When will they stop growing?

The tomato plant on the left got a bit blighty and decided to become a vine and grow in a more downward direction.  It is somehow still producing fruit and still photosynthesizing, despite the fact that it is headed right for the basement door. 

The tomato plant on the right has about 6 tomatoes and stands at about 8 ft tall.  Tomato plants die off after the frosts roll through, so who knows how much longer it will last.  It's 70-80 degrees these days in Maryland, but any day we could have a frost overnight. Or snow.  You never really know in Maryland.  All that said, I think I'll be able to make bruchetta at least a few more times.  Recipe and pictures as soon as the next tomatoes ripen!

Stay sunny,

Christine

RIP Aconcagua Pepper

Oh well.

I came back from our honeymoon and all the peppers on the plant were dead and the leaves were droopy and falling off/nibbled to bits.  I'm thinking bugs, based on all the nibbles.  Aconcagua peppers are not really common in Maryland- I doubt I'd try them again. 

See you all in 2 days,

Christine

Back in the Garden

After a hectic-fabulous wedding and 2 week honeymoon in paradise, I'm back to the garden!  While I was gone with my husband, my father stayed at our house and promised to water the plants.  That's right, the same dad who ran over all of my tomato plants each year with his lawn mower, despite the fact that they were in cages.

It was a leap of faith.

I came back with most of the plants intact.  Unfortunately, a storm raged through our area and snapped two branches off of my cayenne peppers.  These branches were laden with fully grown but unripe peppers- all of which are still green.  Thankfully I was able to salvage every last one and pick a few red ones while at it.

Hot hot hot

When cayenne peppers are green, they aren't as spicy.  I'll be using the green (and mostly green) peppers for salsa and all of the red peppers for crushed red pepper flakes.  We just got a food processor for our wedding, so I'll be able to crush up the dried red peppers.

Since this plant has been so fantastic and they die every year, I'm going to save the seeds of 2-3 peppers and try to replant next year.  If this variety is this successful when I put the plant in the ground 2 months late.. well.. next year I'll be swimming in peppers.

Stay spicy,

Christine

Honeymoon

Sorry for the lack of recent posts! I got married Saturday and I'm taking off on a 2.5 week honeymoon tonight.  My father will be stopping by the house to water the plants, so we'll see how that goes... ;)

Have a wonderful September! See you all soon,

Christine