About Catalogs | Bill Simpson | Bessemer Bend Stocks
Peppers - Squash |Tomato - Watermelon
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About Catalogs | Bill Simpson | Bessemer Bend Stocks |
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Peppers - Squash |Tomato - Watermelon |
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| This page: 2009 Planting Guide, When to Start Seed, When to Set Out | ||
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Wyogrow...where the tough get growing, by Fred Jacquot | |
| I have been an active adult gardener in the Casper area now for over 30 years. Back when I first started no one could tell a beginner what kind of carrots or tomatoes grew best here. Because I have been taking notes all these years, you can find out what plants do best in Wyoming on the 'vegetable varieties' pages, whose links are above. | ||
| Along with my partners Mark McAtee and Paul Combe I have done a lot of experimenting and research. You can find the results of this activity on these many pages. Please click on the links and start viewing our work. I think you will find that there is a huge amount of information available here for you. Enjoy! | ||
Below are a few links to some nice garden sites.
January 5, 2007
Tomatoes are the most popular vegatable grown in America's home gardens. They are THE big sales item for any greenhouse, and for any seed catalog. Flip open a catalog, and I guarantee that the biggest section will be the tomato section.
We gardening partners have been on a quest for the past umpteen years to increase our tomato production. With the discovery of Applause Tomato in 2008, we now feel confident that we can achieve our desired level of production. We grew 5 Applause Tomato plants in 2008. For 2009 we will grow between 28 and 33 Applause plants. We gave 3 plants to Bill Simpson in 2008 and he is also very impressed with Applause.
Starting two seasons ago, and now intensifying, is our search for tomatoes that offer superior taste. Right now we rate the tomatoes we grow by taste in the following descending order:
Black Krim
Black Plum
Red Lightning
Applause
Goliath
As I cruise through the 2009 catalogs, my focus is on getting tomatoes with superior taste. Readers should also note that while we plan to use Applause Tomato for production, it still rates pretty high on the taste scale. When you click to go to our Tomato-Watermelon page now you will discover some of these delicious tomato varieties that we are considering trialing in 2009.
December 17, 2007
I recently received some photos from Barry Franck. His place is the Westside Nursery on Coates Road, just south of Paradise Valley. This site has long recommended Park's Whopper Tomato. My partners and I trialed Whoppers years ago. Barry grows them in a big way. He starts and sells around a thousand of them each season. He also grows them pretty large there at his place. Here are some photos of Barry's Whopper Tomatoes, which are pretty convincing evidence that Whoppers are top notch tomatoes for Wyoming.
 May 31, 2008 Looking West |
 May 31, 2008 Looking North |
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 May 31, 2008 Looking East |
Note that Barry is planting in stacked truck tires. | |
 July 4, 2008 Looking West |
Some of Barry's Whoppers got over 6 feet tall. | |
 July 30, 2008 Looking East | >
 July 30, 2008 Looking North |
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 Sept. 6, 2008 Looking East |
 Sept. 6, 2008 Looking North |
December 21, 2007
When my mother, who is now 93, was growing up in Casper, one of the girls she played with had a mother who had emigrated from Holland. In the course of the years my mother obtained the recipe for a cake that Mrs. Ballard made. The recipe shows all signs of being much older than a hundred years. We have been making it for at least 70 years. The cake is egg-less and is never frosted. It is very dense and moist. Here is that recipe.
Ballard/Jacquot Dutch Apple Cake
Boil the following for 3 minutes:
Pieces from two regular apples: peeled, cored, quartered, cut into thirds the
long way and each third cut into five pieces.
2 cups of Raisins
2 cups of sugar
3 cups of Water
3/4 cup of Crisco or Lard
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Cloves
1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of Salt
.............
Let Cool until the mixture is comfortable on the inside skin of your wrist.
.............
Add 2 teaspoons of Baking Soda, mix in well
.............
Then add 3 cups of flour. Mix well and pour into a 12 inch
cake pan that has been greased and floured. Bake 45 minutes at 350 Degrees
Farenheit. Do not overbake.
