This has made for plenty of great veggie harvests.
The annual canning festivities have begun. Once again, these things will take up residence on my counter for quite awhile.
So far, we have processed zucchini relish.
Bread and butter pickles.
And dill pickles.
Earlier in the season we noticed that our San Marzano tomatoes were having some issues. Blossom End Rot to be exact. The San Marzanos are very prone to this ailment, but also, it is most generally caused by a calcium deficiency. So, we added some lime and then really increased our watering frequency.
We thought we were out of the woods until we began getting ripe tomatoes that looked like this inside. Blech.
Apparently, BER can also affect the inside of the tomato as well. So, what looks like a perfectly great, ripe tomato on the outside, is rotten on the inside. After lots of research and reading we discovered that this ailment will normally go away on its own as long as the tomatoes are getting enough calcium and frequent watering. If the tomatoes are allowed to get too dry then when they do get watered it is hard for them to be able to absorb the right amount of calcium that they need. So, we continued on with the watering and added one more lime application.
And yesterday we cut into this!!! This made me so happy.
Its no secret that I am awful at container gardening...and yet, every season, I try again. Now, in my defense, this little kettle didnt get filled very long ago...but, well, Ill keep my fingers crossed.
A little visitor in the flower gardens.
And this was a great, happy surprise just today! My first one this season.
These are actually the biggest ones I have right now in the garden. I cant wait to see them all in bloom!
And this guy? Can you tell he doesnt belong here? I just couldnt bear to move him. Not when hes doing so well....what do you think? Pumpkin? Cantaloupe? Squash?
13 comments:
Sorry to hear about your blossom end rot. I hear they make an ointment for that.
Dang - did all those cukes come out of your garden? So far, I've gotten one jar of dills and one jar of bread & butter and I felt like I had scored big time. lol
Sorry about the lingering tomato problem - it sounds like you guys know what to do to fix it now. Here's to a ton of healthy San Marzanos shortly!
I think that's the perfect place for that pum-talou-sh! He's very sweet. :-)
My WV is "flabl". This is what I've got after eating all these blueberry sundaes.
How funny, my counters look the same way. We too started out with quite a case of BER but we hung in there and now I have tomatoes running out of my ears. I used a good bit of calcium in the garden and have somewhat got control of the BER. I just pray it lasts.
The zucchini relish is beautiful! And those jars of pickles look yummy! We haven't gotten but a handful of pickles off our vines this year. Pathetic.
The sunflower looks so happy! But you better watch your back around that squash/pumpkin thingy. You know those mutant things scare me.
Your garden and yard does indeed look quite pretty right now. I think you and S did a wonderful job..and those pickles are VERY yummy..thanks for the taste..next time I'm there I'll have to sneak a jar into my bag..lol ma
Your pickles are lovely! I'd like to have your dill pickle recipe sometime. I make sure that my tomatoes get homemade compost that has plenty of egg shells in it. That seems to prevent any calcium deficiency and blossom end rot. I've never tried lime in my garden soil. It's great that you are getting beautiful red tomatoes now. Mine are still few and very green. *sigh*
Nice looking garden. I am off to make zuchiini relish right now.
YAYAYAYAY So glad your tomatoes were good!! Lets hope your troubles with BER are a thing of the past. Everything looks wonderful my friend. Yup...definitely handing over the master gardener reigns ;)
Everything looks fabulous....well, except the rotted tomatoes! But that sliced red tomato...yummy! And your pickles, and your relish! I am very jealous. Still waiting on things to show signs of harvest here. Lots of little green tomatoes, and squash and cucumbers developing, so hopefully soon!
Sugarcreekstuff: Luckily, the new tomatoes dont seem to need their bottoms treated.
danni: Yep! Every single last one came out of my garden. Even the ones that you dont see that Darby managed to steal outta my basket. The tomato problem seems to be doing much better..Im keeping my fingers crossed. And the mystery plant? Well, lets just say that it has taken over my sidewalk....and I still am not quite sure what it will become.
Sigh. Those blueberry sundaes look like heaven to me. When I see you again will you teach me how to make them?
Mrs. Trixi: Thanks for visiting. Isnt it funny how during this season your counters dont ever seem to be your own anymore?
Penny: I have so many zucchini right now I could make a dozen more jars of that relish...but i dont think that mush will be able to get eaten...soooo...that mean I need to get baking.
And Im having a strange feeling that maybe you had something to do with this mutant plant in my flower bed....Im not quite sure how to prove that just yet...
Ma: Thanks. And you dont have to STEAL a jar of pickles....take as many as youd like....Cuz I love you.
Farmer Jen: I think next season we will use the egg shell idea in addition to the lime. We eat plenty of eggs around here so that shouldnt be a problem! Id love to share the pickle recipe with you. Ill get it to you very soon.
Country girl: Thanks! The relish was a big hit around here!
Ang: No NO NO....no handing over of the reigns....Im not taking them. Im not. You cant make me. And thanks for diggin thru your books with me when we were trying to sort out the internal blossom rot.
Lilla: I love this time of year. When everything is growing and we get to eat fresh things from the garden. Dont worry...soon enough you will have your counters covered with all kinds of fresh produce.
Make sure to keep your eyes open tho...I think Penny may have sent me one of her mutant plants....watch your garden closely...you may be next. Im just sayin.
You can't prove a thing - NOT A THING!
But hey - what are you calling mush? The zucchini relish? I think it sounds wonderful. Maybe you'll share the recipe? I have a chocolate zucchini cake recipe that Bernie's mom gave me when she suckered me into taking home two grocery bags full of zucchini. It really is delicious - cream cheese icing and all. Let me know if you want it and I'll send it to you.
Ha! Sure enough, I noticed that "mush" typo right AFTER I published my comments. Change that to much, please.
I would love to have that recipe, Penny. Cream cheese icing, you say? I love that! MMmmmmmm. Thank you.
The countdown is on here too...but the kids don't seem nearly as excited as I am...hmmmm
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