Green thumb is itching, anyone else? - Page 46

Have no idea what we are going to do with all the tomatoes.....................didn't plan on so many plants.  My dear sweet John helped in greenhouse and instead of planting just o few seeds of different varieties, he started the entire pack of eash seed.  I couldn't make myself throw away perfectly good plants, so I either gave them away or planted in my garden. 

I have never canned salsa or spagetti sauce, but make fresh salsa and add to may for salad dressing.  I also dry them in oven until almost completed dry and then cook them down further making an awesome tomato paste, that I freeze in 1/2 size portions.  I freeze a lot of whole tomatoes and can some too.  I also can a bunch with other veggies making a great soup mix.  Still have about 6 quarts of whole frozentomatoes and a gallon of paste left from last season. 

I haven't heard about or seen Creole tomatoes since I moved form south Louisiana 38 years ago.  They were the best, where did you get seeds, I would love to plant some in fall garden.  Currently my favorites are Cherokee Purple and Everglades Cherry (grape size)

I am in your boat with the tomato seeds Carol.

We had some older packages I just did not want to keep hanging on to.  So all the seeds went in to pots.  We now have two beds of full sized tomatoes, 20 plants each for a total of 40!!!  The determinate ones run down the center so when they are done we will be down to "only" 28.

And a big cherry tomato bed that I still want to add two more plants too, a white and a dark-not sure which I want yet.

I saved a back up of started plants in case the winds or upcoming wet weather cause trouble, but I have been giving them away too.

We are going to be looking for canning and tomato recipes!  

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolsaucier 

Have no idea what we are going to do with all the tomatoes.....................didn't plan on so many plants.  My dear sweet John helped in greenhouse and instead of planting just o few seeds of different varieties, he started the entire pack of eash seed.  I couldn't make myself throw away perfectly good plants, so I either gave them away or planted in my garden. 

 

I have never canned salsa or spagetti sauce, but make fresh salsa and add to may for salad dressing.  I also dry them in oven until almost completed dry and then cook them down further making an awesome tomato paste, that I freeze in 1/2 size portions.  I freeze a lot of whole tomatoes and can some too.  I also can a bunch with other veggies making a great soup mix.  Still have about 6 quarts of whole frozentomatoes and a gallon of paste left from last season. 

 

I haven't heard about or seen Creole tomatoes since I moved form south Louisiana 38 years ago.  They were the best, where did you get seeds, I would love to plant some in fall garden.  Currently my favorites are Cherokee Purple and Everglades Cherry (grape size)

I got the plants from a local small mom and pop nursery.  They said it would do well in the hot summer.  If they do well I'll save and send you some seeds, just remind me in a few months when I'll have ripe tomatoes.
 

I have my posts in so I can weave! Now to try and set that up.  

anyone ever try DE on compost piles?

My favorite tomato plant last year was "sweet millions" a cherry tomato and yes I did get millions from one plant. Can't even think of putting them in until May.  I have a recipe where you roast cut up tomatoes (leave small ones whole) with chopped onion,garlic ,fresh herbs and drizzle w/ olive oil . Once roasted we blend it and freeze it and use that as are base for sauce. It also makes the best soup . This year I'll get to use my own garlic I can't wait. 

That sounds awesome, I plan on saving a lot of seeds this year, too.  Having hard time resisting picking some green tomatoes to fry, but I want ripe ones first.  Due to heat and droughts our gardens are usually finished by late May, so not much longer to wait.

Where is Henryetta?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kassaundra 

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolsaucier 

Have no idea what we are going to do with all the tomatoes.....................didn't plan on so many plants.  My dear sweet John helped in greenhouse and instead of planting just o few seeds of different varieties, he started the entire pack of eash seed.  I couldn't make myself throw away perfectly good plants, so I either gave them away or planted in my garden. 

 

I have never canned salsa or spagetti sauce, but make fresh salsa and add to may for salad dressing.  I also dry them in oven until almost completed dry and then cook them down further making an awesome tomato paste, that I freeze in 1/2 size portions.  I freeze a lot of whole tomatoes and can some too.  I also can a bunch with other veggies making a great soup mix.  Still have about 6 quarts of whole frozentomatoes and a gallon of paste left from last season. 

 

I haven't heard about or seen Creole tomatoes since I moved form south Louisiana 38 years ago.  They were the best, where did you get seeds, I would love to plant some in fall garden.  Currently my favorites are Cherokee Purple and Everglades Cherry (grape size)

I got the plants from a local small mom and pop nursery.  They said it would do well in the hot summer.  If they do well I'll save and send you some seeds, just remind me in a few months when I'll have ripe tomatoes.
 

 

I saved seeds from last year, but can't remember what I did with them so I had to buy some. Here's a pic of them being started in my incubator.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3LilBirds 

anyone ever try DE on compost piles?

While I do use it on my squash plants when things are dry, I expect it won't hurt things. But then you want the bugs and worms to work things a bit.   I use it to dust the coop so it's in the mix when I throw the cleanings into the garden.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3LilBirds 

anyone ever try DE on compost piles?

For what purpose?  The compost works best when moist and full of bugs.