These cookies are made from cake mix, so I can't eat them. They contain corn products. But you can make them start to finish in under half an hour - less if you have two cookie sheets and room in the oven for both.
They went over well at a little party I went to. Nice to have a box of cake mix around to make an emergency dessert from time to time. The recipe is pretty much the one on the cake mix box. They're supposed to be "crisps", but mine were kind of chewy with crispy edges. In summer, you can bake them early in the morning for an event later in the day. But I think one reason people liked the ones I made is that they were made the same day. Fresh counts for a lot sometimes.
Cookies
1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme lemon cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Sugar for dipping
Heat oven to 375ยบ. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs. Stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Lightly oil the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass and dip into the sugar. Flatten the first ball to about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with other balls of dough. No need to re-coat with oil. Bake cookies for 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool one minute, remove from cookie sheet to a rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Big Cookies: I made the balls of dough about 1 1/2 inches and baked for more than 9 minutes. Made 24 big cookies. I thought the smaller cookies might be nice as sandwich cookies. Mark said he would eat the big ones as sandwich cookies, too. Maybe with lemon curd, lemon curd and whipped cream cheese, quick butter/lemon frosting or cream cheese frosting. Someone suggested ice cream. That would take some work. I think I would prefer any of these as a filling or topping (added just before serving) to the icing recipe on the cake mix box (but I just don't like hard icing glazes). Since I can't eat them anyway, choose the one you like, or leave them "bare" like I did.
Half-recipe You can make half a batch of the big cookies on one cookie sheet. If you cover it with foil (shiny side up), mess will be minimal. Use half a box of cake mix, 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oil. Don't go over level when measuring the oil.
To divide a cake mix in half, open the top of the inner bag and alternately measure 1/4 cup at a time into two bowls. Pack and level the mix into your 1/4 cup measure against your flat fingers (outside the bag). Switch to measuring spoons to evenly divide mix when you have less than 1/2 cup left. Return second half of mix to inner bag, roll up top and fasten with a clothes pin. Return to box for later. Probably best to use the second half of the mix within a few weeks.
Icing
This is the icing from the recipe on the box. I didn't ice mine. But the icing would add a little fresh lemon zing.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with yellow-colored decorative sugar before the icing sets.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Okie Squash and Tomatoes
Family Memories
David's Grandma used to fix this dish a lot in the summer, when they ate mostly out of the garden. It is a good way to use bigger summer squashes which are beyond the tender, baby stage which we prize (especially in the case of crooknecks or straightnecks) for more delicate recipes. But if the seeds have started to harden or the skin is tough, you'll have to seed and/or pare the squashes first.
While I was staying with Yvonne's family in Switzerland, her mother prepared sliced kohlrabi with tomato, onion and bacon and froze it for winter. It tasted something like "Okie squash and tomatoes" with a little cabbage flavor. I haven't tried freezing the squash, onion and tomato dish (no cheese until serving time), but I bet it would work.
David's Mom currently prefers to make this dish with bacon - no cheese - using fresh tomatoes. Jana recently did a layered variation using spaghetti sauce and roast beef. Vary at will.
Basic Ingredients
Squash to fill a 10 to 12 inch covered skillet (or a big electric skillet for a larger batch)
One medium onion (10-inch skillet), more for a larger skillet
Salt to taste
Fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce or diced or stewed canned tomatoes
Ground red or black pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients
• Bacon, fried until crisp, or diced ham
• Diced Ancho, Pasilla or other mild, fresh chiles, to taste.
• Roasted Jalapeno or other hot chiles to taste
• Italian or other seasoning to taste
• Cheese - cheddar, pepper jack, cheddar plus mozzarella, parmesan plus mozzarella, Swiss. Pair the type of cheese you use with the ingredients you add (pepper jack with fresh chiles, cheddar or Swiss with bacon, Italian cheeses with Italian spices, etc.)
Directions
Heat a large covered skillet over medium heat. Add some vegetable or olive oil (or bacon grease for authenticity) to lightly coat the skillet. If you plan to add bacon, fry the bacon first, drain away most of the fat and cook the onions in the same pan. Quarter and slice an onion into the oil or bacon fat and sautee until it starts to become translucent. You can continue to sautee gently until the onion caramelizes if you like.
