I'm probably about as happy as I could be

[bobleponge]

Like growing and eating stuff, but have been constantly confused about the storing in jars (canning) of such things like tomatos et al.
A few days ago I made a small batch of bolognaise sauce, using all home grown stuff, put some in the freezer, but then tried putting some into jars.
The lids still popped up and down, so I sulked. A friend then suggested putting them in a pan of water and boiling them for a while, and that would work. Did as suggested, seemed to be ok.
"drum roll please"......
Last night, I made bolognaise with my jar saved sauce. As I opened it, I heard the satisfying "pop" as the seal was broken. That made me very happy, and best of all, I'm still alive this morning, no botulism no nuffink!!!
Its the simple things I guess, but today I shall be making up vats of passata for use through the year with my remaining toms. Woohooo.

[zazen999]

You must be happy; if you have enough toms to actually make passata; the dichotomy for me is whether to eat fresh or wait until I've got enough to make oven dried toms to freeze.

[bobleponge]

My dichotomy is solved quite simply. 1 short fat old bloke v a bazillion tomatos = diverse methods of preserving.
I grew 6 different types of toms, at least 3 plants of each, plus my gardening gurus are giving me their last 4 tomato bushes to pillage today as they have run out of jars, freezer space and appetite for fresh toms.

[Glutton4...]

Zaz - are you going to remove them - I can't‽

[HayleyB]

You STILL have toms?!?!?

[Incy]

Ooh Ooh I still have toms!!!!
Even gave about 1.5 kilos to a friend the other day

[zazen999]

Zaz - are you going to remove them - I can't‽

No. They are in the greenhouse and as its the first year; they are there until the plants die back.....any that ripen are coming off and being used and if they do get too cold; I'm oven drying and freezing.

I did put a watering can full of hot water in there when it was forecast for a really cold night - the night before the aubrey and the tomato in the corner just decided that life wasn't worth living anymore - so I'm just being cautious and hedging my bets.

[bobleponge]

I only have the one plant left, a yellow one, cant remember the name, but its still chucking out ripe toms on a daily basis, and its outside.
I am a little bit further south than most of you though, which does make a difference.

[SarzWix]

Sh*tty death Bob You can't just randomly decide to boil them in a pan 'for a while' and hope that the lids stay popped down If you could see my face... Drip white might just describe it!!! Botulism grows in anaerobic conditions, so it'd be quite happy that your lids stayed popped down!!

Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeease read this: USDA Canning Guide (1994)
and read it again, and again...! Invest in some citric acid, and don't add extra veg and you might just get safe jars of tomatoes to use later.

[SarzWix]

Botulism works quite quickly too, you get breathing difficulties quite quickly after eating it, I believe.
If you read the 'disposal guide' for jars that are suspected to be contaminated, that might give you an idea of how serious it is...

Still

[Jardiniere]

i'm too scared to do anything in jars that hasnt been boiled to death with either sugar or vinegar (or both).....

[Glutton4...]

No. They are in the greenhouse and as its the first year; they are there until the plants die back.....any that ripen are coming off and being used and if they do get too cold; I'm oven drying and freezing.

I did put a watering can full of hot water in there when it was forecast for a really cold night - the night before the aubrey and the tomato in the corner just decided that life wasn't worth living anymore - so I'm just being cautious and hedging my bets.

I wasn't referring to the Toms you narna, I was referring to Spongey's apostrophes!

[zazen999]

I wasn't referring to the Toms you narna, I was referring to Spongey's apostrophes!

I did wonder what the heck you were on about.....done!

[Glutton4...]

I did wonder what the heck you were on about.....done!

Yay - you're on the ball this evening!

[SarzWix]

Why hasn't Boble replied to this thread?

Worried,
near Skipton.