Did I mention tomatoes?

It has been so hot and humid here in south jersey that I come in from the garden literally dripping. So I have confined myself to harvesting and watering. See my photo of today's harvest below! In the mean time, August is soon here. The days of reasonable gardening weather are few. And most of my garden is getting ready to quit. So I am reading about fall gardening. This is not something I usually do, my gardening energy decreasing in direct proportion to the increasing humidity. Stay tuned.
         I am saving seeds and planning for next spring. The most successful tomatoes seem to be the Italian (plum) variety. They have not been bothered by the heat; they have not wilted even a little bit . They have produced beautiful, regular, delicious fruit. The least successful are the big ones. They are huge, but they wilt, crack easily, and grow in irregular shapes. They also seem to attract the most pests.The spray I use (see my last post) keeps the bugs at bay now, but the big tomato plants have not recovered. So I will save seeds from the best plants for next year. Today's tip:  many seeds are now on sale at a big discount. Grab the heritage organic varieties, stick 'em in a Ball jar with a packet of silica (you saved those, didn't you?), and shove them in a cool ,dry,dim,spot . Happy eating!

Tomatoes city !

I am picking so many tomatoes every day now that I have put out a table to "sell" them (letting people leave what they wish in a jar on the honor system). And the formula I found on you tube for anti insect spray seems to be working very well.  I will give my version of the "recipe" here with this strong caution: do NOT get this stuff on your clothes, because it really does STINK and you will have to wash everything AND take a shower.
Here is the recipe : Put a few tablespoons of garlic in a blender along with a couple of  whole hot peppers (dry or fresh, with seeds included) and add water. Blend. Pour into a lidded container (i used a couple of quart sized canning jars) and then add some chopped up vegetable based soap (i got mine at a yard sale ). Let this whole brew sit for a week or more. Strain the resulting mixture into a spray bottle (hold your breath. It stinks) and spray all over your plants. NOTE: when I first made this stuff I put the soap right in the blender, which did work until the soap made bubbles and overflowed onto my counter. So don't do that!

If I could save time in a bottle...

Here in jersey the weather is fantastic. Clear blue skies, a few fluffy clouds, and lots of heat. Except of course, for the occasional sudden thunderstorm. I love it. An early morning or late evening trip to the garden to visit the tomatoes, harvest the cukes, and spray for bugs. Done and done. I am busy traveling to the local pick-your own farms, trying to save summer making jams, jellys, and freezing fruit. And I am going to try to make some plum wine with the kit borrowed from my ever-patient son in law.
Ever since the summer solstice, I have been rising early and staying up late, soaking up the sun against the impending fall. I am going to try to meet each day with joy and gratefulness, knowing that gardening is a privilege not many have. If i get a little blue in the coming cold, I'll just open a jar of jam and remember to count my blessings!

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