pepperhead212's 2023 garden

[pepperhead212]

The eggplants went in today, just a little more than 2 weeks after moving the pellets to those large pots. The ichiban were the largest of any, yet they were some of the slowest to germinate, since they were also the oldest! The batac was second, but had the most roots, as they were just starting to circle in the bottom of the pots.
Ichiban eggplant, planted 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Batac on L, and Louisiana Long Green, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

U of Hawaii long green eggplant L, and Choruoku green, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Only had one of all 7 of those String eggplant seeds I had left germinate. I remember last year's seeds germinated ok, but the 2 plants I had weren't even the same thing, but the 2 I gave a friend were the string EP, and she liked them. If this one looks and grows like it, I'll bag some blossoms and save some seeds.
Asian String eggplant, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Besides these plants, I just received some free seeds of Matrosik eggplant from someone, and while I am starting them 5 weeks later than the rest, I figured I'll get them in plenty of time, and they grow well in FL, so they should be able to stand the heat I have!

[pepperhead212]

The eggplants went in yesterday (Sunday), just a little more than 2 weeks after moving the pellets to those large pots (and only 2 days and 5 weeks after planting seeds). The ichiban were the largest of any, yet they were some of the slowest to germinate, since they were also the oldest! The batac was second, but had the most roots, as they were just starting to circle in the bottom of the pots.
Ichiban eggplant, planted 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Batac on L, and Louisiana Long Green, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

U of Hawaii long green eggplant L, and Choruoku green, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Only had one of all 7 of those String eggplant seeds I had left germinate. I remember last year's seeds germinated ok, but the 2 plants I had weren't even the same thing, but the 2 I gave a friend were the string EP, and she liked them. If this one looks and grows like it, I'll bag some blossoms and save some seeds.
Asian String eggplant, planted on 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Besides these plants, I just received some free seeds of Matrosik eggplant from someone, and while I am starting them 5 weeks later than the rest, I figured I'll get them in plenty of time, and they grow well in FL, so they should be able to stand the heat I have!

I also planted a number of cucurbits yesterday. I checked the tray that those, and the okra are all planted in Jiffy Pellets, and pulled out all the ones with a set of true leaves, and labeled them, and took them out and planted them. I had 4 cucumbers, 2 kajari melons, 1 calabash gourd, and 1 of 2 bottle gourds, with some bitter melons still coming.
Calabash gourd, planted 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

One of the Kajari melons, planted 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flick

One of the Bottle gourds went in today, 5-7, still one coming up. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Snowy #6 Cucumber, 5-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Peppers are definitely going out soon! It's getting warmer out (with no cold times in the long time forecast), and those plants are getting huge, considering that I planted most of them on 4-1, chinense peppers a week earlier. Some of them (jalapeños, as usual) are starting to get little flower buds, which I snip off quickly - they are probably getting rootbound. I will probably plant those a little later next season.
Peppers on 5-8, ready to go out, for sure! Just a little over 5 weeks old. The 32 smaller peppers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The larger peppers, 4 chinense peppers in the back, started a week early, and just 12 jalapeño, thai, and other typically larger varieties in the front. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I put in 5 varieties of long beans today. 6 of my Thai red beans, 4 of some I got from someone in Hawaii - a "Yardlong pole" - and the other 3 I got from that seed company Asian Garden 2 Table: 8 "Vine Full #5" (green pod), 7 "Vine Full #9" (white pod), and 8 "Sweet White" (a lighter color pod). I'll see how they grow, and how they taste, compared to others, but they all seem to be tropical, so they shouldn't be the type that stop growing in the heat of the summer.