I have modified the recipe to make it more acceptable for diabetics.
'Sugarless' Dutch Apple Cake
Boil the following for 3 minutes:
Pieces from two regular apples: peeled, cored, quartered, cut into thirds the
long way and each third cut into five pieces.
2 cups of Raisins
3 cups of Water
3/4 cup of Crisco or Lard
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Cloves
1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of Salt
.............
Let Cool until the mixture is comfortable on the inside skin of your wrist.
.............
Add 2 teaspoons of Baking Soda, mix in well
.............
Then add 1 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour, 1 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 2 cups of Splenda and 2 eggs. Mix well and pour into a 12 inch cake pan that has been greased and floured. Bake 45 minutes at 350 Degrees
Farenheit. Do not overbake.
December 16, 2007
Here is a link to 'Vertical Farming', by Bryan Walsh in the most recent issue of Time Magazine. I quote it below.
December 9, 2007
When I was growing up in the 1950s my mom made this incredible fudge during the holidays. Now I make it. Here is the recipe.
Million Dollar Fudge
Bring the following to a boil over medium heat and keep boiling until it reaches soft-ball stage.
1 can (12 oz.) of evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter (1/4 pound)
Soft ball is when you dribble some into a glass filled with cold water. With the water removed take the mixture onto you finger. If you can roll it up into a soft ball, it is ready. One other way to tell is that the mixture turns from white to a buttery color. At softball stage it will also have a different consistency as it boils. Instead of hundreds of tiny bubbles it will look more like the rippled surface of a brain.
At softball stage reduce heat to simmer. Then add:
1 pound of milk chocolate
1 pound of semi sweet chocolate
2 small jars (or one big one) of marshmallow cream
1 pound of nuts (optional)
Turn heat off. Stir well until fudge begins to hold shape. Pour out onto wax paper and let cool.
December 5, 2007
One tomato that we tried in 2008, which may have slipped under the radar of our faithful readers of these pages is Red Lightning. We tried it and liked it so much that we are going to let it replace the pear tomatoes that we normally grow each season. It has good looks and great flavor, with just the right amount of acid to give it that 'tomatoey' flavor. But it is small, with 2 to 3 times the size of a large pear tomato.
What the catalog does not say is very important.
We are in the catalog season. I have received some already, and will get a lot more in the next 4 weeks. I have found that catalogs have to be read very carefully. Let me give you an example. Here is the description of Big Bertha Pepper from the Totally Tomatoes Catalog:
We grew this pepper for a lot of years. So I can say with authority that everything in the above quote is accurate. But beware. The problem we always had with Big Bertha is that is has very thin walls. There is not much pepper in that pepper. A quick re-read of the description will reveal that Totally Tomatoes never said it did have thick walls. If you want thick walls on your pepper, you had better read the descriptions very carefully to make sure your seed supplier says the pepper has thick walls.
I love it when a description for a vegetable says that it is a 'vigorous grower'. If it does not mention how many fruit it produces, all you may get is a wonderful plant with not much fruit on it. You have to read carefully. The seed catalog will not lie, but it may omit.
December 2, 2007
What is AAS?
The All America Selection committee sends out seeds from hopefuls to all the growing sites across the country that have been selected to test the AAS award candidates. Each site tests all the seeds (knowing them only as AA1, AA2, AA3, etc.) and rates them after a growing season. The winners, and there need not be one in each catagory, are then announced and the suppliers of those seed get bragging rights for the next years.
But there is more to it than that. Any developer of seeds, like Burpee's or Johnny's or outfits that supply seeds to them like Peto, can enter the AAS competition. But there is a catch. If they do enter, then they have to agree to supply to all the other seed companies as much of the new variety as those folks want, at a predetermined rate.
