I guess spring must be here. I’ve started transplanting peppers, first with the habaneros I planted early, but there are a whole lot more seedlings that need to be transplanted soon. With not enough room in the house this year, due to a couple of big Angel’s Trumpets I’m overwintering in the sunny south-facing windows in the living room, we’ve got to put the transplants in the greenhouse. Fortunately, the weather is warming up, with nighttime temperatures only in the high twenties and daytime temps over 45 degrees F. Luckily, that means the propane heater in the greenhouse will keep it nice and toasty at night. During the day, the sun usually keeps it warm enough to keep plants happy — me too!
This year, I’m using some 4-inch square plastic pots to hold my pepper transplants to enable them to grow nice big roots before going into the garden. As last year was such a poor pepper year, I want to make sure we have lots of peppers this year, both in the hoop houses and out in the fields. Everyone loves my new Gaucho relish, made from Cowboy Candy syrup and chopped, seeded Sugar Rush Peach hot peppers, I’ve got to can up lots and lots. We’re now on our last jar and feeling very sad.
We had a lovely Easter dinner with the family on Sunday. But, darn, we all forgot to take pictures! Oh well, that’s how it goes. Now I’ve got the leftover ham to can up in various recipes. And, as my knees are feeling better, I’ll enjoy that a lot. Such a lot of meals we get from one big ham! Amazing! — Jackie
Dear Jackie, so glad your knees doing well. My shoulder replacement aches when it turns cold. It is artificial so I don’t know what’s hurting, but it hurts. Hope you don’t have that problem. It has to be the surrounding area because the replacement is not real! Love your pepper photos, too.
So very glad to hear that the knees are better! YAY! Blessings as you gear up for a fine year.
Thanks Sandy. When the greenhouse starts up, we really feel like spring is here.
We finally got rain!!! 3.4 inches and I am so thankful. Your peppers look like you will have plenty for your relish and cowboy candy. I’m hoping to have plenty to make jalapeno poppers this year. I am so glad to hear your knees are feeling well enough to stand and do some canning. That ham will sure taste good in casseroles and other dishes. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Congratulations on your rain!! We’re pretty dry here although the melting snow is helping a bit. It’s amazing at how many meals we get from one ham! I’m always impressed.
My sweet pepper plants are doing well, as are most of the tomatoes except the Ace 55’s, which don’t look very good. First year trying that kind, maybe also the last. All the other starts are doing well: celery, squash, cukes, and some herbs. I’ll get the brassicas going soon. Everything is still in the basement under the grow lights, because we are in the midst of ANOTHER Nor’easter, about 18″ of new snow since yesterday. Sigh. I’ll be glad to see the last of it. It’s supposed to warm up next week, hit 60º by next Friday, so most of the snow will be gone. The chickens will be happy about that, they don’t like to walk in snow, not even a little bit.
Our chickens are so used to snow, they don’t mind a bit. Our temps are hitting the fifties now, so we’re very happy! Poop on snow!
Jackie, I’m so glad to hear your knees are feeling better, great news!
Those peppers look amazing.
I wonder if your gaucho pepper relish recipe is in the cookbook of yours that I have. I’m going to run look.
I’m growing sugar rush peach peppers for the first time this year and would love to try my hand at that recipe. That is if I get production, fingers crossed!
No, it’s not. I made it up last fall. All you do is make a batch of Cowboy Candy with double the syrup. Then use the leftover syrup, boiling, to pour over medium ground Sugar Rush Peach peppers that have been seeded. I add a couple of red sweet peppers just for color. The relish is processed in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
Glad you had a nice EAster. Your peppers look great.
Have you ever tried direct seeding tomatos into a garden? I’m in Western MN, same zone as you I think. With the goofy weather and with decreasing room for seed flats in the house (additional medical equipment for spouse), I was wondering. No basement. I may try a portable greenhouse with lights in the garage but wondered how direct seeding would work.Thanks.
Katherine…… I have had volunteer seedlings sprout and produce fruit…… Of course, being a bit further south of you, I have actually 2 growing seasons for warm loving plants……. March through June and then September through about November. If I can keep the plants alive late June through August, they will kick up again and produce in the fall. Of course not much will set produce when it is 110+ degrees day after day. I would try using mini greenhouses (cloaches — even cut pop bottles).
Oh gosh! I can’t even imagine temperatures of 110º or more! When it gets to about 80º here I start to feel really unwell. I can handle the cold (although I’m not a huge fan of below-zero temps), but the heat is just too much. It does get hot in Vermont in the summer, we’ll get up to the mid- or upper 90’s, but it’ll only last a few days and then we’ll get a break for a while. I need those breaks!
No, I don’t ever direct seed my tomatoes. They just come in too late. I always have volunteers though, which usually produce a few tomatoes. But I can’t count on them giving me what I need.
Glad you had a nice Easter dinner (despite having ham LOL). But no food waste should be everyone’s goal. I will admit ham serves a large number of people and leftovers (for those who like it) are a plus. We swapped our usual Saturday/Sunday meals as the restaurants was closed on Easter. But still had the same good meal, service, and socializing despite the different day.
We got over 4 inches of rain, plus some snow which has mostly melted, within a 3 day span. Need to put up a fence as our frequent visiting Bambi/Bambis’ left incriminating hoof prints in the garden (aka the tater area). Might need to fence off the garlic area too, we’ll see. Been a lot of wildlife hitting the feeder areas as of late but I do so enjoy seeing them.
Looking at the current weather, need to look at the “predicted” thru mid-May. I started plants *too* early last year, not making that mistake again.