[pepperhead212]

I put my peppers outside today, to start hardening off - good day, as it was cloudy much of the day, and just a little cool and breezy. I'll bring them back into the back porch these next two nights, then start planting Thursday, as Wednesday night is supposed to be the last in the low 50s. And these are definitely ready to plant!
The larger pepper plants, the 4 on the left the Chinese varieties, about a week older. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The smaller 32 pepper plants, shown from the top, hardening off on the deck, 5-9 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

The peppers are all in today - 34 total, of 16 varieties...I think. The first ones planted were the chinense varieties, on 3-19, so this is after 60 days - 13 days fewer for all others. The Aji Dulce were the fastest to sprout and grow, of the chinense - next year I'll have to start them maybe 5 days later, as they were getting a little rootbound, and the Datil were just starting to a few buds on them. And those others that were getting flower buds (that I try to pick off, but they were getting hard to keep up with!) - Thai vesuvius, Superchili, Jalapeño m, and Jalafuego - I'll start on 4-7, instead of 4-1.
Aji Dulce, getting ready to plant, and getting a little bit rootbound. 5-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Datil on L, with the Aji Dulce, planted on 5-11. I started these and the other chinense varieties on 3-19 this year. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I forgot to go out and photograph the Wartryx pepper - didn't grow quite as large as the aji dulce, but some of the leaves are HUGE! Only one germinated early, but I got another, eventually, and still have that under the lights, for my friend.

These two Pimiendo de Pedron were the only plants of any that did not look good, after planting (they also didn't grow as quickly as most), but later they perked up.
2 Joe E Parker on R, 2 Pimiendo de Pedron in M, and one Number 6-4. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

2 Big Mic on L, 2 jalapeño M, and 2 Pumpkin spice jalapeño. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

2 Hanoi Markets, on R, 2 Jalafuegos in M, and 1 Numex 6-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

3 Aruna in back, a Japanese Yatsufusa on R, and a Maui Purple. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

2 Thai Vesuvius on R, a Thai Dragon on LF, and Jyoti on LB. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

6 more of some of the same peppers, in the front bed, in front of zinnias, and what will be some of the okras. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I didn't do much in my garden today, after helping my friends at their place, but did a few odds and ends out their. Also took a photo of that wartryx superhot pepper I planted yesterday. Of the chinense peppers, this had the largest leaves! Also photographed the larger tomato plants - the other of the 3 largest was the Brandyboy F1, but the photo looked like I was 10 feet away! Oh well...there will be more! Surprisingly, the cherries aren't up there with the largest, but it's only been a week (actually, 8 days) since planting.
Wartryx pepper plant, with some HUGE leaves! Planted 5-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Hippie Zebra tomatoes, some of the largest plants, a week after planting. 5-12 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Oaxacan Jewel tomatoes, two of the largest plants a week after planting. 5-12 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Last night, and this morning I got some of my okra planted. I got 3 each of the Big Buck, and Star Of David, with one extra of each. Had a problem with Emerald (older seeds) and Hill Country Red (new this year), and got 2 and 1 of each, and needed 1 and 2 more of each, respectively, to fill their boxes. The Little Lucy also didn't all germinate, which are all saved seeds, and usually germinate very well. So a couple nights ago I soaked them in some of that KNO3 solution I use for peppers - I just got the idea when I saw the stuff on the shelf! I soaked about a dozen Little Lucy seeds, 6 HCR, and 4 Emerald, for 12 hours, then put them on damp PTs, and in less than 12 hours, the LL had several very small sprouts, and in another 12 hours, most of the LL had about 3/8" sprouts, only one each of the others, with a few more tiny sprouts started. So I planted 2 of the LL outside, directly, and all the rest in pellets - I'll wait and see which grows better. My friend will get all the extras, like she did those others today!

[pepperhead212]

I planted most of my basil yesterday, and a few more today; also a couple more okra, that had gotten their 1st set of true leaves. Still have 6 more okra to go, with 12 planted - the rest go to my friends. I also a few days ago, when I sprouted a bunch of okra seeds, before putting them in the pellets, I put 2 in empty spots for them outside, and I'll see if they grow faster than starting them in the pellets, though the pellets seem to have them growing faster already. I also started sprouting my butternut seeds, as well as more of the bitter melon seeds, of the ones that did not germinate. I "scarified" the seeds this time, filing the edges of the seeds - I'll see how it works. I also soaked them in KNO3 this time - what I use for pepper seeds, and some other seeds. And I also tried some saved seeds, from a white bitter melon a few years ago - something I haven't tried yet.

