Tomatoes for Thanksgiving by Duane Davidson

I've volunteered to provide the salad for this year's Thanksgiving dinner. I plan to show off my fresh home-grown tomatoes. I always try to have a taste of my own tomatoes as late as the beginning of December. You could, too. Here's how.

I grow tomatoes mostly in containers these days. A couple of the containers are lightweight pots of manageable size. (Mine are made of a foam material, but sturdy plastic would do.) They spend the summer in my backyard. At the end of the season I bring them inside when an overnight freeze is expected. But they go back out into the sunshine every time the temperature reaches 50 degrees. I don't expect the plants to continue blooming and setting fruit, but this is a good way to let existing fruit ripen – more or less naturally.

On cooler days the tomato plants are happy to stay inside my south-facing sun porch. But we usually have a lot of warm days in the fall after the first freeze or two. I like to take advantage of them. I find the warmest spot and put the tomatoes outside, usually in a corner facing southwest, which traps the heat. They need to come back into the porch at night. Because the pots are lightweight, they're easy to move. 

        I've also kept the tomato pots in the garage at night and on cold days, but they aren't as happy with less sunlight. Moving them in and out is even easier, though. One year I set them on a furniture dolly and rolled them in and out on that.

Here are a few more details about my method: I fill the pots with houseplant potting mix because it's lighter in weight than soil mixes. I add in a handful or two of a slow-release fertilizer made from alfalfa. Later, during the growing season, I give the tomatoes several doses of liquid fertilizer made from seaweed or worm compost. I also mix in a handful of polymer, already hydrated, to help even out the availability of moisture and keep the pots cooler. My preferred tomato variety is Czech's Bush, which does well for me in containers. I found this variety at a garden center some years ago, and now grow my own plants from seed. The fruit is small to medium in size – larger than cherry tomatoes but considerably smaller than beefsteak varieties, which – in a pot – would set fewer tomatoes, and which likely would break the plant's stems. There are other varieties recommended for containers. They could be cherry or grape-size types, but should be "determinate" so as not to grow vines too large to be moved about without breaking off.

How Hot Is Hot: The Bhut Jolokia AKA the Ghost Chili by Jim Rohling

The Bhut Jolokia chili originates from Nagaland and Assam in northeastern India and was named by the Naga people after the most venomous snake in the region. The Assamese word “jolokia” means the Capsicum pepper and the word naga means” King Cobra” in Sanskrit. The peppers’ fierce “bite” is akin to the venom of a King Cobra. One farmer described it as “so hot you can’t even imagine. When you eat it, it’s like dying,” hence the name “ghost chili.” It’s also been referred to as “the equivalent of a gastronomic mugging.” At over 1,000,000 Scoville units (SHUs) one can see why.

In 2005, New Mexico State University’s Chili Pepper Institute (yes, there is a chili pepper institute) found the Bhut Jolokia to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHUs. Although there are other peppers that are hotter, like the Naga Viper at 1,382,118 SHUs and the Trinidad Scorpion at 1,463,700 SHUs, because of their hybrid nature they are unable to produce offspring exactly like the parent. So, at 855,000–1,050,000 SHUs, the Bhut Jolokia is the hottest “naturally grown” pepper.  For comparison, a bell pepper registers zero SHUs, a Jalapeno comes in at roughly 3,500, and a Habanero is approximately 100,000–350,000.

What is a Scoville unit you might ask?  In 1912, Mr. Wilbur Scoville invented a method of testing a pepper’s pungency units. Scoville’s test results were determined by taking the extracts of many types of chili peppers and diluting them in a sugared water solution until none of the heat remained. Testing was done by a panel of five “judges” who would taste these solutions and then tell Scoville when they no longer felt any heat. Because of the differences in an individual’s taste buds, the results were not very consistent. Today, more scientific and accurate methods like Electrochemistry and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) are used to determine capsaicin levels (the chemical in chilis that produces the heat).  In honor of Mr. Scoville, the unit of measure is still named Scoville.    

In 2009, scientists at India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the peppers in hand grenades, as a non-lethal way to flush out terrorists from their hideouts and as a pepper spray to control rioters.

I first read of the Ghost Chili in 2008 in a newspaper article and wondered at the time where I could get some seeds. I found the seeds at the Chili Institute of New Mexico in 2010 and called to place an order.  I was told that they were very hard for the home gardener to grow and the seeds were costly. I took what they said about hard to grow as a challenge; after all, what kind of “almost” Master Gardener would I be if I didn’t at least try.

