# Tomatoes - by the bucket full



## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

anyone still have things in the garden ??
my wife is the gardener. I tilled up the garden at the end of summer
for the winter varieties and had a few tomatoes survive the tilling.
my wife put a cage around this one and told me to "leave it ALONE".
with general feeding and water, this is how it is today on Jan-2nd.
over 5 feet tall. I hope we can harvest some "Vine Ripes" before the
first frost. my goal is for chili and pasta sauce. maybe a salad or two.
Happy New Year to all and Merry Festivus for the Rest of Us.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Our gardens were done months ago. I didn't get any tomatoes this year. Every time the plants got about 2' tall the next morning they'd only be 2" tall. The only thing the deer didn't eat this summer was my squash.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Never tried this but I've seen it done. If you have a lot of green tomatoes and a frost is coming pick then and spread them out on news paper in a dark place and cover with more paper. They will continue to ripen, at least most of them. The rest go to fried green tomatoes.

It also works to delay your crop.

Bud


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Johnny, did you have a different title/name before?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

Nik - no, just this one since joining.
I go by John Smith and John Smith_inFL on other forums
with the same photo.

.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

You could always make Green Tomato Relish.


Ripening in newspaper works but then they are the same as store bought.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

I forgot: the seeds from this plant are from "Cluster Vine Tomatoes" right
from the Wal-Mart produce shelf - not Burpee seeds in a bag.
I had a dozen or so plants during the summer that were prolific producers
with a remarkable aroma and flavor. I hope this one will be able to make
it to the table also. Happy Plantings to all !! (when your season comes).


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

I have to ask when do you get frost? I would have thought you already did if it was going to happen.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I used to live in central fla and you only get a few good frosts every yr and occasionally none at all [followed by a record spring for bugs]


but hey, once you get used to living down there if the temps drop to 40° - _it's too cold to be outside!_


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Johnny_inFL said:


> I forgot: the seeds from this plant are from "Cluster Vine Tomatoes" right
> from the Wal-Mart produce shelf - not Burpee seeds in a bag.
> I had a dozen or so plants during the summer that were prolific producers
> with a remarkable aroma and flavor. I hope this one will be able to make
> it to the table also. Happy Plantings to all !! (when your season comes).



That says product of Canada? :wink2:


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

I couldn't read the label but we have a Maine based producer that sells great tomatoes year round and they recently sold out to a much bigger tomato farm from up in Canada.

Does seem backwards for a greenhouse in Canada (or Maine) to be selling tomatoes to Florida.

Bud


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

Nik333 said:


> Johnny, did you have a different title/name before?



That's odd. I thought the same thing.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

Colby - it was 85* here today - but the cold snap is just over the ridge.
maybe in February.
the "Canadian" tomato pic is just a generic one I pulled off the net for
an example. honestly, I don't know where mine came from.
makes me want to check tomorrow when I go get me some groceries.
LOL you guys are starting to make me paranoid now about the name change.
no - I have not changed anything on this forum.
but, if you visit any of the woodworking forums, you have have seen my
Wanted Poster image there . . . . .


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I'm in Tomato Ranch country. It's dry & hot in the Summer. I'm surprised you don't get the bane of the Ranchers - mold.


Isn't it humid there in the Summer?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

The extreme humidity is one of the things I don't miss about living in central fla.


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## Timborooni (Apr 16, 2011)

Colbyt said:


> You could always make Green Tomato Relish.
> 
> 
> Ripening in newspaper works but then they are the same as store bought.


I haven't planted tomatoes in a while, but end of season I used to take the green ones, diced, along with onions and peppers, maybe a little cabbage, and make a Chow Chow, sort of a relish. A Southern thing, I reckon. Typically made with mainly cabbage, a spoon full or two in cooked beans, chili, on dogs, other things as well to kick it up.

Heat vinegar to near boil, add a bit of salt, sugar, whole mustard seed, and pour over the chopped veggies to slightly cover. Comes out tasting a little like bread n butter pickles, but with little (or a lot!) heat from the peppers. I used peppers from my garden, cayenne, sweet banana peppers, and cherry, but if heat is not your thing i'm sure greens bell peppers would be fine. Take caution, or enjoy, boiling vinegar....wow!...it'll clear the sinuses.

Sometimes I would raid the garden before a frost. Sometimes before a hurricane shredded everything.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> Chow Chow, sort of a relish.


I love chow chow but haven't had any in a few yrs. My wife's sister used to make it every year and send some our way ..... but she's getting up in years and doesn't do a lot anymore.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

I usually put a couple of plants out in big pots on my patio. They take a lot of watering.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Chow Chow is another end of summer treat. Similar but not the same.


The text from my label:




> Green Tomato Relish
> contains: Diced green tomatoes, Diced Bell Peppers (red & green), onions, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and celery seed.
> 
> Empty jar return appreciated.


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