I sprayed Surround on the plants for the first time today - the eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons. Only sprayed a small amount, given the sizes - eggplants the largest, and the main ones I want to start on, to prevent those flea beetles. I also put some potassium bicarbonate in the mix, as a prophylactic. Here is a photo of one Green Zebra, one of the larger varieties only 12 days after transplant.
One of the 2 Green Zebra Cherry tomatoes, sprayed with Surround, 5-15, 12 days after transplant. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also re-set my timers for the drip irrigation lines - had to set them to run now, since the rain has been almost nonexistent here in May, and almost nothing forecast. But I had to turn each row down, since the plants aren't very large yet - I put the timers away when the plants were full grown. I'll just have to re-set them again, when plants get larger, and it gets hotter. Still beats hand watering!

[imafan26]

Looking good. I am not used to seeing 2 eggplant planted so close together, but then if my eggplant thrives it will be in the container a couple of years.

Your plants look way better than mine.

[pepperhead212]

Yes, many of these plants are planted closer in these SIPs than they would be in the ground or another container, and I never had a problem with them, except in the beginning, when I planted 4 cucumbers in an original Earthbox (their recommendation), and they would dry out quickly - even when refilling every 12 hours! However, those early Earthboxes only had 2 gallon reservoirs; later, they made them 3 gallon, though I never bought those, I just made my own! And cucumbers I grow by themselves (usually), in the homemade bucket SIPs, with large reservoirs. And those, and other cucurbits never really get a huge root mass - just need extra water, which is sort of strange. Large tomatoes also needed more water, though cherries had no problems with them, nor did peppers or okra. Peppers vary, however, as to how large the plants grow, and those chinense peppers I only put 2 in the Earthboxes, some 4, and some 6, and never the 8, recommended by EB. One time, early on, I put 3 different habanero varieties in one EB, and they grew well, but were just too jam packed! And chinense peppers and eggplants are the ones that get the largest root masses.

[pepperhead212]

Those Oaxacan Jewels are the largest tomato plants in my garden, and the first I saw any flower buds on! I saw one of those megablossoms on one a couple of days ago, and all of them had a couple clusters of unopened buds. And that Hippie Zebra was another that has a bunch of buds on, and the Juliet F3 have a cluster. Usually, it's cherry tomatoes that are first, but not one shows any buds yet.
First blossom on any of my tomatoes - a megablossom on one of those Oaxacan Jewel plants. 5-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Flower buds on one of the Hippie Zebras, 5-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The last of the tomatoes with flower buds - Juliete F3, 5-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I saw 2 more of those megablossoms on those Oaxacan Jewels yesterday; no more open blossoms on any other plants, however. And those plants are getting large FAST! The Brandyboys are almost as large, and all are starting to take off now, even the smallest ones.

The wind finally died down, and I got to cover my pepper-maggot-prone peppers - 3 sets of them, 15 total. Jalapeños, Hanoi Markets, and larger, milder peppers were always ones that would get them. The jalapeños, as always, had the most unopened blossoms, but Big Mic also had a few, even though they were smaller plants (the smaller ones on the left, in this photo). I picked off all I could, before covering, since it would be my last chance, for a while.
One Earthbox of peppers, before covering with the light Agribon. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

One of the covered boxes of peppers, and Wartryx by itself, in the box to the left. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I put my last pepper in today - the Red Savina that I started late, because the chocolate habanero seeds did not germinate, so I tried some of the closest thing I had.
Red Savina - my last pepper to go in, 5-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Eggplants are doing great! The Ichiban is the largest, but not by much. None have even unopened blossoms yet, but are growing well.

Ichiban eggplant, 5-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Batak eggplant, L, and LA Long Green, 5-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

HI University Eggplant, L, and Choruoku green, 5-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Asian String eggplant, 5-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

Here's one of those set fruits on a Oaxacan Jewel.
First set fruit on any tomato this season - a Oaxacan Jewel, which is not a cherry! First saw it 5-28, this photo 5-29. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Today I sprayed some more Surround on the new growth on the tomatoes, and most of the other plants. It has rained so little here that I haven't even gone through the first 2 gallon batch of it, since I just have to cover the new growth. It doesn't wash off easily, but it hasn't been raining much at all - only about .19" in all of May.

