That darned list of things growing

Righty-o. Here's the list of things growing in our garden/inside the house this season. It includes things that were overwintered. I'm starting with the fruit first, because this year there's an abundance of fruit growing (well, attempting to grow) in the house:

4 Strawberry (if they overwintered)

1 Alpine Strawberry (Ditto)

4 Raspberry Canes

2 Gooseberry plants

1 Blackcurrant plant

1 Goji Berry plant

1 Blueberry plant

1 Grape Vine (probably dead. Will see in the spring)

*The Strawberry Guava looked strangely dead as of this morning :-( I don't know how or why, since it seemed fine during the harshest part of winter. But I guess it may have been to early to have it spend an entire winter outdoors.

Also, the Suriname Cherry is starting to pick up on its growth, as is the Myrtle.

Veg! (and yes, I am including things that by definition are actually fruit, or as Almapaprika just said 'ya wouldn't put them in a fruit salad, would ya?', well, except for the Watermelon...but they haven't germinated, so not included)

Cannellini Beans

Borlotti Beans

Black Turtle Beans

Pigeon Pea

Coquina Squash (a sweeter variety of butternut squash)

Buttercup squash

Pottimarron Squash

An unknown acorn squash from TESCO

Purple Corn

Super Sweet Sweet Corn

Scotch Bonnet

More on the list later...

:-)

Disastro! Tragedia! Mascarpone!

AAAAARGH!! This is a horrible Charlie Brown moment...

I looked out the window of the new flat last night, only to discover something disastrous:

The Rocoto Rojo, as well a the Butternut Squash were dead! DEAD, JIM!

So annoyed at this! The only thing I can think of, after looking at both plants, was that it was a combination of cold weather (yes, we did have a brief cold snap last night and today, but no frost that I can recall) and high winds. The leaves on both plants were snapped and shriveled.

Keeping the rest of the chillies indoors, then...

Kung Fu Panda

Just thought I'd post some photos of how things are going at work. I took these photos on Monday. The top photo is of the Piri-Piri Chilli. It was one of the ones grown inside the glass jars. As you can see, the plant could not support its weight when it started to grow outside. But the beautiful thing is how it's picked itself off.

And not only that, but because it has to grow 'sideways' as it were, it is now developing lovely side shoots, which means more chillies!

Second photo is of the Ring of Fire Cayenne. It has already started producing little chillies.

Most impressive.

I counted around five on it this morning.

The third photo from the top is of the Sweet Chocolate Pepper. It's about an inch and a half by an inch at the moment. It should grow quite a bit more, but I'm worried that because they've already flowered and set fruit I can't transplant them to another pot, so they will end up giving sub-par fruit.

The last photo is a Chocolate Habanero. Oh-me-oh-my, it looks lovely and BIG. Leaves are about as wide as a child's hand. And so vividly green. I can even smell the faint smell of pepper when I get close.

I just finished transplanting the triff...I mean the Butternut Squash to a 30cm pot, while Almapaprika and her mom talked about a website that does 'pepper packaging for special occasions'.

Yep.

They are already talking about that.

And where the Farmers Market's going to be...

No more essays?

Wohoo! I think I'm starting to see flower buds on the Orange Habanero! (third photo down, right hand side). It's just bizarre.

Mind you not as bizarre as the fact that, having only been planted about seven weeks ago, the butternut squash is already heavy with flower buds! (photo right above the text). They are growing like MAD!

Seriously, though. It's freaky. I either have a really green set of thumbs, or TESCO is selling irradiated squash, which will turn into vegetable superheroes and fight injustice and overcooked vegetables!

I think my neighbours think I may be growing 'funny' veg. I get strange looks from the ones who can see the butternut squash, as I do from the ones that can see the chineses... ah, well. You can technically get a 'high' from chillies, though it's more the sort of stuff only chilli heads both dream of and dread.

Ah, before I go, the second from bottom photo is that of our blueberries. That particular plant was the one with all the aphid problems. But one generous series of squirts of SB plant invigorator all over the leaves and they seem to have been remarkably under control.

But I shall tell you whether or not the product is gravy later on if it manages to keep the evil gribblies away from my blueberries.

Triffids invade!

Almapaprika has taken to calling our new 'children' triffids. The Butternut squash seeds I planted last Saturday in little coir pellets have not only already grown taller than the tallest of the chilli peppers we've planted this season, but have also protruded their roots so far out that they ended up intertwined, though each pellet was separate at a distance of about 1 inch from the next.

All of this in one week!

I've had to move them to 3 inch pots until they outgrow them (at this pace, it will be in another week).

I did bring two of them to work, as gifts for two colleagues who had tried to grow sunflower seeds but not succeeded. I did warn them, though, that the Butternut Squash will grow and overtake their desks if they aren't careful and move them somewhere adequate.

Then it really will turn into a triffid fest! I can just see the office as one lush jungle of climbing, creeping, crawling vines, ensnaring anyone foolish enough to walk up to them and say: 'Ooh! a Butternut Squash!'

Maybe it's all part of my devious plan...

None of Aji Queen's seeds have germinated, but I expect them to soon. If the weather picks up as it has the last few days, it should be good growing.

The chillies at work are doing well, though the smaller ones (Belpicen, Caribbean Red and Orange Habanero) seem not to be doing as well as their 'counterplants' back at the flat.

ROCK LOBSTER!