Cut washed and trimmed summer squash into slices, about 1/2 inch, and cut into quarters if squashes are large. I like to use at least part zucchini for this dish - green or yellow. Pattypans and straightnecks or crooknecks also work. Start with the largest, firmest squash. Place in the skillet with the onion and sprinkle with a little salt to draw out some liquid. Cover while preparing additional squashes. Continue adding squash with salt and pepper to taste until you have a skilletful, or as much as you want. Cover, stir occasionally until the flesh of the squash starts to lose its white color, If you add tomatoes too soon, the squash may squeak on your teeth when you eat it.
Add a few peeled, diced tomatoes and/or a small can (about 8 oz.) of tomato sauce. For a big electric skillet full of squash, you can use a can (about 15 ounces) of stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes or tomatoes with Mexican or Italian seasonings. Add a little tomato sauce if you want the liquid to be thicker. Or use two cans of tomato sauce. Stir and simmer until raw tomatoes are done or until canned tomatoes are heated through.
Adjust seasoning. If you like, add some crumbled bacon or diced ham. You can also top it with cheddar cheese, a little Parmesan or other cheese of your choice. Cover skillet until cheese melts.
We usually skip the meat and top the squash with cheese. You may want to serve this dish in bowls if you make it with tomatoes rather than tomato sauce, because it will have considerable liquid. If you make it with tomato sauce, it's less invasive on a plate with other foods.
Nice for dinner, maybe with some Pinto beans for a real Okie experience. Also great for breakfast with buttered toast. Reminds me of my Grandma's stewed tomato, toast and cheese breakfasts on the farm. For a fancier presentation, spoon into individual oven-proof ramekins or casseroles, top with cheese and buttered bread or cracker crumbs and run under the broiler. If the weather's not too hot to turn on the oven.
For a Potluck
With a big electric skillet, you can feed a lot of people. Just increase the amounts of ingredients and use a bigger onion, or two onions. This recipe and Spanish Green Beans (below) are very popular at potlucks. You can make the bean dish in winter, when fresh squash is hard to come by.
Other Recommendations
You could also use Lagenaria gourds in this recipe - pared and seeded if large. These Italian gourds have some advantages over squash in the garden - they have no spines on their stems, have velvety leaves and are less susceptible to common squash diseases and pests. They are vining, and would be dramatic on an overhead trellis with the long fruits hanging down. One year I planted them with Trombocino summer squashes (also useful in the recipe above). These vining summer squashes are related to butternuts (C. moschata) and the plants are also free from spines. They tend to continue producing fruits after common summer squashes have given up. Their flavor and texture is different from the more common C. pepo summer squashes.
If you like this recipe, you might like another Okie dish, okra with onions and stewed tomatoes, or this recipe for "Spanish" Green Beans.
David's Grandma used to fix this dish a lot in the summer, when they ate mostly out of the garden. It is a good way to use bigger summer squashes which are beyond the tender, baby stage which we prize (especially in the case of crooknecks or straightnecks) for more delicate recipes. But if the seeds have started to harden or the skin is tough, you'll have to seed and/or pare the squashes first.
While I was staying with Yvonne's family in Switzerland, her mother prepared sliced kohlrabi with tomato, onion and bacon and froze it for winter. It tasted something like "Okie squash and tomatoes" with a little cabbage flavor. I haven't tried freezing the squash, onion and tomato dish (no cheese until serving time), but I bet it would work.
David's Mom currently prefers to make this dish with bacon - no cheese - using fresh tomatoes. Jana recently did a layered variation using spaghetti sauce and roast beef. Vary at will.
Basic Ingredients
Squash to fill a 10 to 12 inch covered skillet (or a big electric skillet for a larger batch)
One medium onion (10-inch skillet), more for a larger skillet
Salt to taste
Fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce or diced or stewed canned tomatoes
Ground red or black pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients
• Bacon, fried until crisp, or diced ham
• Diced Ancho, Pasilla or other mild, fresh chiles, to taste.
