Not to make the two of you drool...but I finally harvested my first real size beefsteak tomato. Have been getting lots of cherry types and Black Russian tomatoes, but have not had a really large tomato that would fill up my lunch sandwich with one slice. Today I ate a Kellogg's Breakfast Beefsteak tomato that finally fulfilled the search for the ultimate tomato sandwich. YUMMMMMY!
Even though the heat is again oppressive (near 100 degrees and high humidity) the garden is still producing. Have been watering steadily and am looking forward to harvesting my corn this weekend. Fresh just picked corn... now that is heavenly eating....
Nini , my beefsteak , (at least that's what I bought them for , are like golf balls . ) Good flavor , but NOT beefsteak . Only bought 2 , and the other is heavy , knarley plant , NOT beefsteak . My Beefmasters are beyond my wildest hopes . Heavy producers and the first one is starting to turn ripe . Day after tomorrow will be feast day .
Toms is all I planted this year .You have a great crop .
I don't like washing a lot of dishes , thus , paper or foam plates for sandwiches . LOL
Digger... I'm a paper towel person myself for lunch, but the tomato was so juicy it would never have made it to my seat to eat it, hence the plate.... A small price to pay for a great tomato sandwich!
True , true , true .
LOL, some day.
Tried it again and camera is loading again , just like it's supposed to . This first pic is the Beefmaster . Two of them and loaded with toms . I haven't had any pests on these two in the front , nothing .
This is the" Beefsteak". I've been picking little worms off these . No other pests at all .
This is that knarly tom that is finally looking like it might straighten up and look like a real tom . Don't have a clue what kind it is , but was sold as a B S .Don't any of them look like B S .This one had three nice toms and is now putting on more blooms, finally
This is the last one and I have taken suckers from all of them to have a small crop this fall with plenty of green ones to fry. Just look at the rich compost from last years bales . The barrel in the second pic is my sack of cow manure soaking in water for fertilizer . That's all I've used on all of these toms and It was left over from last year too . I'm really proud of the two Beefmasters and looks like they will have plenty of goodies for plenty of sandwiches . Another way I love them is , On fried corn tortillias , slice several thin slices ,salt lightly , top with cheese and zap until cheese melts . Ohhh , I can make a meal off those .
They all look good Sally. So how long does your season last for these? You say you have taken suckers off. How long will they produce? Now, If you had started new seeds growing in say June, would they produce into December?
When does it get too cold there for the tomatoes to grow? Or does it?
Jnette , it's hard to remember , but I know we had a snow in Oct one year . First killing frost is usually in Nov , but can usually cover plants and get some good weather a coupla more weeks . I don't worry about that , just watch for freeze and pick toms green . I let some ripen if I'm short , but usually process for fried toms or green salsa . I've only started from seed twice . We get back from the south in middle of March or middle of April and can bring small plants with me to set out , already well started .
When the plants make the first suckers , I sometimes break those off to make me some more plants. It seems they make stronger plants from the earlier suckers .Sometimes wait and get them later . I just have been taking some off every coupla weeks and stuck the last one four days ago .I figure I have 90 more days of growing,so that gives me green toms before frost . I put out these small plants the middle of April, that was 90 days ago and have an abundance of green ones and had a dozen or so ripe . Hope you can get some sense out of what I'm trying to explain . We have had killing freeze in the middle of April ,but I can cover toms with five gallon buckets and not lose them .Toms is all I've planted this year . Probably get bell peppers next year but am way past wanting a big garden . Too old , and no help with it . Told D H if he couldn't help with it , then we would just spend his money and buy it at the store . He doesn't care , just as long as he doesn't have to help .lol
I haven't kept a journal but need to . Why don't we both try that for next year ? Or anyone else that wants to join in , that would help us all . Mine would be simple , last frost ,planting date , first harvest ,that sort of thing .It would help an old mind remember easier
I'm in Digger. I mean Sally. LOl. I can't remember what I had for breakfast. Probably 'cause I didn't have any. LOL
Found it! New thread again, I havent been keeping up very well. Hi everyone, I have enjoyed looking at the pictures of your beautiful gardens and produce. Nice to see a few people pictures too!
Ive been here exactly two months now, and have moved in with my friend Ali who has the big yard. I have managed to dig up most of it. We are in the process of putting fences around the garden patches to keep the dogs out. They are manured mulched and covered in plastic sheets for now. I have heaps of seedlings that are ready to plant once the fences are done. One area is already fenced, I have planted 5 zuchinnis, sunflowers, cucumbers, and a pumpkin. The weather is variable, kind of cold today, other days its quite warm. But definately nowhere near frosty. I have tomato and melon seedlings living happily on the verandah. I still cant quite believe that this is supposed to be winter.
Ill post some pics soon when Im on my own computer. Want to get back to working on this fence before it gets dark. But Ill be back soon... I HAVE A GARDEN!!! ^_^
Lena
HEY LENA, hi there girl, was about to ask how you are, but your last few words say it all. LOL, so glad you are getting settled. That is just great. Are you taking time from the garden to look for a job???
JOB, what's that!! LOL, you know the other thing besides the garden that puts food on the table? That buys things like canning jars, lids, etc. Buys meat, unless of course you are going to go vegan!
So glad to hear from you, and Bob always wants to hear your messages. Think he would love to travel the world over. So he loves to hear what you have to say about the different areas where you are. 'course it helps that you are growing things too.
Listen girl, keep in touch and we want PICTURES!!
LOL, have fun while you can Lena.
Jeanette
Not much to see yet, but its a start. Cant wait to plant in it!
