Thread: In The Garden 2023

Boxcar Willie harvest from the last couple of days. I have to pick them pretty green or the bugs get them. They ripen up ok in the kitchen, especially in a paper bag.

I was cussing the big giant Boxcar Willie plant for throwing golfball size tomatoes but I think it actually is a volunteer from last year's dropped tomatoes. I don't remember planting it in there, and I finally decided that the ones in the other bed are the REAL Boxcar Willies and this is a throwback. Getting tired of peeling and canning tomatoes that are barely bigger than cherry tomatoes so I will be sacrificing that plant even though it throws me up to a couple dozen maters per day. The real BW tomatoes are not so prolific but they throw decent size maters. The spray of spinosad and BT tamed the tomato fruit borer infestation I had going, and now I get about half my tomatoes undamaged, not bad for New Orleans.

Got 9 jars of homemade RoTel tomatoes & Jalapeños canned so far. I don't mind canning big tomatoes but no more golf ball sized Boxcar Willie imposters.

Still waiting for my jalapeño production to kick in. I get about two per day and about 3 okra pods per day so far. Both should improve with more growth and higher temperatures. The various sweet pepper varieties I planted didn't show me much. From now on I stick with hot peppers or chili peppers.

We failed miserably at growing zucchini last year somehow. They say if you can't grow zucchini you can't grow anything, and one plant feeds a family. Well, this year they are starting to show us some action. I have made two meals of zucchini and shrimp, or beef, whatever. Haven't got tired of them.... YET. You know what they say, be careful what you plant, you just might get it. We are still getting broccoli side shoots but after throwing the first side shoot harvest, I go ahead and pull the plants.

I still have some tobacco leaves maturing for harvest, all Ligero, on Piloto Cubano, Monte Calme, and Moldovan 456 plants. The seeds I set, died so I have to start more seeds for the second crop and there won't be a third one this year.

The only way I know how to kill a zucchini is shade.

Beans are coming along nicely. Decided not to do any peppers, so there's two more rows of beans ready to break ground any day now.

Planted all my fish carcasses between each row of beans, so no need for chemical fertilizers. Thanks for the tip...my red friends of long ago. It's all ya need for a great garden. Fish gives you a double dose of nitrogen. First is the maggots crawling everywhere, producing ammonia thru their process of breaking down the rotten flesh, then the rest of the fish feeds it slowly once the maggots get their fill and mature. Plus the birds have a abundant food supply they can feed the youngsters with.

Well it's a start---------------------------------

Minnesota first and only crop...

I don't know what seed was used but it is either yeloow twist bud or some kind of cavendish....LOL

Tobacco???

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Tobacco???

yup. Tobacco.

Originally Posted by 32t

Minnesota first and only crop...

I don't know what seed was used but it is either yeloow twist bud or some kind of cavendish....LOL

I didn't know Cavendish was a seed variety. I thought it was just a process.

Could be YTB, though. A few of the cigar guys on the Fair Trade Tobacco forum grow it and recommend it.

I finished picking my spring crop about three weeks ago. I started seeds last week for a late summer / fall crop but this time only four varieties. Moldovan 456, Piloto Cubano, Monte Calme Yellow, and Golden Burley. I might end up not planting the GB this time around. The Moldovan and Monte Calme turn out some very nice wrapper and binder leaves and the Piloto is a great filler. Golden Burley does make good wrapper and binder and also good for cigarette bakky and cig blends, but meh. We'll see when the time comes.

Well the blossoms are really starting to come on and starting to form tomatoes. Here's just a tiny one--



I do wish that there were more bees around, but I 'THINK' that they are close enough to get some good cross pollination.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Well the blossoms are really starting to come on and starting to form tomatoes. Here's just a tiny one--



I do wish that there were more bees around, but I 'THINK' that they are close enough to get some good cross pollination.

Want more tomatoes? Don't wait for bees to pollinate them. They do a piss poor job on tomatoes. You can tap the stem of the blossom vigorously and sharply several times, or vibrate it with an electric toothbrush, when the blossom is wide open. This knocks the pollen loose and lets it fall on the girl part of the flower. All the bizzy parts of the tomato blossom are sort of enclosed. Bees can't really get to the pollen like with most other flowers, and there is very little nectar, so they aren't as interested in tomato blossoms as in other flowers. Their buzzy landings and takeoffs can indeed pollinate them, but they have to be interested enough to go after the blooms first.

If you go over your plants daily and tap or vibrate each fully open blossom, your yield will double. Works with jalapeños, too, though the bees are more important to these.