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What is it with volunteer plants? I have a giant sunflower in my backyard that nobody planted. I started mowing around it in the spring and now it's this 10-foot multi-headed monster. It's really cool.

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Maybe we should ask those guys on the evolution thread?

Seriously, I think it has to do with natural selection... something about the best seeds making it to the next year. The funny thing is with that marigold plant - I have a second volunteer marigold from the same orginal plant from last year - and it came out dwarfed! Weirdest thing I have ever seen.... When it's light again I'll get some pictures posted of both plants.

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RAIN!!! WE GOT RAIN!!!

Okay, not much rain, but more is promised. It's muggy outside so I decided to clean the refrigerator.

A funny okra story:

When we lived in North Carolina and had the big garden, our TC told us he loved okra. So, being the kind soul that I am, I decided to grow some for him. I'm from the midwest originally and had NO idea what okra looked like on the plant, so I carefully picked the first oblong things I saw and brought them to him. Being a true southern gentleman, he told me they were delicious the next time he saw us.

A couple weeks later, I noticed that one of those oblong things was ......BLOOMING! I had picked all the flower buds and given them to him.

WG

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That is one great looking pepper plant, too.

We got more rain last night. Went out this morning and yanked weeds for a couple hours until we are exhausted. I have some dandy Roma tomato plants. One has 33 baby green tomatoes on it . If nothing else, I will be making sauce in a week or two. we weeded the squash too, found several bby zucchinis and yellow squash.

WG

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Someone need rain?? I don't doubt it. We got all yours and most everyone else's too. Here in Ok we had 36 days of rain. My garden rotted. The tomato plants, loaded with blooms, couldn't get pollinated cause no bees out, and the rain kept washing the pollen out of the blooms! Then they rotted. Have 3 left out of 11! Zuchinni survived, course I don't eat that. Never plant more than two, and you only need the other one for a backup. Cantalope tons o blooms... no pollanation.

Last year it was third year of drought.... half the state was burning.... now we're 10" above normal rain and the lakes are 30' above normal.

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Al, my mom had a summer with rain and no bees. Now she loved zucchini so she got a little paintbrush and went from flower to flower, hand pollinating the Zukes. I expect it would work with about anything.

I thought I heard something on TV lkast week or read it or something that honeybees are dying off of some mysterious cause. I haven't seen as many but have plenty of other kinds to deal with.

It's been a weird summer....

WG

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Speaking of volunteers,

My in-laws tell a tale of a neighbor of theirs back in the 1950s who became displeased with his front lawn.

He tilled it under and amended it with top soil that he obtained at a bargain price.

According to their recollection, in no time at all he had a beautiful, thick front lawn-----------of nothing besides cherry tomatoes!

Now, I like cherry tomatoes---------------------HOWEVER-----------------!

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That is one great looking pepper plant, too.

Thanks!! I love peppers!

I heard a recipe today for zucchini pie that is supposed to taste just like apple pie... You just substitute peeled and seeded zucchini for the apples. Haven't tried it, but I'm sure it would work.

My folks used to make bread and butter zucchini pickles when I was little. They were great, and for a long time I thought all pickles were made from zucchini.

But, hey, this could become an entire thread on its own - What to do with all the darn zucchini!!

Maybe we do need a gardening forum.

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A friend of mine just sent her husband over with a bag of zucchini and squash their neighbor gave them and she doesn't know what to do with! I'm going to make zucchini bread and Grandma's zippy zucchini - oh baby, that's good eatin!

I gave them a half dozen roma tomatoes and at least that many bell peppers, a dozen or 15 jalapeno peppers and a handful of Hershey kisses. Ooh la la - I love harvest time!!!

I also picked 4 eggplants this week - but my friend asked me not to send any over! Tee hee

I'll post the recipes over the next day or so - I think it's a grand idea to share zucchini recipes!

I've never made pickles of any kind - interesting idea!

I'm wondering what dooj does with zucchini!

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Ok, BOWTWI....

