I am just about finished tearing the garden down now. I finally got all the wire and line removed from the Tomato section and started pulling up all the stakes from other rows and such. I still need to take up the bean and cucumber trellis and fish all the sheet metal covers out and then brush hog the entire thing and burn the remaining stalks and vines.
I never have gotten a straight 100% answer from anyone about Tomato vines being poisonous or not. For every reference or person who says they are there are just as many who say they are not. I guess I just won't risk it though.
The Tobacco is still blooming and I went around to collect some seeds from them today. I will occasionally see a bee working the Tobacco blooms but for the most part only the Hummingbirds really went to town on them and they are long gone now.
The blooms dry up into these little pods that I think look a lot like rosebuds, only brown of course. You then can just pick a "bud" and roll it between your fingers and let the little seeds fall into a packet. There are hundreds of the seeds in each bud.
The Tobacco plants do a good job of keeping a number of pests, including the dreaded Hornworms, off my Tomatoes and seem to attract hummingbirds so well I just keep planting them.
Hard to believe it but I am still getting Tomatoes.
They are barely kymber sized but edible. Someday I should actually look into doing something with all the green tomatoes we have left over in the Fall but I never seem to get around to it. There is just always too much else to do this time of year.
Perhaps someday if this decline reverses itself I can buy a bit of retirement sand down South and just write about how I did it back in the day (or wish I had). Of course it will have to be on my own retirement money not the taxpayer's dime. Right now however I got to get the Winter preps done and all those little things that come up with a sustainable homestead. It seems like every step I get finished two more brush fires pop up before I can move on to the next project.
Anyway lunchtime is over back to work.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
green tomatoes: pickle them. Or fry them.
ReplyDeletedo you do anything to rectify the soil after planting tobacco? It's very hard on the soil.
fjord - I know I know. I have all the recipes to take care of the green ones. I just don't have the time or energy come Fall. Too much other stuff to get done right now so I never get around to picking em etc.
DeleteI add about 50+ wheelbarrows full of Sheep manure infused barn waste (old straw, hay etc.) onto the garden every year. Some years twice. Then most of the wood ash from my stove goes on it as well which takes care of most of the trace elements and lime. I only grow maybe 5 to 10 plants a year though. Maybe some years up to 20 but I put them in as companion plants for the tomatoes and it keeps most of the bugs off the maters.
PP,
ReplyDeleteFried green tomatoes......YUM!!!!
I still can't get over how small tobacco seeds are. I have an envelope full, and didn't get around to planting them.....maybe next year.
I'm ticked, we live outside of town and still must get approval from the town to have bees. They advised we have to get approved by the local town and need to have another 8 foot fence across the front of the house. This just totally rots!!!! I'm not going to install a solid 8 foot solid fence across the front of the house since we rent this place. My eyes are seeing $$$$$$, if this place was mine I wouldn't hesitate but it's not. Grrrrrr.......$$%%^&*&^%$###
Sandy - I know a lot of people are fond of fried green tomatoes. Never have been a favorite of mine but in a crunch I would sure eat em. Also pickled green tomatoes etc. I should really do something about all those green tomatoes but there is just so much on my plate right now. Next week I need to start Winterizing the hives too.
DeleteI can't understand why you would ahve to get approval if you don't live inside the city limits. Each state is different of course though. One reason I like Missouri the taxes are not the lowest but outside of the major cities and populated counties they mostly leave the landowners alone. It's creeping our way though.
I always wanted to grow tobacco but they don't sell seed around here even though we are a few miles from what was a major tobacco growing area. It would be nice to grow for the hummingbirds. Our tomatoes are done for but we finally got a good late crop so no complaints and the next year seed is stored on paper in an old coffee can. I also have too much to do to fool with them now.
ReplyDeleteSf - I will send you some seeds!!! Not sure my seeds are pure anymore as I started with three different varieties and they all got cross pollinated though.
DeleteI need to clear out my tomatoes as well - best year I've ever had with them. I've read somewhere (although I don't know where) that the vines are poisonous as they're from the nightshade family.
ReplyDeleteGreen tomato chutney is always nice on a cheese sandwich.
Kev - We had a so so Tomato year. Of course I have yet to have a bad Tomato year and even a so so one produced more Tomatoes than we could use. I have read they are poisonous too and yet Tomato leaves are often used in recipes.
DeleteIf it were only my sheep I would turn em out in there but my Mother swears they are poisonous and says she doesn't want her sheep out there.
With a late frost, we are way behind on tomatoes this year so they are almost all green still. Salsa is where they will go, but for now I'm still letting them grow as it's been a really warm fall so far.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of tomato vines being poisonous but thanks for making me think twice about adding them to the compost this year.
Max - Well they are listed as poisonous at several university links but as I said I know of plenty of people who have fed the vines with no ill effects. I suspect they maybe like Alfalfa or other plants in that the quantity can be over done and cause issues.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteHere is the voice of experience about tomato vines. Every year when they quit producing and it is time to pull and prep for fall, I pull the vines and feed them to sheep, goats, and pigs. ALL relish the vines and only the coarsest stems are left. Never had a sick animal from feeding the vines.
Grew Japanese Trifele Black tomatoes this year and they did well for me. But the first cold snap they quit producing completely. Scrumptious tomatoes though and well worth growing.
Winston
Winston - Japanese Black Truffles are my ultimate favorite Tomato. I grow about 25 vines of them each year. I love them!!!
DeleteI know you are correct. As I said I suspect it may only be possible to harm a critter with Tomato vines if they eat lab rat quantities but since I have a few of my Mothers sheep mixed in right now and she would freak I am just going to let it go. I appreciate you telling me though because that's what I want to do myself. When it is just my girls I am feeding I will go ahead and do it.
What type of Tobacco is that you are growing?
ReplyDelete