for the seedlings just to make sure they get going.

  42. 42.

    fordpowers

    July 12, 2010 at 8:16 pm

    what the heysus is the brown hay looking stuff you have around your plants there?? Is some sort of east coast magic dirt?? Kuz i just have regular dirt here – and my tomatoes aren’t that close to being ready…

  43. 43.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    @BethanyAnne:

    Mil is funny beyond belief, one of my favorite lines of his

    “why are you Americans so obsessed with marriage, let me tell you, if you die and you don’t have a funeral you are still dead” or something like that. He cracks me up.

  44. 44.

    Josie

    July 12, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: I think animals understand a lot more than people give them credit for. When my outside female queen-of-the-yard cat, Macavity, went blind in her old age, I was forced to bring her in the house because she was so vulnerable out there. I brought her into my bedroom, put her cat box in my bathroom and kept the door to the bedroom closed so that no other pets could come in and bother her. She lived with me in that room for a year until she quietly hid in the closet to die. She never complained about being inside when she had never been an inside cat. She even slept on my bed which was really strange for her, since she was not a cuddly cat. It was as though she knew why I brought her in and was okay with it. I suspect Samantha is just as wise. You have done a good thing.

  45. 45.

    BethanyAnne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    @Violet: w00t, ty! I was going to ask when I should plant for the next season :)

  46. 46.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    @Josie:

    I am hoping so. I am hoping that she knows that I have brought her home so that she can live her last years (or months) in peace and quiet and constant food, and head scritches, and just love. You always hope that they know.

  47. 47.

    QuaintIrene

    July 12, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    Oh, Cole, you’re killin’ me. My tomatoes would be taking off if only it would EFFIN’ RAIN!!

    Sorry.

  48. 48.

    Jules

    July 12, 2010 at 8:37 pm

    @Violet:

    Violet, I had no idea about the over 70 at night thing (I’m in the Little Rock area) and I was wondering why I kept getting flowers but no tomatoes.
    (my plants have been very sad this year)
    I’ll have to think about the fall plants…that sounds like I good idea since I have them in containers and can pull them into shade while the plants are small.

  49. 49.

    SiubhanDuinne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    @General Stuck #21: Poor Charlie looks like he”s feelin the heat.

  50. 50.

    birthmarker

    July 12, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    @andynotadam: A variation I do–Shred zucchini, (on a box grater or in the food processor,) saute til dryish, add a hard hit of lemon and some salt, saute til dryish again. Delish!! Also will keep in the fridge for a day for reheating.

  51. 51.

    Joel

    July 12, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    Given that you’re in WVA and that the beans are already mature (fruiting), I’m imagining that the weather has gotten too hot for peas. Unless there’s some warm-weather variety of peas that I’m not aware of.

  52. 52.

    suzanne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    Your tomatoes look beautiful. What are you doing to have such success?

    Husband and I just moved into a new house, and there’s a couple of places in the backyard that look like they’d be ideal for small vegetable or herb gardens. But I live in Phoenix. My grandfather tried tomatoes out here after growing them like gangbusters out on Long Island, and either it was the wrong time of year, or we have the wrong kind of soil. Do any green thumb BJers have advice for vegetables and/or herbs that grow in the desert? We are of Italian descent, so tomatoes, basil, peppers, and so forth would be wonderful.

  53. 53.

    Punchy

    July 12, 2010 at 8:53 pm

    Y’all talking bout FOOD when the Home Run Derby is on? P’shaaaawww! Watch my pre-game pick of Corey Hart (he wears sunglasses at nite, doanchaknow) win this thing. Trust me, I know baseball.

  54. 54.

    tkogrumpy

    July 12, 2010 at 8:53 pm

    Picked and froze one and a half bushels of green arrow peas today, about half the crop . The rest will go to the food pantry. I’ve shelled my last pea this year.

  55. 55.

    suzanne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:58 pm

    @jharp:

    Anyone know of a good nutritious instant noodle?

