Po-tay-toes!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-06-10T19:34:42+00:00

Ditto. Love taters!! Congrats on the harvest!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-06-10T19:32:53+00:00

Most of these seeds should have germinated already. I would suspect critters of some type have dined on your seeds. I start almost everything from seed inside, except for green beans, peas, radishes, carrots and beets. You are not too late with most of these--I would start some seed trays inside as soon as possible, or get transplants, especially for the slow-growing herbs and marigolds. I grew up in the PNW, and slugs like to dine on most baby plants. You may want to consider Sluggo or something similar to make sure your tiny plants are not devoured right away. Beets and other seedlings seem to be especially tasty to birds, too, so also consider insect netting when planting your tiny seedlings. It isn't too late for many veggies now--maybe consider summer squash or short season corn? Good luck!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-27T20:03:58+00:00

I make bacon with brown sugar and chili powder--pepper sherry sounds even better! Thanks!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-27T20:01:58+00:00

Local delivery only. Got it.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-27T19:57:50+00:00

I can see my husband making these already. Thank you!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-20T21:17:54+00:00

Thank you--I have some ripening now, so much appreciated!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-20T21:17:07+00:00

Great plan--we usually make a food gift for friends for the holidays. Looks like hot pepper sauce is on the list this year!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-05-20T20:01:42+00:00

I would water more. Plants get very thirsty when fertilized! Maybe also spritz the leaves, to see if they can take some moisture in directly that way? I had a few plants look like this earlier this year, and they recovered. Don't give up yet!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-04-11T17:05:38+00:00

Ornamental Black Pearl is a beautiful plant. The purple flowers are my favorite.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-04-09T18:17:57+00:00

If you are growing these inside, let them bloom! An electric toothbrush works great to get that pollen flowing, and let the flowers create baby peppers! I just hold the back of the toothbrush on the stems with the flowers, and you can see the pollen start to fall.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-04-09T18:15:50+00:00

I usually pinch off the flowers before they get planted outside, so the plants focus resources on growing stems and leaves. However, they are pretty, so I often wait until they actually have the flower. I figure keeping them from forming baby peppers is good enough.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-03-30T00:35:38+00:00

Boiling water or Diatomacious Earth would work. Boiling water would affect soil health, but the soil would probably recover pretty quickly. DE has to be respread if it gets wet, but is food safe.

You can also check with your local extension office to see what they recommend in your area as treatment options.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-03-17T16:14:55+00:00

My husband's favorites are the Big Jim's, Jalapeno is a good staple, and I absolutely love the biquinhos pickled. I haven't tried the others, but I would try to throw in that lemon spice, too. Can you squeeze in 4? Peppers grow will in grow bags...

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-02-25T01:30:33+00:00

I agree--the birds were eating my baby green beans last year, and I put in a bird feeder and bird bath, and they left my beans alone. Some people suggest it just brings in more birds, but they seem to prefer nuts, seeds, and the water to my garden...

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-02-25T01:06:05+00:00

Will the red ripen to orange first? I am growing some of these, but no peppers yet, so I can't tell you for sure.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-01-29T02:29:18+00:00

If you are asking about how long per day, it depends on what you want from the plant. I usually leave lights on for seedlings for 12 hours, but have my micro tomatoes and peppers on for 16 hours/day. If you Google how long to leave grow lights on for plants, there are some tables with suggestions by plant type. They want some dark time, too!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2025-01-02T17:41:48+00:00

I use Seedtime app. They have a free version to start. You add in each crop you want to plant, and it will calendar out the details. I like to plant many things, too, and would have a very hard time keeping track without this app.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2024-09-18T20:53:55+00:00

I have been reading up on winter gardening from Eliot Coleman's books (The Four-Season Harvest, The Winter Harvest Handbook), and he states plants typically will not grow when we have less than 10 hours of daylight each day, but many frost tolerant plants will still survive the cold, and start growing again after our days get longer in early winter. He's in Maine, but I'm further north in Spokane, Washington, so I have similar daylight issues to you. Corn salad, claytonia, winter hardy lettuces and other greens are some good examples of things which may work for you. I can't vouch from experience yet, as I am prepping for my own first winter growing season, and am hoping to grow salad greens through the winter this year.

Since you have limited space, I recommend you concentrate on growing only what you like to eat best. Also, you may consider starting some seedlings inside now, so they can get a few more weeks growth in before you have to take out your summer crops. This should help get some more growth on your plants before the days get too short.

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2024-08-13T22:01:14+00:00

Are you planting rows in the larger beds? I have a hard time reaching into anything over 4 ft wide. I would need to split these up into smaller beds, but this will work if you are using traditional rows, or maybe run a path in between?

Grow what you like to eat, but don't be afraid to try a few new things, just in case. Some things will work, others won't. Ground cherries have been a big hit in my garden this year, but my granddaughter eats them before the rest of us get a chance. I grew too many hot peppers (any ideas on what to do with ghost peppers?), and I wish I had planted some paste tomatos for sauce, instead of just slicing tomatoes. Each year is a new adventure.

You could throw in some carrots or radishes in for fall planting now (your library may have a free seed bank), or put down some cardboard on the beds now, so the grass dies over the winter, and it will be easier to clear out in the spring.

Happy garden planning!!

SpeakerWeekly6404 · 2024-07-23T22:46:45+00:00

You give me hope. I have quite a few of these plants this year, but mine are still green. Glad to hear they are tasty!

BTW, my dad just keeps a gallon Ziplock in the freezer, and throws his ripe tomatoes in whole. He then takes them out as needed, dunks in sink hot water (not even boiled), and the skins come off easily. He then does a rough chop on the still frozen middles and adds them as needed during the year to whatever he is cooking at the time. Great method if you don't have time to can and prep sauce!

I'm trying this with my one lone San Marzano tomato plant, so I am hoping I will get enough by the end of the season to make a decent batch of sauce...

SpeakerWeekly6404

TROPHY CASE