Gardening: My Tomatoe and Pepper Progress

[Miller4]

Got around to making some salsa. 22 pints and 7 quarts

 

[Staestc]

If you order from Numex you must try the Suave Red. Its a heatless habanero. Mine cranked out really nice sized pods. Much nicer than any aji dulce type ive tried yet. They have just a hint of heat. They look just like a hab and smell like they will melt your face but they are semi sweet and very mild.

Can't wait to try these!

 

[Staestc]

If you like cukes all season...Try the West India Burr Gherkins at Baker Creek. Pick them when they are no larger than a lemon. They dont look much like a cuke but taste nearly the same. Mine do great all season with virtually no bug damage or disease issues. They make great dill chips for burgers.

All they want is plenty of water and lots of sun/heat. Minimal nutrients.
https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/cucumbers/west-india-burr-gherkin

Those are pretty cool looking!

 

[Abrayton]

First 2021 batch of future hot sauce fermenting. Peppers did not do well this year. Some plants/varieties didn’t produce a single pepper.

 

[Oldskewl]

I have an abundant amount of habaneros and thai peppers. Any ideas for using them up? I've made 2 hot sauces, salsa, dehydrated some, and gave some away. I still have a bunch!

 

[Staestc]

I have an abundant amount of habaneros and thai peppers. Any ideas for using them up? I've made 2 hot sauces, salsa, dehydrated some, and gave some away. I still have a bunch!

I understand. I put in just three plants late in the season and I cannot keep up with the Habs and Serranos. I have been fermenting hot sauce all summer. I think I am just going to pickle them this time or just make a non-fermented hot sauce of some kind. It's been hard to keep up!

 

[shelly_belly]

The Serrano pepper flavor was so delicious in this beer.

 

[passedpawn]

Planning on building big raised garden this winter. More to come, but I'm pretty excited. Meant to start a year ago, but other projects got in the way. Hope to contribute here again soon, been a couple of years since I great anything I could eat

 

[Staestc]

Planning on building big raised garden this winter. More to come, but I'm pretty excited. Meant to start a year ago, but other projects got in the way. Hope to contribute here again soon, been a couple of years since I great anything I could eat

Like minds I am planning some raised beds for next year too, though probably several smaller ones rather than a big garden. Interested in what you are planning if you will share when you get a chance.

 

[passedpawn]

Like minds I am planning some raised beds for next year too, though probably several smaller ones rather than a big garden. Interested in what you are planning if you will share when you get a chance.

I'll definitely share. Gonna build several 4x8 beds. That's the plan anyway. Hope to be building them over the holidays, then get seeds going inside and planted early spring.

 

[applescrap]

Got around to making some salsa. 22 pints and 7 quartsView attachment 743337View attachment 743338View attachment 743339

Any salsa tips? Much appreciated!

 

[applescrap]

The self watering gardens are still doing well, those dang aphids. But still lots of peppers and tomatos and herbs. It was a good year. Went with homer depot plants, meh. This is that Korean bbq flank steak from costco, hate to admit wasnt bad. But I love to grab stuff from garden and just toss on grill. Then after grilling I evoo and salt. Could before but that would kill laziness factor. Those grilled jalopenos with steak was so good. Also super duper loving the onions, probably my favorite thing ever grown.

 

[Deadalus]

I'll definitely share. Gonna build several 4x8 beds. That's the plan anyway. Hope to be building them over the holidays, then get seeds going inside and planted early spring.

I built raised beds in my garden. I used 1x6 treated boards, mostly 16 footers, my beds are 4x20. I had 6 beds (now 6.5) to build, so I went the 1" (nominal) because the cost was good. I recommend not doing that if you considered it and use 2" boards. Perhaps on an 8 ft section though they may not get wavy like mine did if you do use 1". The 2" sized beds I have seen are always sturdier looking.

This is the absolute worst one and it is the 1/2 bed on the steepest part as well and the deepest too. It needs another post. I used mainly 2x4 posts but 4x4 here, occasionally staked to rebar if I didn't cut them deep enough. I had a lot of scrap pieces from building my fence and they were sometimes too short. I also thought I could get away with not sinking some on the interior of the bed but I ended up having to go back and put some rebar in.

