Gardening: My Tomatoe and Pepper Progress

[applescrap]

Also put them in your garden ratatouille!

 

[passedpawn]

I cut down all my peppers. White flies were out of control - breaking the cycle. I've got some new plants coming up from seed.

 

[Staestc]

My chilies in the self watering thing I built did really well and are still producing. The Habanero I put in the ground though is 3 times the size! And it is still producing, though not as heavily as the smaller plants in the Walmart bags on the pipe. The one in the ground does not get as much sun as the others most likely.

 

[Homercidal]

And my friend's mom just posted her famous family secret recipe for spaghetti sauce last night. I wish it had been before I cooked down the last batch of tomatoes!

Oh well, there are still plenty in the garden. The last batch I made didn't have anything added; just cooked down sauce. Maybe I can add a few things and cook a bit longer to make it taste like hers??

Which reminds me, I have to copy that recipe before she takes it down. Some of her family is already getting on her for giving it out. While I appreciate having a special family secret recipe, I also REALLY want that recipe!

 

[Oldskewl]

My tomatoes are about done. Maybe a dozen or left. Whipped up a batch of salsa before work this morning. Had to take a pic as it was so PURTY!

 

[Homercidal]

Well, I had to have my SIL hang out with me this evening because she's diabetic and can't be left alone in our house or she will eat herself sick. So I had her pick the tomatoes while I worked on my Jeep.

She picked ALL the tomatoes!

Even after I explained how to pick the red or orange tomatoes, I came back to check on her and there was a bunch of green ones in there. There are a few leff on the plants, but only because she hadn't quite got round to that side.

*sigh*

I got two more totes to have her separate them and explained again not to pick the green ones. I think she has it now. I am not particularly fond of fried green tomatoes, but I may be forced to try them again. Not sure what else to do but maybe let them turn red over time, and I'm not sure how they will taste if I do that.

On the bright side, I found the zucchini hasn't grown any over the past several days so I think they are finally done, and I found one small Bell Pepper, so that makes two small peppers out of 4 plants.

 

[Oldskewl]

Well, I had to have my SIL hang out with me this evening because she's diabetic and can't be left alone in our house or she will eat herself sick. So I had her pick the tomatoes while I worked on my Jeep.

She picked ALL the tomatoes!

Even after I explained how to pick the red or orange tomatoes, I came back to check on her and there was a bunch of green ones in there. There are a few leff on the plants, but only because she hadn't quite got round to that side.

*sigh*

I got two more totes to have her separate them and explained again not to pick the green ones. I think she has it now. I am not particularly fond of fried green tomatoes, but I may be forced to try them again. Not sure what else to do but maybe let them turn red over time, and I'm not sure how they will taste if I do that.

On the bright side, I found the zucchini hasn't grown any over the past several days so I think they are finally done, and I found one small Bell Pepper, so that makes two small peppers out of 4 plants.

If you have enough, green tomato relish is awesome. Taste of home has a good recipe. Love it on cheese and crackers. Good on anything you use relish on too.

 

[shelly_belly]

Granny would wrap green tomatoes with newspaper and put them in boxes under her bed. She would pull them out during the winter months, unwrap them and set them on a counter to ripen. They were still better than store bought ones. Her house was usually a little cold in the winter, probably low 60s.

 

[estricklin]

Those green tomatoes will be ripe before you decide what to do with them, especially if exposed to sunlight. They will ripen in a day or 2 pretty easy.

I got my hot sauce fermenting. I just put the peppers in the food processor, added salt to a weight of about 5%, a teeny bit of water and W sauce, celery seed and black pepper. I added the oak chips tonight. Going to let it ferment 2 or 3 weeks, then put it in the blender. I will heat it to boiling before I bottle it. May even need to add some more vinegar to taste.

 

[applescrap]

If you have enough, green tomato relish is awesome. Taste of home has a good recipe. Love it on cheese and crackers. Good on anything you use relish on too.

This is like hot dog relish?

 

[applescrap]

^^iso

 

[Homercidal]

If you have enough, green tomato relish is awesome. Taste of home has a good recipe. Love it on cheese and crackers. Good on anything you use relish on too.

Granny would wrap green tomatoes with newspaper and put them in boxes under her bed. She would pull them out during the winter months, unwrap them and set them on a counter to ripen. They were still better than store bought ones. Her house was usually a little cold in the winter, probably low 60s.

Those green tomatoes will be ripe before you decide what to do with them, especially if exposed to sunlight. They will ripen in a day or 2 pretty easy.

Good to know! I might try Green Tomato Relish and see what it's like. I know a guy who loves fried green tomatoes. He might take a few.

 

[Oldskewl]

This is like hot dog relish?

Yeah it's pretty much like hot dog relish! Back when I was in my early 20s a lady used to bring canning jars of this stuff to Summit Point Raceway. We always camped and of course enjoyed some brew. This stuff topped on cheddar cheese and crackers was to die for.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pickled-green-tomato-relish

 

[Apple_Jacker]

I just finished this hot sauce using 3 dozen Caribbean Red Habeñeros and 1 dozen cayenne peppers I harvested.

