STAKING TOMATOES 05/29/2010
 Today I want to show you what I have done about staking my tomatoes. As you can see above, I have taken the frames for the shed floors, screwed them together, and drove them into the ground, in-between the plants. That way I can tie the plants to the frames from both sides. When I planted the tomatoes, I kept the root ball out of the center so I could stake it there. Also, I staggered the plants a little so they wouldn't shade each other too much. The black cloth on the ground in the left-hand corner will be moving to the other side of this row. I plan on shading the plants a little in the afternoon so they don't crack. They will still get the heat, so they will do well, I believe. The next step is to tie the plants to this frame. Then I can trim off all the leaves that we don't need. That way the plants can put their energy into the tomatoes, instead of plant. Hopefully, I will be able to document that procedure this weekend. But, I am wanting to have a few people over for ribs and strawberry shortcake...so that my keep me busy. I found some nice strawberries yesterday, so I plan on making jam, too. They smell perfect! That is how I pick strawberries...by the smell. They have to smell real strong, or they won't have much flavor. Plus...when choosing berries, pick the green cap up so you can see the center of the berry. Does the red go all the way to the cap, or is there white? White means they are not ripe all the way through. When you make jam, it needs to be 3/4 of the recipe, ripe fruit, and 1/4 under ripe fruit to make it set right. I am very picky about my strawberry jam. My school of thought on Jams and Jellies are the fruit needs to be over ripe, but not spoiled. It makes the sweetest jams. Fruit that is good-ripe for eating is not ripe enough for really good jam. Also, how I chop up the fruit is important. I cut strawberries with a knife into a small dice. After the jam has cooked a bit, I take a potato masher to the prepared fruit. It makes a better texture, and easier to spread. On other fruits and veggies I use an old fashioned meat grinder. That is what I use to make my hot pepper relish, apricot jam, peach jam, and plum jam. The texture is perfect. At least in my not-so-humble opinion it is. Hope this info works for you. Pictures to follow. ********************* LUCKY GAL 05/20/2010
Today I took pictures of my new plants...like the Cripps Pink apples...  ...there are three of them. I guess it will be a long time before i see any apples.  These are my new pomegranate plants. Again...a long time before I get fruit.  Look at those tomato blossoms...yummy summer goodness to come. I love to see those healthy stems, so hairy, fat, and perky.  If you look closely, you can see a bunch of soon-to-bloom buds all over this pepper plant. It seems that the peppers had a rough start, but have since recovered nicely. Something ate the leaves a bit, but it seems to have stopped. I have lizards in this garden and they eat the bugs so maybe they have the problem under control. Works for me. Bad Dog is a lizard killer, so it better stay in the garden...if it knows what's good for it.  This bed is full of 'greens'. They are ready to eat now. Tender, sweet, and spicy. I have arugula, and Mesclun. I even pulled up a small radish and ate it right out of my garden. What a lucky Gal I am! FERTILIZED 05/19/2010
Today I fertilized all my plants with the worm tea. Now that the tomatoes are blooming, I want to make sure they have all that they need to make the best tomatoes ever! I am very happy with the progress of the plants. In a week, I can eat a little of the salad greens and maybe some radishes. Today I want to plant more zucchini and some beets. I have a few 'bald spots' in the West wing. Seems the ants or birds or something ate most of my zucchini sprouts and I need gobs for my zucchini bread. Also, I am glad to report that I am getting some sprouts from the pile of pomegranate scraps I threw compost on last fall. They will make a nice hedge to block my neighbor's ugly garage door barn. I would love to have at least 5 shoots I can transplant. Also...I have two sprouts from my Cripp's Pink apple seeds. I would love to have at least 2 of those trees. I think they would make most excellent apple pies. Especially if they are in the individual pastry cups (I showed how to make in the cooking section last fall). Anyway...at this time in the garden, we are waiting for things to start producing. It seems like it takes forever...but once it kicks in, I have a feeling that I am going to need help. A lot!!! That is what I am hoping for. So much veggies that I just have to sell them. AND I make bunches of money and live happily ever after. It could happen!!!! Besides, it's my fantasy, I can dream it any way I want to. ****************** GARDEN PROGRESS 05/12/2010
 Here is a picture of my idea of how to use up these metal posts. Originally, they were frames for the flooring in my sheds. We decided to go another way. I plan on putting another cross-beam to the posts. That way, it will be real sturdy, and I can tie the tomatoes to the cross-beams with twine. I always like to re-purpose things. It is just how my brain works...what can I say...  This is the 'greens' bed. Kale, arugula, Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce, and some micro greens. I can hardly wait for my salads.  Four kinds of carrots and three kinds of radish...still a little slow in the carrot department. But you can see the little hairy shoots in the fore ground.  See the bloom in the center? Promises of those big, beefy tomatoes. Sandwiches, salads, sauces, catsup, salsa, the best spaghetti sauce, ever! I can already taste them...what a lucky girl I am!  Here are some pictures of some new seedlings I started in some cups. More beefsteaks and some yellow tomatoes.  These are those Cripps Pink apples I like so much. I found some sprouted seeds in the apple. So you know me, in the pot they go.  I know this is out-of-focus, but I just wanted to mention that I am hoping to get a few Granny Smith apples off of this tree this year. I just wanted to show the blooms, but it seems the leaves got in the way. At least that is what is in focus. See...a few days without my camera, and I need to be re-trained. Not really. Just an old Pollock joke, come to life. I am allowed...I am Polish. Maybe even royalty...but that is just a rumor. It was never proven. A girl can hope, right? ************************************** | ArchivesAugust 2010 CategoriesAll |
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