This year, 2011, I ordered 20 seeds and started them in my greenhouse the first of February in Fox Farm seed starting mix (only the best for this experiment).  With a 160–180 day growing season, I needed to start them very early. I ended up with a 90 percent germination rate, not too shabby. In 5 weeks, I was able to transplant the seedlings into the containers I was going to grow them in. I used Fox Farm potting mix (only the best for this experiment). I watered with non-chlorinated water and fed them with Fox Farm liquid fertilizer (did I mention only the best for this experiment?). Whenever the sky looked stormy, I would put them under cover to avoid any hail damage.  But, with this summer’s heat, they didn’t get moved much.

Ripe “Ghost Chili” Pepper        Photo: Jim Rohling

Of the nine plants I kept, four were setting fruit in about 160 days and getting ripe at about 180 days. I was warned to be sure to wear gloves when I handled the peppers because they were so hot they could blister the skin by just touching them. I talked to many people about my experiment and they all asked me the same question: What was I going to do with the peppers? I guess it can be said it’s like a dog chasing a car, what are you going to do with it when you catch it. I decided the safest thing to do was to dry them in my dehydrator. Since the peppers were “not allowed” in the house, I set up the dehydrator in the greenhouse. Maybe I’ll grind them into chili powder to add to green chili stew.  Ready for a cook-off anyone?  With my curiosity fulfilled for this year, I guess I need to focus on how to get into trouble next year.

Dried Ghost Chili Peppers              Photo: Jim Rohling

Oh, and by the way, like the apple in the Garden of Eden, I did bite.  WOW!!!

Happy Gardening!


Further Reading:

For some fun facts on chilis, go to www.thehottestpepper.com/ghost-chili-pepper-fun-facts.html  

For a list of how chilis rate on the Scoville scale, go to http://ushotstuff.com/Heat.Scale.htm

To read about all the nutritional benefits of chilis, go to www.chilepepperinstitute.org, scroll down to and click on chili information, then click on nutritional information. Chilies are so good for you, you’d almost think they could cure death!

What to Do With Green Tomatoes by Carol King

Lakewood Gardener, Jose Lara with his bounty of vegetables! Photo by Diana Roca.

This is the time of year when gardeners have a plethora of unripe tomatoes in their gardens.  If your garden is no exception, here are a few tips on dealing with all those green tomatoes.

To speed-ripen on the vine try these:

• Stop watering. This encourages ripening.
• Root prune the plant. Dig into the soil 6-8” deep and cut around a circle 12” from the stem. Shake the plant but don’t dig it up. This will stress the plant and the fruit will ripen faster.
• Pinch off any flowers, small fruit, new shoots, and suckers. It’s too late for them to become anything. Do this now and all the plants energy will go toward ripening.

When frost is expected, try these:

• Cover the plant completely and anchor so the wind doesn’t blow it off. Use old blankets, thick plastic, or anything similar and make sure it goes all the way to the ground providing the plant with trapped warmth.
• Harvest the tomatoes by pulling the plant from the ground and hanging it upside down in a garage or other shelter. Check often for ripe ones. 
• Pick the pink ones and put them on the counter to ripen
• Pick the green tomatoes and store them in a shallow tray lined with newspaper. They need 60-70 degrees and no light. The warmth ripens them not light.

  If all else fails, have a Fried Green Tomato Party! They are yummy, unhealthy, fried, and a real crowd pleaser. Here’s my recipe as taught to me by my Texas cousins. You know it’s good.

Emma Jean and Rita Jane’s Fried Green Tomatoes*
Ingredients: green tomatoes, eggs, milk, flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, vegetable oil for frying
Wash and dry the tomatoes.
Slice about ¼ inch thick.
Salt each slice on both sides and set aside.
Beat egg(s) with a splash of milk making a batter
Put cup or so of flour in a plate, pepper it a little and mix with a fork
Put cup or so of corn meal in a plate, pepper it a little and mix with a fork. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill medium or coarse ground.
Put ½ inch of good vegetable oil in skillet. An iron skillet is the best. Heat to 350 degrees or a good frying temperature. You may have to discard the oil and add new if you are frying a lot of the tomatoes.
Dip salted tomato slices into flour, then into egg mixture, then into cornmeal.
Plop in the skillet and brown both sides.
*Quantities in this recipe depend on the number of tomato slices you are frying. It’s a very forgiving recipe.

Good with a nice chardonnay or cold beer of choice!

Successfully Growing Tomatillos by Elizabeth Buckingham

As a professional chef and an avid gardener, I am always interested in trying new vegetables in my garden. Each growing season I set a goal to grow at least five new vegetables or herbs that I’ve never grown before, and this year the tomatillo made that list. I know that the tomatillo is probably not considered particularly exotic here in Colorado; our Mexican influences and love of Mexican cuisine means that many local gardeners grow this vegetable every season. Although I’d used tomatillos numerous times in my professional life I had not yet grown my own, and I was excited to try it out.


