Pepper wine thoughts, please!

[FlamingoEmporium]

You're welcome! I'm so glad they freeze well. There's never enough ripe all at once but they sure do produce all season long. My seeds are in the mix. I'm doing six plants this year, doubling last year's three. Still time to bump it to nine plants. Hmm..

Put in 10 in case one or 2 don’t do well.
my tomatoes are almost done for the season.

 

[SeniorHobby]

To be honest I never even thought about freezing them. I can see the advantages, for sure! I'll have to try it this year.

I always thought they would be a soggy mess. When you freeze them separately, they are easy to cut up when still a little frozen and they taste great yet. I always plant about 10 pepper plants as it always seems like a couple might not make it; if they all do I used to give them away. Now I freeze them.

 

[BigDaveK]

Put in 10 in case one or 2 don’t do well.
my tomatoes are almost done for the season.

I've been very fortunate over the years with a near 100% germination rate of all my seeds. However, after a little thought I've decided to go with a total of 9 plants. I ALWAYS plant an odd number. It's a good thing all my quirks are hard wired - I'd never be able to remember them all.

 

[Khristyjeff]

I wasn't sure I'd get this out today. I'm one of those that doesn't like spring only because I have 3-4 weeks of grunt work around the property just to get ready for everything else. But here it is, @CortneyD and @VinesnBines, the ground cherry recipe. Personally, I freeze my fruit and ground cherries freeze very well!

The recipe and what I did:

2 1/2 pounds ground cherries (I used 3#, might increase 25-50% next time)
2 1/4 pound sugar or until SG 1.1
1 tsp nutrient
1 Campden tablet
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
water to 1 gallon (I went to 1 1/4 ish)
yeast suggestion D47 (I used 71B because that's what I had.)

Age for 6 months or more after bottling.

I left out some of the details. Standard stuff - wait 24 hours to add yeast, regular racking regimen, blah blah blah. You know how to make wine.

Mine was in the basement, steady temp about 68 F, and finished around SG .992.

It was a test and my third batch of wine ever (after apple and pear). My goal this year is 3 gal but more would be fine by me!

Thanks @BigDaveK -- were these the "Aunt Molly" variety of ground cherries? My Grandma used to grow some green ones for pies which were delicious, but "Aunt Molly" seems to be the only one I can find online.

 

[BigDaveK]

Thanks @BigDaveK -- were these the "Aunt Molly" variety of ground cherries? My Grandma used to grow some green ones for pies which were delicious, but "Aunt Molly" seems to be the only one I can find online.

Yes, Aunt Molly. I tasted them at a farmer's market about 5 years ago and started growing them the following year. There aren't many varieties, it seems. I buy my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom at www.rareseeds.com. They have many unusual and hard to find seeds. I try to grow a couple unusual plants each year.

 

[Jovimaple]

I don't know if they have these specifically (because I haven't looked!) but check out seedsavers.org for heirloom seeds. If you are a member, you get a bit of a discount. They are based in Iowa and in non-covid times I believe you could visit them.

I would love to propogate heirloom plants and either save my own seeds or even send some back to them, but I don't have the space in my suburban backyard to separate the different species of plants enough to ensure no cross pollination.

 

[BigDaveK]

I don't know if they have these specifically (because I haven't looked!) but check out seedsavers.org for heirloom seeds. If you are a member, you get a bit of a discount. They are based in Iowa and in non-covid times I believe you could visit them.

I would love to propogate heirloom plants and either save my own seeds or even send some back to them, but I don't have the space in my suburban backyard to separate the different species of plants enough to ensure no cross pollination.

Yes, I'm familiar with them! Haven't purchased yet but maybe in the future.
I try to segregate my plants but I'd be shocked if there wasn't some cross-pollination. Those wonderful little pollinators will go wherever their little hearts desire.
I save pepper seeds and some flowers. That's easy. This year I'll try tomato - a bit more involved.
This is interesting: Last year I grew poppies for the first time to use the seeds in the kitchen. (Great success!) After they were planted I read that only opium poppies produce the edible seeds. Hmm.. I wonder how many poppies I would have to grow before the wrong people took interest?
One thing I'm excited about - this year I'm trying onions from seed for the first time. I've always been disappointed with onion sets.

 

[ChuckD]

Put in 10 in case one or 2 don’t do well.

This way lies great danger!
This is SOP for me. I need 14 tomato plants so I plant three six pack trays (I don’t like empty cells). Because I don’t like empty cells, I put two seeds in every cell just to be sure. Of course both sprout and thrive so I need to pinch one plant off. However it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good plant so I carefully pull them out and pot them in a fresh pot. I now have 36 tomato plants. Repeat for peppers, broccoli, cabbage, etc. etc.

one might think I would learn but one would be wrong!

 

[VinesnBines]

Tomato seeds are really rather easy to save. I have done it two ways. I have let the tomatoes rot and then wash the seeds. I have just as good luck with cleaning the seeds out of a ripe tomato onto a paper towel. I let the towel with the seeds dry and keep the folded paper towel in a plastic bag The seeds usually peel off the paper towel but if they stick, I just plant seed and bit of towel in the potting mix. A plus is you can write on the paper towel with a sharpie to ID the seeds.

 

[BigDaveK]

This way lies great danger!
This is SOP for me. I need 14 tomato plants so I plant three six pack trays (I don’t like empty cells). Because I don’t like empty cells, I put two seeds in every cell just to be sure. Of course both sprout and thrive so I need to pinch one plant off. However it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good plant so I carefully pull them out and pot them in a fresh pot. I now have 36 tomato plants. Repeat for peppers, broccoli, cabbage, etc. etc.

one might think I would learn but one would be wrong!

I agree - empty cells are ABSOLUTELY forbidden.