My habeñeros grew like weeds; not too shabby for my first attempt at growing them. This is the second batch of hot sauce I made so far, and there's probably 5 dozen or so more habeñeros peppers still not even turning colors yet... not to mention the 40 or so cayenne peppers I have drying, and there's a couple of dozen on the plants still too.

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[passedpawn]

I just finished this hot sauce using 3 dozen Caribbean Red Habeñeros and 1 dozen cayenne peppers I harvested.

My habeñeros grew like weeds; not too shabby for my first attempt at growing them. This is the second batch of hot sauce I made so far, and there's probably 5 dozen or so more habeñeros peppers still not even turning colors yet... not to mention the 40 or so cayenne peppers I have drying, and there's a couple of dozen on the plants still too.

And? Howz it taste? Hot?

 

[Apple_Jacker]

And? Howz it taste? Hot?

It sure as hell is. I followed this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/152262/scotch-bonnet-hot-sauce/

but doubled it and added the juice of half a lime at the same time i added the vinegar.

 

[applescrap]

More peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes. Omelette sounds good.

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[BrewinBromanite]

From my parents' garden, which I also get to enjoy:

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1474826996.576617.jpg

Habs and jalapeños still coming in pretty solid, although slowing down now. Just whipped up a nice size batch of salsa with them.

They planted a single sprouted sweet potato earlier in the season alongside the chilis, tomatoes, and some other plants in an above ground planter. My dad went out last week to clean out the beds, and found a good network of sweet potatoes growing under everything. Amazed the chilis have done so well with everything competing in the same planter.

 

[Staestc]

I leave town for a week and neglect my plants and come home to this!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1475457115.654760.jpg
Did I mention all my chiles are still producing?! Lol. I gotta figure out how to pickle, smoke, dehydrate, sauce, or eat all these Habaneros, jalapeños, and cayennes!

 

[Homercidal]

My garden is pretty much done. I still have some green onions and carrots. I plan to maybe pickle or can the carrots one of these days. The onions can hang out until we need them, but won't be for much longer. They are already starting to turn yellow. I think next year I will realize we don't need as much of those. And I will plant them further apart.

My wife will hate me for spending the time on it, but I think I'll be going bigger next year. I think I need a few cucumbers and I'd like to know why my green peppers were so slack. Maybe put in yellow squash in place of half of the zucchini.

I thought I had too many tomatoes, but honestly, making sauce was not very hard. I'd do it again and maybe also just can some diced tomatoes. I'm not sure they will end up any better than the Rotell brand tomatoes at the store, though.

 

[passedpawn]

I've got new pepper plants coming up again (habs and cayennes) and a basil that's exploding. Freaking Jalapeno seeds just won't frigging germinate. WTF. I might just buy some pint plants at the depot.

 

[bob1852]

I've got new pepper plants coming up again (habs and cayennes) and a basil that's exploding. Freaking Jalapeno seeds just won't frigging germinate. WTF. I might just buy some pint plants at the depot.

My garden froze last night.

 

[passedpawn]

My garden froze last night.

I guess you do live in the cold part. A little surreal for me to hear that, since it's still quite warm here.

 

[applescrap]

I hope mine didn't freeze. I was just to tired to cover up the plants. Tonight they are talking 38. Tomorrow 32. Snow shut down i 70 near Georgetown the other day. Hurricane will miss you right passed? Martin county is spring break every year for my family, I am hoping for the best.

I had to turn the pools off because they were leaking. From the drain holes I drilled like an idiot. I can still fill up all 7 pools with one knob turn and the water plus drainage gives 4 or 5 days. I think they have had too much water once they get big. When little it is ideal. The garden is going nuts with a little dryness. The tomatoes are covered with something crystalline looking and white. Like glitter? Wth is this s..t? I think the garden needs a good hose down. I have sprayed the aphids all year on my brussel sprouts, good high pressure would have worked. The brussel sprouts are growing a bunch of buds. I am hopeful. Pics later.

 

[Staestc]

I guess you do live in the cold part. A little surreal for me to hear that, since it's still quite warm here.

Surreal indeed! It will be 93 here today. My big, in the ground, Hab has a few chiles and a whole lot of blooms!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I used 10 habs to make a hot sauce tonight. Simple recipe, and my habanero were a little over ripe but man this is delicious. Really fruity, with a little heat in the finish.

 

[estricklin]

I've got new pepper plants coming up again (habs and cayennes) and a basil that's exploding. Freaking Jalapeno seeds just won't frigging germinate. WTF. I might just buy some pint plants at the depot.

Starting peppers, or any nightshade from seed can be frustrating. With peppers I use a heating pad, has to be the super cheap kind, otherwise they get too hot, then they have a safety shut off. The seeds can rot before they sprout if planted too deep, the soil is too wet or too cool. I've had better luck with some seed starting mixes than others, and almost always bad luck with potting soil.

Give them at least 10 days before you give up on them.

 

[Homercidal]

What do I do with the plants I my garden? Throw them in the compost pile?

 

[jakeasaur]

I wouldn't throw them in the compost pile. Especially if your going to use the compost in the garden. You can spread disease that way. I burn mine. Throwing them in the trash is another option

 

[estricklin]

I wouldn't throw them in the compost pile. Especially if your going to use the compost in the garden. You can spread disease that way. I burn mine. Throwing them in the trash is another option

Strongly agree.