[applestar]

Looking good!

Since I just started planting, I should remember to spray them with Surround like you do.

Last year my eggplants in particular got hit really badly by the flea beetles.

How much do you use for the initial spray. Do you use a sticker? Can I just use canola oil/neem oil, and liquid castile soap? Do you combine with anti fungal like Potassium bicarbonate?

Do you change formula for older plants and/or later in the season?

Haha I have questions….. Thanks!

[pepperhead212]

@applestar - Good questions! All things I can answer for you!

I use about 2 c of surround/gal for the first sprays. And I do add some potassium bicarbonate to the mix, as a prophylactic - about 1½ tb/gal. And what I do is take a fine strainer, about 3" in diameter, and put the KHCO3 in it first, then put a half cup of Surround in on top, and take the hose fitting on "shower", and wash it through the strainer through the top of the sprayer. I then add more Surround in, using the same method, adding a half cup at a time, until I have 4 cups in, for the 2 gal sprayer. This breaks up the particles, so the sprayer won't clog up, while spraying.

I then add a tsp of the spreader/sticker ThermX70; I don't know how adding oils would affect it, but we know it quickly becomes too hot to be applying oils, so I usually don't mix these.

Later in the season, I reduce the amount to 1½ c/gal, partly because I am often re-spraying, after heavy rains, and there is still some on them. And as soon as the cherry tomatoes begin setting fruits, I stop spraying those, as it is a pain trying to get the Surround off of those small fruits - it doesn't just rinse off, like DE, or sand. Large tomatoes, eggplants, and other larger vegetables wipe clean easily, but not small peppers and tomatoes, or irregular surfaces on some vegetables.

The Surround works well against flea beetles, as well as other beetles, and aphids. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to affect those spotted lanternflies, that are becoming more of a pest around here every year.

[applestar]

Cool. Thermx70 looks like it’s derived from Yucca. Makes me want to try harvesting a leaf or two and a bit of root from my old reliable and see if a home made extract would be enough….

Thanks for the thorough details of your methods! I’ll get working on this tomorrow.

[pepperhead212]

The largest Mexican Sunflower plant got the first blossom today, with a lot of buds on that, and the smaller plants getting buds on them now.
First Mexican Sunflower of the season, 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

Pretty! I forgot I wanted to grow them this year. (That’s what happens when they clear your basket before you get the chance to pay. (I do consider it a “cooling off” period — a chance to reconsider because I always put too many things in the cart/basket. )

Last time I did, I watched hummingbirds hovering over them to drink just like in pictures. I was intrigued because these are not tubular flowers.

[pepperhead212]

I got hummingbirds in those last year - first time in anything, in my garden! They also attracted even more butterflies than anything else I have grown.

Today, I took advantage of the overcast and cooler weather, and uncovered my 3 covered pepper Earthboxes, to make sure nothing was taking advantage of the fact that I can't see under there, at least if it's something small! No aphids, or anything else growing under there, and those plants are growing faster than the uncovered ones! I think it's because they are slightly warmer, and peppers love heat. These are between 1½ and 2' - I couldn't keep the cover off well, to make the photo, due to the wind.
one of the covered pepper Earthboxes, Jalafuegos just under 2 feet tall, with a lot of buds, some just opening. 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr


I'm seeing more set tomato fruits every day now, including some of the smaller ones, so they will ripen faster. The Sprite grape is just starting, as well as the Green Zebra. And the Juliet F3 plus the Prune Verte Green Plum are a little larger, but should still be faster than the big ones. And those Oaxacan Jewels are incredible - all 3 plants have at least 2 set fruits, and the stalks are probably the thickest I have seen on any variety. And here's something I did, while trimming the plants - I've snipped off an excess number of buds, in those initial clusters, on the Jewels, Hippies, and Brandyboys, some of which had 8 or more buds, some of which hadn't even opened. Last year it seemed some of these Jewels and Brandyboys would get BER on the clusters with a lot of tomatoes on them, but not when they only had 2 or 3 tomatoes, which is what I left on them. I don't do this with small varieties, but the large ones, in the beginning at least, I think this will help.
Hippie Zebra, setting fruit, 6-3. Plants just over 2 feet tall. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Prune Verte Green Plum, starting to set fruit, 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Those Oaxacan Jewels, showing the first set tomato of the season, and how large the plants have gotten. 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also saw a couple of set fruits on some eggplants, that I hadn't even noticed the fruits on - the Choryoku Green, and the LA Long Green, and the latter one I remember being a later than most variety! Maybe they've improved them, through the years. The blossoms on the Ichiban and String are still open.


