Gardening: My Tomatoe and Pepper Progress

[Homercidal]

The pots I used had integrated false bottoms that are supposed to allow the water to drain out from the top, but stay kept in the bottom to wick moisture back up into the soil as it dries up there.

For whatever reason, though, the pots seemed to stay mucky with water. After drilling through both bottoms, they seem to drain nicely now.

Actually, I should probably make sure to water everything tonight. It's been dry for a few days now.

 

[Stillraining]

We are new to the whole green house thing, and I came home one day to find my wife had planted a bunch of stuff in 3" flats lined with a garbage bag. I thought to myself no way will this work, but I held my tongue. So far so good as long as you water every other day min. I'm totally surprised. Everything is putting on fruit so we will see how it all finishes the race. I can only imagine what the root mass looks like though.

 

[passedpawn]

I want a greenhouse!!! Waaaah.

 

[Littletimmy]

I love my greenhouse.....about 7-8 months out of the year. Today, not so much. With ventilation system running full blast, a 40% shade cloth over the entire structure and the evaporative cooler running, it is still 96 degrees inside and it is not the hottest part of the day! With a humidity level of 40% and the air temp touching 100, the RH level really limits the cooling potential.

But in February, on a sunny day, with the heater running, seedlings started, a homebrew and my guitar, it is an oasis!

 

[jsguitar]

I want a greenhouse so bad. I'd love to see yours Littletimmy if you get around to taking some pics.

I pulled my biggest cucumber vines out today because of wilt disease. I still have some others. I don't need too many slicers anyway. Still waiting for the pickling cucumbers to come on.

Yesterday, the squirrel that discovered my tomatoes took another one of my nicest large tomatoes on my patio. I also caught him perched in front of my sugar rush plant chowing down. Every year I get frustrated with this and then when spring rolls around I get all optimistic again, but I think I'm going to have to grow tomatoes in a big cage. Someone down the street has a completely caged in garden. Smart fellow.

 

[Stillraining]

About 15 yeas ago I paid my crew to dismantle an old Green house on a job site we were turning into a housing development. They spent 3 days taking out all the glass pane by pane and carefully dismantling the wood and metal frame.

The wood pieces were where the glass sit the metal frame held up all the wood. They loaded everything up and brought to our yard and when I asked where the metal frame was they said oh we couldn't get it on the truck this load we will get it on Monday. When they got there on Monday it was gone.

I still have every one of those darn brittle single pane sheets of glass that didn't break on them removing them and every wood stick of that darn green house stored under cover.

Without that metal frame I just never got up the gumption to mess with it.... Come get it pp or jsguitar its yours.

My beautiful bride has had a long wait for hers as well. Too Long.

 

[jsguitar]

Here's a few recent pics:

My emergency tomato protection, some purple bell peppers that are coming in, some new banana peppers, and my row of basil.

 

[passedpawn]

I have to go back in the thread to find the hot sauce recipe again.

I found my notes (forgot I made notes ). This was after a bit of trial an error. Scale according to how much peppers you have. This makes a hot sauce that is about the consistency of Texas Petes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of vinegar (I've used cider and distilled, don't remember a diff)
• 5 oz of cayenne peppers
• 1/4 tsp salt

Process

• Puree peppers in food processor. I leave the green caps on the cayennes.
• Put in pressure cooker with vinegar and salt.
• Cook at 12psi for 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Use immersion blender to liquify.
• Filter through strainer. Use a rubber spatula to push through screen of strainer (it might take forever if you rely on gravity).
• Put in jars. It is shelf stable (no refrigeration necessary).
• Eat.

 

[passedpawn]

Here's the pictures, from the hot sauce thread (I forgot I posted all these!)

 

[Littletimmy]

A couple of quick pics of my greenhouse, circa 2010 or 2011, judging from the layout and the equipment.

 

[passedpawn]

Holy carp Timmy.

What are the 2 white tanks for? Fuel for a heater?

 

[jsguitar]

A couple of quick pics of my greenhouse, circa 2010 or 2011, judging from the layout and the equipment.

That's an awesome setup!

 

[jcav]

Nice greenhouse!

 

[Littletimmy]

100 lb propane tanks for the heater(s). The local propane guy will give me the "Ag Teachers/FFA, glad you teach the youth of today" discount of $64 a tank for a full 100 pounds!! The little emergency 20 lb tanks that most people use are usually just filled to 17 lbs. I looked into getting a 250 gallon tank, but the initial cost, the plumbing and the monthly contract was not cost effective. The most I've ever used in a year was 2 full tanks. I like to keep my exterior man cave comfortable...and the plants like it too! Best thing, I always have propane on hand for a brewing session.