• Roasted Jalapeno or other hot chiles to taste
• Italian or other seasoning to taste
• Cheese - cheddar, pepper jack, cheddar plus mozzarella, parmesan plus mozzarella, Swiss. Pair the type of cheese you use with the ingredients you add (pepper jack with fresh chiles, cheddar or Swiss with bacon, Italian cheeses with Italian spices, etc.)
Directions
Heat a large covered skillet over medium heat. Add some vegetable or olive oil (or bacon grease for authenticity) to lightly coat the skillet. If you plan to add bacon, fry the bacon first, drain away most of the fat and cook the onions in the same pan. Quarter and slice an onion into the oil or bacon fat and sautee until it starts to become translucent. You can continue to sautee gently until the onion caramelizes if you like.
Cut washed and trimmed summer squash into slices, about 1/2 inch, and cut into quarters if squashes are large. I like to use at least part zucchini for this dish - green or yellow. Pattypans and straightnecks or crooknecks also work. Start with the largest, firmest squash. Place in the skillet with the onion and sprinkle with a little salt to draw out some liquid. Cover while preparing additional squashes. Continue adding squash with salt and pepper to taste until you have a skilletful, or as much as you want. Cover, stir occasionally until the flesh of the squash starts to lose its white color, If you add tomatoes too soon, the squash may squeak on your teeth when you eat it.
Add a few peeled, diced tomatoes and/or a small can (about 8 oz.) of tomato sauce. For a big electric skillet full of squash, you can use a can (about 15 ounces) of stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes or tomatoes with Mexican or Italian seasonings. Add a little tomato sauce if you want the liquid to be thicker. Or use two cans of tomato sauce. Stir and simmer until raw tomatoes are done or until canned tomatoes are heated through.
Adjust seasoning. If you like, add some crumbled bacon or diced ham. You can also top it with cheddar cheese, a little Parmesan or other cheese of your choice. Cover skillet until cheese melts.
We usually skip the meat and top the squash with cheese. You may want to serve this dish in bowls if you make it with tomatoes rather than tomato sauce, because it will have considerable liquid. If you make it with tomato sauce, it's less invasive on a plate with other foods.
Nice for dinner, maybe with some Pinto beans for a real Okie experience. Also great for breakfast with buttered toast. Reminds me of my Grandma's stewed tomato, toast and cheese breakfasts on the farm. For a fancier presentation, spoon into individual oven-proof ramekins or casseroles, top with cheese and buttered bread or cracker crumbs and run under the broiler. If the weather's not too hot to turn on the oven.
For a Potluck
With a big electric skillet, you can feed a lot of people. Just increase the amounts of ingredients and use a bigger onion, or two onions. This recipe and Spanish Green Beans (below) are very popular at potlucks. You can make the bean dish in winter, when fresh squash is hard to come by.
Other Recommendations
You could also use Lagenaria gourds in this recipe - pared and seeded if large. These Italian gourds have some advantages over squash in the garden - they have no spines on their stems, have velvety leaves and are less susceptible to common squash diseases and pests. They are vining, and would be dramatic on an overhead trellis with the long fruits hanging down. One year I planted them with Trombocino summer squashes (also useful in the recipe above). These vining summer squashes are related to butternuts (C. moschata) and the plants are also free from spines. They tend to continue producing fruits after common summer squashes have given up. Their flavor and texture is different from the more common C. pepo summer squashes.
If you like this recipe, you might like another Okie dish, okra with onions and stewed tomatoes, or this recipe for "Spanish" Green Beans.
First Tomato, Apricots, Apriums
We have had some triple-digit temperatures already this year followed this week by dramatic cooling. The Royal Rosa apricots are gone. The first ones were very bland. After withholding water for a few days (and with temperatures lower than the 100s), the rest of them tasted like real apricots. Texture was better, too. Royalty has been bearing big, mushy, sweet-tart apricots "on wind-resistant spurs" which the stray puppy likes. They remind David of the apricots from his Grandfather's tree. They splat when they fall. The fruits are so heavy that they fall as soon as they are ripe.
Flavor Delight Aprium started a couple of days after Royalty. Fruits are smaller and firmer than Royalty. They are not as sweet as normal. We may have to avoid watering for a while. I got one really intriguing, sweet, soft, perfumed Plumcot (LE Cooke) and several sort of bland ones
We got our first ripe tomato on the First of June. We were a little late getting plants in the ground. It was from a Bush Early Girl. Quality was pretty good. The skin was a little tough.