    Wikipedia defines the tomatillo as follows:
“The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) is a plant of the nightshade family, related to the Cape gooseberry, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos, referred to as green tomato (Spanish: tomate verde) in Mexico, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are grown as annuals throughout the Western Hemisphere. The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by an inedible, paper-like husk formed from the calyx. As the fruit matures, it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest. The husk turns brown, and the fruit can be any of a number of colors when ripe, including yellow, red, green, or even purple. Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh and cooked Latin American green sauces. The freshness and greenness of the husk are quality criteria. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green color and tart flavour are the main culinary contributions of the fruit. Purple and red-ripening cultivars often have a slight sweetness, unlike the green- and yellow-ripening cultivars, and are therefore somewhat more suitable for fruit-like uses like jams and preserves. Like their close relatives Cape gooseberries, tomatillos have a high pectin content. Tomatillo plants are highly self-incompatible: two or more plants are needed for proper pollination, thus isolated tomatillo plants rarely set fruit.”

  With that helpful information in mind, I purchased a number of different pepper and tomatillo plants at the excellent Master Gardener Plant Sale in May. I kept all of these in the sunroom for a few weeks then gradually hardened the seedlings off outside, and finally transplanted into the ground on May 29.  Unfortunately, somewhere between getting the plants home and transplanting them, labels were lost and what I thought were peppers were actually tomatillos. (Experienced gardeners, please forgive me for not being able to distinguish between a tomatillo and a pepper seedling – I am still quite new to this gardening!) The result of this story is that I had substantially more tomatillos but substantially fewer peppers than I thought…and was slightly worried to find out from a gardener friend a few days later that apparently tomatillos are “voracious self-seeders.” Who knows how many I’ll have next year?

Now, late in August, I am finally reaping my tomatillo harvest and hugely enjoying the results. Through no intentional effort I managed to stagger-plant my tomatillos (in three separate areas of my vegetable gardens), and as such am enjoying a gradual harvest without becoming inundated. On my older plants, the husks are starting to dry up and turn brown, and the fruits nearly fall off the vine when touched. All of my plants have thus far produced green fruit, although I would love to see the purple cultivars and hope to find those next season! I was also surprised to find that even my one isolated plant has set fruit, despite warnings against individual plantings.

I am harvesting the fruits as needed and have thus far used them with great success in fresh summer salads with chunks of tomato, cucumber, feta, red onion, basil and a simple vinaigrette. Fresh recipes such as this composed salad are exactly why chefs love this season so much – it is so easy to take just a few pristine ingredients and make an amazing dish.

   I plan to make salsa with my tomatillos, of course, but as yet haven’t harvested enough to make a big batch. I taught myself to can and preserve last summer so I’ll definitely include wood-roasted tomatillos when I grill my other ingredients for my “smoky salsa,” which also includes onions, peppers and tomatoes. I also will make a brightly-flavored (and brightly-colored) sauce for grilled chicken which will include quickly sautéed onions, garlic, and tomatillos, perhaps finished with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. It is important to remember that the tart, crisp flavor of the tomatillos is the fruit’s primary attraction and should be left mostly intact. I have found that the tomatillo’s fresh taste makes a terrific addition to just about any summer dish, and I am looking forward to finding many more ways to incorporate the tomatillo in my summer menus as well as my preserving plans.

I can now confidently include tomatillos on my ever-increasing list entitled “Things I’ve Grown Successfully.” I am thrilled to have this interesting and unique plant as part of my summer harvest and if you haven’t yet tried tomatillos, I would definitely encourage you to try a few plants next season!

Dealing with Disappointment – Garden Style by Sue Bloomquist

This summer has been a time of great success . . and great disappointment.  The joys have included my first attempt to raise LOTS of seedlings.  I planted four varieties of tomatoes and, out of three full bedding plant trays, only three seeds did not sprout.  I also built not one but two raised bed gardens – something I have been promising myself I would do for three years.  As usual, my lettuce, which reseeds itself, has been delicious.

Tomatoes With Spotted Wilt Virus

    However, in the midst of all this bounty, I came face to face with THE ENEMY.  I am talking about tomato spotted wilt virus, TSWV.  Several weeks ago, I began to notice a couple of tomato plants just looking, well, sickly.  After Internet searches led me to several possibilities, I took samples to the Jeffco Extension diagnostic clinic.  The search narrowed, but a simple chemical test delivered the final blow.  TSWV!  Time to yank out the plants – no treating, babying or otherwise trying to save them. 