The beans are starting to come up now - some of them seeming to not wanting to come up at all. I re-planted some different varieties, in between the uncooperative ones, and I'll see what happens.

[pepperhead212]

I planted my garlic on 10-16-22, and all of it got the scapes, so I cut them today, and I might go out tomorrow and dig up some of the heads, as many are small, and drying up. Last year I dug some of them up earlier than 7-4 (my usual target date), but not much. However, I planted about 3 weeks later then, so the time will probably be about the same. I'll probably stop watering them at all now, since it is best to harvest dryer, than when soaked, and it won't take long to dry out, with that lack of rain! Of course, weather doesn't always cooperate...
6 qt bowl overflowing with garlic scapes, 6-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[hendi_alex]

The bees love flowering allium. I have already harvested most of the non flowering garlic, but those with scapes are left to bloom and feed the nectar lovers. I notice no difference in clove formation other than those that flower tend to have bigger bulbs. Some days there are a half dozen bees and wasps on a single flower! I agree, cut back the water. It is easy to get rot started.

[pepperhead212]

I don't let my garlic flower, just to give it more energy to the roots. And I have so many clusters of garlic chives that flower for the bees, as well as some mint, and many things flowering later on. And those Mexican Sunflowers are the best pollinator attractors I've ever grown!

[hendi_alex]

Yep, I love the Fiesta del Sol. My best pollinators for bees and wasps are chaste tree and African basil.

[pepperhead212]

I saw my first maybe half sized Thai Vesuvius, and Superchilis a couple days ago. That new Thai Dragon is much smaller than Thai Vesuvius, and a lot of blossoms, but just very small peppers forming, so far. Only a few peppers have no open blossoms (3 chinense, Japanese Yatsufusa, and Maui Purple), but they are doing well, and this is very early!

Tomatoes are doing great, and some of the cherries are starting to catch up with those crazy Oaxacan Jewels, Brandyboys, and Hippie Zebras. Those larger ones, from which I have been trimming those "excess buds" from the clusters, have shown not a single tomato with BER. The OJs and Hippies, especially, seemed to have clusters like on some cherries, with 10 or more blossoms, and I think that they just can't "feed" that many large tomatoes through the small stems. The largest of the first OJs is about 3" now, with 2 smaller ones on that cluster. Some of those cucurbits are starting to grow like they are on steroids! The bottle gourds and the one calabash gourd are about 4' up the trellis, and the kajari melons are also taking off - I'm trying to trim the early "suckers", but every time I check, there are more! Jin 301 cucumber is still the largest, but all are doing well. Eggplants are doing well, with some formed on Ichiban, String, and LA Long Green, though a while before any are useable size. Beans are late - maybe because several are tropical varieties! Some okra is taking off, with the Little Lucy and Star of David the largest, so far. Another couple weeks and it will be time to harvest garlic!

[pepperhead212]