This begs the question then: what if you, a seed company, have a new development that is so good that you don't want to share it with the other seed catalog outfits. In that case, you do not enter the competition with the new variety. You keep it, and the rights to it, to yourself. This is exactly what I think happened to Goliath Tomato. It was developed by Totally Tomatoes, which is owned by Jung (Jung also owns Vermont Bean Seed, and Shumway). I think Goliath would easily have won the AAS. But because Totally Tomatoes did not enter it, the only way you can get the seed now is to order it from one of the Jung-owned companies.
December 1, 2007
My partner Mark McAtee sends along this link to Mother Earth News.
Holiday Hint
Those round tomato cages you have can serve a second purpose. Turn one upside down, make sure it has four legs and not three. Tie the legs together with some wire. Now you have a wire 'Christmas Tree'. Go to a mega mart store and buy a 100-light string and spiral it up the wire tree. Your cost should be less than $3.00.
November 25, 2007
The One Third Rule...
If you live in the Rocky Mountains, or at high elevations, and you are reading a seed catalog or the back of a seed packet, apply the One Third Rule to what you read.
Here is how that would work.
Let's say that Tomato 'X' information says that those tomatoes get to be 9 ounces. If you live at high elevation apply the one third rule, and you can expect to get 6 ounce tomatoes. If Tomato 'Y' information says that those tomatoes get to be 12 ounces, you will get 8 ounce tomatoes at high elevations.
Let's say you are looking at Tomato 'X' and the information says it is '70' days to maturity. That makes the real days to maturity, here at high elevation, about 93 days. I calculate that here in Casper our season is about 114 days. If you can get the average tomato from that seed packet to mature in 93 days, you have a winner.
If you are looking at Tomato 'Y' and the information says it is '90' days to maturity. That makes the real days to maturity, here at high elevation, about 120 days. I calculate that here in Casper our season is about 114 days. The average tomato from that seed packet is not going to be ripe when the season is over. Most tomatoes from that seed packet will not even be fully sized when the season ends. Tomato 'Y' is a loser.
The top line of the chart below are the days given by the seed supplier. The second line shows the approximate days here in Casper. The third line shows the weight given by the seed supplier. The fourth line shows the approximate weight here in Casper.
| Days Given: | 60 | 63 | 66 | 69 | 72 | 75 | 78 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 | 115 | 120 |
| Casper Days: | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 100 | 104 | 107 | 113 | 120 | 127 | 133 | 140 | 147 | 153 | 160 |
| Weight Given: | 2 oz | 4 oz | 6 oz | 8 oz | 10 oz | 12 oz | 14 oz | 1 lb | 2 lb | 3 lb | 4 lb | 5 lb | 10 lb |
| Casper Weight | 1.3 oz | 2.7 oz | 4 oz | 5.3 oz | 6.7 oz | 8 oz | 9.3 oz | 0.67 lb | 1.3 lb | 2 lb | 2.7 lb | 3.3 lb | 6.7 lb |
I figure that the absolute maximum days, given on a seed packet or in a catalog for a tomato variety, that will work is 80 days, and that is pushing things too far in a cool season. 80 day tomatoes will only yeild in very hot seasons. Try to stick with tomato varieties that are 75 days or less. That is what the chart above implies. This rule applies to most other vegetables with the exception of squash and pumpkin. The one third rule applies to them in a different way. Instead of taking more days to produce fruit, or producing smaller fruit, squash and pumpkin seem to produce at least 1/3 less numbers of fruit.
November 17, 2007
For the 2008 Notes, please click here.
We are between seasons now. I paid Bill Simpson a visit today. We are agreed that we will have trials for new Tomatoes in the 2009 season and we will continue testing new Watermelon varieties.
Bill also sent me these two photos.
