Paste tomatoes

Crazy Gardner

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Was down at the camp for a very short visit. Too short, as it always seems. Only got out in the garden for a few hours, as it rained most of the 1st day.
Everything is coming along, though I realize I will make several changes next year. I didn't leave enough space between the tomato plants, and the rows are too close together. Will likely change the pepper patch to make sure the get better wind protection. Will need to buy a ton of mulch next spring, may cut back on the number of plants by as much as half depending on how we do this year. Lots of the tomatoes are forming right at the bottom of the plants, may try to snip the buds off the lower branches to try to reduce blossom end rot.
Here's a question for you northern gardeners, what date would you start removing new tomato blossoms, as they would be unlikely to produce fruit?

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Pretty sure these are the Big Mama tomatoes. The bigger one bottom left is nearly 3" in diameter. If the plant continues as it's going, should be a good one for sauce and salsa. Going to try making sauce from similar types of tomatoes, and then try combining them to see how they turn out.

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Onions I think are the easiest things to grow well, probably anywhere. No pests seem to bother with them, easy to weed, seem to grow unobstructed, much like dandelions.
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Dad's raspberry bushes, doing well. Most of these are this year's transplants, we weren't expecting any fruit from them this year.
 
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flowerbug

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...
Here's a question for you northern gardeners, what date would you start removing new tomato blossoms, as they would be unlikely to produce fruit?
...

we don't ever bother because even a small green tomato is edible when suitably
fried. :) what actually happens with us is that as the season fades the skin on the tomatoes gets thinner, but as long as the tomatoes are sound we harvest them and then set them up on a table in the garage where they can finish ripening. they are not the best tomatoes to eat, but they are better than nothing. the first few rounds are good enough to can, the later ones we'll eat. a few will rot. anything left on the plant will get
buried and recycled to worm food when i turn the garden debris under in the fall after the frosts have finally taken out all of the plants that might still be thinking of growing.

there's never really ever enough time spent in the gardens. i was out there most of this morning and wished i could have lasted a few more hours before needing a break.

as for space between tomato plants. it depends upon what types you grow but the bigger beefsteak type we have normally been growing could use 10 feet between plants if you wanted an easy path. we rarely get 5-6 feet between plants, but i would be ok with fewer plants...
 

Crazy Gardner

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Crazy Gardener, you are one crazy gardener planting all that stuff! I mean it in a nice way. Can’t imagine having 80 tomatoes when I only have room for 7. Everything looks beautiful.

Mary

Thanks for the compliments, am sure most people who know me think I'm crazy too. Hoping to can as much as possible from the garden, we use a lot of tomatoes all year long. May have enough for 2 years from this garden. Going back for 2.5 weeks on the 5th of August, that should give me the chance to gauge just how much we'll have.
 

Crazy Gardner

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So, been at camp for 4 days now, and have accomplished nothing. Fell ill with the flu last night, have had a raging headache for 3 days.
On top of that, I brought my prized chili pepper plant with me, and the wind was to strong it broke the stem right at the base.
Got it staked now, the way it split it may still live.
Will try and get out there tomorrow and get something done.
 

pjn

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So, been at camp for 4 days now, and have accomplished nothing. Fell ill with the flu last night, have had a raging headache for 3 days.
On top of that, I brought my prized chili pepper plant with me, and the wind was to strong it broke the stem right at the base.
Got it staked now, the way it split it may still live.
Will try and get out there tomorrow and get something done.

So sorry to hear that. feel better soon
 

catjac1975

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So sorry to hear that. feel better soon
Be very careful working ill in this heat. I had a stomach flu last summer that I could not shake. Doctor sent me to the ER after 9 days for an IV. I was languishing because of the heat and the fluids just leaving my body hastily.. I really needed the help to get over it.
 

flowerbug

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So, been at camp for 4 days now, and have accomplished nothing. Fell ill with the flu last night, have had a raging headache for 3 days.
On top of that, I brought my prized chili pepper plant with me, and the wind was to strong it broke the stem right at the base.
Got it staked now, the way it split it may still live.
Will try and get out there tomorrow and get something done.

you might be surprised by how well it recovers. i've had pepper plants gnawed off all but a thread and had them able to heal from that. along with other damages i'd not expect them to recover from.

take care of yourself, make sure to get your liquids with it being warm.

hope it isn't heat stroke.
 

Crazy Gardner

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Quick question for anyone who may know, is this some sort of blight? The white bumps on the branch near the green wire?
Plant next to it broke last time I was here, dad said to leave it in and see what happens. The dead plant was full of some sort of infection, don't want to risk losing a pile more.


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This is the dead plant next to it.

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I tore it very carefully out of the ground and am going to burn it.
 
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