Back From Death's Door

This banana pepper plant spent the winter perched on the sill of a south facing window. All seemed to be going well until just before I was about to put it outside. I noticed the leaves were changing and falling off. Turns out that some very small insects were attacking it. I took it outside anyway and thought about throwing it away. I found some organic insecticide and sprayed it, but it still looked as though it was at death's door. I decided to put it aside and see what would happen.

As it turns out, Mother Nature was more than happy to lend some help in reviving her creation after it had been given an assist in fending off its attackers. It now looks like it was never in any danger at all. Amazing!

A Plant For A Container Of Almost Any Size

I had read that wonderberries can fruit in a container of almost any size. So I decided to try a little experiment. The results can be seen below. So anyone whose gardening efforts must be limited to a south facing window sill, has no excuse to eliminate berries from the mix. And those empty yogurt cups can now have a new life as planters.

Pecks O' Peppers

I love peppers in a way that I can't describe. They truly are a vegetable I'd never want to live without. But, why oh why did Mother Nature make a tropical plant that is so slow growing? The anticipation is enough to kill you. And here in zone 5 we can't even think about putting peppers out overnight until the end of May. Oh well, one does what one can with what one has.

The Time Of Bounty Has Arrived

This is one of my favorite times of the year. After the a couple of months of anticipation, the garden has begun to yield its bounty. And there is nothing like having fresh produce available for use just steps away from your own door. These summer squash beauties are destined for soups, stews and perhaps even a dessert or two.

Welcome To The Container Tomato Jungle

It looks as though it's going to be another good year for container tomatoes. And yes, they are as delicious as they appear to be.

At Last, Butterbush Success!

I planted a container variety of butternut squash last year and saw the plants wither and die for no apparent reason. This year I planted the remaining six seeds and only one of them sprouted. As you can see, it's coming along quite nicely. Although I must admit that based on the pictures in the seed catalog and the hefty size of the container I'm using, I thought there would be more than three squash on the plant. But, it certainly has been a better result than no squash at all. I can't wait to find out how they taste.

Wonderberries! Wunderbar!

Oh yes, they take their sweet time. But the taste is well worth the wait! Luther Burbank wonderberries are truly wonderful.