2009 Planting Guide
2008/2009
Type
Variety ...those in yellow are varieties we are trialing
Seed Vigor
Plants/Area
Weeks to Set Out
Start Dates
Set Out/Sow
Tomatoes:
IndeterminateRegular Goliath 4/4
High
4 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Black Krim
High
4 plants
10
Mar 30*
May 25
Tomande 4/5
Medium
5 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Tomatoes:
DeterminateBush Champion - 11/11
Low
11 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Corona
Low
11 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Orange Blossom - 3/0
High
0 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Cold Set - 3/0
High
3 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Applause Hybrid 5/28
Medium
28 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Small tomatoes:
IndeterminateRed Lightning 0/3
Medium
2 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Black Plum
High
2 plants
10
Mar 16
May 25
Red Pear
High
0 plant
10
Mar 16
May 25
Yellow Pear
High
0 plant
10
Mar 16
May 25
Garden Huckleberry
Chichiquelite
High
9 sq ft
10
Mar 16
May 25
Pepper
Fat 'N Sassy - 18/18
High
18 plants
9
Mar 23
May 25
Cherry Bomb - 9/9
High
9 plants
9
Mar 23
May 25
Mucho Nacho Jalapeno - 5/5
High
5-10 plants
9
Mar 23
May 25
Thai Hot Bird
High
3 plants
9
Mar 23
May 25
Cauliflower
Fremont - 22/20
High
20 plants
7
Apr 6
May 25
Cabbage
Savoy Express
High
? plants
6
Apr 13
May 25
Chinese Cabbage
Minuet - 0/6
Medium
6 plants
6
Apr 13
May 25
Pea
Sugar Snap - 9/9
Medium
9 Sq. Ft.
direct sow
May 1
May 1
Cucumber
Cool Breeze
Medium
27 sq ft
3
May 11
May 25
Sweet Success - 18/18
Medium
18 sq ft
3
May 11
May 25
Cross Country - 9/0
Medium
0 sq ft
3
May 11
May 25
Marketmore 76 - 0/9
Medium
9 sq ft
3
May 11
May 25
Pumpkin
Autumn Gold - 6/6
Medium
6 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Kaikai - 6/0
Low
0 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Lady Godiva
Low
6 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Bush Spirit - 0/6
High
6 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Sorcerer - 12/12
Medium
12 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Summer Squash
Sunburst Pattypan - 4/4
Medium
4 plants
3
May 11
May 25
? Zucchini - 2/2
Medium
2 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Goldrush Zuc - 3/3
Medium
3 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Winter Squash
Heart of Gold - 6/12
Medium
12 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Early Butternut - 12/0
Medium
0 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Table Ace Acorn - 12/12
Medium
12 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Sunshine - 6/12
Medium
12 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Lakota
Medium
12 plants
3
May 11
May 25
Watermelon
Glory Sugar -0/1
Medium
1 tire
4
May 11
June 1
Melitopolski
Medium
1 tire
4
May 11
June 1
Bush Bean
Early Contender - 18/18
Medium
18 square feet
Direct Sow
NA
May 1 - 18
Roma II - 18/18
Medium
18 square feet
Direct Sow
NA
May 1 - 18
Golden Rod Wax
Medium
18 square feet
Direct Sow
NA
May 1 - 18
Espada - 0/18
Medium
18 square feet
Direct Sow
NA
May 1 - 18
Melon
Sun Jewel - 24/0
Medium
0 square feet
Direct Sow
NA
June 1
Broccoli
Packman - buy plants locally - 12/12
High
12 plants
NA
NA
May 25
Carrot
Danvers
High
9 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Tendersweet - 9/9
High
9 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Sweetness II - 9/9
High
9 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Celery
Buy Plants Locally - 4/4
NA
4 plants
NA
Mar 16
June 2
Chard - 6/6
Bright Lights - 6/6
Medium
6 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 25
Corn
Incredible - 188/0
Medium
0 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 11-15
Leaf Lettuce
Olga - 6/3
Medium
3 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Green Ice - 3/3
Medium
3 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Red Sails - 3/3
Medium
3 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Head Lettuce
Summertime - 0/9
Medium
9 square feet
direct sow
NA
May 1
Onion
Yellow Spanish Sets - 5/5
Purchased LocallyNA
5 tires
direct sow
NA
May 1
Beet
Detroit Dark Red
NA
5 tires
direct sow
NA
May 1
Basil
?
NA
1 tire
Flowers
?
NA
2 tires
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