 

[Stillraining]

Jalapenos can be picked green or red. If you wait till they are red they are more like Fresnos. Pawn is dead on about habs. You have to let them color or you lose that fruity taste that makes them so damn good!! Yours look almost like a banana pepper of some kind. I would leave a couple on the plant just to see what they do.

I think your right with the banana pepper call...I tryed one tonight..Tastes exactly like a Green Pepper. Not hot at all.

She said she planted 3 different seed packages...But has no Idea which are which at this point. :rolleyes

Man are her tomatoes good!

 

[applescrap]

That is pretty littletimmy. The gardens are impressively well maintained as well. You hang out there ehh. Cool.

PassedPawn what can i say, preciate it. If they're going to be pressure cooked you think I can get away with not starting in the food processor. I've got a bunch of dried Arbols, the thai looking chillies. Thinking about making a little hot sauce with them. You go seeds and all huh, hot! Side note im thinking about a nice little sauce for Mexican food. I just quarter up some tomatoes and onion, then a couple Peppers to taste. Sear it real good in some oil then blend it. Great on Chili rellenos and eggs. If i cook it on the stove should I just bring it to a boil for 5 minutes. Don't want to take a chance of leaving some heat for my kids in the pressure cooker

 

[Littletimmy]

Thanks for the compliments, if you have any questions about greenhouses, I'd be glad to assist. Here is another picture of my other small hobby, slightly OT.

 

[Staestc]

A couple of quick pics of my greenhouse, circa 2010 or 2011, judging from the layout and the equipment.

I love day lillys. Nice greenhouse!

 

[estricklin]

The okra is starting to produce well finally. If you told me there was a better vegetable than okra, I wouldn't give you a nickel for it!

I always try to grow my cukes up something like a fence, getting stung by wasps and stepping on snakes is no way to pick them.

 

[jsguitar]

Here's some cherry tomatoes and various peppers. I think I'm going to make 'sun dried' tomatoes in the oven with a lot of the cherry tomatoes

 

[applescrap]

The okra is starting to produce well finally. If you told me there was a better vegetable than okra, I wouldn't give you a nickel for it!

I always try to grow my cukes up something like a fence, getting stung by wasps and stepping on snakes is no way to pick them.

Looks like garden is producing well. Never tried okra, wonder if it would grow here. I have been gone on vacation. No problems watering just the friends and family getting the goodies

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I had three tomatoes which started coming in before the plants decided to quit. Well those pale green tomatoe have started turning red.

They Okay to eat? Been on the vine a couple months.

Habenaro are starting to turn orange. Hops still don't have burrs so I think those aren't going to come through on their first year

 

[jsguitar]

I had three tomatoes which started coming in before the plants decided to quit. Well those pale green tomatoe have started turning red.

They Okay to eat? Been on the vine a couple months

Yep, no problem. At least they're ripening for you.

I didn't grow any habaneros or other super hot peppers this year. My intestines begged me not to.

 

[jsguitar]

Happy Sunday.

I just harvested a second crop of banana peppers from my two plants and a few more mexibelles and there's a second crop of hot Hungarian wax peppers coming along. They're getting crowded by some green beans.

Luckily my latest attempt at fermenting pepper slices went well. I already ate them all (!) so I'm going to do that again with all of these.

 

[Staestc]

These are two jars of a habanero pineapple mango sauce that I made yesterday with 8 of the Habaneros. It has cloves and allspice too. Broke out on jar today while family was over just with tortilla chips and everybody loved it!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471210608.231265.jpg

 

[jsguitar]

These are two jars of a habanero pineapple mango sauce that I made yesterday with 8 of the Habaneros. It has cloves and allspice too. Broke out on jar today while family was over just with tortilla chips and everybody loved it!
View attachment 366255

That sounds interesting and delicious!

 

[Apple_Jacker]

About to have a bunch of habeñeros soon. Any suggestions on what to do with them all?

View attachment 1471223894182.jpg

 

[Staestc]

I opened one of the jars today when my daughter and her husband came by and we tasted it in tortilla chips. Everybody loved it! I think I should have reduced it a bit further after I strained it, and maybe cut back a bit in the clove and allspice, but is was really good and I will make it again. It would be awesome on fish, and was great as part of my steak marinade tonight.

 

[applescrap]

Happy Sunday.

I just harvested a second crop of banana peppers from my two plants and a few more mexibelles and there's a second crop of hot Hungarian wax peppers coming along. They're getting crowded by some green beans.

Luckily my latest attempt at fermenting pepper slices went well. I already ate them all (!) so I'm going to do that again with all of these.

Dang look at all those peppers, beautiful.

 

[applescrap]

These are two jars of a habanero pineapple mango sauce that I made yesterday with 8 of the Habaneros. It has cloves and allspice too. Broke out on jar today while family was over just with tortilla chips and everybody loved it!
View attachment 366255

You never cease to surprise and interst me. That sounds awesome.