Tell me HOW you got those eggplants to GROW in the Midwest. I have tried for two years and have only gotten ONE really tiny (almost the size of an apple) eggplant.

I love eggplant... but I can't seem to grow it worth a darn!

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Mr. Garden's simple but good zucchini skillet:

3 zucchini about 6 - 8 inches long, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

3 yellow squash, same size, same slice

1 Vidalia onion, sliced thin and separated into rings

3 big fresh tomatoes or more if you like, cut into wedges

fresh (hopefully) basil to taste, I like about a tablespoon if it's fresh and minced.

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Olive oil or butter

warm oil or butter over medium heat. Add squash, onion, garlic and sautee. Add tomatoes and cover; reduce heat and cook until veggies are desired doneness. Garnish with basil leaves.

You can also sprinkle cheese on top if you like. I like my veggies tender-crisp.

My favorite summer meal:

Grilled burgers

fresh sweet corn

about 10 or so sliced homegrown tomatoes.

Come to think of it if you don't have the burgers or corn, you can still be happy!

WG

Edited by Watered Garden
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TOMATO HORN WORMS!!!!!

My next door neighbor got back from vacation and his tomato plants and the tomatoes had been decimated by a huge tomato horn worm. I looked, and sure enough both my volunteers have been attacked, the best one is halfway gone and we found four of the little bas**rds on it. I sprayed with Sevin Dust and wonder if anyone out there has any tips for killing/preventing these gobbling monsters?

WG

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Well my demo shade house bit the dust. We had a string of storms pass through Friday afternoon with VERY strong gusts and sideways rain. I checked the site Saturday and the whole thing had collapsed. It missed the beds of lettuce I had started so it wasn't a total loss but now I have to decide to replace or upgrade...such perplexing problems eh?

Sigh...

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Sorry to hear all the gardening problems...

But I have a tomato that is almost ready to pick!! And okra that are finally ready!

Must be that new garden gnome on the porch....

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Well we actually got a good bit of rain the past couple of days. I went out and picked about a dozen Romas and a few smaller round ones, Better Boys I think. I have not been impressed with the Better Boys this year, but then they were hard to find at the nurseries. My Celebrities are looking better, and I think I have an heirloom tomato, a Mr. Stripy, that's going to do all right. My grandson eats tomatoes like candy!

I think I am going to get all the green tomatoes off the plant that was attacked by hornworms and let them ripen in the kitchen, then pull the plant out, as it isn't looking too good. But things are looking up in Garden's garden!

WG

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  • 2 weeks later...

I made this salsa the other day - will be making more today. I'd never thought of sweet salsa before - I tripled the recipe, but only doubled the Splenda and it was delightful. Any more Splenda and I think it would have been too sweet. (I reduced the Splenda by 1/3.)

Splenda's Sweet Summer Salsa

4 cups chopped and peeled fresh tomatoes (I used romas)

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup Splenda granular

2 T chopped fresh basil or 1 t dried basil leaves

1/8 t black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine tomatoes, onion, red pepper, and green pepper. Stir in Splenda, basil, and black pepper. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place saucepan on a wire rack and let set 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon mixture into a covered container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Makes 3 full cups. Will keep up to a week.

1 T serving equals:

8 Calories + 0 gm Fat + 0 gm Protein +

2 gm Carbohydrate + 1 gm Sodium +

1 gm Calcium + 0 gm Fiber

Edited to change stiffing to stirring - LOL and to mention that I never posted my zippy zucchini recipe 'cause it's basically the same as what you posted, WG. Good stuff, eh! :biglaugh:

Edited by bowtwi
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Sounds interesting. Wouldn't you know it, Splenda comes on the scene, a diabetic's dream, and I'm allergic to it!

I always used serrano peppers and cilantro. It's basically the recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook with some heat thrown in and a bit more salt.

I completely agree Romas are the best when it comes to salsa.

Thanks for posting your recipe, Dot. Wish I could use it!

WG

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