I had just dressed this bed with some nice compost out of one of my tumblers.

 

[passedpawn]

I built raised beds in my garden. I used 1x6 treated boards, mostly 16 footers, my beds are 4x20. I had 6 beds (now 6.5) to build, so I went the 1" (nominal) because the cost was good. I recommend not doing that if you considered it and use 2" boards. Perhaps on an 8 ft section though they may not get wavy like mine did if you do use 1". The 2" sized beds I have seen are always sturdier looking.

This is the absolute worst one and it is the 1/2 bed on the steepest part as well and the deepest too. It needs another post. I used mainly 2x4 posts but 4x4 here, occasionally staked to rebar if I didn't cut them deep enough. I had a lot of scrap pieces from building my fence and they were sometimes too short. I also thought I could get away with not sinking some on the interior of the bed but I ended up having to go back and put some rebar in.

I had just dressed this bed with some nice compost out of one of my tumblers.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[Miller4]

Any salsa tips? Much appreciated!

We do a very simple recipe if you are set up to pressure can. We like it because it is basically our fresh salsa recipe but then pressure canned, so no peeling the tomatoes first and not a lot of added vinegar like most of the water bath recipes. If you’d like I can dig up our basic recipe and then you can tweak with what you have on hand.

 

[Hanglow]

I'm still picking peppers although it's gone autumnal now. Pulled all tomato plants. Planted winter salads in their place.

Also planted garlic in the garden, 90 cloves of hardneck and about 50 softnecks.

 

[Abrayton]

First sauce of the year bottled, next two fermenting

 

[z-bob]

Any salsa tips? Much appreciated!

I have a wonderful salsa recipe that I got from the USDA. It doesn't need a pressure canner. Lemme see if I've posted it here already; if so I will link to it, if not I will post it. It takes 5 pounds of tomatoes, 2 pounds of peppers, and 1 pound of onions; usually makes a little over 8 pints.

I wasn't going to plant any peppers or tomatoes this year, kind of a crop rotation thing to get some disease problems under control. But a lady from church gave me a tomato plant and I couldn't say no. I planted it in the middle of the backyard in a hole the dog dug in the lawn, far away from the garden. I've picked dozens of big slicing tomatoes off, and it's still going strong. I've made 2 batches of the salsa (I think I have a picture of the first batch) and just finished peeling and freezing 2 quarts of chopped tomatoes to use for soup in a few weeks.

 

[z-bob]

Here's the recipe. Because I was using slicing tomatoes the first batch is a little thin, so I added about 2 tablespoons of canned tomato paste to the second batch and it helped. Use freshly-ground black pepper if you have it; it makes a difference, and I generally use a little more than a 1/2 tsp.

Chile Salsa
(from USDA bulletin 539) yield: 6 to 8 pints

5 pounds tomatoes
2 pounds chile peppers
1 pound onions, chopped
1 cup vinegar (5%)*
3 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Roast and peel peppers if they have tough skins (not necessary for jalapeños or serranos), remove seeds and stems, chop. Scald and peel tomatoes; chop. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into pint jars, leave 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

*Notes: I generally use jalapeños, seeds and all, and I find that ½ cup bottled lemon juice plus ½ cup white vinegar tastes better than using all vinegar (or all lemon juice.)

 

[Oldskewl]

Limes can be more acidic than lemons. Many salsas have lime juice as part of the recipe. Just my 2 cents.

I actually water bath can my salsa recipe using lime juice to up the acidity

 

[Deadalus]

Here's the recipe. Because I was using slicing tomatoes the first batch is a little thin, so I added about 2 tablespoons of canned tomato paste to the second batch and it helped. Use freshly-ground black pepper if you have it; it makes a difference, and I generally use a little more than a 1/2 tsp.

