Pepper Plants

So last Farmer's Market I bought a four-pack of mixed bell pepper plants. Since most of my peas are dead and/or dying, I pulled a bunch out of one planter, and threw the peppers in. Apparently, peppers are prima donnas, and like not only well drained soil, but continuously DAMP soil. I watered them last night, and they perked right up, but when I woke up this morning, they were already dry. Sonuva...

With that in mind, I borrowed a tip from a website and put grass cuttings in the box (a.k.a. I weeded and threw the weeds around my pepper plants). I removed any seed heads, but that was the only precaution I took. I figure that they can deal with sharing the box since their new bedfellows are happily shading their soil for them.

Also, I think something was eating one of my cantaloupe plants! This is very Un Cool, and I have placed a big rock where I have my suspicions that a burrow is located. It seems like my plants are having some troubles decided to get big!

(No pictures at the moment -- too lazy to change the batteries in the camera.)

I Love Visitors and Life Update

Mister's sister S visited us for about four days, and we had a blast. Why don't Mister and I ever bother to do things without the requirement of company? We went to the Boston Circus Guild's show (actually twice) on Saturday, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus pride concert of all Beatles songs on Sunday, and the Propeller Theatre Co (from UK)'s production of Comedy of Errors on Tuesday.

Lots of good times, and I re-learned that I LOVE jugglers -- they were my favorite part of the circus (although the bellydancer/housewife skit was fabulous... :-P).

So food-wise here's whats going on: my spiced fig vinegar is finished and fabulous, my chive blossom vinegar will probably be strained tomorrow and is BRIGHT PURPLE!, I have some basil blossom oil infusing, lemon balm in 63% vodka, and I just started two batches of kimchi (one with napa cabbage and this recipe and one with some napa cabbage and spring onions with this recipe). We'll see how it all turns out!

Also, my peas are pretty much all succumbing to something called Fusarium Wilt.

The first signs of fusarium wilt and root-rot disease are the yellowing and wilting of the lower leaves and stunting of the plants. Infection of older plants usually results in the plants producing only a few poorly filled pods. These diseases are not as prevalent on well-drained soils. Double-dug raised beds amended with abundant organic matter can greatly improve soil aeration and drainage. Fusarium wilt can be avoided by growing wilt-resistant varieties.

Uh, yeah. I've nearly given up on the Lincoln Shell peas as only three plants are even green, and I'm trying to see what I wind up getting out of them. After the Lincoln Shells die, I'll replant that pot with the four pepper plants I bought today (bell pepper mix). The beans however, are doing lovely. I cannot wait to have beans!

I also finally popped in the ground the 8 black cherry tomato and 2 cantaloupe (one pixie, one athena) plants that I bought last week at the Farmer's Market. I hadn't gotten around to it as a) it was raining for most of that time and b) I was sick as a dog Wednesday and Thursday (remember the fainting?) and was still not 100% until today. I coughed continuously and took way too much Robitussin during the Beatles concert :-P.

I guess that's about it for now!