cubs204
Full Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:56 pm
Location: Central IL

Pretty excited (garden pics)

Got home from work and in 8 hours I now have tons of blooms on my beans, my cukes have started to explode, my watermelon is sending out a vine and I've got about 15 bb tomatoes on the Mr. Stripey and 10 on the better boy!

First, volunteer tomato that I decided to grow out, its doing well and has almost opened some flowers
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0058.jpg[/img]
Rutgers that had something cut the growing tip off, hoping for some late masters [img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0057.jpg[/img]
Brandywine (planted later than the next few. Brandy and Rutgers are from a very generous dtlove)
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0056.jpg[/img]
Better Boy, got nipped by frost but I think its doing ok now :)
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0055.jpg[/img]
Mr. Stripey. Been the healthiest and setting the most fruit so far. About 3.5
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0054.jpg[/img]
Better bush. Also thought frost killed this one, but now has about 20 blooms
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0053.jpg[/img]
Sugar baby sending out a vine to the right
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0051.jpg[/img]
Second sugar baby, there are 2 more I didn't take pics of
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0052.jpg[/img]
Cukes taking off, with onions in the back
[img]https://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/cubs204/IMAG0050.jpg[/img]

dtlove129
Senior Member
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:04 pm
Location: Decatur, IL

All looks healthy!

cubs204
Full Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:56 pm
Location: Central IL

Thanks, its been going pretty well this year so far.

And John, RAIN! I looked back on whats been reported rain wise this month, we had an impressive 1.17" of rain in May. AND I bet we didnt get at least .25" of that in our location. I'm hoping for at least .5" today, that would do wonders for a lot of things.

dtlove129
Senior Member
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:04 pm
Location: Decatur, IL

Yeah I haven't really been able to watch outside today due to work, but I did hear it a few times. I was hoping a midnight to midnight rain today, but we haven't gotten that much I don't think. I'm going to check the rain guage in an hour or so and see if it is still broken..haha.

orgoveg
Green Thumb
Posts: 468
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Ohio

I hope your garden does much better than the cubs this year :)

Looks great. You're the only person I've heard of (besides me) who grows Rutgers. They are great for freezing. When thawed, they haven't lost any flavor.

dtlove129
Senior Member
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:04 pm
Location: Decatur, IL

Org, actually I started them from seed this year and was trying them (never have had them before), and I had some extra and gave them to Cub.

Its crazy how small this world is, guess I'll tell it here.

1st, cub says to me one day on here, I'm from Decatur too. I send him a message on here and ask what part he lives in/gardens in. he replies and gives out a street name about 2 miles south of me. I reply and tell him I live 2 miles North of there on a certain street. He said oh, I live in the same neighborhood and then he sees one of my garden pics with my dog in the pic and the fence that is around my house and realizes which place was mine.

Then a couple of weeks ago I invite him over to pick up these extra maters that I don't have anymore room for. We meet and check out my garden and stuff. My wife comes home (who is from here and I'm originally from KY), and my wife and him actually knew each other from younger years and he played baseball with my bro-in-law and his dad and my father-in-law still ride bikes together.

Crazy!

dtlove129
Senior Member
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:04 pm
Location: Decatur, IL

Now speaking of that freezing. Do you blanch and peel them first or what do you do? Last year we blanched and froze a few, but mostly made salsa with our tomatoes.

orgoveg
Green Thumb
Posts: 468
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Ohio

dtlove129 wrote:Now speaking of that freezing. Do you blanch and peel them first or what do you do? Last year we blanched and froze a few, but mostly made salsa with our tomatoes.
Yes. All I do is cover them with water and bring it to a boil. I take them out of the water as soon as it starts boiling. Cut them in half and peel. Freeze in ziplock bags with the air pressed out.

One of my favorite winter snacks is one frozen rutgers tomato, 1 clove strong garlic (minced), salt, fresh ground pepper and a handful of spinach. I put everything except the spinach in a pot and smash the tomato as it thaws on medium heat. I simmer the spinach separately in water and then add it to simmer with the tomato a couple minutes (the water is dumped out). The garlic and black pepper give it just a little sting on the tongue.



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