I have attempted to allow all to come and speak civily. If I have done nothing else. Yes I can send out what I recieve and I can even take from everyone else the information they give because it dose make for my benefit as well as dose my information for some. If I held every answer in the book I would not have come to this forum or to any other forum to ask questions or to simply make a statement of my experiance, be it with tomatoes or with a tree. As to those un named who simply can not see past thier own actions in conversations. I post for those who want to try and work as a community here through the true exchange of ideas not through arrogance . that hostility towards new or old ideas and methods makes any thread of knowledge mute to others. I have seen over my fifty years thousands of crops and gardens lost to blights late freezes or other factors including droughts. so Is it a gamble every year you plant? you bet ya. but as gardeners and farmers we go out every year and plant our gardens and fields. and we wait and we harvest from our toils. Is my way the only way out there as we can plainly see it is not. dose it make me a better gardener or farmer if I make no effort to allow others to give to me knowledge of some kind towards a different idea in gardening no it dose not. But to jump up and treat people the way I have been treated by some in this post may amuse some but with it comes the loss to others who really are thirsting for knowledge. to that end for those who really want a civil conversation please feel free to have one. and please do use the almanac to get if not just the basics for those new to gardening but to those here who truely have the ability to give thier views with out malice. because the only thing I learned from most of you here is you have grown too set in your ways to let in information even if it was just part of what was given in total. I was asked to introduce my self several times and did so including where i live and my experiances including in many of the areas of you here in this post. but instead I recieve a continual out pouring of arrogance from those just wanting to see just how far they can push some one. I can bark back or I can set back and listen to ideas and pick up some new methods including those that may infact make me wonder. If the way you grow your crop works for you by all means share it. it may make some one else actually have a crop or garden that has exceptional yields we as gardeners and farmers pray for three things an early spring with out a freeze, plenty of water, and a great harvest season- long and fruitful. We as a group need to stop the nonsence and try to reach for those goals instead.

Hi Dragonfly, Temperatures in excess of 95 degrees can affect pollen viability, but they should pick up again when the weather cools down. We have had summers that the temps stayed in the upper 90s and lower 100s and production did slow down during the summer (had a lot of blossom drop) but when it cooled off, they started loading up! You may wish to invest in some shade cloth and some method to put it over your tomatoes. I do know that some of the growers from Arizona and other hot spots in the southwest use it, and you might be able to get some tips from them or gowers in Texas and Nevada. Texas Gardening Forum Arizona Gardening Forum Another "hot spot" to grow: Nevada Hope that helps! Betsy

If you pulse it a food processor does a perfect job with salsa. I also use canned tomatoes....because I LIKE it made that way (LOL!) but I use whole tomatoes...and often quickly pulse and remove...and do the same with the green peppers and the cilantro and put the 1 MM slicing blade in for the green peppers. But...if I am only making a small amount of salsa I will just tear up the tomatoes by hand and chop the veggies with a knife. Linda C

I've canned hundreds of pints of salsa so here's what I do & I think it's the BEST--I dunk my tomatoes in hot water & then in a cold water bath to peel them all--I use all the tomato, seeds & that wonderful juice--instead of boiling out all those vitamins trying to get rid of it,simply get a can of paste or more if you're making a big batch--I make 22 quarts at a time including all the peppers,onions,hot peppers, & tomatillos & I usually use about 6 sm. cans of paste--all you have to do is add the amt. of paste a little at a time stirring well as you go(on simmer) as it thickens you will reach your desired consistency, I like mine slightly loose --try it you'll agree it's the best way to keep all that tomato goodness!