ninnymary
Garden Master
Steve, I like the description for Halona but I get the impression that they think coastal has hot humid weather. Not so in the bay area. It's chilly and foggy here many summer mornings.
Mary
Mary
Continuing ...
- Thread starter digitS'
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #52
digitS'
Garden Master
Baked Winter Squash for lunch!
There was one morning at 46°f during the last 4 weeks, the coldest it's been! So, what am I doing eating winter squash before there is frost on the pumpkin, er squash??
First of all, the crop scientists tell us that we should not have our squash out in freezing conditions. Bad for keeping qualities.
Second of all, it has only been in about the last 5 years that I have had winter squash at the table before frost. Wish I could say that I wasn't so long in the dark about how ¡ good ! a buttercup can be weeks before frost
.
Steve
There was one morning at 46°f during the last 4 weeks, the coldest it's been! So, what am I doing eating winter squash before there is frost on the pumpkin, er squash??
First of all, the crop scientists tell us that we should not have our squash out in freezing conditions. Bad for keeping qualities.
Second of all, it has only been in about the last 5 years that I have had winter squash at the table before frost. Wish I could say that I wasn't so long in the dark about how ¡ good ! a buttercup can be weeks before frost
.Steve
- Thread starter
- #53
digitS'
Garden Master
Hot peppers are now being harvested.
There have been a few bell and Italian sweets but even the fairly hot Garden Salsa and Jalapeño are not doing as well as the little blasting caps! Thai Hot, Super Chili, Thai Dragon
The peppers in the greenhouse are not as productive, either
. They have cooked in there. Watering has kept them alive and they are considerably bigger than those outdoors. However ... I must be cooking the flowers.Steve
- Thread starter
- #54
digitS'
Garden Master
Snake Gourd LINK
Ya know how I am: I have trouble with names. Even Lemon Boy tomatoes upsets me, a little ...
I don't care for summer squash, anyway. Thought about that Cuccuzza squash like @catjac1975 grows but that is a vine zucchini.
In other years, I've had luffa and some other tropical vines started in the hoophouse, uncovered later. It works.
There is one Snake Gourd plant and we are having one for lunch. Mild flavor. I'm trying not to think - venomous ..!
Steve
Ya know how I am: I have trouble with names. Even Lemon Boy tomatoes upsets me, a little ...
I don't care for summer squash, anyway. Thought about that Cuccuzza squash like @catjac1975 grows but that is a vine zucchini.
In other years, I've had luffa and some other tropical vines started in the hoophouse, uncovered later. It works.
There is one Snake Gourd plant and we are having one for lunch. Mild flavor. I'm trying not to think - venomous ..!
Steve
- Thread starter
- #55
digitS'
Garden Master
The winter squash and pumpkins are all in the garage.
I have to really up my game with the tomatoes! DW says no more sauce is needed but I'm thinking that since I'm eating more tomato soup these days, a simple, pureed "soup starter" could be frozen.
Still enjoying the Italian chard. There is a melon by the backdoor that looked nearly ripe in the garden and a couple of green ones but I don't have much hope for those. Second ears on sweet corn ... The last planting of beans could come on strong ... wow, those must have been sown late! Oh, yeah. After 15 July.
Leeks and Celery Root are what's new! I'm pleased with the looks of some of the leeks. The potatoes in the basement are holding up really well. More soup!
Steve
I have to really up my game with the tomatoes! DW says no more sauce is needed but I'm thinking that since I'm eating more tomato soup these days, a simple, pureed "soup starter" could be frozen.
Still enjoying the Italian chard. There is a melon by the backdoor that looked nearly ripe in the garden and a couple of green ones but I don't have much hope for those. Second ears on sweet corn ... The last planting of beans could come on strong ... wow, those must have been sown late! Oh, yeah. After 15 July.
Leeks and Celery Root are what's new! I'm pleased with the looks of some of the leeks. The potatoes in the basement are holding up really well. More soup!
Steve
ninnymary
Garden Master
Steve, I wish I was a little hummingbird sitting on your shoulders watching all your farming every day. 
Mary
Mary
- Thread starter
- #57
digitS'
Garden Master
Twisted-stem Mustard. Should I mention that there are Little Smokies at the bottom of the pot? Probably not.
Hey, there have been a dozen frosts and the hours of daylight are slipping away! These greens were for a dinner and there won't be many more. I prefer the choy sum but that is about gone. I mean, the name implies that you are eating the flowering stems ... won't be doing that with this mustard! But, after those frosts, the mustard was surprisingly mild.
Kale next ...
Steve
- Thread starter
- #58
digitS'
Garden Master
The 2 cherry tomato plants in pots in the backyard are still alive and kicking out some ripe fruit.
Still!!! The frosts have been light over a solid month of about a dozen mornings with frost. I think that there were only 2 with temperatures dropping much into the 20's.
The garden tomatoes are long dead but these two, Yellow Jelly Bean and Sun Sugar plants have survived! One night, I moved the Jelly Bean with the hand truck into the carport. The other was especially protected by the tree and greenhouse wall. The Jelly Bean later suffered a frost wilt but I soaked it down with water. Those leaves are yellow now but, at least, they aren't dead and black!
Terrible weather yesterday with rain and high winds but still they survive and some of their last fruits ripen.
Steve
who had freshly picked cilantro and halved cherry tomatoes baked over salmon for Sunday dinner
Still!!! The frosts have been light over a solid month of about a dozen mornings with frost. I think that there were only 2 with temperatures dropping much into the 20's.
The garden tomatoes are long dead but these two, Yellow Jelly Bean and Sun Sugar plants have survived! One night, I moved the Jelly Bean with the hand truck into the carport. The other was especially protected by the tree and greenhouse wall. The Jelly Bean later suffered a frost wilt but I soaked it down with water. Those leaves are yellow now but, at least, they aren't dead and black!
Terrible weather yesterday with rain and high winds but still they survive and some of their last fruits ripen.
Steve
who had freshly picked cilantro and halved cherry tomatoes baked over salmon for Sunday dinner
ninnymary
Garden Master
Steve, how big are the pots you have those tomatoes in?
Mary
Mary
- Thread starter
- #60
digitS'
Garden Master
They must be very close to 5 gallons, @ninnymary .
In 2017, I may have been able to confirm that tomato flowers are not able to set fruit during very hot weather. This situation would come of no surprise to many gardeners in other locations. Even now, however, I'm wondering if the plants might have been able to pollinate themselves over several hours of coolness during most every summer night. I mean, they actually did have some fruit for a reasonable amount of harvest time.
However! Come to the end of the season: ALL varieties just loaded up with green fruit!
I was saying just a few weeks before the fall frosts that it wasn't a very good season with production being quite meager. Then! On they came ...
Steve
In 2017, I may have been able to confirm that tomato flowers are not able to set fruit during very hot weather. This situation would come of no surprise to many gardeners in other locations. Even now, however, I'm wondering if the plants might have been able to pollinate themselves over several hours of coolness during most every summer night. I mean, they actually did have some fruit for a reasonable amount of harvest time.
However! Come to the end of the season: ALL varieties just loaded up with green fruit!
I was saying just a few weeks before the fall frosts that it wasn't a very good season with production being quite meager. Then! On they came ...
Steve