    I’m not sure you mean ramen-type noodles, but Trader Joe’s makes a fusilli-with-tomato-sauce (and I think a penne-with-vodka-sauce that I haven’t tried, as well) that’s not too awful health-wise and tolerable in terms of taste.

    I actually made a pact with myself when I entered college never to eat ramen noodles, no matter how drunk, poor, or otherwise desperate I became. My GPS (temporarily) went to shit and I lost 4 clothes sizes my first year away from home, but, damnit, I kept that promise.

  56. 56.

    SiubhanDuinne

    July 12, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    @jeffreywatermelon #33: Oh gods, that looks wonderful. Like a Crate & Barrel shower curtain design or something.

    And I don’t even much *like* watermelon. It looks really pretty but tastes boring. Meh, as I believe the young’uns say these days. But wow, that photo makes it look like the tastiest thing around.

  57. 57.

    Svensker

    July 12, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    @Ailuridae:

    As long as its produce related yellow squash and zucchini were 10 cents each today at my market. Umm, I have no idea how I should cook them (besides steaming.) Suggestions? I have fresh herbs and an otherwise full panty

    Second the simple saute with garlic, herbs, can also add onions and tomatoes. Or you can slice them, layer with onion and tomato, splash with a bit of white wine, nap with some olive oil, salt pepper and herbs, cover and cook at 350 about 30 minutes, then let cool to room temp. Juices are delish with good bread.

    Or make a meal out of them with zuke fritters. Grate them, mix with pancake batter (I like more egg and less flour), and I like to add green onions and basil, fry up in some oil or butter. Serve with some sour cream mixed with herbs. A lovely side dish or good vegetarian main dish.

  58. 58.

    John Cole

    July 12, 2010 at 9:08 pm

    Your tomatoes look beautiful. What are you doing to have such success?

    Water ’em, weed em, prune ’em, and keep tying and retying.

  59. 59.

    Joel

    July 12, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    @BethanyAnne: Too much nitrogen.

  60. 60.

    El Cid

    July 12, 2010 at 9:18 pm

    Via Harry Shearer in HuffPo, it appears that Katrina’s floodwaters in New Orleans reduced the amount of lead present in soils and, thus, in children.

    Researchers found that levels of lead contamination in the soil dropped by 46 percent on average after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the surveyed areas, and that the parts of the city hardest hit by flooding experienced a more dramatic drop in lead levels than areas that weren’t as severely inundated.
    __
    “It was a thin veneer of clean material that came into the city, but it made a big enough difference that we saw change in soil lead, and when you look back at it, a change in blood lead as well,” said Howard Mielke of the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research. Mielke worked on the study with lead author Sammy Zahran of Colorado State’s School of Global Environmental Sustainability.
    __
    The amount of lead detected in children’s blood dropped, on average, about 33 percent post-Katrina.

    That’s really, really good news for a lot of kids who typically suffer the horrible long-term effects of high levels of lead exposure, a gift we give to our poorest communities.

    The other way of looking at it is that New Orleans’ soils were so lead-polluted that a flood of historic magnitudes actually helped rather than hurt.

  61. 61.

    SiubhanDuinne

    July 12, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt #32: Oh holy farting jeebus but that is one funny blog.

    ::admiringly:: You BJers know *more* cool sites!!

  62. 62.

    jeffreyw

    July 12, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: LOL, this whitehaired ol grump thinks it tastes fine. Mrs J and I have eaten near half of the thing.

  63. 63.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    July 12, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Mil is one funny dude. I have read his posts a bazillion times and yet he still makes me LOL.

  64. 64.

    SiubhanDuinne

    July 12, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    @jeffreyw: You know what, I’d never turn it down. It just always seems like a lot of work for very little reward. Plus, watermelon is supposed to be oh so refreshing, but in my experience it’s just *sticky*. Still, glad you and Mrs J enjoyed.

  65. 65.

    TaMara (BHF)

    July 12, 2010 at 10:19 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: You are my hero. I think she knows she’s safe, loved and well fed. What more can any of us ask for? All the other cats have obviously filled her in on what a softy you are and she’s snuggled down for her reward.