We're still getting squashes from the volunteers under the fruit trees. Quality is variable. I don't think planting F2 hybrid squash is the best idea in the world. The best squashes have looked like the progeny of Zephyr and Magda. We have some new plants started. Time for a recipe for Okie Squash and Tomatoes .
Flavor Delight Aprium started a couple of days after Royalty. Fruits are smaller and firmer than Royalty. They are not as sweet as normal. We may have to avoid watering for a while. I got one really intriguing, sweet, soft, perfumed Plumcot (LE Cooke) and several sort of bland ones
We got our first ripe tomato on the First of June. We were a little late getting plants in the ground. It was from a Bush Early Girl. Quality was pretty good. The skin was a little tough.
We're still getting squashes from the volunteers under the fruit trees. Quality is variable. I don't think planting F2 hybrid squash is the best idea in the world. The best squashes have looked like the progeny of Zephyr and Magda. We have some new plants started. Time for a recipe for Okie Squash and Tomatoes .
Friday, May 15, 2009
Mid-May
The Festina beans started coming up yesterday. I had covered them with loose soil after planting in potting soil and watering for a day. Brushed the loose soil away and there they were, about on schedult. Some of the squash seeds also came up. The little stray dog dug a couple of holes in the row. May have lost a couple of plants.
Earlier in the week, I planted into RootTrainers some seeds for fall tomatoes as an experiment. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, I planted out my heirloom tomatoes in the side yard: Caspian Pink, Old German, Tomande (actually a hybrid Italian green-shouldered type) and Cherokee Purple. Yesterday, one of the dogs broke off the Old German.
Twice, Troy and Maggie have come to see me as I fed Sparky and Dottie. Maggie behaved herself around Dottie. Troy didn't try to jump the fence. Don't know if Troy unlatched the gate (he used to do this all the time) or if F. left the gate unlatched.
Heat wave predicted for the weekend. F.'s lettuce is bolting. We already have white flies. After blooming all winter, the perennial Scabiosia is setting seed. Time to cut it back. Always a few challenges in the garden.
Earlier in the week, I planted into RootTrainers some seeds for fall tomatoes as an experiment. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, I planted out my heirloom tomatoes in the side yard: Caspian Pink, Old German, Tomande (actually a hybrid Italian green-shouldered type) and Cherokee Purple. Yesterday, one of the dogs broke off the Old German.
Twice, Troy and Maggie have come to see me as I fed Sparky and Dottie. Maggie behaved herself around Dottie. Troy didn't try to jump the fence. Don't know if Troy unlatched the gate (he used to do this all the time) or if F. left the gate unlatched.
Heat wave predicted for the weekend. F.'s lettuce is bolting. We already have white flies. After blooming all winter, the perennial Scabiosia is setting seed. Time to cut it back. Always a few challenges in the garden.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
First harvest, more planting
F. spread unfinished compost under the trees a few months ago, and now we have squash and tomato volunteers. I harvested the first squash yesterday - a sad example of a de-hybridized zucchini. Of course, it was still edible, but it had a yellow/green mottled color, smooth skin (don't think the coloration was due to a virus), and it was tender but a bit pithy.
I also planted Festina beans and summer squashes - Magda (Lebanese-style zucchini - my favorite), a dark look-alike, Burpee's Sweet Zuke (need a knife for harvest), Tigress (virus resistant), Zephyr, Precious II straightneck and Dixie straightneck. Plus Butter Scallop, Peter Pan and a second yellow scallop. And round zucchinis - Eight Ball, Cue Ball and Round (a medium-green heirloom)
Today, the first Romanette and/or Romano Gold which I planted last week broke through the soil.
Also planted tomatoes for David's Mom - day before Mother's Day.
I also planted Festina beans and summer squashes - Magda (Lebanese-style zucchini - my favorite), a dark look-alike, Burpee's Sweet Zuke (need a knife for harvest), Tigress (virus resistant), Zephyr, Precious II straightneck and Dixie straightneck. Plus Butter Scallop, Peter Pan and a second yellow scallop. And round zucchinis - Eight Ball, Cue Ball and Round (a medium-green heirloom)
Today, the first Romanette and/or Romano Gold which I planted last week broke through the soil.