Since that time two more plants have tested positive, and my tomato garden shrank again.  The last plant to fall was a formerly beautiful Ace bush type that was more like a small tree.  Big lush leaves.  Tall and umbrella shaped.  Flower bud galore.  And cruelest insult of all, it was the vanguard plant in my experimental raised bed with only long-rotted compost as soil.  The plant's removal left a gaping hole this showcase bed.  What to do?!

  As it happens, I have never before planted a fall crop.  Of anything.  I have always settled for store bought lettuce and chard.  And I love home grown lettuce.   Pick one leaf or a whole head, and it's always fresh.

   Voila!  The solution – this opening has become my new fall garden.  I have planted several varieties lettuce to see what does best in the late summer.  Some ruby red chard made its way into a corner of new ground.  I know the daily heat will affect some more than others, but cooler nights are coming, and I expect a crisp and “springish” fall.

So, don't despair if all did not go well in your garden.   Join me, and plant a fall crop of lettuce, spinach, chard and radishes.  We will be dining on BLTs and spinach salads well into October.  Bon jardiner!  Bon apetit!

Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes by Stan Ames

Are some or all of your recently set tomatoes, squash, watermelons, peppers or eggplant developing dark, leathery features on their bottoms?

With the abnormal amounts of rain we have enjoyed we need to be alert to this condition and take steps to prevent its onset.  Once a fruit has been damaged it cannot be cured!

The technical term for this condition is “Blossom End Rot” and in some areas it is just referred to as “BER”. This condition is a result of the plant’s need for calcium not being satisfied.


Plantalk Colorado’s publication No. 1471 lists six major causes for this condition and we, in Jefferson County, have experienced three of those causes this year.

1. Sharp changes in temperature from cool to hot weather.
2. Extreme temperature fluctuation.
3. Waterlogged soils from too much rain or excessive watering.

Prevention steps include ensuring your plants are in well-drained soil, enjoy an even supply of water (mulching helps), taking care not to cause root damage when weeding and avoiding the use of high nitrogen content fertilizers. Keep that lawn fertilizer away from your plants!

The complete publication can be seen on the web at www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1471.
Additional information can be found in the Colorado State Extension website www.ext.colostate.edu by searching for: Recognizing Tomato Problems, Tomato diseases, and Tomatoes for the home Gardens.

Don’t forget the Extension website listed above is an outstanding source of information on most gardening issues.  Make it your first source of information! Or call the Jefferson County CSU Extension directly at 303-271-6620.

Tomato Problems? Try Flea Beetles! by Stan Ames

• Do some of the leaves on your tomato plants have holes in the lower outside leaves and the leaves are turning yellow?
• What should you do?
• Any other symptoms?
• Large green worms been seen on the plant? No?
• How about little tiny white or gray little bugs (Aphids)? No again!
• Blackish spots on leaves and the edge turning yellow? No!
• Just lots of little tiny holes in the leaves and they leaves are turning yellow? Right!

All of the symptoms mentioned lead to the diagnosis of Flea beetles! These pests chew little holes in the leaves! Inspect the underside of the affected leaves and look for very shiny little brown or black beetles about the size of a straight pin head. However they may have their feast and moved on to the next plant before you noticed the damage.


Other common causes of tomato problems in Colorado are:

• Phosphorus deficiency
• Curly Top virus – leaves and stems become stiff
• Psyllids – stems may become distorted
• Flea Beetles – adults chew small holes in the leaves
• Tomato hornworms – voracious feeders, they strip leaves from the stems.
• Early blight – produces brown or black spots on older leaves
• Septoria leaf spot – white or gray spots on leaves
• Whiteflies and aphids Cucumber mosaic virus – leaves appear shiny and are sticky
• Fusarium wilt and Fusarium crown rot – leaves turn brown and wilt.

Here's a complete article on recognizing tomato problems .

The Value of a Vegetable: Starting Your Garden From Seed by Patti O'Neal

Photo by Duane Davidson

When Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, gardeners everywhere sprung into action, no longer just pouring over seed catalogues and wishing, but whipping out the credit cards and typing madly on computers, getting orders placed lest we not get the latest, newest or most prized seed from our favorite sources.

Yes, it is time to start planning the 2011 vegetable garden and begin gathering the supplies we will need. Why do I get so excited about my vegetable garden? You can’t get away from all the information and encouragement to get more vegetables and fruits into your diet that is available these days.  Neither can you argue with the tight budgets that our current economy has handed many, if not most, of us.  So growing your own vegetables is a way to address the nutritive needs of our bodies, while being respectful of our pocket books.  In addition, I find the exercise and connection to the land very satisfying. 

