All Vegetable Gardening (composting, bugs, tomatoes, cucumbers)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

This is the best year I have ever had for tomatoes out here, so I am just grateful to have an abundance, you know?
As far as your brown leaves, are they happening on the bottom of the vines, or at the top?
Are the edges of the leaves turning brown first, or are they just going all at once?

It appears they are going all at once: I just checked, it is one plant only and mostly on top. It almost looks like it got burned or something. As I said the tomatloes seem to be doing fine. I guess that is the important thing, Picking a few grape tomatoes daily is wonderful; when they all get wipe at once in about a week, two or three God only knows what I will do with them; bridge clubs here I come, ready or not and here come my tomoatoes.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by nmnita

It appears they are going all at once: I just checked, it is one plant only and mostly on top. It almost looks like it got burned or something. As I said the tomatloes seem to be doing fine. I guess that is the important thing, Picking a few grape tomatoes daily is wonderful; when they all get wipe at once in about a week, two or three God only knows what I will do with them; bridge clubs here I come, ready or not and here come my tomoatoes.

Hmmmmm, too little water and too much sun, maybe?
A couple of my plants were doing that before the rains started.
Just had a thought, maybe we sould start a tomato thread in the recipe forum, I am swimming in grape and pear tomatoes right now, sure dont want them to go to waste!

[Rambling Iris]

When we had the large garden, I made ketchup, tomato sauce and salsa. put it in glass jars and pressure canned it. It's best made with a thick meated tomato like Roma. Tomatoes are either feast or famine, bushels or one.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Rambling Iris

When we had the large garden, I made ketchup, tomato sauce and salsa. put it in glass jars and pressure canned it. It's best made with a thick meated tomato like Roma. Tomatoes are either feast or famine, bushels or one.

I've been seeding and freezing my Marzanos for awhile to put up a big batch of sauce as soon as I get enough......never thought of making ketchup.
You wouldnt possibly have a good recipe, would you?
My grandmothers was just too watery.

[Nomadicus]

Originally Posted by nmnita

geeze, have a few tomatoes will you? We are getting grape tomatoes and small romas daily but our slicing tomatoes just are not getting ripe yet. My mouth is watering as I watch them grow. One of them is an hairloom that survived the worm investation.

Now, for you, master gardeners or want a bes, I have a problem and no idea what it is causing it: As I said, my cherry, plus and grape guys are doing fine, but the leaves on many of them have turned brown and dried up. I think they are getting enough water, I just don't have a clue what is causing this? All the years I have been growing tomatoes I have never seen my leaves turn. I have had bugs, worms, etc but not brown leaves everywhere and only on the area with a few tomatoes. The other side is fine.

Research fire blight and other tomato blights. I know there are several and I think bacteria caused.

[Nomadicus]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

I've been seeding and freezing my Marzanos for awhile to put up a big batch of sauce as soon as I get enough......never thought of making ketchup.
You wouldnt possibly have a good recipe, would you?
My grandmothers was just too watery.

We used to have a recipe for Ancho Ketchup. Might can find it. I don't think the website I got it from still is operational but will look.

Site is gone and the recipe with it. This looks good for plum type tomatoes. Ancho peppers are dried Poblanos.
http://homecooking.about.com/od/cond.../r/blcon15.htm

I'd make my on fresh paste from San Marzano tomatoes. Now I now how to recycle ketchup bottles.

[Rambling Iris]

Originally Posted by Nomadicus

We used to have a recipe for Ancho Ketchup. Might can find it. I don't think the website I got it from still is operational but will look.

Site is gone and the recipe with it. This looks good for plum type tomatoes. Ancho peppers are dried Poblanos.
Ancho Chile Ketchup Recipe

I'd make my on fresh paste from San Marzano tomatoes. Now I now how to recycle ketchup bottles.

His site may be gone but my hand written source is still available.lol I will research my "site" and get back to you. It will be a few days because I'm not close the to site but soon.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

Hmmmmm, too little water and too much sun, maybe?
A couple of my plants were doing that before the rains started.
Just had a thought, maybe we sould start a tomato thread in the recipe forum, I am swimming in grape and pear tomatoes right now, sure dont want them to go to waste!

yep, I think it is a water/heat problem because if it were a buggy boo more plants would be suffering. Your drought has hit us, we water every 3rd day, but I am sure some spots are missed. As long as I get my tomatoes I will be happy...

As for your tomatoes, I am sure you will put them to good use, like tomato sause. I love making my own, I can add the spices or herbs I want, and they don't even have to be pressured canned, a hot water bath works fine. The only negative is the color. I have no idea who the commercial producers get their sauses so red...

Nita

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by nmnita

yep, I think it is a water/heat problem because if it were a buggy boo more plants would be suffering. Your drought has hit us, we water every 3rd day, but I am sure some spots are missed. As long as I get my tomatoes I will be happy...

As for your tomatoes, I am sure you will put them to good use, like tomato sause. I love making my own, I can add the spices or herbs I want, and they don't even have to be pressured canned, a hot water bath works fine. The only negative is the color. I have no idea who the commercial producers get their sauses so red...

Nita

Do you use iodized salt to make the sauce? Maybe that affects the color the same way it does for pickles.

[Dreison Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

I have squash. And squash and squash and squash! Tomatoes are coming along, just still green. Cukes are deformed and look like the letter J. Lots of lettuce and peppers and a slew of green beans........BUT......

WHAT are these black hopping bugs on my eggplant??? I noticed the leaves were looking chewed today and sprayed really well with neem oil - and put out watermelon rind because I have so many cuke blossoms that aren't getting fertilized, and tomatillos that are lovely but refuse to set fruit....and tonight I looked at the eggplant and they were covered with these small black shelled round bugs that hopped or jumped, almost like fleas (but I surely know what a flea looks like!).

I sprayed with something more potent but I'm sorta wondering how to attract bees but not kill them with insecticide! Clearly the neem oil wasn't quite the answer???

Before I put in my garden and the entire yard was just red clay, not even weeds, I broadcasted clover seed at the corners of where my garden would eventually be, a good deal of clover seed at that. The clover attracts the bees, so, as the bees are grazing the clover they also service my garden as well.