And I can't pinch off, either. I imagine pathetic little plant screams which cause the Garden Gods to be cross with me.

 

[BigDaveK]

Tomato seeds are really rather easy to save. I have done it two ways. I have let the tomatoes rot and then wash the seeds. I have just as good luck with cleaning the seeds out of a ripe tomato onto a paper towel. I let the towel with the seeds dry and keep the folded paper towel in a plastic bag The seeds usually peel off the paper towel but if they stick, I just plant seed and bit of towel in the potting mix. A plus is you can write on the paper towel with a sharpie to ID the seeds.

Huh. I read in numerous books where you had to essentially ferment them for a couple days to get rid of the weird gelatinous coating. If you had luck with your method I'll try it. Simple is usually better. Thanks!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Tomato seeds are really rather easy to save. I have done it two ways. I have let the tomatoes rot and then wash the seeds. I have just as good luck with cleaning the seeds out of a ripe tomato onto a paper towel. I let the towel with the seeds dry and keep the folded paper towel in a plastic bag The seeds usually peel off the paper towel but if they stick, I just plant seed and bit of towel in the potting mix. A plus is you can write on the paper towel with a sharpie to ID the seeds.

Place on wax paper to avoid sticking to paper towels. Use fingernails to scrape the dried seeds off the wax paper. Takes just a few minutes. Seeds for life!

 

[SeniorHobby]

Place on wax paper to avoid sticking to paper towels. Use fingernails to scrape the dried seeds off the wax paper. Takes just a few minutes. Seeds for life!

This is great, wine making advice and gardening advice all in one place! I have never tried planting tomato seeds before, I might just do that now! I have tried flower seeds. I tried saving the teeny tiny petunia seeds last year. I had all one color, deep purple. I had very good luck with the seeds sprouting and before you know it I had flowers... lavender, pink..? What? Anyway this year I gave my son who is a golf course superintendent a bunch of seeds. They are so tiny we just threw a bunch in each cell. They all took again! He said it looks like a lawn is growing! Now what to do? There will have to be some pinching or cutting back for sure!!

 

[BigDaveK]

This is great, wine making advice and gardening advice all in one place!

This will be my first year with skeeter pee. I'm guessing it would be prudent not to mingle those hobbies too much - like when I'm using the chainsaw.

And BTW, my forsythia started to bloom. At least 1 more snow for Ohio. Hasn't failed yet!

 

[VinesnBines]

Huh. I read in numerous books where you had to essentially ferment them for a couple days to get rid of the weird gelatinous coating. If you had luck with your method I'll try it. Simple is usually better. Thanks!

I heard that about fermenting or letting the tomato rot but with open pollenated seeds, it works not to make the mess of rotting seeds. If the seeds look mature, they usually germinate.

I had all one color, deep purple. I had very good luck with the seeds sprouting and before you know it I had flowers... lavender, pink..? What?

Saved seeds, especially hybrids, can revert to the "wild" color or can be cross pollenated. One thing, don't try to save squash or pumpkin seed to get a true plant. You really have to segregate the bloom and hand pollenate or the pollinators will give you a Fraken-squash! Fun for sure and sometimes you luck out and get a true to breeding pumpkin but usually not.

I've been able, by saving seed from the largest cheery tomatoes, to get bigger cherry tomatoes...just for fun!

This way lies great danger!
This is SOP for me. I need 14 tomato plants so I plant three six pack trays (I don’t like empty cells). Because I don’t like empty cells, I put two seeds in every cell just to be sure. Of course both sprout and thrive so I need to pinch one plant off. However it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good plant so I carefully pull them out and pot them in a fresh pot. I now have 36 tomato plants. Repeat for peppers, broccoli, cabbage, etc. etc.

one might think I would learn but one would be wrong!

I plant my seed in a seed flat and transplant when I get at least 2 true leaves. I learned this method many years ago in horticulture classes. It is a space saver and the tomatoes and peppers do great. Some flowers don't like transplanting like zinnias and cosmos so they are better in cells or direct sow in the garden. My son managed though to start sunflowers in cells and transplanted successfully. His thumb is the greenest in the family. His grandfather would be so proud.

 

[SeniorHobby]

I heard that about fermenting or letting the tomato rot but with open pollenated seeds, it works not to make the mess of rotting seeds. If the seeds look mature, they usually germinate.


Saved seeds, especially hybrids, can revert to the "wild" color or can be cross pollenated. One thing, don't try to save squash or pumpkin seed to get a true plant. You really have to segregate the bloom and hand pollenate or the pollinators will give you a Fraken-squash! Fun for sure and sometimes you luck out and get a true to breeding pumpkin but usually not.

I've been able, by saving seed from the largest cheery tomatoes, to get bigger cherry tomatoes...just for fun!



I plant my seed in a seed flat and transplant when I get at least 2 true leaves. I learned this method many years ago in horticulture classes. It is a space saver and the tomatoes and peppers do great. Some flowers don't like transplanting like zinnias and cosmos so they are better in cells or direct sow in the garden. My son managed though to start sunflowers in cells and transplanted successfully. His thumb is the greenest in the family. His grandfather would be so proud.

Looks like we have a lot of people who love to be busy. Gardening, winemaking, etc! Keeps us out of trouble...until we started using the fruits of our labors, mainly wine!!

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

This will be my first year with skeeter pee. I'm guessing it would be prudent not to mingle those hobbies too much - like when I'm using the chainsaw.

And BTW, my forsythia started to bloom. At least 1 more snow for Ohio. Hasn't failed yet!

It’s ok to chainsaw in flip flops though right ?

 

[BigDaveK]

It’s ok to chainsaw in flip flops though right ?

The only reason I DON"T wear flip flops is because most of my property is sloped so I slide right out of the darn things!

And besides, when your number is called it won't matter what you're wearing.