first tomato!

Gus

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Jun 17, 2013, 8:44:20 PM6/17/13

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It's only the size of small plum but still-- first tomato! It turned red
mostly the last couple days suddenly and thought I better pick it before the
squirrel.

So far,

humans 1
squirrels 0

Higgs Boson

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Jun 17, 2013, 11:34:12 PM6/17/13

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Dern it, my "first" is still blushing; too soon. Should be ready in a week or so. I am firmly secular, but when harvesting first fruits, I do recite the appropriate prayer.

(But on the plus side, my dwarf Washington orange has made its first adorable baby! Last year I had about 12 of the most delicious oranges EVER. In this area, we pick in January/February +-.

WHERE ARE YOU?

HB

Where are you?

HB

Gus

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Jun 18, 2013, 10:11:25 AM6/18/13

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"Higgs Boson" <hypa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c7e43133-36f9-4a1c...@googlegroups.com...

OVER HERE.

> HB
>
> Where are you?

Midwest US, Louisville.

Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

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Jun 18, 2013, 5:08:49 PM6/18/13

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I pick mine when they just start to turn blushy looking. One year I didn't
get one good tomato due to varmints getting them, so now I don't wait and
put them in my kitchen window to ripen. I've got a few small ones, too,
about the size of large plums. I'm looking forward to the larger tomatoes
when they finally put on fruit!

--
Natural Girl

Gus

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Jun 18, 2013, 7:44:35 PM6/18/13

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"Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl" <a...@itseasyas.123.Isampleitdoreme> wrote in
message news:kpqi8r$f8p$1...@news.albasani.net...

I got quite a few from only about 4-5 plants last year, but the year before
the varmints took them all! It was very disappointing. I got so mad I
ended up pulling up the tomato plants that year... I am trying the vinegar
soaked socks on the wood stakes strategy again. It seemed to work pretty
well last year.

Higgs Boson

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Jun 19, 2013, 1:25:47 AM6/19/13

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Inquiring minds need to know: Were you able to discern any difference in taste between vine ripened and kitchen window ripened?

HB

Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

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Jun 19, 2013, 11:49:50 AM6/19/13

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Vinegar socks? hmmm Haven't tried that one yet.

I've got some chocolate mint planted that has come back all around where I
planted some of my patio tomatoes. I'm hoping the thieves don't notice the
tomatoes because of the mint being there.

--
Natural Girl

Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

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Jun 19, 2013, 11:54:38 AM6/19/13

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I didn't notice any difference in the taste, but ever since the year where
the garden thieves took EVERY tomato I had, I've been pulling them as soon
as I see them begin to turn and I let them ripen the rest of the way in my
kitchen window. They taste REALLY good.

--
Natural Girl

Gus

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Jun 19, 2013, 12:03:56 PM6/19/13

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"Higgs Boson" <hypa...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:c6cf85b2-e864-4007...@googlegroups.com...

Speaking for myself, not too much. Vine ripened is best, but window ripened
out of a garden still beats grocery store by quite a bit.

Gus

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Jun 19, 2013, 12:07:22 PM6/19/13

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"Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl" <a...@itseasyas.123.Isampleitdoreme> wrote in

message news:kpsju0$439$1...@news.albasani.net...

> Gus wrote:
>> "Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl" <a...@itseasyas.123.Isampleitdoreme>
>> wrote in message news:kpqi8r$f8p$1...@news.albasani.net...
>>> Gus wrote:
>>>> It's only the size of small plum but still-- first tomato! It
>>>> turned red mostly the last couple days suddenly and thought I
>>>> better pick it before the squirrel.
>>>>
>>>> So far,
>>>>
>>>> humans 1
>>>> squirrels 0
>>>
>>> I pick mine when they just start to turn blushy looking. One year I
>>> didn't get one good tomato due to varmints getting them, so now I
>>> don't wait and put them in my kitchen window to ripen. I've got a
>>> few small ones, too, about the size of large plums. I'm looking
>>> forward to the larger tomatoes when they finally put on fruit!
>>>
>>> --
>>> Natural Girl
>>
>> I got quite a few from only about 4-5 plants last year, but the year
>> before the varmints took them all! It was very disappointing. I got
>> so mad I ended up pulling up the tomato plants that year... I am
>> trying the vinegar soaked socks on the wood stakes strategy again. It
>> seemed to work pretty well last year.
>
> Vinegar socks? hmmm Haven't tried that one yet.

I happened to notice it on the back of a bottle of vinegar from Kroger last
year. It was listing all the uses for vinegar and one was to keep away
garden pests. It says to stake the perimeter with vinegar soaked rags about
every 7-10 days. It seems to work, at least for a while. I put some socks
on the tomato stakes. After it rains I put some vinegar on the socks, or
about once a week.

Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

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Jun 19, 2013, 12:19:21 PM6/19/13

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I might give it a try soon if I see that I'm losing tomatoes again.

--
Natural Girl