well I'll be damned
I am not a gardener. Brian has forced me to say these words aloud this year. But every year I have grand plans and every year I try and every year something goes awry- my seedlings drown (last year), or I forget to build a little fence and my plants become gourmet salad for the neighborhood bunnies (this year). This summer I gave up on everything except for my tomato plants and they actually, knock on wood, are good.
But guess what?! I'll be damned if a few things didn't survive and aren't growing out there! So far we're watching one bell pepper, a few tiny little jalapenos and a bunch of baby cucumbers. There were even a couple green beans. And I mean two beans. Not two bean plants. But it's a start, right?!
I don't really have a black thumb! It's sort of greyish-green!
I have a couple questions:
Can I pick my pink tomatoes a little early and let them ripen on the counter so they don't get swiped by squirrels like they usually do? Will it affect the flavor?
And does anyone local know if we've got much late blight around here?
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Oh, and I have one unrelated question for you. Is there such thing as a custom die punch? I've seen cute little punches at the hobby store in the scrapbooking section, but I want one made of something very specific. I can't find it online. Any ideas?
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Thanks!
Comments
Hi there! In St. Louis, I have not had any problems with tomato blight ~ though I should mention that periodically some of ours get spotty if there is too much rain.
And, squirrels try to eat ours too, so yes, as long as they are mostly pink, I pick them and then let them ripen on a windowsill (never put them in the fridge; they will lose all flavor).
Good luck with the rest of the summer!
Posted by: sonrie | August 20, 2009 3:29 PM
I've been trying to find info about the late blight, too, but have not found it in MO or KS. I still have lots of green ones, so I'm worried. It turns out my plot is way too shady for veggies, so my tomatoes are all late...
Posted by: amy h | August 20, 2009 4:06 PM
Picking tomatoes a little early and letting them fully ripen inside should be fine. The thing that reduces tomato flavour is storing them in the fridge! So you can definitely beat the squirrels to them this year!
Posted by: Anna | August 20, 2009 5:30 PM
I like that- greyish green. I think that is me too. Tomatoes we've got. the rest is more so so. Hey it's a start right?
Posted by: rach | August 20, 2009 5:33 PM
call your county extension office and ask about late blight in your area. i hope it's not there.
xo.
Posted by: erin | August 21, 2009 6:23 AM
I'm with Erin, call the county extension. You also might be able to find out from the local vendors at your farmer's market.
And I agree with all the previous posters too about the picking early, just don't put them in the fridge!
Posted by: Mama Urchin | August 21, 2009 2:21 PM
My tomatoes are good so far, too--no blight in sight! And yes, pick some of those 'maters early and let them ripen on the counter. It's better than giving them to the local critters.
Posted by: Leslie | August 21, 2009 4:04 PM
oh lucky you!
to have some little tomato plants for my self is my current obsession!
:)
you have a beautiful blog.
Posted by: Shokoofeh | August 24, 2009 11:14 AM
You can pick them when they are green and they will turn red and taste fine--just put them in brown paper bag if you want them to turn red quicker--and by quicker, I mean about 2 weeks.
Posted by: paula | August 24, 2009 5:45 PM
Try to leave the tom's on the plant for as long as you can... you've probably tasted the ones from the store!!! yep... they taste much better if left on the vine... good luck! Maybe next year... get a fence that the bunnies can't get thru... and as far as the squirrels... you might want to consider a pepper spray on the plants... some of these type things discourage them... it won't hurt them it just makes things taste bad and then they leave them alone. You can make one with a little veg. oil and hot pepper mix and spray around and on the plants... if you get it on your vegs... just wash it off before you eat them!
Good luck!
Posted by: Jean C. | August 25, 2009 7:03 AM