(no job yet, I have been looking, so its a bit disappointing, Ill let you know as soon as I find something)
Same garden again, but looking in the other direction. Sacks of horse manure in the background. Since taking this picture a few weeks ago, I have dug up a few patches along the back fence where the sacks are. Once I get them fenced Ill plant pumpkins in there. It gets a bit of sun around the edges. The huge poinciata tree in the middle of the yard makes a lot of shade. Now I complain, but Im told that ill be very grateful for the shade in summer!
Babies!
There are so many parrots and strange birds everywhere. This one let me get really close
And big spiders.... lucky I like them. Still trying to learn which ones to be careful of though, some are really poisonous. This is a harmless huntsman I think (I hope!)
Jnette , look how soft her hands are . Mine haven't ever looked like that . Lena , you must wear gloves . I think from your babies , you could feed the city when it all starts producing .Whew , looks like work .
I need a world map to see where all you've lived . Hope you've found a good place for the economy ,and the perfect job comes along soon . So good to hear from you . sally
I saw that Sally. I am jealous. I don't think mine were ever like that either. I don't think they are going to have any room to walk if they plant all of those guys.
Beautiful bird, but you can keep the spiders there. I don't like them.
Sure nice to hear from you Lena. Looks like you have been real busy. Digging is not easy. Especially where there is sod. Good thing you are young. Remember when we used to do crazy things like that Sally?
LOL, take care Lena.
I don't even like to cook anymore , that's why I only planted toms this year . You spend three hours in the kitchen , takes 15 min for D H to eat and takes another hour to put everything up , wash dishes . All you get is "That was delicious" C - - p , how about washing dishes . Bummer , I'm through bashing .
C'mon you all, give Lena credit. At least there's dirt on those hands!!!
Doug
WHERE??
LOL, Doug, sometimes the right dirt is what makes them soft. Or, gloves.
Doug , I noticed a little dirt under the nails . Good sign . But mine get grubby , and beat up , see?
Hey that is just marks of accomplishment. and the dirt under the nails, that's just a little more proof. lol
When I was weeding the other day I was black up to my elbows. no pic there. but I can still see it, just by thinking about it.
Lena; I'm sure you will have use for all you can raise. You probably didn't take much with you in the move.
Wishing you well in your job search.
Russ
Digger - You have nails, OMG, how do you keep those and do gardening. I seldom use gloves and my short nails are always stained from dirt and deadheading.
Nails ? I have to cut them short . I only wear gloves to pull briers up by the roots . Just came in and checked the puter , as you can see , I haven't washed up yet .
I have finally started wearing gloves to garden in, but even then I would not post a picture of my hand. They truly show my age. Only started doing that in the last decade.
Age is a number . The only time I worried about age is when I was 14 and wanted to look 18 . I got by with it too !
When I got married , I was 16 and told them I was 18 . Got by with that too !
With all my hands have touched , and loved , I want it to show . I loved my mothers hands , they showed all the work and hard times she went through for us kids , holding her hands and looking at the brown spots and worn smooth fingerprints , it was almost sacred.
My dear first mother in law was a farm wife and lived to be 98, she never had a day off except Sunday and when the road was too muddy to get to town for Mass , she rode on the back of the tractor , standing up ,six miles to town to attend .Her hands were beautiful .
What I'm trying to say is , age is a beautiful thing . Every day you live is precious to someone. I would never be ashamed of my hands or age .
I don't think you are either .You might be older than anyone on D G , but look at all the experience you have . LOL
Sally,
You are certainly welcome to feel any way you want to about your hands, but please believe me when I say I was NOT criticizing you for taking pictures of your hands, or your reason for doing so. I was just making a statement about MY hands.
I know you wasn't criticizing me . I just didn't want you to be critical of yourself .
" Eyes are the windows into the soul " Hands tell the story of the past .
Boy , some of it I don't want ANYONE to know . lol
Lena: great pics! Loved the parrot. Glad you're gardening again.
Kent
I don't need a sermon on here Sally. I can go to church for that.
Digger - your hand dissertation brought tears to my eyes. In a time when youth is so revered, it is good to hear about some of the good things that age represent. I have always had palms with tons of lines, more than other kids even. When I was 16 & 17 I worked for an orthodontist chairside and handed him and received the instruments he was using (something no one that age could probably do these days). He always commented on the lines and said he thought they were sexy. Nowadays I guess that would be sexual harassment, LOL.
And, by the way, your first hand photo was of your left hand and your second, just out of the garden hand, was your right. Looks like you are right handed, so your nails grow more on your left.
I have a photo of my ankles in with my garden photo file. It shows the variance between my tan ankles and white feet as I ALWAYS wear shoes and socks in the garden and most other times. Then with the dirt added above the socks, when I have put sandals on, it looks tri colored.
I didn't think I was delivering a sermon . Wasn't meant to be ,so evidently you don't know the difference , or did you get up on the wrong side of the bed ? Maybe ,unlike you , I'm not entitled to an opinion.
Quilty , I know what you mean about the lines . I never wore socks and always shorts , so in the summer I always looked like my feet was the only thing clean when I took my shoes off .
He said it was sexy, huh ? Did he sound slimey when he said it ? No , I don't think he could get away with it these days . Isn't it strange , when we was real young , our only defense was to play dumb and pretend not to know what you was talking about .
Russ , you can't believe how grubby I get outside . I've got to buy me some bandanas to wrap around my head .If sweat was water , I'd have a shower from it .My toms aren't doing so good , I have one vine that has 28 toms on it ,but it isn't six foot tall and hardly any leaves . The toms are only about as big as golf balls .The Beefmaster is loaded and looks like those will be the best crop .
I apologize to the rest of you for this ridiculous rhetoric between Sally and I. Absolutely silly.
Jeanette
I believe it's a good time to start a new Chapter.
Let's go to # 33: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1118599/