Let’s take a tomato, for example, as it is the fruit of the garden that most people know, understand, and if you can only grow one vegetable, it is the one selected 9 times out of 10.  Once you successfully grow a tomato plant and get the itch for that real tomato taste, it’s hard to accept the hard, reddish grey balls that are offered to most of us in the grocery store.  Then there is the expense of the beautiful heirloom varieties that are available in the summer, which are priced out of most people’s range.  So, what is the average family to do?  Grow a tomato, of course; in your own well fed soil, harvested at the peak of its vitamin and flavor packed perfection.

Tomatoes should be planted outside once the threat of frost has past, usually around May 15^th.  That is recognized as the last day in spring on which there is less than 50% chance that a freeze will occur.  So that is the date from which we count back to start seeds inside.   So approximately mid-March, you should plant your seeds. 

If you are a beginner, set yourself up for success by purchasing clean seed that is packed for the current year.

·      Decide on the containers you will use and make sure they have good drainage.

·      Use clean seed starting medium, moisten.

·      Plant to the depth specified on the seed packet.

·      Top-dress with additional soil less mix; also specified on seed packet.

·      Place in a warm place to germinate.

·      Move to light once seeds germinate.

·      Transplant if necessary, if weather precludes planting when you had planned.

·      Assure good air circulation, water from the bottom, give good light and turn frequently to prevent leggy plants.

·      Plant outside in ground or in containers.

·      If growing in containers, choose a determinate variety that will be easy to manage without staking or supporting.

An average determinate heirloom tomato plant, given proper conditions, will yield ten to fifteen pounds of tomatoes; mostly at the same time.  So for an investment of approximately $l.79 of seed, some seed starting mix and containers you don’t need to pay for, your yield could be worth anywhere from $90-$120 of taste tempting tomatoes.  An indeterminate variety which continues to produce all season (a cherry tomato for example) can yield up to 20-25 pounds in a season can yield the same value, more if it is an heirloom variety.  Gives you pause, doesn’t it?  

This may seem simplified, but the system works.  You will be adding value to your family’s nutrition as well as value to your pocketbook.  Some of the best seed starting education can be learned from the seed packets and seed catalogues.  If that is still daunting, there are lots of classes currently being offered that can give you the confidence you need to get going.  

So, even though Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction record is right only about 39% of the time, it gives me the “inch” I needed to take a “mile” of action to get ready to start my garden from seed.  You can do it, too.

Patti will be teaching “Starting Your Garden From Seed” at Feed Denver on March 12 (for more information: http://www.feeddenver.com/urban-farmers-and-vegetable-gardeners-symposium.html) 

She is also teaching “Totally Tomato” a class on all things tomato at the Denver Botanic Gardens on April 23 (http://calendar.botanicgardens.org/show/detail/40670) 

Upside-Down Tomato Planters by Duane Davidson

My upside-down tomato vine in early October.

As I start plans for the coming gardening season it's time to evaluate several experiments from last year. Among them was a trial of one of the upside-down tomato planter.  Let me share my results. I'll begin with some overall findings and then fill in the details.

• I harvested several dozen small-medium size tomatoes from a tomato plant that grew hanging from the bottom of an "upside-down tomato planter." I picked them into late fall.

• There were no insect or disease problems except for a single instance of blossom-end rot.

• It was difficult to monitor moisture levels inside the container, but I made a daily check part of my morning chores.

• To avoid frost at the end of the season I moved the container to a sunny spot indoors where tomatoes continued to ripen on the living tomato vine.



I grow tomato plants from seed and usually plant them both in a small vegetable garden and a couple of 18-inch lightweight pots. Some years I've been able to extend the pots' growing season by rolling them into the garage on chilly nights in late September and even into October. I wondered if a hanging tomato planter might also be brought indoors when frost threatened.

I purchased a tomato planter with a water reservoir on the top. It was made of canvas stretched over a heavy wire frame with an "X" cut into the bottom for the tomato plant. The water reservoir was a solid plastic basin that held a gallon of water when filled. Water was supplied to the planting mix beneath via a synthetic fiber wick stretched across the bottom of the basin, where it was in contact with the planting mix, The two ends of the wick, which was an inch wide and about one-fourth inch thick, extended up the sides of the basin and folded over the top rim into the water. This seemed an unlikely way to water the tomato plant, but it worked.