Also planted tomatoes for David's Mom - day before Mother's Day.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
More tomatoes, Seeds for Spring
On the second of May (late here) I planted Romanette and Romano Gold beans. If I don't get some things in the ground, F. will cover the garden with his winter squashes. We can't afford the water, and we would always see him out there fighting with squash bugs.
Orchard Supply had heirloom tomato plants in stock last week. An Anna Russian (oxheart) went to David's parents. I have a Cherokee Purple and a Caspian Pink. I'm going to try grafting in a Big Beef rootstock to see if it makes a difference as far as disease resistancce and vigor. I killed my Porter Dark Pink Cherry somehow.
Today, I sent Mom seeds so that she would be ready to plant after Mother's Day - the typical safe date where she is:
Fortex pole beans
Magda hybrid Lebanese-style Zucchini (bred in France)
Sweet Zuke - a look-alike to the above in dark green - you need a knife for harvest to prevent broken fruits.
Zephyr hybrid - a remarkable summer squash from Johnny's with a little winter squash heritage
Precious II hybrid yellow straightneck squash
Ogen (Ha-Ogen, Israel) melon. I sent some of these seeds to a guy in the Midwest recently. He says that Ha-Ogen is an Israeli Kibbutz. He's been there. He was excited.
Trocadero hybrid Charentais melon
Cool Breeze hybrid gherkin
Diva hybrid cucumber
Both the above cucumbers are "burpless" all-female varieties. If not pollinated, they bear seedless cucumbers. Cool Breeze is a bumpy little European pickling type. Dive is a Middle-Eastern Beit-Alpha type.
Nero di Toscano kale - a tall, dark kale
Piricicaba broccoli - named after a river in Brazil. Heat-tolerant with thin, sweet stems.
I'll have to order some Sweet Success cucumbers for Mom. They're her favorite.
I found a Utah seed supplier with a Utah heirloom tomato called, "Purple Passion". It came from Kayesville. Early for an heirloom beefsteak type. Think I'll order some seeds for next year.
Orchard Supply had heirloom tomato plants in stock last week. An Anna Russian (oxheart) went to David's parents. I have a Cherokee Purple and a Caspian Pink. I'm going to try grafting in a Big Beef rootstock to see if it makes a difference as far as disease resistancce and vigor. I killed my Porter Dark Pink Cherry somehow.
Today, I sent Mom seeds so that she would be ready to plant after Mother's Day - the typical safe date where she is:
Fortex pole beans
Magda hybrid Lebanese-style Zucchini (bred in France)
Sweet Zuke - a look-alike to the above in dark green - you need a knife for harvest to prevent broken fruits.
Zephyr hybrid - a remarkable summer squash from Johnny's with a little winter squash heritage
Precious II hybrid yellow straightneck squash
Ogen (Ha-Ogen, Israel) melon. I sent some of these seeds to a guy in the Midwest recently. He says that Ha-Ogen is an Israeli Kibbutz. He's been there. He was excited.
Trocadero hybrid Charentais melon
Cool Breeze hybrid gherkin
Diva hybrid cucumber
Both the above cucumbers are "burpless" all-female varieties. If not pollinated, they bear seedless cucumbers. Cool Breeze is a bumpy little European pickling type. Dive is a Middle-Eastern Beit-Alpha type.
Nero di Toscano kale - a tall, dark kale
Piricicaba broccoli - named after a river in Brazil. Heat-tolerant with thin, sweet stems.
I'll have to order some Sweet Success cucumbers for Mom. They're her favorite.
I found a Utah seed supplier with a Utah heirloom tomato called, "Purple Passion". It came from Kayesville. Early for an heirloom beefsteak type. Think I'll order some seeds for next year.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Tomatoes in the ground, other garden news
We finally got the last of the tomato plants in the ground. We've had high winds lately, with a low of 34 degrees last night.
tomato varieties
This year, we planted Big Beef as our main beefsteak - heat-resistant and disease-resistant. Territorial says it stores better than most after harvest.
