Mumsy's Romantic Garden Advice

[Leahs Mom]

That's exactly what happened here. I'm not sure why I had never heard of it before now!

 

[aaggjg]

That's exactly what happened here. I'm not sure why I had never heard of it before now!

I've heard of it but I live in Southern California so mine ripen on the vine well into "winter"

 

[armorfirelady]

That's exactly what happened here. I'm not sure why I had never heard of it before now!

Ok so silly question but......how do pull the plants out with tomatoes on it and not knock all the tomatoes off? I want to try this but I would be the one who had all my tomatoes on the ground

Quote: I would be more than happy to send you a few feet of snow

 

[Leahs Mom]

My husband pulled them last year. Just pulled them up so the roots came with the plant. The tomatoes seemed to hold tight.

 

[Leahs Mom]

If they fall off, you can dehydrate them (see the green tomatoes in your new book) save them for later and make that wonderful looking recipe in there for the green tomato casserole!

 

[armorfirelady]

If they fall off, you can dehydrate them (see the green tomatoes in your new book) save them for later and make that wonderful looking recipe in there for the green tomato casserole!

I do cook......but not a *try something new that looks good * cook. I guess that makes me a boring cook

But I could/will try drying some. I cant wait till the book arrives. I want to see if they have something for *sun dried tomatoes* like you see in the store in oil.

 

[armorfirelady]

Has anyone ever tried cold frames?

I was at a friends house last night picking up scrap and noticed they had giant screen doors buried in the rear of their garage. Probably to screen it in for summer.

I woke up this morning thinking they would be great for a cold frame and to put over seedlings to keep the hens out. I think there are 3 of them about 4x6 in size. When I texted my friends to say if they were going to throw those out to let me know I would take them, they said they were mine !!

I am super excited

 

[BlueMouse]

told my mom about the hanging in the basement technique and we're both planning on trying it this year hopefully it will do well! I'm canning more today. The weather is so nice and cool it's no chore at all. Normally I end up canning in the heat of august, but this year everything has been so late I'm doing it in september. I'm getting some green tomatoes falling off the vines so I'm making green tomato pickles. We'll see how those are!

Ripening on newspaper only works for tomatoes that have some color on them. If it's totally green they'll rot rather than ripen. Partially ripened tomatoes can be very sucessfully done this way though, I just spread newspaper sheets in a warm dry location where my children can't get at them. Then place the tomatoes on the newspaper, it's important that they not touch! In a few days typically they've ripened enough to use.

Did I mention that my husband dropped a tree on my new raspberry bushes I planted this summer? I'm hoping they'll survive.... I guess he forgot they were there.

 

[MumsyII]

Has anyone ever tried cold frames?

I was at a friends house last night picking up scrap and noticed they had giant screen doors buried in the rear of their garage. Probably to screen it in for summer.

I woke up this morning thinking they would be great for a cold frame and to put over seedlings to keep the hens out. I think there are 3 of them about 4x6 in size. When I texted my friends to say if they were going to throw those out to let me know I would take them, they said they were mine !!

I am super excited

Cold frames were the basis of my nursery business years ago. They can be quite simple or elaborate. Depending on your resources. My Grandparents built theirs out of river stone, mortar, and old windows. In the summer they replaced the windows with screen.

I have used cold frames on the East side of my property so they get morning sun and then shade during the hottest part of the day. I use old windows and hinge them to the top of the frame. They can be propped up easily. A trick I use in my cold frames is having them dug out deeper than the surrounding ground and putting fresh manure and bedding in the bottom. The top layer of planting soil then heats up and stays warm while the manure breaks down and heats up. A great way to start seedlings in early Spring. Cold frames are a wonderful tool for the gardener no matter what you plant.


About hanging tomato plants in rafters to ripen over winter. I've been doing that since reading about it in Mother Earth News magazine back in the late 70's.

 

[midnightroo]

Hi everyone! Finally getting back into rhythm after our vacation. Beautiful photos of your harvest armor. My chickens do the same thing with our tomatoes when they are allowed in the garden. Hubby pulled up most of our tomato plants already. We have a ton in the freezer, but the brandy wine tomatoes are still doing good so he left them.

We tried growing a late season tomato once. I think I planted it too soon and. Picked them off the vine early. I got some that ripened, but more spoiled then ripened. I have heard about dong that with tomatoes and beans. I might have to try it with my dry beans this year. Between the weather and me getting them in the ground later they aren't ready to be picked yet. I tried a new red bean and they seemed to do very well, so I am excited to see how they taste and how many beans I get from my test patch.

Jersulam artichokes are finally flowering and I betcha they are easily 12 ft tall this year. The only thing I dislike about them is sometimes they bend over from being so tall, so they don't look so pretty in the front yard.

We dug up our butterfly bushes because on a Md Native FB site they mentioned that it was becoming invasive in KY. It was linked to a blog that mentioned how you might not see the seedling, but the wind blows disperses them away from their original location.

When we got back from our trip we found the deer had eaten all the leaves and the one fruit of my Seminole pumpkins. So frustrating! They are so good in soup. Luckily, my neighbor had a good year with butternut squash so she has given me two of hers.

I think we are right in the migration path for some aerial predators. We have seen more hawk like birds since being back then all summer. Twice in one day and that day it was sitting in the bushes right next to the house not far from where the chickens like to dust bathe.

Mumsy do you have a suggestion for a plant that I could plant right up against the house the chickens could use for protection? Evergreen would be great, something that doesn't mind it roots being disturbed, can be hot in the summer and the soil is pretty dry there. Oh, not too tall or wide either. It will be tucked in behind other bushes and our deck is right there. Let me go take a pix.

Oh I finally have two out of four pullets laying now. They are about six months old hatchery pullets so I am surprised they are waiting so long.

Hope everyone is having a great day!