All Vegetable Gardening (fertilizer, containers, tomatoes, insect)

[Nomadicus]

Those tomato horn worms finally came out of their cocoons. I named them all guys. Big mistake. They mated in the jar. They will never see freedom to seek and destroy more tomatoes.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by kinkytoes

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

No, I use either Kosher or pickling salt. We have the same problem with pachante sause, it is anemic in color. The flavor is wonderfu. We have started adding a little tomato paste to the salsa which helps some, but to add it to tomato sause seems a little anti productive. If you are making sause why would you want to add somehitn from a can?

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Nomadicus

Those tomato horn worms finally came out of their cocoons. I named them all guys. Big mistake. They mated in the jar. They will never see freedom to seek and destroy more tomatoes.

Are you sure they didn't use a sarregant (spelling) mom? Maybe they were all guy worms.

[greatblueheron]

Fresh tomato juice, then canned, tastes SO good in the winter!

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.

[greatblueheron]

Flea beetles are the eggplant's most worrisome enemy. Check photos online and see if they resemble your bugs. If so, Sevin dust, sprinkled on leaves will do the trick...aphids and scale and red mites love eggplant too.

Are you getting any bees at all for pollination? I have had to hand-fertilize my cucumbers this yr...

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???

[greatblueheron]

Trying Insecticidal soap on my eggplant for red mites...anyone know how long it takes to work...?

Also I have a glut right now of jalapenos...what to do with them?

Thanks

[Rambling Iris]

The horn worms that Nomadicus put out should make good compost judging by the way the jar smelled YUUUUKKK

[Nomadicus]

Think I'll soak 'em in rubbing alcohol before composting.... They shall be buried happy.

[kshe95girl]

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.

I have a bunch of poblanos coming on, they are one of my favorite peppers.
I've never dried them myself....hmmmmmmm.
The tomatoes are starting to play out, I am gonna try to get some starts going today, need to start some more cucumbers and dill today, too.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Rambling Iris

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.

I appreciate that!