Garden Basics with Farmer Fred

We’re into that time of the summer when, with a very serious look in her eye, and wearing a tomato-stained apron, my wife sternly says: "Next year, don’t plant so many cherry tomato plants!" In my defense, there were only five cherry or grape-sized tomato plants in the ground this year: Sungold, Sweet Million, Gardeners Delight, Juliet and Valentine. Still, my wife is the one who has to do something with all those tomatoes. So, after spending the better part of a Sunday in a hot kitchen roasting tomatoes, I can understand her point of view. Are you suffering from tomato burnout? Zucchini overload? A cornucopia of cucumbers? If so, you are not alone. If you’re a long time listener to the Garden Basics podcast, you might be asking yourself as your lugging in another bucket full of backyard produce…"didn’t I hear an episode about food banks and food pantries that gladly welcome excess garden produce?" Here then, for you, and for many many others in the weeks to come, an expanded encore edition of our interview with Gary Oppenheimer, the founder of AmpleHarvest.org. For everyone else who will be consuming their own tomato harvests, here's a link to that nifty garden wagon pictured on today's podcast...perfect for hauling tomatoes to the kitchen. Maybe afterwards I can get my wife to share her roasted tomato recipe on the air with us. And after listening to it, you just might be in the market for a convection oven. And a water bath canner. More information about safe water bath canning. In today's Q&A segment, a listener is wondering about the dimensions and materials of the raised beds pictured on the Garden Basics title page. Wonder no more... Debbie Flower talks about what to do when your cool season vegetables begin to bolt when the weather gets too warm. You could enjoy the beneficial insects that visit those flowers of the bolted crops; or, serve up those flowers in meals! Here's a link to safe plants to munch on. More episodes and info including live links, product information, transcripts, and chapters available a the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred https://www.buzzsprout.com/1004629. Garden Basics comes out every Tuesday and Friday. It's available wherever podcasts are found. Please subscribe and leave a comment or rating at Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Got a garden question? Call and leave a question, or text us the question: 916-292-8964. E-mail: [email protected] or, leave a question at the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram locations below. Be sure to tell us where you are when you leave a question, because all gardening is local. All About Farmer Fred: Farmer Fred website: http://farmerfred.com Daily Garden tips and snark on Twitter The Farmer Fred Rant! Blog Facebook: "Get Growing with Farmer Fred" Instagram: farmerfredhoffman Farmer Fred Garden Videos on YouTube