# of tomato plants

[Gryphon]

A thing about tomato plants is if they're protected indoors they'll get leggy and thin because they don't have to gain any strength. A trick that some people use is to put an oscillating fan near seedlings, the soft intermittent breeze causes a reaction in the plant that makes the main stem thicken up to resist the wind. I don't know if it's too late for your plant, but it would be interesting to see if there's a difference in a couple of weeks if you try it out.

As for sauce, I just read an article about an awesome sounding no-cook tomato sauce, found here: http://auburnmeadowfarm.com/2011/08/25/in-which-we-stockpile-hope/ (excellent blog by the way, has lots of tasty recipes too!)

 

[mi2bugz]

If you're looking to make more salsa type items - a small jar of salsa only takes 2 tomatoes!

We will be using a TON of spaghetti sauce (at least 2 jars a month...spaghetti, lasgna and/or stuffed shells). I will be making salsa also. I am planning what I will need for the year. Does anyone know how long a jar of homemade canned salsa is good for once it is open?

 

[hosspak]

We will be using a TON of spaghetti sauce (at least 2 jars a month...spaghetti, lasgna and/or stuffed shells). I will be making salsa also. I am planning what I will need for the year. Does anyone know how long a jar of homemade canned salsa is good for once it is open?

Last year I canned a dozen lrg jars of H/M sauce. The last jar I opened 1 1/2 years latter. But when I opened the jars and put the unused in the frig. The longest was 14 days w/o a problem and mine were all meat sauces. I hardly ever left an unused jar for very long......they were too good not to use. Have fun... I'm very envious...

We also canned salsa's this year. We cooked our salsa so it lasted a couple of weeks after opened. I wouldn't push it past that and if you canned uncooked salsa I wouldn't go more than a couple of days.

 

[mi2bugz]

We also canned salsa's this year. We cooked our salsa so it lasted a couple of weeks after opened. I wouldn't push it past that and if you canned uncooked salsa I wouldn't go more than a couple of days.

I will be doing the cooked version. Thank you for the help!

Why are you envious? Not going to be able to grow tomatoes this year? I am sorry .

 

[Smithyard Farm]

in that 1 month then cut off everything that is growing in the bottom 6 to 8 inches from the root ball then plant it deep (bury the first 6 to 8 inches of the plant) all those little fuzzy hairs

you mean the leaves on the stem, right??

 

[hosspak]

you mean the leaves on the stem, right??

Oops, sorry... yes the leaves and any tiny branches called suckers (suck resources) where you don't want branches to be. Or you can leave the branching ones on. What I mean by that is, at every place a branch grows out there will be two stemlike things growing out. One will produce flowers and the other won't. The bottom one will be the one you want to snip off leaving the top one to grow. But if the plant doesn't look bushy to your liking, then leave then on and only take of the stuff that's not doing anything or turning yellow.