Zenbaas's Gardening Thread (Picture "heavy" Thread)

[PlainJane]

If you have space next year try Daniel Burson. It’s knocked out Carbon as my favorite black variety and it’s a healthier plant.

[Zenbaas]

If you have space next year try Daniel Burson. It’s knocked out Carbon as my favorite black variety and it’s a healthier plant.

Thanks. I'll definitely add it to my list. I was also going to grow Black from Tula but I couldn't get any of my seeds going.

That said I have enough keeping me busy at the moment

[Zenbaas]

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This was supposed to be Black Beauty which it obviously isn't. I though it could be orange favourite due to the trusses and similar shape but as it's ripening with green shoulders it is VERY pink which you can't see well in the picture. I'm thinking cross but it's quite interesting so far.

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Peppers.

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SGT Peppers

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Black beauty

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Russian 117

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Orange favourite

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GGWT

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BRAD'S Atomic grape. Have had a handful of these and so far I find them very nice. Skin isn't too thick and if I can manage to wait I would like to try ones that have ripened a bit further.

[Zenbaas]

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OR117

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RUSSIAN117

[Zenbaas]

Pictures are from two seperate harvests and canning sessions. Used the mastication juicer to seperate the juice from the pulp and canned both separately using the pressure canner.

Blight is really killing everything at an exponential rate and the constant rain is making things challenging.

Trying to preserve as much as I can without wasting and gifting to neighbours and friends.

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[worth1]

I can't express in words how nice this all looks.

[Zenbaas]

I can't express in words how nice this all looks.

Thank you Worth. It's been a lot of fun like always. Next up is some Tomato Jam with some of the different varieties.

[MissS]

It's so nice to see all of your hard work paying off. I hope that your season lasts a little longer for you too.

[Zenbaas]

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Beautiful OR117. Really love the colours.

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Last of the tomatoes for the season and incidentally also the biggest one. Over 2lbs (Rainbow)

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6 bottles pizza sauce, 5 bottles tomato apple chutney and all the gold lids are tomato juice once again. (750ml bottles).

[Zenbaas]

Pickled some Chinese string eggplant today. Will give them a taste in a week or so.

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Also pickled some peppadews as I planted 5 bushes beginning of the season. It's a constant supply of these little peppers. Also made some peppadew chutney.

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[foxtailferns]

I love all of your photos! I'm growing Chinese String for the first time this year. I'm really interested to see how it does here.

[Zenbaas]

I love all of your photos! I'm growing Chinese String for the first time this year. I'm really interested to see how it does here.

They do take quite a while before they get going but they produce a lot! How many are you planning on planting..?

[foxtailferns]

I love all of your photos! I'm growing Chinese String for the first time this year. I'm really interested to see how it does here.

They do take quite a while before they get going but they produce a lot! How many are you planning on planting..?

My space is pretty small so maybe 3-4. I've only grown our common Black Beauty eggplant in the past but I was drawn to the idea of not needing to peel or seed this type. It doesn't hurt that it's such a pretty variety!

[Zenbaas]

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I've now officially finished the last of my tomato juice and have to say I'm somewhat depressed. For the first time I can say I enjoyed it immensely. Me and my two boys had it almost daily. I'll make a point of canning even more this season and making more pasta/pizza sauce as well.

I found out way too late that leaving the "flesh" in a colander afterwards removed a ton more juice/water and also greatly reduced the time necessary for reducing the tomato sauce or paste.

I've taken a bit of a gamble and started some seeds. After last season I'm very keen to grow more big rainbow and SGT peppers. Also got hold of Thornburns terracotta and black cherry since last year I only gre one cherry variety. I've been trying to source some sungold F1 but wow what a pain to get them shipped internationally.

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[WoodSprite]

Wow!!!! I am amazed by what you created. It all looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

[GoDawgs]

I love all of your photos! I'm growing Chinese String for the first time this year. I'm really interested to see how it does here.

They do take quite a while before they get going but they produce a lot! How many are you planning on planting..?

@Zenbaas and @foxtailferns , I'm interested in hearing about how both of you liked the Chinese String. Yep, it does take a bit longer to get going but then starts kicking them out fairly fast. It seems that every time I'd turn around there were more ready. Love the creamy texture!

[GoDawgs]

Pickled some Chinese string eggplant today. Will give them a taste in a week or so.

Did you like the result? If so, it never hurts to have more eggplant recipes when growing Chinese String.

[Zenbaas]

Pickled some Chinese string eggplant today. Will give them a taste in a week or so.

Did you like the result? If so, it never hurts to have more eggplant recipes when growing Chinese String.

Yes I thought they tasted pretty good. It's something you would have to play around with when it comes to firmness etc. I would have liked them to be a bit softer.

[Zenbaas]

Just wanted to say hi. Haven't been active for quite a while as I had two horrible seasons behind me with nothing positive to show.

For two year now my tomatoes seemed to have had every possible disease /virus /whatever. No amount of spraying or treating it had been able to help. Haven't had a heirloom tomato since my last posts just about.

This year I have decided to fully focus on my soil health with the aim of the good bacteria/fungi outweighing the bad ones.

Soooo.... Thick mulching on all my garden beds and weekly feeding with JADAM Microbial solutions and then spraying the LABS (lactic acid bacteria serum).

I've also been fertilizing with some homemade Fish Hydrolysate and made a few of the Jadam inputs as well for pest control.

Busy with KNF (Korean natural farming) at the moment as well.

So far the worst of the disease (mosiac virus and verticulim wilt - I Think) haven't reared their ugly heads just yet. It's early days but the garden is looking great.

More lush and vibrant so something is definitely working. Just praying it stays this way.

[PlainJane]

Am sorry to hear it’s been such a struggle. Rooting with you for a turnaround!