I filled the container with moistened planting mix by laying it on its side and filling the lower half, then feeding the plant's stem and leaves through the slit, and finally filling the rest of the container up to where the water reservoir would rest. The planting mix was a typical garden center blend, to which I added an alfalfa-based slow-acting organic fertilizer. The tomato plant I had reserved for this planter was Siberian, described by the seed house as a dwarf sprawling determinate variety producing good strong-flavored 2-3" fruit 57-60 days from transplant.

I decided the best location for my container would be a southwest-facing corner, where it would have the best protection from wind. Unfortunately this spot is shaded during early morning hours, but becomes quite warm later in the day, a condition tomatoes enjoy. I suspended the container from the crossbar of a pergola-type structure.

A cluster of ripened tomatoes, including the one with blossom-end rot, caused by uneven moisture conditions.

The container came with a simple "moisture indicator" to be inserted through a small slit in the side of the container. It was to indicate when the planting mix dried out and the reservoir needed to be refilled. It stopped functioning after a couple weeks and I found I needed to feel for moisture around the tomato stem at the bottom of the container. I might have done better using the device I have for checking moisture in houseplant pots, but didn't think of it until later. I added the tomato vine to my regular morning rounds of checking and watering containers. One of the first tomato fruits to set on the vine developed blossom-end rot, an indicator of uneven watering. Fortunately, there were no more such victims.

I'm not sure the reservoir and wick system is the best way of watering in our dry climate. I found a way a way to cheat a little by pouring more water into the container than it could hold. What spilled over the rim of the container quickly soaked through to the bottom of the container and re-hydrated the plant before the wicking action got started.

When nighttime frost threatened I unhooked the container and moved it into a sun porch where I over-winter houseplants. I found it was extremely heavy and ruled out moving it indoors and out every day to take advantage of warm autumn days while protecting it from freezing nights. Instead I hung it on the side of a plant stand and let the tomato vine spread out on the floor. There were still a large number of green tomatoes on the plant. They ripened and I enjoyed eating home-grown tomatoes through most of November.

I had also planted the same tomato variety in my backyard, where its vines grew larger and produced tomatoes about one-third larger. The backyard plants received slightly more sun and more water; they also produced more cases of blossom-end rot. At the end of the season their unripened fruit had to be stripped from the vines and brought into the basement for ripening with substantial flavor loss.

Next year I may force the container plant with liquid fertilizer during the growing season and will try harder to get the watering right.

All-America Selections Announce 2011 Winners

All-America Selections, is an organization dedicated to testing and recommending plants for gardens in North America . Their mission statement says it all:

“To promote new garden seed varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America.”

The 2011 Winners have been announced and here they are.

There's a pumpkin named "Hijinks" and a "Glamor Red" ornamental kale. What's not to love?

A Gaggle of Gourds by Elaine Lockey

I recently visited a friend in Fruita who showed me the amazing collection of Birdhouse Gourds that he grew in 2010.  What is even more amazing is that he planted one seed and got almost 50 gourds from the single plant.  He was thrilled and overwhelmed to say the least.  Where will this gourd gaggle end up?  They are being donated to an elementary school to be painted, loved and made into bird houses by the students.  This is a great time of year to begin planning your next vegetable garden and ordering seeds. Consider adding Birdhouse Gourds to your seed order. Not only are they fun to look at while they are growing but will provide hours of fun for children and adults alike when they are ready to decorate, not to mention providing homes for birds. 

 What makes a gourd a gourd? A gourd is a trailing or climbing plant related to pumpkins, squash and cucumbers, in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is also a name for a dried shell of a fruit. According to Wikipedia, gourds may be the oldest plants domesticated by humans. Plants of the Lagenaria and Luffa  genera are more useful as utilitarian plants grown for their hard shell or fibrous interior than as food. Lagenaria spp. produces hard fruits useful as containers in the past before pottery and as an art medium now. Luffa spp. produces those vegetable sponges with the fibrous texture that you use in the shower. The gourd fruits have a very tough rind often irregular in shape.  I think that’s where the expression “out of your gourd” comes from – meaning foolish and crazy!

Birdhouse gourds, as they are commonly called, have the botanical name Lagenaria sicerari. According to Gurney’s Seed and Nursery Co., birdhouse gourds have a long time before they are mature enough to harvest – about 95+ days and Cornell’s website states up to 140 days.  They love hot sunny places to grow and are heavy feeders so give them lots of compost. You should harvest them in the fall when the shell is hard and glossy.  The key to being able to use these is in the curing. Allowing proper air circulation and time is essential (1-6 months).

