Harvesting, Processing And This, That And The Other

Speaking of harvesting, I am finished for today.
Yesterday, I took out the first planting of Bush beans because they had no blossoms. I was surprised to get 5 bags full for the freezer. Also took up the few carrots.
Today, I picked the Runner beans, netting 3 bags full for freezer. Took up all beets. One bowl for eating and 3 bags for the freezer.
I was able to pass on a bag of pickling type cucumbers to a neighbor, which made us very happy as it means we don't have to try to eat every blessed one. I am not complaining that we have so many. JUst happy to share at last.
The Kale should be picked, but not today. I quit for this day.
Himself has been canning several quarts of tomatoes most days and now has 87 tucked away. Winter isn't so frightening with food in the larder.
There are plenty of green tomatoes and if September stays warm, they may ripen. Meanwhile, fried green tomatoes are SO delicious. Plus the green ones that get wrapped and tucked away to ripen slowly. Life is good for those who dig the earth.

Hello 'PAINS--Boy, your harvesting is going great-guns, isn't it. You are going to be all set for the winter now.

Hey, 2T2SHOES--heh heh heh, Thanks for the nice comments.
I have removed almost all the leaves now. There are a few left but thoise can actually come off now as well, as the last of my toms are now pink or orange...so they'll make it fine.
It works fine for the plant, as the plant gets some nourishment from the surface roots of the plant. I have topped the plant and removed all blossoms and small fruits now, so the only thing the plant has left to do is ripen it's already formed mature fruit, it doesn't have to make any more.

You wrote: "....no leaves, no food, right?".
Tooty, the plant uses its leaves for photosynthesis. This is the process by which a plant takes CO2 from the air and converts it into sugars (most importantly) and other compounds by using the sunlight's energy. As you know, chlorophyll is instrumental in this process.

What happens in the soil between root hairs and the soil nutrients and water is another kettle of fish.

The deepest part of the root takes-up water for hydration/turgor and the more superficial roots are the ones that the tom plant feeds with.

On a microscopic level the situation looks like this, simply put--you have nutrient molecules in the soil and you have root hairs. In-between the two you have a mycorrhizal situation with the third party being a fungus, or in some cases particular micro-organisms. This fungus facilitates the ion exchange from soil to plant in this way.

Personally I find this symbiotic situation quite fascinating, but I won't go into it here. I just want to make the point that the tom plant "feeds" via the roots, not the leaves primarily. Mind you, it is possible to spray certain chemicals on leaves and the leaves will absorb it and use it, but that is something that man does, The roots are the natural way.

You realize that I do not do this heavy pruning all at once in the beginning of the plant's life cycle, right? I do careful, but liberal pruning 3-4 times in a season. The topping, blossom and small fruit removal stage is the last stage of the pruning technique.

Thanks again for your nice comments. If this waffling-on is more info than you need or want, just stop me. Smile

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html