Garden Diaries, 2020

[Happy]

My chickens only want tomatoes when they are hanging off a tomatoe plant behind a fence and they have to squee?e through it fly over it or belly crawl under it. It seems if I pick them and generously GIVE tomatoes to them they become much less tasty and attractive.

[WLLady]

I am officially sick and tired of canning. and i am not done yet!! still have about 20 peppers to go-i have already cut and prepared 2 bushels for the freezer TODAY....in addition to the bushel earlier last month. I am going yo try tomato paste. or i will just have to torch the tomato plants. insane. i just want to cry looking at the rutabaga...i somehow developed tennis elbow (likely from landscaping and weeding) and have zero clue how i will save these rutabaga. maybe dip in paraffin wax? do they even sell that stuff anymore....? oh...i have beeswax...maybe that. we did the honey last weekend. i think. i dont really know anymore....

[labradors]

Have you tried freezing the tomatoes whole? I put them in gallon freezer bags as soon as I start to get an abundance of ripe ones. I can then time my sauce-making for a cool weekend. I use a few of the frozen tomatoes every time I make soups and stews over the winter. It's easy to run them under the tap to pop the skins off.

Then again, the extras are also good for the compost pile .

Linda

[Killerbunny]

SO we had a frost warning for last night. DH "should I cover the tomatoes" me "no don't worry , they'll be fine". DH " but they might get frosted", me "yes they might". I think he is becoming suspicious. BTWthey are fine this am despite a frost. Damn!

[labradors]

Too funny KB! Someone else is sick of maters????

[Killerbunny]

Loads frozen down and oven dried too!

[WLLady]

just did a pile in the dehydrator and yes...i have frozen them whole lol. they just sit and sit and sit lol they called for frost here last night. no clue yet. havent looked. picked the remaining beans last night...

[labradors]

I'm experimenting with sweet potatoes in containers this year. I didn't have any more room in the veg. garden. The friend who gave the slips to me said to harvest when the leaves turn black, so after last night's frost I guess it is time!

The bush beans that I planted late are in flower, but looking a little the worse for wear. Fingers crossed that we might get a harvest, otherwise we'll be eating kale, and maybe some chard for our green veggie for a while.

[Killerbunny]

My beans too are looking a bit rough. fingers crossed!

[kenya]

I covered my tomatoes but they still froze last night, we had a heavy frost