The gourd is cured when it is completely dry and you can hear the seeds rattling.  Cut an entrance hole, empty out the seeds and paint as desired. For use as a birdhouse, be sure to put some little drainage holes in the bottom. For complete instructions on how to grow, harvest and cure a gourd visit the Cornell website: http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/files/2009/12/Gourd-Birdhouse.pdf

I found so many ideas for design inspiration on the internet – from the whimsical to the beautiful.  How will you paint yours?

Rosemary and Powdery Mildew by Carol King

I received a nice little rosemary Christmas tree as a gift.  I was cooking chicken and decided to add some when I noticed it was covered with some white powdery dust.  It seems that my little tree had powdery mildew.  Rosemary grown indoors is very prone to this and the little Christmas trees especially so.  I investigated the cure and found that potassium bicarbonate products and neem oils can be used  to control this disease.  However, I was cautioned to make sure the product of choice can be used both indoors and on edible crops. Read the directions on the label and follow them perfectly since it is being used for cooking. There has been some success reported with baking soda and water: spray with a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water.  Repeat if necessary. 

I personally  just tossed it in the dust bin and put it out of its misery!

Fresh or Canned This Year? by Mary Small

In the early years of our marriage this was always the question about the yearly pumpkin pie.  My husband had fond memories of fresh pumpkin pies his mother made.  I did not share them; the one pie my mother made fresh was, in her words, “a disaster.”  So if I made a pie, it was always from canned pumpkin.

This year, my colleague, Carol O’Meara, of Boulder County Extension, asked me to help judge pies made from several different types of pumpkins that grow in Colorado.  I love pumpkin pie, so this was an easy “yes”.  Then I thought back to Mom’s “disaster” and greeted the event somewhat apprehensively.

Our first task as judges was to taste the roasted pumpkin product that later went into the pies.  Some were pretty decent, but there was one that was just plain awful.  Compared to the ones before and after it, the sample was almost bitter.  It was very chunky and not smooth textured.

 The color variation of the different pumpkins was amazing. Our sample plates looked like an artist’s palette.  One pumpkin produced a beautiful rust-colored orange product, while another was a pale, pale yellow-orange.  Some reminded me of butternut squash- gold. 

Winter Luxury Pumpkins

Tasting the pies was mostly yummy, but also eye-opening.  My favorite roasted pumpkin (the beautiful rust-colored one) was okay, but had a funny aftertaste.  The winning pie was made from Winter Luxury, an heirloom variety. No wonder it has stood the test of time! The roasted pumpkin that tasted worst didn’t improve much made into a pie.  It was a bit watery, still chunky and still tasteless.  Turns out it was made from a pie-pumpkin variety! Many of us agreed that variety would deter pie-makers from ever trying fresh pumpkin again.  (Maybe that’s the one Mom used…)

So what did I conclude?  The pumpkin is the pie and some types can’t be improved, not even with cream and spices.  I’ve changed my mind about fresh pumpkin pie. Next year, I think I’ll grow Winter Luxury and give it a try.

For more information about the specific pumpkin varieties used in the tasting, check here at Carol O’Meara’s blog .

Here's the story from the Daily Camera!

Ruth Stout's Garden

Her methods are unconventional but they work!  Wonder what our Extension agents would say??

ruth_stouts_garden-1of2.avi

Growing and Harvesting Lavender by Heirloom Fan

I am a big fan of growing herbs, and love the scent of lavender but found many of the products made with Lavender very pricey. So my next step was to find a Lavender plant well suited for our climate that would provide my own harvest of Lavender each year.
Lavender is a native of the Mediterranean region but the good news is that you will find some types very easy to grow here in Colorado. It is a semi-woody perennial shrub plant, so once it is established, will return year after year to produce the wonderfully fragrant blossoms.
Pruning encourages Lavender to have continual and healthy growth and to keep blossoms producing throughout the season. The plants also are  attractive to bees which is a great side benefit because as we all know, bees are so important with any landscape and garden.
Here are a couple of great publications that will help you choose the best variety of Lavender for your garden and what growing conditions that will produce the most favorable results: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07245.pdf and http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1015.html.

Hope you try this wonderful herbal shrub and enjoy the results!

Harvesting Chili Peppers by Heirloom Fan

 
This time of year, you can find many of the Farmer’s Markets and farm stores roasting chili peppers. The fragrance of these peppers is irresistible.
Chili Peppers are fairly easy to grow. They are a member of the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes and eggplant, so some of the same growing conditions as well as the diseases for that family apply. I found good luck in growing peppers in containers – it not only helps contain the plant but the pots generally can give additional warmth to the roots that peppers like.

