My daughter made tomato butter (roasted tomatoes cooled then blended with soft butter) and it was DELICIOUS.
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I need a solution too. Maybe Iāll just make a cage for them. They wait until the tomatoes are red, but not quite ripe and then take one bite, so frustrating!
Would bird mesh work? We bought some after a blue jay pecked at still green peaches! 
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We had a similar red light repellent at our old house that did a great job at deterring the rude fox that had been using our patio as his outhouse. It also discouraged other critters that had been chewing on nearby plants. I need to order a couple for the new house.
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Depending on what youāre growing, you could try tulle. This works for tomatoes and other plants that are self-pollinating.
I got some pinwheel whirligig thingies from the dollar store to hold up the tulle, then wrapped the tulle around a GreenStalk (vertical 5-tier container) I was using and clipped it.
I also have used bird netting for strawberries, which need pollinating insects. Squirrels can and will reach through the netting, though, so there is some loss. But I managed to get most of my strawberries harvested. If you could figure out how to hold the netting out and away from the containers, so their little squirrel devil-paws couldnāt reach through, it might be 100% effective.
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I used tulle on my fruit trees and the birds and squirrels left the fruit alone. I just cover the fruit bunches, not the whole tree.
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I picked these figs today, not the best because there are sap still, but if I wait any longer and they will split, the June bugs will be all over them.
Iām giving this plate of figs to people at the senior center. I get bored eating them, so I have just a few. My husband doesnāt like eating them.
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Organza bags are great for keeping bugs and critters off of figs!
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Thanks I have tulle, but I donāt have enough to cover everything. I have one organza bag out there, not sure where it is.
Does anyone have a good cucumber salad recipe , one that is not spicy and is vinegar based?
I have a bunch of cukes from my garden and having dinner with my parents/siblings for my momās birthday tonight. I said Iād bring a cucumber salad, among other things, to use up some of my cukes. Someone gave me a Thai recipe, but I noticed it had jalapeno in it. My mom does not like spicy. I know I can remove the seeds, but Iād rather find a recipe thatās like vinegar, sugar, etc since we are having sort of an Italian meal. Iām also bringing caprese with my garden tomatoes and basil. A google search found a couple of recipes but with mixed reviews.
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@Bromfield2 thanks that one looks good but I should have specified that Iām looking for a recipe that isnāt creamy (no mayo, yogurt or sour cream). Appreciate the suggestion though and I will save your recipe for another time.
Got it!! I think the garden cucumbers are great with a little EVOO and wine vinegar. Add some herbs and enjoy.
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I second the EVOO suggestion. I use rice vinegar/EVOO and dill and some finely chopped scallions with cucumbers. Salt and pepper to taste.
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Hereās mine:
4 cucumbers peeled and cut fairly thin but left in rounds.
Powered sugar 8 teaspoons
Japanese Rice Wine Vinegar 1 cup, I use a Japanese one that comes in a glass bottle. Flavored Italian but plain is fine too.
Dill
Salt, good pinch then I add til the taste is good.
Put it in a plastic container shake well and make sure cokes are mostly covered. Put in fridge at least an hour. Serve.
In Munich the cucumber salads are rarely made with sour cream. This is the one I usually make. Oma's Southern German Cucumber Salad ~ Gurkensalat
Just had our first home-grown meal: diced tomatoes with torn basil from the garden, mixed with minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper - let it sit on the counter until the flavors meld, then serve it over warm pasta. It was delicious, especially on this very hot day!
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I got lots of basil from my compost. They are pretty. I made chicken pasta yesterday with tomatoes, yellow crookneck squashes, and basil, 2 types, Thai and Genovese.
This is Thai basil from my compost, pretty flowers.
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I have way to many jalapeƱo peppers here, so today I made cheese quesadilla with jalapeƱo, and then I made the best(so far for me) salsa, better than I had on my trip recently.
So far Iāve made JalapeƱo Jam, Peach and jalapeƱo jam.
What do you do with your hot peppers?