Gardening 2020...

[bwframe]

Just had an old buddy txt me a pic today. "Whats eating my tomatoes?" I told him it was Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

Ironically, he was over at my house a few weeks ago. We were in the driveway talking when the neighborhood beagle came through to get pet. She seen a chipmunk in one of the have-a-hearts that stay baited continually. The dog turned the trap over and let the chipmunk escape.

I caught him again a few days later. No escape this time.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

This week's haul went into a batch of the "Fiesta Salsa". 5 qts canned and a 6th not quite full in the fridge. We like it a bit chunkier.

 

[Trigger Time]

This week's haul went into a batch of the "Fiesta Salsa". 5 qts canned and a 6th not quite full in the fridge. We like it a bit chunkier.

Very nice. I need to make some. Maybe later today

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Looks tasty, R_R.

 

[NKBJ]

No where near as pretty as your fiesta salsa but had pico de gallo today; tomato, onion and yellow squash from the garden.
Gonna use the leftovers to make stuffing tomorrow with Greek salad dressing for a smoked loin.

 

[DangerousDave]

Not only chipmunks but tomato worms and voles will also eat tomatoes. For some reason my Lab developed a taste for ripe tomatoes. He would go out to the tomato patch daily and eat a tomato. Had to put up an electric fence around the patch. That "cured" him of eating tomatoes.

 

[DangerousDave]

Same here. I've tried not to use seven because I dont want to kill any honey bees by accident. But man these things make me want to kill it with fire.

Had the same problem with them little buggers. The rain kept washing off the spray as soon as I would apply. Have basically lost all my squash plants. Also been fighting Colorado potato beetles all year. Have tried dusting them with powder and different kinds of spray. They must be immune to the insecticide because nothing seemed to work. Had to walk the potato rows every other day and pick them off by hand, that's the only way I could control them. Guess I need to get some guinea fowl and let them free range the garden. They will eat the bugs and not harm the plants. The only problem with that is the coyotes around here would eat them.

 

[Phase2]

No direct experience with them, but I've heard guineas are loud as hell.

 

[DangerousDave]

No direct experience with them, but I've heard guineas are loud as hell.

We used to raise them, they were wild as hell. Would not go to roost with the chickens in the hen house. They would roost up in the trees. The owls would pick them off, one by one at night. They made good watch dogs. If anyone started to come down our lane they would raise a ton of racket.

 

[DangerousDave]

Wanted to share a recipe for Jalapeno poppers made in the air fryer. Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. The filling is a half of cup of softened cream cheese [room temperature], and a half of cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Combine the two cheeses together. Fill each half of jalapeno with the cheese mixture. Cut a package of bacon in half. Wrap a half slice of bacon around each half of jalapeno filled with cheese. Bake in air fryer at 360* for approximately 12 minutes. Mine came out perfect.

 

[spencer rifle]

Not exactly from the garden, but nearby. This has been a big year for blackberries and hazelnuts, but our apple and mulberry trees are bare.
Blackberry jam:

 

[Phase2]

Just FYI for anyone that does canning. I went to Rural King and Tractor Supply yesterday for some chicken feed (the particular type I want was out at both stores). Noticed that they had signs that they didn't have any more canning lids. One person said that they didn't at the local Walmart as well.

Not sure how widespread it is, but take it for what it's worth.

 

[bwframe]

I was bummed that I fooled around and let my canning lids inventory to get down to 4 dozen. Thought afterwards to go look in storage. Had a half dozen cases of jars with rings and lids. Some crazy prepper dude picked them up for cheap a year or two back at a seasonal Menards clearance sale.

If pressed, I'll use lids twice. Early in my canning years, I canned a fair amount with once used lids. Very few didn't seal or lost seal.

I save all once used lids. Take them off very carefully not to warp or bend them. Mark them 2nd use when labeling the product.

 

[Phase2]

Yup. Used lids are questionable for wet canning as the seal may no longer be perfect so botulism is a risk, but are fine for packing dry goods or similar items. I cleared out the local Kroger last year during end-of-year clearance.

I'm storing my extras with my ammo stash now.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Wanted to share a recipe for Jalapeno poppers made in the air fryer. Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. The filling is a half of cup of softened cream cheese [room temperature], and a half of cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Combine the two cheeses together. Fill each half of jalapeno with the cheese mixture. Cut a package of bacon in half. Wrap a half slice of bacon around each half of jalapeno filled with cheese. Bake in air fryer at 360* for approximately 12 minutes. Mine came out perfect.

I will be trying this Friday. Thanks!

 

[bwframe]

Had the same problem with them little buggers. The rain kept washing off the spray as soon as I would apply. Have basically lost all my squash plants. Also been fighting Colorado potato beetles all year. Have tried dusting them with powder and different kinds of spray. They must be immune to the insecticide because nothing seemed to work. Had to walk the potato rows every other day and pick them off by hand, that's the only way I could control them. Guess I need to get some guinea fowl and let them free range the garden. They will eat the bugs and not harm the plants. The only problem with that is the coyotes around here would eat them.

The squash bugs haven't overtaken me yet. I dusted with DE early and spayed with Neem oil in various methods.

I think the main thing keeping the bugs down though is killing them every day with the Dawn/water spray. Numerous YouTube's on how to to it.

I lift the vines and squirt the bugs daily. Less bugs all the time, but always one or two.

Drench them with the Dawn/water and watch them die.

I try to avoid spraying the folage much, but not shy about hitting the stems.

I ran into a few striped and Japanese beetles yesterday. Squirted them and they died as well. Supposedly the dawn/water clogs however they breath and smothers them.

 

[DangerousDave]

The squash bugs haven't overtaken me yet. I dusted with DE early and spayed with Neem oil in various methods.

I think the main think keeping the bugs down though is killing them every day with the Dawn/water spray. Numerous YouTube's on how to to it.

I lift the vines and squirt the bugs daily. Less bugs all the time, but always one or two.
Drench them with the Dawn/water and watch them die.

I try to avoid spraying the folage much, but not shy about hitting the stems.

I ran into a few striped and Japanese beetles yesterday. Squirted them and they died as well. Supposedly the dawn/water clogged however they breath and smothers them.

I tried the neem oil earlier in the season. I hadn't heard of using the Dawn dish soap and water, Thanks for the tip. I will definitely try it.

 

[DangerousDave]

Not exactly from the garden, but nearby. This has been a big year for blackberries and hazelnuts, but our apple and mulberry trees are bare.
Blackberry jam:

A late freeze this spring ruined the apple crop. Don't know what happened to the mulberries, but we didn't have any either. I put several quarts of black raspberries in the freezer to make into pie this winter

 

[bwframe]

That time of year...

 

[JettaKnight]

Yup. I brought five huge cucumbers into to work to get rid of them.