We also have Better Boy, one Beefmaster (a really big beefsteak), a Bush Early Girl, Celebrity, one Champion - an indeterminate cousin of Celebrity, a SunSugar cherry (couldn't find Sun Gold Hybrid -standard for flavor in a cherry tomato - locally), a Brandywine from David's Mom and a Mighty Tom grafted tomato - it is growing on two rootstocks - one is grafted in. David's Mom bought several plants this year because she wanted to try them. David's brother accidentally took them all home to the mountains. I bought one (pricey) to try it for her, and to investigate how the grafting is done. F. wanted us to plant a variety he got from a friend. We call it the "Mystery Tomato". He brought a dozen plants. We gave most of them away. We have one white eggplant in among the tomatoes, It doesn't seem too happy about the cold, windy weather. It may perk up in the heat this weekend.
Some tomato varieties which sounded good this year, from comments by the tomato fanatics on GardenWeb and elsewhere, included the heirlooms Marianna's Peace (pink), Neves Azorean Red, Stump of the World, Mexican (beefsteak) and Eva's Purple Ball or Rose de Bern (at least in cooler climates than ours) for a smaller tomato. Cherokee Purple and many other dusky tomatores should be picked when the shoulders are still green for best flavor. Pruden's Purple (pink like Brandywine) is said to be a good early heirloom.
A newer Japanese tomato which gets raves is Momorato. Among cherry tomatoes, favorites (besides Sun Gold and SunSugar) were Black Cherry, Green Grape, Yellow Submarine ( a pear tomato) and Sweet Quartz, which is dark pink. It's from Japan - like the famous Sun Gold. Sweet Quartz is a hybrid with multiple disease resistance.
Heartland, a dwarf indeterminate, sounded like a good choice for limited space gardening. Gold Nugget is an early determinate cherry tomato. Green Grape is also determinate, but is a later tomato. Small Fry, a red determinate cherry, tastes nasty. Glacier and Cosmonaut Volkov are recommended for setting well at cool temperatures. Oregon Spring sets nearly seedless fruit early in the season - not one for hot climates, though.
I like Fourth of July hybrid for a really early tomato, and it keeps going in our summer heat. I didn't start any plants from seed this year. It's said to be somewhat tolerant of nematodes. I may also have to start plants from seed next year to get some disease-resistant plum tomatoes which are good as salad tomatoes - not just for sauce and cooking. Classica is one variety to try. Those in cooler climates may want to try Orange Banana for exceptional flavor in a sauce tomato, though it is reportedly susceptible to blossom end rot.
Comments on your favorites are welcome.
This year's tomato-growing system
We planted our tomato plants about 30 inches apart in two rows, surrounded by field fencing (upside down) which is supported about 6 inches off the ground with t-bars. It has "holes" big enough to stick your hand through and pull out a big tomato. This system worked out well last year. Much less work than staking, and the extra foliage protects the fruit from sunburn. You could also make the field fencing into individual cages - 18 to 24 inches across is recommended for indeterminate varieties. Plan on at least 60 inches of fencing for each cage. We had to buy a 330 foot roll of the field fencing. We've given some away. It's about 4 feet tall. It is marketed for people keeping cows, etc. in fields. The bottom rows of wire are closer together to discourage small animals, I guess. If you don't mind rust, concrete reinforcing wire is a little taller and thicker. It doesn't require as much staking. The other recommended support systems include hog or cattle panels (on two sides to make a "hedge") and "Texas Tomato Cages" - Pricey.
Other Crops
F. has planted his favorite winter squashes from Mexico again this year. We find the seedlings everywhere. He gave away dozens of winter squash last year to friends. I think it's kind of nice for a guy with essentially no possessions to be able to give something away. One volunteer squash under the Texas Everbearing fig tree already has a female blossom on it.
We're trying to discourage him from growing onions this year. He's never been really successful at it (he thinks he should "hill up" all kinds of plants), and our water is too expensive.
Fruit Trees
A darling little stray puppy we're trying to place in a home seems to have girdled my little Flavor Grenade Pluot tree right at the bud union. He's teething. The next few days will tell. He also damaged the Geo Pride tree. Temperatures are supposed to go into the 90s over the weekend, which will be a stress test. I wrapped the damaged areas with flexible tape.
