The adventure in not killing every plant that I touch continues! Been getting tons of Jalapeños off of just two plants; enough to give away bundles to a homesick Texan and some other friends, and still leaving me enough to slice over omelettes or beans and rice. I'd like to make a few jars of salsa too, but I'm not sure I'll get a tomato crop before the end of the Summer due to
Reasons... but more on that later.
Their spice is actually a defense mechanism for the plant, and the peppers produce more of it when they're stressed, such as from being
munched on by wildlife, or when they don't get enough water. Commercial growers will often intentionally stress the plants to make hotter fruits, but I want my plants to be comfortable. I mean, I'm literally eating their babies, so it's the least I can do.
Corking is kind of like stretch marks for plants; it's a way of accommodating rapid growth. When water is abundant and growing conditions are good, the plants want to grow their fruits as fast as possible, but the skin can't keep up with high rates of growth (
something something as Volume increases
something proportion of Surface Area
something something...). Supermarkets tend to be prejudiced against selling peppers with corking, since "blemishes" are seen as bad... but it's actually a sign of a ripe happy pepper, ready for picking!
I can't blame them, though. Even just the flowers and leaves smell REALLY tasty, and I kinda want to eat 'em too! </Secretly a Deer> Still, I'm bummed that I've yet to keep a single fruit once it turns yellow... all we've got are the little green guys. At least the plants keep bouncing back with new flowers and fruits, but the growing season for Tomatoes isn't very long here in the Midwest. I'm worried we won't get any fruits before the end of the Summer. I can always try again next year... or maybe I'll stick 'em in that Hydroponics setup I want to try this Winter?
Apparently, Black Swallowtail Butterflies will lay an egg or two near growing Parsley, to give their kids something to munch on. I love this guy's little fat feet and coloration so much that I don't really mind; I was just growing parsley to make Tabbouleh anyway, and that
kinda needs at least one surviving Tomato... so eat up, little friend! :3
Hair's taking it's time to grow back out. I have no idea what to do with it for the time being, so it just kinda... Is? Looking forward to the Fall, so I can just put it in a hat again.