Chile Salsa
(from USDA bulletin 539) yield: 6 to 8 pints

5 pounds tomatoes
2 pounds chile peppers
1 pound onions, chopped
1 cup vinegar (5%)*
3 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Roast and peel peppers if they have tough skins (not necessary for jalapeños or serranos), remove seeds and stems, chop. Scald and peel tomatoes; chop. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into pint jars, leave 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

*Notes: I generally use jalapeños, seeds and all, and I find that ½ cup bottled lemon juice plus ½ cup white vinegar tastes better than using all vinegar (or all lemon juice.)

I've used tomato paste to thicken up salsa but a recent salsa recipe I made had a good tip which was to let the tomatoes drain for about 30 minutes in a strainer. Came out decidedly thicker than previously given about the same mix of tomatoes.

 

[Hanglow]

Fermenting the last of my chillis, not sure what sauce to do with them. How long do people ferment for? Can you go for a few months?

and where some of my chillis and toms were grown In my little greenhouse, have replaced them with winter salads and garlic. Roll on next year

 

[user 211287]

Can you go for a few months?

My last one was a year old. Turned out great using the Easy Fermenter lids. I have not tried the vacuum bag method yet but as long as it had enough salt and the bag aint ready to pop you should be fine to let it ride.

 

[Abrayton]

2nd batch of fermented pepper hot sauce jarred. Attempt at mango habanero.

 

[Staestc]

Fermenting the last of my chillis, not sure what sauce to do with them. How long do people ferment for? Can you go for a few months?

and where some of my chillis and toms were grown In my little greenhouse, have replaced them with winter salads and garlic. Roll on next year
View attachment 746554View attachment 746553

I've been fermenting in jars with air locks anywhere from 1-3 months. Tabasco ferments theirs's in barrels for 3 years, with special runs up to 5 years!!

I have never heard of fermenting in vacuum bags before. I'm gonna have to study up on that. Seems like a good idea.

 

[Hanglow]

Yeah I saw it mentioned I think on the chilichump youtube channel and thought it was worth a go. It didn't expand too much, although obviously I made the bag many times bigger than if I was just vac packing to freeze. Going to try it with fermented beetroot too.

 

[Staestc]

Yeah I saw it mentioned I think on the chilichump youtube channel and thought it was worth a go. It didn't expand too much, although obviously I made the bag many times bigger than if I was just vac packing to freeze. Going to try it with fermented beetroot too.

Recently discovered the ChiliChump and have watched a bunch, but mostly on growing and not much on fermenting. I'll have to explore further down his list!

 

[corkybstewart]

I've been out of the country for a couple of months but a friend has been staying at my house, tending the first garden he's ever had in his 65 years on earth. We exchanged emails today, apparently my tomatoes are still doing fantastic, he has many more than he can eat. He also expressed mild irritation that my jalapenos never developed any heat at all, something I noticed before we left but I still don't understand. Unfortunately he's gonna have to turn the water off to the garden soon, before the hard freezes start hitting. |Still, even having left 2 months before my gardening season ended I'm happy. I canned 13 quarts and 10 pints of tomato sauce the day before we left, I've got at least 10 pounds of peeled and blanched carrots in the freezer, and we ate all the veggies we could stand this summer. And, above all, I have 4 very well established varieties of hops growing in the garden.

 

[Staestc]

I've been out of the country for a couple of months but a friend has been staying at my house, tending the first garden he's ever had in his 65 years on earth. We exchanged emails today, apparently my tomatoes are still doing fantastic, he has many more than he can eat. He also expressed mild irritation that my jalapenos never developed any heat at all, something I noticed before we left but I still don't understand. Unfortunately he's gonna have to turn the water off to the garden soon, before the hard freezes start hitting. |Still, even having left 2 months before my gardening season ended I'm happy. I canned 13 quarts and 10 pints of tomato sauce the day before we left, I've got at least 10 pounds of peeled and blanched carrots in the freezer, and we ate all the veggies we could stand this summer. And, above all, I have 4 very well established varieties of hops growing in the garden.

Grats! Sounds like you have done well, despite having to be gone!

 

[Staestc]

Edit: no one knows why this was posted on this thread, though I did put some homemade hot sauce in my bowl!! lol

It’s been raining, cold, and getting colder here in north Texas today. It’s 47° F at the moment and headed for the mid 30’s tonight. So I made a big pot of potato soup!