    19 years old. That’s pretty amazing considering what she’s been through.

  66. 66.

    Janet Strange

    July 12, 2010 at 10:38 pm

    @Violet: I posted the same thing about the over 70 nighttime temps but from a different computer so I guess I’m being moderated.

    I have variable luck with the Fall tomatoes. Mostly it’s a race between keeping them alive when they’re little b/c of the heat in late August, then hope that they actually ripen before the weather gets too cold. On the other hand, I’ve developed a fondness for fried green tomatoes, which recipe obviously exists as a way to use all those green Fall tomatoes one brings in right before the first frost.

    In other news, I just finished making the last batch of bread and butter pickles for this year. The cucumbers went nuts with all of the rain we’ve had, but now they’re succumbing to mildew. Downy? Powdery? Who knows, who cares. It’s inevitable. Texas gardening is not for wimps.

    But we can grow greens all winter! I live on chard when it’s cold out.

  67. 67.

    HRA

    July 12, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    Beautiful garden, John.

    We have too may rabbits and squirrels in our yard. Our garden is on the deck in huge planters. I have been picking tomatos, peppers (sweet banana and jalapenos) for weeks now. I planted 2 cucumber plants in an organic bin and they are going over the sides and top of the railing. There are a lot of cucumbers growing already. I have a variety og herbs, too.

    When I did plant a large yard garden, the last tomatoes were picked in September, put on a table in the basement, covered with newspaper and we had tomatoes into December. I also slice and freeze those for cooking in containers.

    I made a zucchini stew with onions, green peppers, fresh tomatoes, chopped up sausage or hotdogs, parsley, salt, pepper and served it over rice. The kids loved it.

  68. 68.

    Punchy

    July 12, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    @Punchy: Or maybe not. Nothing like a goose egg on Round 2. Yikes.

  69. 69.

    reality-based

    July 12, 2010 at 10:59 pm

    @BethanyAnne: Bethany, two possibilities re the fruitless tomatoes:

    1. Not ver many blossoms? It could be too much nitrogen-based fertilizer, not enough phosphorus – – tomatoes need high phosphorus (the middle number in a fertilizer formula) to bloom well and set lots of fruit. There are fertilizers out there specifically to correct phosphorus deficiency – I know Peters makes one that’s 0-55-0 or something like that – any big-box store like Lowes or Home Depot, or – better – any local nursery should have it.

    2. If your tomatoes have lots of blossoms, but they are not setting fruit, pick up a bottle of some stuff called Blossom set – a little spray bottle – it does seem to help them set fruit.

    3. I doubt that a too-hot climate would prevent fruit set – here in North Dakota, we have the opposite problem, in that tomatoes won’t set fruits in night-time temeratures below about 55 degrees – which ours often are.

    4. When all else fails, try the Epsom salts trick. Seriously – scratch a tablespoon or two of plain old cheap Epsom salts into the soil around the base of each plant – then water in well. It has lots of micronutreints – Magnesium, Copper, Potassium, etc – that Tomatoes just love. (Also works great on roses)

    5. I am happy to indulge my Tomato obsession here, as I made a huge Garden screw-up – I forgot to spray the “Liquid Fence” sutff around the perimeter of my garden for 10 whole days, came out yesterday – and the buggers have mowed off My Swiss Chard, Beets, and Green beans – they also took the tops of my peppers – they left my leeks, onions, arugula and tomatoes, thank God.

    6. Oh, and JC? Don’t wait – pick your green beans now, while they are young and slender – Haricots Vert, dontcha know, they have much better flavor that way. I plant French Haricot Vert seed every year, they are fantastic – now, if they can only recover from the Deer munching, maybe I’ll get to tast some this year!

  70. 70.

    reality-based

    July 12, 2010 at 11:04 pm

    @Violet:

    really? It can be too hot for tomatoes to set fruit? See I’m a tomato-growin freak, never knew that – of course, I’ve only grown tomatoes in Santa Clara, CA and North Dakota – neither of which suffers from warm nights.