I went out today after it stopped raining for about 2½ hours (though I only got .03" then), and started trimming the tomatoes (and cucurbits) again. I went out yesterday, and sprayed most things with the surround again (some had washed of, but most things had a lot of new growth since last time. Today I trimmed the suckers, re-trained the vines through the trellises, and buzzed the blossoms, as I was doing these things. Usually, I would have stopped doing this, by now, but there just aren't very many pollinators around yet, due to (I assume) the horrible dry weather I've been having. Hopefully, I'll start seeing them soon, as those cucurbits need pollinating - what I do makes sure almost every tomato blossom self-pollinates. And there are countless tomatoes I see out there now! The Oaxacan Jewels and Brandyboys are still the largest by far, and getting loaded with tomatoes.
Two of the Oaxacan Jewel tomatoes, over 3 feet tall, 6-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two of the Brandyboy tomatoes, incredibly large, and loaded with fruits, 6-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also trimmed those suckers off most of the cucurbits, some of which grow them faster than the main vine! The calabash was the only vine that didn't have any suckers, but the vine was off the top of the trellis, over 6' high! I trained it to one side, and when it gets to the end, I'll snip it, and let it grow more runners, like the bottle gourd. Supposedly, it's flowers open during the day, so I don't have to hand pollinate them, like the bottle gourds.
Calabash vine - about 6 feet tall, with no suckers yet. 6-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two bottle gourd plants, most suckers trimmed, but a couple runners in each plant. 6-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I saw the first open blossom on an okra today! A Little Lucy, as usual, for the first, and I will save the first couple of pods, letting them harden on the plant - this way, with these first couple, there's no other varieties open yet, so it won't be crossed. I'll buzz the blossoms, to make sure they are self pollinated - those are other plants I always see a lot of pollinators on, so I'll watch for them there.

The Superchilis have some almost full sized - about normal here, around 6-20, more or less. The garlic is looking good, but of course, the rain comes, once I stopped watering, to dry it out for harvest! That rarely cooperates, anyway.

[pepperhead212]

Rain total earlier ended at 1.12". I just went out and looked around to assess the damage from that storm. Didn't seem like any major problems, like the peppers a few days ago - some okras are tipped over some, but they are flexible, and just bent. The a few tomatoes have some branches bent the same, but not broken. And nothing was broken, just glancing around at them. I'll have to wait until things dry out, so I can handle them and clip them to the trellises, or stake all those okras. Sun's coming back out, so it should dry things out soon.

[pepperhead212]

I was out there today, and it was very cloudy, and when I checked, rain wasn't very likely until late tomorrow, and on and off for a couple days (though again, I'm not counting on any of them). My Metechi almost all needed dug up, but most of the others had 3 browned leaves, so I figured I'd dig them all up before the thunderstorms come tomorrow. I only got 28 smallish Metechi heads (about the same number of small heads I dug up a couple weeks ago that had browned), and 14 smaller and 40 larger Music heads, and every single Music clove I planted grew into a head! Tomorrow, I'll have Georgian Fire and Estonian Red to dig up, before the rain.
28 Metechi garlic heads, harvested 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

54 Music garlic heads, harvested 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The calabash and bottle gourds are both starting to flower, and it looks like the calabash is also a night flowering plant. Both had some opened by 8 pm, but all male - no females, like I often see with winter squash. But that's better than the one variety of bottle gourd that started with a bunch of female flowers, that were wasted, until the male flowers started up.

The eggplants are all starting to set fruits, so they'll be coming in soon.
Ichiban eggplant starting up, 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Choruoku green eggplant, 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Asian String eggplant, 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I don't grow too many flowers, but here are a couple of them, to attract the pollinators. Those Peruviana zinnias are over 2' tall, with a lot of small blossoms, and not very dense foliage. The Lime Blush are only about a foot tall, getting more blossoms now, with a lot of buds, and the foliage is much denser.
Peruviana zinnias by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Lime Blush zinnias by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here are my favorite flowers:
Peppers developed on a Thai Vesuvius, 6-22 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

It didn't rain today, and the next several days are more likely to rain, plus getting hotter, and more humid, so I harvested the last 60 heads, for 142 total (plus those small ones I picked a couple weeks ago). They were definitely wetter than the first harvest, but I had to do it, and they cleaned up ok, and they will be the first ones used, besides the early harvest a couple weeks ago.
24 Estonian Reds by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The largest of the Estonian Red, the one on the bottom with just 2 cloves! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

36 Georgian Fire heads, a couple as large as the largest Estonian Reds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The largest Georgian Fire, marked X to plant for next season, along with the largest Estonian Reds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I definitely will not have to worry about vampires! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I picked my first ripe tomato today, but it's not quite ripe - one or two more days, so it's very close to the same as that Oaxacan Jewel that ripened on 7-3 last year. Only 2 of those, one Brandyboy, and one Hippie Zebra got BER, and I missed thinning those clusters, which seems to be what causes it with these.
First Oaxacan Jewel, 7.85 oz, on 9-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