The folks at GardenWeb love both these newer varieties of Pluots. Flavor Grenade is said to be a weak tree, and mine is on Citatation, a dwarfing rootstock. It has not grown nearly as vigorously as the Geo Pride planted next to it at the same time. If it doesn't survive, I'll get one on a more vigorous rootstock. It's discouraging to think about losing the tree, though. Both trees were loaded with fruit this spring. Flavor Supreme Pluot, incidentally, is good on Citation because it reduces the vigor of the tree somewhat. Flavor King, another weak tree, should go on a more vigorous rootstock.
I'm still thinning other fruits. A big job this year, most trees have at least some fruit. Even Blenheim apricots, despite the rainy spring and blossom rot. The Flavor Delight Apriums are sizing up.
I am losing my Moorpark and Golden Amber apricot trees on the North side. Probably not enough air circulation. Moorpark is marginal for winter chill here, and the fruit gets pitburn in the heat, like Blenheim. Stark Sweetheart needs too much winter chill for our climate, I need to graft in something else. A gopher may have killed my Celeste fig. Maybe I'll get an Excel - better suited to our climate.
Flowers, fall-planted lettuce
The prettiest noxious weed ever, Mexican Evening Primrose, is in full bloom. Fragrant Evening Primrose, tap-rooted, looks like a good choice for dry areas where an invasive plant would be a problem. It's fragrant at night.
The roses are in full bloom - Just Joey, Helen Traubel and Double Dellight. One of the "Peace" variants - which one I can't remember. Also the big David Austin "English Rose" bushes in the back yard. Thornless 'Iceberg' is almost always in bloom. Scabiosia Butterfly Blue kept going all winter. It is now joined in one spot by a trailing verbena in a darker shade of purple and Mexican Evening Primrose, edged by a row of Francisco's ruffly lettuce. Quite a nice picture. I don't have any idea what we're going to do with all that lettuce all over the yard. One plant is already bolting. I was hoping that he had planned to give some of it away.
tomato varieties
This year, we planted Big Beef as our main beefsteak - heat-resistant and disease-resistant. Territorial says it stores better than most after harvest.
We also have Better Boy, one Beefmaster (a really big beefsteak), a Bush Early Girl, Celebrity, one Champion - an indeterminate cousin of Celebrity, a SunSugar cherry (couldn't find Sun Gold Hybrid -standard for flavor in a cherry tomato - locally), a Brandywine from David's Mom and a Mighty Tom grafted tomato - it is growing on two rootstocks - one is grafted in. David's Mom bought several plants this year because she wanted to try them. David's brother accidentally took them all home to the mountains. I bought one (pricey) to try it for her, and to investigate how the grafting is done. F. wanted us to plant a variety he got from a friend. We call it the "Mystery Tomato". He brought a dozen plants. We gave most of them away. We have one white eggplant in among the tomatoes, It doesn't seem too happy about the cold, windy weather. It may perk up in the heat this weekend.
Some tomato varieties which sounded good this year, from comments by the tomato fanatics on GardenWeb and elsewhere, included the heirlooms Marianna's Peace (pink), Neves Azorean Red, Stump of the World, Mexican (beefsteak) and Eva's Purple Ball or Rose de Bern (at least in cooler climates than ours) for a smaller tomato. Cherokee Purple and many other dusky tomatores should be picked when the shoulders are still green for best flavor. Pruden's Purple (pink like Brandywine) is said to be a good early heirloom.
A newer Japanese tomato which gets raves is Momorato. Among cherry tomatoes, favorites (besides Sun Gold and SunSugar) were Black Cherry, Green Grape, Yellow Submarine ( a pear tomato) and Sweet Quartz, which is dark pink. It's from Japan - like the famous Sun Gold. Sweet Quartz is a hybrid with multiple disease resistance.
Heartland, a dwarf indeterminate, sounded like a good choice for limited space gardening. Gold Nugget is an early determinate cherry tomato. Green Grape is also determinate, but is a later tomato. Small Fry, a red determinate cherry, tastes nasty. Glacier and Cosmonaut Volkov are recommended for setting well at cool temperatures. Oregon Spring sets nearly seedless fruit early in the season - not one for hot climates, though.