    Also, I never thought to ask if the plants were getting enough sun – Tomatoes need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

    The Epsom Salt advice is still true, though –

  71. 71.

    Anne Laurie

    July 13, 2010 at 12:49 am

    @suzanne:

    Do any green thumb BJers have advice for vegetables and/or herbs that grow in the desert? We are of Italian descent, so tomatoes, basil, peppers, and so forth would be wonderful.

    Not a green thumb by any measure, but basil and/or any of the other Mediterranean herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary) should enjoy the Phoenix climate, I would think. Here in New England I have to remember not to pamper my basil pots, they get last year’s tomato soil and half as much watering and are flourishing.

    And speaking of pots, that’s how I grow delicious tomatoes in a yard that’s part of two different Superfund sites. If tomatoes don’t like your Phoenix soil, you can put ’em into planters full of potting mix. The only problem I’ve run into (and I’ve tried an enormous range of different plants from the most basic cherrys & Romas to fancy mail-order heirlooms) is finding pots big enough to give the plants all the water they need, especially in mid-summer. And the Terrasorb hydrophilic crystals have been a real boon for that issue!

  72. 72.

    Kristine

    July 13, 2010 at 1:20 am

    @Litlebritdifrnt: Does anyone have a link to the Java script that turns color websites to simple black text/white background? Because I would love to read “Things My GF & I Argue About” except that within about a minute, my eyes are throbbing and random light flashes are darting in from my periphery. Because dammit, who thinks yellow text on black is sound web design? Or yellow text on navy? Or whatever the hell other artsy combos people can think of that aren’t black/dk grey text on a light background. Yes, I am old. Cranky. In need of a nap. But Jiminy Christmas Pete, how in hell people can read those webpages and not go all Scanners within two minutes is beyond me.

    In other news, she said, wiping the spittle off the display, my volunteer Romas are all producing like whoa. Harvest is still several weeks out, but I have 5-6 plants with multiple greenies. The Cherokee Purple and Rutgers both have greenies, but the Pink Brandywine is falling behind.The sweet basil is lovely when I can keep up with the aphid/worm killing. Otherwise, the leaves get chewed to bits. I did spot a ladybug on one of the plants over the weekend, which made me ever so happy. I hope it munched its weight in aphids.

  73. 73.

    Mnemosyne

    July 13, 2010 at 1:36 am

    I just discovered this kitten in Malaysia on YouTube and now I am in love. Sure, she’s missing part of her tail and most of a back leg, but she doesn’t care because she iz FIERCE KITTEH!

  74. 74.

    Ronzoni Rigatoni

    July 13, 2010 at 3:27 am

    @BethanyAnne: I actually got 3 tomatoes here in very hot and humid south Florida this year; first time ever in summer. But it’s only because they’re inna shade. They won’t survive anyway. Too hot. Sun cracks ’em or bugs eat ’em. But so far so good. Maybe seeds for fall..

  75. 75.

    asiangrrlMN

    July 13, 2010 at 3:44 am

    @El Cid: I LOVE Anthony Bourdain. He’s yummy.

    @Litlebritdifrnt: That frog on frog action is hilarious! And it warms my heart that Samantha seems to be settling in. There is something touching about that girl.

    @Mnemosyne: Awwwwwww! She’s adorable!

    Cole, what a green thumb you have. I am impressed!

  76. 76.

    Amir_Khalid

    July 13, 2010 at 4:59 am

    @Mnemosyne: According to that darling little kitteh’s hoomin, he found her outside a bank in Kuching — the capital of Sarawak state, and, would you believe it, also the Malay word for cat.

  77. 77.

    Danton

    July 13, 2010 at 11:33 am

    John, you’ll have a ton of Roma tomatoes with 10 plants. Consider freezing them whole (after a quick wash and dry) in batches for winter use in spaghetti sauce.

  78. 78.

    BethanyAnne

    July 13, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    @reality-based: Thanks for the advice. The plants get sun most of the day, I think. Easily all afternoon. I have your problem #2: plenty of blooms; and the plants are over 6′ tall. I’m thinking the “too hot” thing is what’s up.

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