Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Jun 27, 2008, at 9:20 PM, EarthNSky wrote:

> If you are worried about them on the ground, just lay something on the
> ground, or park a wheelbarrow or something...tomatoes, like all other
> vines, will find a way up and over...

I suspect I have tried about every way to get tomatoes up off the  
ground. This year and these tomatoes are just another experiment. So  
far, looks good. This particular soil has had the heaviest application  
of grass-leaf mulch over the years. Last year before I left I placed  
about eighteen inches on it. Just one more strong piece of evidence  
for the positive virtues of clean mulch.

In one of the main garden beds I have four tomatoes in cages. So  
that's my safety net. I won't use a lot of tomatoes this year. It  
probably does not make sense to freeze and haul tomato juice to  
Phoenix for cooking down to sauce. Maybe some.

Which starts a new train of thought. Rising energy prices will create  
motivation for new ways to reduce tomato juice to sauce. I have always  
cooked it down in the winter so that the heat and humidity helped  
house conditions. I have tried the technique of hanging it in a pillow  
case and letting much of the water drip free, but I think it adversely  
affects nutrients and flavor. The ideal is using a wood burner in the  
winter.

Haven't got a wood stove or heater in Phoenix.

Now feeling even more sorry for urbanites than usual.