I like Fourth of July hybrid for a really early tomato, and it keeps going in our summer heat. I didn't start any plants from seed this year. It's said to be somewhat tolerant of nematodes. I may also have to start plants from seed next year to get some disease-resistant plum tomatoes which are good as salad tomatoes - not just for sauce and cooking. Classica is one variety to try. Those in cooler climates may want to try Orange Banana for exceptional flavor in a sauce tomato, though it is reportedly susceptible to blossom end rot.
Comments on your favorites are welcome.
This year's tomato-growing system
We planted our tomato plants about 30 inches apart in two rows, surrounded by field fencing (upside down) which is supported about 6 inches off the ground with t-bars. It has "holes" big enough to stick your hand through and pull out a big tomato. This system worked out well last year. Much less work than staking, and the extra foliage protects the fruit from sunburn. You could also make the field fencing into individual cages - 18 to 24 inches across is recommended for indeterminate varieties. Plan on at least 60 inches of fencing for each cage. We had to buy a 330 foot roll of the field fencing. We've given some away. It's about 4 feet tall. It is marketed for people keeping cows, etc. in fields. The bottom rows of wire are closer together to discourage small animals, I guess. If you don't mind rust, concrete reinforcing wire is a little taller and thicker. It doesn't require as much staking. The other recommended support systems include hog or cattle panels (on two sides to make a "hedge") and "Texas Tomato Cages" - Pricey.
Other Crops
F. has planted his favorite winter squashes from Mexico again this year. We find the seedlings everywhere. He gave away dozens of winter squash last year to friends. I think it's kind of nice for a guy with essentially no possessions to be able to give something away. One volunteer squash under the Texas Everbearing fig tree already has a female blossom on it.
We're trying to discourage him from growing onions this year. He's never been really successful at it (he thinks he should "hill up" all kinds of plants), and our water is too expensive.
Fruit Trees
A darling little stray puppy we're trying to place in a home seems to have girdled my little Flavor Grenade Pluot tree right at the bud union. He's teething. The next few days will tell. He also damaged the Geo Pride tree. Temperatures are supposed to go into the 90s over the weekend, which will be a stress test. I wrapped the damaged areas with flexible tape.
The folks at GardenWeb love both these newer varieties of Pluots. Flavor Grenade is said to be a weak tree, and mine is on Citatation, a dwarfing rootstock. It has not grown nearly as vigorously as the Geo Pride planted next to it at the same time. If it doesn't survive, I'll get one on a more vigorous rootstock. It's discouraging to think about losing the tree, though. Both trees were loaded with fruit this spring. Flavor Supreme Pluot, incidentally, is good on Citation because it reduces the vigor of the tree somewhat. Flavor King, another weak tree, should go on a more vigorous rootstock.
I'm still thinning other fruits. A big job this year, most trees have at least some fruit. Even Blenheim apricots, despite the rainy spring and blossom rot. The Flavor Delight Apriums are sizing up.
I am losing my Moorpark and Golden Amber apricot trees on the North side. Probably not enough air circulation. Moorpark is marginal for winter chill here, and the fruit gets pitburn in the heat, like Blenheim. Stark Sweetheart needs too much winter chill for our climate, I need to graft in something else. A gopher may have killed my Celeste fig. Maybe I'll get an Excel - better suited to our climate.
Flowers, fall-planted lettuce
The prettiest noxious weed ever, Mexican Evening Primrose, is in full bloom. Fragrant Evening Primrose, tap-rooted, looks like a good choice for dry areas where an invasive plant would be a problem. It's fragrant at night.
The roses are in full bloom - Just Joey, Helen Traubel and Double Dellight. One of the "Peace" variants - which one I can't remember. Also the big David Austin "English Rose" bushes in the back yard. Thornless 'Iceberg' is almost always in bloom. Scabiosia Butterfly Blue kept going all winter. It is now joined in one spot by a trailing verbena in a darker shade of purple and Mexican Evening Primrose, edged by a row of Francisco's ruffly lettuce. Quite a nice picture. I don't have any idea what we're going to do with all that lettuce all over the yard. One plant is already bolting. I was hoping that he had planned to give some of it away.
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