Tomato Harvest Time!

Since the tomatoes were all weird this year, and many held on to the plants, I did the squooshing in just one session. From the squeezin's, I estimate that I'll get 6-7 quarts of sauce. Won't try any paste this year, nor am I making any stewed tomatoes or anything with pieces.

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Siberian x1: Third and final year. Just not a good producer for me. Every tomato was small and scarred. Vegetation sparse and gangly.

Opalka x1: Prolific producer of bowling-pin shaped fruit, which held on tight to the plant this year, Also the most vigorous growing plant. After it topped the cage, I let it trail out to the sides on top of the adjacent cages... would have hit at least 8' vertically.

Viva Italia x2: Decent sized plant and adequate fruit, but subject to a LOT of blossom end rot.

Roma x3: In the end, not sure they were all Roma. One was for sure, since I started it from seed from a packet. The other 2 were from a store bought 3-pack, but their form was much more like an Amish Paste; lots of fruit but lots of disease. The Roma-for-sure was very prolific.

Sugar Sweet x1: Exceptionally prolific, very sweet, VERY subject to splitting. Hardly used any.

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The Roma and Oplaka I started early from seed was very healthy, very bushy, very productive plants. Given how cool and wet this year was, they seemed to appreciate the good start. Throughout the midwest, all tomato growers had problems this spring/summer.

Tobacco: Positioned the tobacco-in-container next to the Roma at the west end of "Tomato Row". Possibility that since tobacco and tomatoes share some diseases that my maters were more apt to get hit. Will try tobacco next year on south side of house, and hope I didn't do anything permanent.

Turnips too tall!

Planted the red beets next to the turnips... too close it seems. The turnip greens are already almost a foot tall, yet the beet tops are only a few inches long. Since the rows are so close, the turnip greens are shading the beets. Must remember that for next year!

2009 Onions are in!

Of 75 originally planted, ALL the starts survived. Have about 65 onions now, since I've already given away about 9-10 of them.

Ready to braid as soon as I can get the time and a horizontal work surface coordinated. Thinking that this Sunday afternoon after church might work.

Sad about the Cippolinas though... they are the ones that were (inadvertently) allowed to bolt; their central stems are strong and hollow, and will work against being worked into a braid. :(

Late summer squash fail...

The straight-neck yellow summer squash recently planted did not germinate.

Trying in their place (12" container") some of Jung's "Tricolor Bush Bean Blend" from seed box (which I am heavy purging today... found seeds from 2002).

Seed packet was marked for 2005, so hopes are not high, but they listed "52 - 56 day" from seeding, so it is possible. Since they're in a container, if we have possibly frosty nights, I can move them into the garage. Grew them successfully at Sackchewsky's back in 2007.

01049 - Jung's Tricolor Bush Bean Blend
(52 - 56 day) Enjoy a variety of beans from one packet. Our special blend includes green, yellow and purple bush varieties providing lots of good eating over a long harvest period.