My Sunsugars are starting to ripen, on both plants. The Juliets are the only others ripening.
Sunsugars starting to ripen, 7-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I was going to make something today with them, so I cut 5 more, a little small, but I don't ended up staying out there much longer, so I'll do it tomorrow.
A Choruoku green, and 4 Ichiban eggplants, 7-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I harvested 4 more cukes today, and they are growing fast! There are two plants just not taking off, that I might pull, and plant a couple more seeds in each spot - there's plenty of time for them to start up.
4 more cukes, 7-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I just harvested my first okra for the year. I wanted to harvest a few yesterday for that sambar, but it wasn't quite ready. It's a 3½" Star Of David, and it almost doubled since yesterday! The only other one was the first one formed on Little Lucy, which I'm saving for seeds, since it flowered before anything else blossomed, so I didn't have to isolate it from others.
My first okra for 2023 - Star Of David, 7-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

SVBs are the reason I started growing these relatives - Bottle Gourds. Here's my first one of the season.
First bottle gourd, 22 oz, harvested 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Eggplants are starting to produce well, though I'm going to have to trim that LA long green, which is not at all long, as there are just way too many fruits on it, clustered together.
An Ichiban, a Choruoku Green, and 2 Asian String eggplants, harvested 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Cukes are starting to produce well, too. I'll have to have a taste test with the different varieties.
A 14 in Jin 301, a yellowing Snowy number 6, and a smaller County Fair, 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The Kajari melons are starting to shape up - the largest is about 2½", so far, with at least 2 more started (I may have missed a couple).
Kajari melons beginning to shape, this first one about 2 and a half inches, so far. 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A few okras harvested, including the first Hill Country Red, despite the plants not really being that large.

[imafan26]

It all looks so good. My plants are behind yours and a lot smaller.

[pepperhead212]

I pulled some of my last bunches of bolted greens out today, along with weeds that took off, after all this rain I've been getting! The things I can compost went in there, but the rest of that stuff went in the lawn trash.

Today was the first time the humidity was down enough to do a lot more out there. I started by uncovering those 3 EBs with peppers prone to pepper maggots, and harvested 3 varieties of jalapeños and 2 Numex varieties, though they were just getting started, and none are ripening. A couple of the Numex peppers have brown tips on them, because they were touching the soil, but they were the only ones low enough. The other varieties are just starting to form the peppers, which is normal for those varieties, which start ripening about a month from now. Another Numex variety - Joe Parker - that eventually gets much larger peppers, only had some small peppers started on them, which is also normal. Before covering the SIPs again, I sprayed them with potassium bicarbonate, as a prophylactic, and dusted around the bases with DE. Here are the few peppers from those plants this time:
Numex 6 and Big Mic, first harvests of the season. 7-10 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First jalapeños of the season, from 3 varieties, on 7-10 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I am also starting to get eggplants on a daily basis, today, 12 of them, after 5 of them yesterday, when I made the Thai Curry.
12 eggplants harvested today, after 5 yesterday - it is that time of year again! 7-10 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here are those Karari melons yesterday; today, the other plant also had 2 slightly smaller fruits formed on it.
2 melons starting on one of the Kajari plants, and one more on the very far right. 7-9 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

My tomatoes are starting to ripen faster now, though I also noticed some of them with far fewer blossoms on them, I assume due to this heat I've been getting. And I've started noticing diseases related to the moisture, due to all this rain, as well as humidity, on some of the varieties most prone. Yesterday morning I sprayed them all with potassium bicarbonate, though I don't know if that will help.

