Tomatoes

[John W_in_Indy]

Oh MAN you guys.... I've got blooms a'plenty and maters setting all over the place! Last count was almost 20 on my Beefsteak plant (one big one, two mediums and a whole bunch of itty-bitty ones), at LEAST that many on my Roma plant and between the Bigboy and Betterboy plants, another dozen and a half with about six or so of them already medium sized! All still green of course, but the end of the tunnel isn't far off! I was beginning to worry that I was only going to have huge green plants (the top of my Beefsteak is now at SEVEN FEET tall) and very few maters this year.

Since it had been a couple of weeks since I fertilized, and to help out this burst of blooms and young fruit, I fertilized yesterday with some organic based Tiger Bloom. http://www.planetnatural.com/site/tiger-bloom.html I've never used it before, but figured it couldn't hurt. I just new I had to slow the Tomato Tone down because I just don't NEED much if any more plant growth. I may even start topping the Beefsteak before long. But, I've never done that before very late August or early September before.

One of the other things that is starting to happen which I've never seen before (that I can remember anyway) is farther down on the plants, I'm starting to get a few bloom pods coming out of the main vertical stems. None of them have matured or opened yet, but I've never seen it before. Maybe it's because I've kept many of the side leaves pruned back so that air and sun can circulate through my plants freely. I was taught to do that by my 60 year old neighbor when I was a kid to help keep the fruit dry and clean and allowing plenty of sun and air curculation into the interior of the plant. Possibly the plant is trying to replace some of the lower bloom clusters that opened and then died without setting any fruit earlier. All I know is, if they mature, bloom and set fruit, I'll have a bumper crop for sure of Beefsteak's off of ONE plant.

Man.... I'm excited!

 

[Crabbergirl]

My son loves the Tiger Bloom, but I just use my compost and compost tea. You need to post some new pics John so we can see all you success!

Dor,
I have planted seeds that were many years old and had them come up. As long as they were kept dry you should do ok

 

[John W_in_Indy]

My son loves the Tiger Bloom, but I just use my compost and compost tea. You need to post some new pics John so we can see all you success!

Well, it was touch and go early on for the tomatoes and beans. My peppers STILL aren't blooming much at all (except for my Chili Peppers which have blooms and fruit all over the plant and it's the smallest plant of the bunch by FAR). Now, my BEANS have recovered very nicely. I just picked the first batch of Blue Lakes last night. In less than an hour they were being blanched in some chicken stock and then lightly sauteed in some olive oil until crips/tender or aldente. Right at the last minute, I added a touch of chopped garlic and some chopped tomatoes (some organic canned I use whenever I can't use fresh), along with a little salt and pepper.... and they were just scrumptious along with some 2" thick pork chops from the grill. Yummy!

As for the pics.... the girls dropped the digital not once but TWICE on their last trip to the zoo. So, I'm looking around for another one to replace it. When I get one, I'll post some pics.

 

[richnkim]

I have got to give my tomatoes some TLC. We got home and they need me. They seem to be slowing down. I will have to fertilize them.

 

[smiley_face2]

my first cherry tomatoes should be red enough to pick in about 2 days! lot's of cucumbers ready too! have to think of what to plant in where the sugar snap peas were.... beans are blooming, but no baby beans yet... getting lot's of zuchinni now too, had a wonderful prawn pasta with fresh zuchinni in it and lot's of herbs from the garden...ymmmmm...

 

[Randy]

I see pumpkins, yellow crooknecks, and yellow straightnecks forming. It won't be long now and I will have some squash.

 

[curbhopper]

I'll be right there. I LOVE squash !

 

[Randy]

Those things are running rampant now, Curbie. I'll have enough for everybody.

 

[curbhopper]

WOO HOO! Buying a plane ticket ! ~

 

[veggiemom]

My squash plants just keep on growing and making wonderful squash too. Is there too much of a good thing?

 

[Kya D]

My tomatoes are starting to change color and my summer squash are almost ready to pick.
Yeah it must be summer

 

[Randy]

Mine are too Kya. Another day or two and I will have several to pick. The ones that are almost ready are yellow crookneck and yellow straightneck.

 

[Dor]

I am glad you all are able to get some squash. I had to pull all mine up. The stems had some tiny grains of flaky looking stuff on them and I didn't want it to effect my other plants. I had squash plants in different raised beds and they all had the same disease with the squash getting mushy and the stems looking terrible. I bought them at Home Depot and Lowe's.

 

[curbhopper]

Congratulations, VeggieMom. I can see you now making squash ice cream and squash pie and starting to throw the squash at the kids. ~ Where do you live if you don't mind me asking ~

 

[curbhopper]

It's STUPID QUEStion time: Do crookneck and straightneck taste any different? ~

 

[Randy]

No such thing as a stupid question, Miss Curbie. If there is a difference in taste, I have not been able to detect it. If I served one kind and said it was the other, there is little likelihood anyone would know the difference.

 

[curbhopper]

How do you cook your squash? I STILL think we need to publish a recipe book ~ I like yellow squash a bit better than zucchini. But I eat them both anyway. Imagine somebody not liking vegetables ~

 

[Randy]

MF was telling me that she saw Tom Selleck on Rachael Ray's talk show today and she said Tom Selleck does not eat vegetables or fruits. I never felt sorry for him before, but I think he will pay dearly for his diet.

 

[Randy]

I forgot to answer your question, Curbie. I will slice or dice these up and steam them with some butter, salt and pepper. Later on, I will do one session where I will batter squash slices in corn meal and fry them in olive oil. I will do two or three squash, so there will be plenty. I will pig out on that just once this year. I didn't do it last year though, so I will most certainly do it this year.

 

[richnkim]

My chocolate cherry tomatoes are turning now! I can't wait to be able to pick some of them.

My zucchinni are just about done but my little yellow are doing good.

Hey Randy, with all of that yellow squash you should try that squash casserole recipe that I posted some time back. It is really good.