There are a wide variety of peppers available to the home gardener. To choose the right one for your taste and cooking, read the seed catalog or the plant marker description carefully. Some will give you important information as to the heat level of the pepper, which is marked in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The scale numbers tell you which are mild to hot, so if you like hot peppers then you will want to choose a variety with a high SHU rating.
At this time of year, peppers begin to ripen from their typical green color to shades of red, orange, yellow and even brown. Many people who like cooking with chilies wait for them to reach this stage which often gives a deeper dimension to their flavors and it also adds color to your food presentation.
There are many ways to preserve your peppers. For the thin skin varieties such as Cayenne peppers, these air dry or dry easily in a dehydrator, and can be then stored in an air tight container for long periods of time. If you enjoy canning, there are many canning recipes available as well both in books and on the internet.
Hope that you enjoy harvesting and preserving your pepper crop and will try new types.

Enjoy Your Leafy Greens This Fall by Heirloom Fan

Many of you know that growing leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach is very easy and provides wonderfully flavorful vegetables for your salads.  Other greens, such as Kale, Chard and Collard greens also provide great flavor and are packed with nutrition as well and should be considered as an important addition to your garden.

This summer, I planted a Swiss Chard variety called “Bright Lights”. It was sown among the lettuce this spring and the lettuce quickly grew quicker and the Chard remained small. However as the summer got hotter and the lettuce faded, I removed the wilted lettuce plants which then allowed room and sunlight for the Chard.
Before long, I found wonderful large Bright Lights Swiss Chard plants that had colorful stems.
Swiss chard is easily prepared and is great lightly steamed or in any dish where greens such as spinach are used. It is high in Vitamin K, C, E and A, and the deep colors in Chard provide additional nutrients. 
The Bright Lights variety with yellow, red, pink and light green stems can also provide a splash of color as a border plant, especially as other plants begin to fade in the fall.
This plant talk bulletin gives you some additional information on growing colorful and nutritious greens: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1810.html

Maria Rodale: Tomato Week: Easy Tomato Recipes & Tomato Plant Harvesting Tips

Here's a lot of information about what to do with an abundance of tomatoes.  I hope that is your problem, dear gardener!  It's been a strange year for tomatoes along the Front Range in Colorado.



Maria Rodale: Tomato Week: Easy Tomato Recipes & Tomato Plant Harvesting Tips

Potato Farmers Bitten By Nasty Texas Bug

 Mary Small blogged recently about psyllids affecting the home tomato garden.  It seems that it is doing horrible damage to the potato crop in Colorado also. Did you know that Colorado is the fourth largest potato producing state in the nation, behind Idaho, Washington and Wisconsin?


Potato Farmers Bitten By Nasty Texas Bug - Money News Story - KMGH Denver

The Impact of Water and Timing on Veggie Gardening by Gardener Cumax

Note: This is the third (and final) in a series by Gardener Cumax. You might also want to read: "The Impact of Soil on Veggie Gardening" (8/28/10) and "The Impact of Sun on Veggie Gardening" (9/9/10).

Life is a bowlful of tomatoes. Italian Heirloom, Mortgage Lifter, Crnkovic, German Pink (the original SSE offering) and Redfield Beauty compete for attention

Water
All plants need it. Duh! And yet do not overlook this important variable: save for xeric plants, plants use water in proportion to the amount of light they receive. Cloudy days means plants need less water, but only if your soil is poor! If your soil is absolutely awesomely fertile, then too much water isn't even an issue on overcast days!

Timing

Timing is everything and it’s the one variable that I personally have to meditate on after reviewing the weather report. Whether I sow seeds or transplant seedlings, timing is everything.

Assuming you have a healthy seedling that has been hardened off, you can transplant it knowing that it will do very well. The seedlings at Applewood Community Garden were transplanted in mid-May and got that awesome early morning sun each day.

My seedlings at home were transplanted in late May and early June. Because of the huge silver maple tree towering over the eastern boundary of the garden, direct sunshine didn’t start until 11:00 a.m. The Applewood seedlings had a two week head start on root growth, and extra morning sunshine. That time period also gave the seedlings extra valuable sunshine.

My math:

Sunshine time at Applewood is 6:00 am - 8:00 pm = 14 hours

Sunshine time at my garden is 11: 00 am - 8:00 pm = 9 hours

That's 5 hours difference. Applewood gets 35% more sunshine than my garden.

During the monsoon season my garden gets less sunshine than Applewood by far. This is because the clouds come in around 2:00 – 3:00 in the afternoon. That amounts to roughly only 4 hours of direct sunlight.

This impacted my veggies more than my nightshades because they grow at night. Those are tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes.

All in all it has been very enjoyable summer of learning deeper applications of right plant, right place.