I have about enough to get the 2 lbs of diced tomatoes, to mix with some of the fresh garlic and a bunch of basil - a favorite pasta dish of mine in the summer, when all these things are coming in!
Tomatoes from 3 day ago. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomatoes from 2 days ago. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomatoes from yesterday. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And more eggplants the day after those above. I'll definitely be dehydrating those soon.
More eggplants, a few tomatoes, and another bottle gourd, from yesterday, 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I went out briefly today, and picked a few more eggplants, and more tomatoes are ripening, but I'm seeing fewer blossoms on most of them, due to the heat, I assume. Now it's time for me to cut up those eggplants, for the dehydrator.

The peppers are loving the heat, and a couple of varieties are just starting to ripen. I'm surprised that the okra isn't responding the same way to the heat, as they usually like it like the peppers.

Here are those eggplants cut up, and in the dehydrator. And a photo showing the LA Long Green, and how it got seedy, when only 4-5" long, while the Choryoku not at all seedy, when picked more than twice as long. I also found that happened with the Batak - a purple, skinny variety, that doesn't get much longer than 7-8", and even then, it was seedy, though not bitter. And the Ichiban was the largest, but not one was getting seedy yet.
the LA Long Green, showing the seedy slices, compared to Choruoku Green. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

4 shelves of the eggplants, ready to dehydrate. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I had one variety that was totally wiped out by some blight - the Brandywine Red. Nothing next to them had a hint of it. The Hippie Zebra had a couple of bad stems, as well as the Prune Verte Plum, but the small batch of Copper Soap solution I mixed up helped those, but not the Brandywine Red.
Brandywine Red, almost entirely killed by some sort of blight. Brandyboy on right without a sign of it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I didn't harvest any peppers today, but most are starting to ripen, and even a couple of the habaneros - Datil and Red Savina - are getting full sized peppers, and the Datil is probably the largest plant of any of them.
Superchili, starting to ripen, 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Maui Purple, just one getting a hint of a blush on it. 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Japanese Yatsufusa, starting to ripen, 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Thai Dragons, no signs of ripening, but loaded, and all different sizes, so an indeterminate. 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The Thai Vesuvius is always a determinate type, getting a huge number almost all the same size, and not many more blossoms, until a bunch of the first batch ripens, and is picked. Usually I get a second flush almost as loaded, and a third, smaller flush of peppers, in fall.
Thai Vesuvius, loaded, and just started to get a few with blushes. 7-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

Your garden is well on its way!

I don’t think Brandywine Red is a hybrid but Brandyboy is? So maybe resistance was bred in?

Sometimes you can get lucky with heirlooms that have good resistance, too, but being grown in the same SIP, that kind of results is pretty clear and interesting to see (from a distance )

[pepperhead212]

apple Yes, the Brandyboy is a hybrid, and while it was not grown in the same SIP, it was next to the BW Red, and one branch had grown over the BW Red. I cut out all the dead branches, and left the tomatoes on to see if they will ripen. I'll pull the rest of the plants out later, and maybe sterilize the pot with H2O2. I'll see what else I have to plant in there - I know there is at least one volunteer tomatoes out there!

[pepperhead212]

Today I did some taste tests, only while cutting up all those 3 lbs of tomatoes for dinner. The two that tasted best were the Green Zebra Cherry, and the Prune Verte Green Plum, which is actually a juicy plum variety - not quite as strong as the GZ, but still a fairly strong, and delicious flavor. The Matt's Hornet, which is a small, striped grape tomato, almost the same size and shape as Sprite, has a very mild flavor, even milder than Sprite, which has a good flavor, but also not very strong. The Purple Bumblebees have a good flavor, but it seems there were a bunch not quite ripe, so they are taking longer than some to totally ripen, even though they look ripe. Now I put a bunch of these aside for later, if they were firm - the softer ones I cut up. The other purple variety I have - Piglet Willie Black - has a good flavor, though not as strong as the greens, and a fairly large core I had to cut out, which I don't like in these things. It is only 2-2½". The Juliets are good, and I have a lot of those. Not quite as strong as some of the others, but productive, and since these are F3s, not the hybrids, I'll save the seeds from the better of the two plants. Oaxacan Jewel has a very good flavor - again, not as strong as the greens, but the most productive of the non-cherries. The Sunsugars also have a great flavor, plus sweeter than any of the others - I put some of these in dishes like this, but most of those I eat as a snack!