We've had a few frosts in the past few weeks and everything left (tomatoes, peppers, basil...) was looking really pathetic. The tomato cages were all crumpled over--I'll never get those shitty thin-metal cages again, what a waste. The basil was brown after the first frost.
Anyway, it's a beautiful, sunny Sunday, and with few things to do, I spent some time ripping those plants out of the garden and throwing them in a new compost pile...
I've still got some lettuce that is hanging on under a make-shift cold frame consisting of some 2-by-4's and an old glass picture frame.
Maybe next year I'll build some super tight, wooden tomato cages... More to come...
Showing posts with label peppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peppers. Show all posts
October 25, 2009
August 31, 2009
Weekend updater
Good morning internet!
This weekend I did a whole lot of over-due weeding, especially in my lawn and in the garden beds in the front of our house. I picked my first bright red "mariachi hybrid" pepper, though, I admit, I haven't tasted it yet. It promises to be a mildly hot pepper. What's strange is all the mature peppers seem to be splitting all over. I'll try to take a photo to show what I mean. I believe it's probably due to over-watering and expect that it shouldn't really compromise the taste.
Basil is going MF-ing wild and I realize I need to harvest a bunch and make some pesto.
I have 4 heads of Romaine lettuce that are 'bout ready to eat--they have been growing so well thanks to the afternoon shade provided by the tomato and pepper plants. I'm thinking about direct-sowing a few rows in an empty spot in the garden.
Out of the 8, only one kale plant is growing in those peat pots I started a couple weeks ago. Very disappointing. I'm going to try to start a few more because I know they can survive through overnight frosts.
The grocery store-bought mint I transplanted is doing AWESOME. It freaking exploded and is probably 3x larger than it was when I bought it. I pruned a branching stem of it and crushed some leaves in ice water.
Speaking of transplanting, the oregano and lamb's ear cuttings I buried both seem to be surviving. Hopefully they'll establish some roots before winter hits.
--
Meanwhile, mornings are getting really chilly and it feels like summer is starting to fade. I wore a winter jacket to walk our dog before work today.
Hopefully I'll get our compost pile turned soon, adding sticks to the bottom and perhaps even a couple sections of PVC pipe with drilled holes to increase aeration. That's a big goal to complete before winter...
This weekend I did a whole lot of over-due weeding, especially in my lawn and in the garden beds in the front of our house. I picked my first bright red "mariachi hybrid" pepper, though, I admit, I haven't tasted it yet. It promises to be a mildly hot pepper. What's strange is all the mature peppers seem to be splitting all over. I'll try to take a photo to show what I mean. I believe it's probably due to over-watering and expect that it shouldn't really compromise the taste.
Basil is going MF-ing wild and I realize I need to harvest a bunch and make some pesto.
I have 4 heads of Romaine lettuce that are 'bout ready to eat--they have been growing so well thanks to the afternoon shade provided by the tomato and pepper plants. I'm thinking about direct-sowing a few rows in an empty spot in the garden.
Out of the 8, only one kale plant is growing in those peat pots I started a couple weeks ago. Very disappointing. I'm going to try to start a few more because I know they can survive through overnight frosts.
The grocery store-bought mint I transplanted is doing AWESOME. It freaking exploded and is probably 3x larger than it was when I bought it. I pruned a branching stem of it and crushed some leaves in ice water.
Speaking of transplanting, the oregano and lamb's ear cuttings I buried both seem to be surviving. Hopefully they'll establish some roots before winter hits.
--
Meanwhile, mornings are getting really chilly and it feels like summer is starting to fade. I wore a winter jacket to walk our dog before work today.
Hopefully I'll get our compost pile turned soon, adding sticks to the bottom and perhaps even a couple sections of PVC pipe with drilled holes to increase aeration. That's a big goal to complete before winter...
July 22, 2009
Updates: Tomatoes, Chard, Squash, Peppers
Tomatoes:
As of yesterday (7/21), one tomato is starting to turn red. I suspect it will be another week or more before it will be ready for the plate. Looking back through my notes I see the seeds were started on March 30. So, roughly 4 months from seed to fruit for those.
--
Swiss Chard:
The seeds have sprouted and are poking out of the ground. 50 more days until we eat them...
--
Squash:
Yellow squash seems to be recovering from the Squash Vine Borer larvae. One fruit is growing steadily and might be ready to be picked in about a week. Two butternut squash plants are getting huge, but still seem to be a long way from the large, hard, and golden fruits we find at the grocery store.
--
Peppers:
My "mariachi hybrid" jalapeno peppers are getting big. I thought they would be a variety of colors. I'm wondering if I should have clipped the first fruit when it started to develop--I think this strategy helps promote stronger growth in all other fruits... I'll pick the oldest one to try very soon. (This seed was also started on March 30th)
As of yesterday (7/21), one tomato is starting to turn red. I suspect it will be another week or more before it will be ready for the plate. Looking back through my notes I see the seeds were started on March 30. So, roughly 4 months from seed to fruit for those.
--
Swiss Chard:
The seeds have sprouted and are poking out of the ground. 50 more days until we eat them...
--
Squash:
Yellow squash seems to be recovering from the Squash Vine Borer larvae. One fruit is growing steadily and might be ready to be picked in about a week. Two butternut squash plants are getting huge, but still seem to be a long way from the large, hard, and golden fruits we find at the grocery store.
--
Peppers:
My "mariachi hybrid" jalapeno peppers are getting big. I thought they would be a variety of colors. I'm wondering if I should have clipped the first fruit when it started to develop--I think this strategy helps promote stronger growth in all other fruits... I'll pick the oldest one to try very soon. (This seed was also started on March 30th)
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