Not that this whole week hasn't been one big OT fest. Fine with me though. No midweek game, no recruiting freak outs, spring football over and gone, two days rest for the Grizz. I'd rather talk food than ridiculous NCAA rules anyway. Der's post about the freeze coming through and screwing up his garden just had me wondering who all has plans to grow some food this year.
So far I've got three maters (cherokee purple, heatwave, big boy) in some ten gallon pots that are doing well so far. I've done well with hot peppers the last three years, but they are struggling to take this year since we've had some cool snaps at night. Growing some poblanos for the first time since I've got a killer enchilada recipe that calls for a green sauce made with them. Also doing the regular jalapenos, habaneros, and cayenne. Have the standard bell peppers in as well. Five of them I think. The eggplant (three each of black beauty and inchiban) is taking off like it always does. I think I could piss on them everyday and they'd still do well. For some reason I can grow eggplant like a champ. Don't really understand it.
The cold snaps are irritating me though since I'm scared to put my squash and bean seeds in the ground. I've got raised beds, so they get warm enough during the day, but too cold on some nights. Need this weather to level off some. I actually grow bush beans up under the peppers and eggplant. I also throw some basil around underneath the tomatoes.
My basic goal is to make my own bloody mary bar for tailgate season. That'll include homemade mix from the maters along with pickled cukes, green beans, and okra. The hot peppers will be in the brine and I even just flat out pickle some of the peppers themselves. I'll dry out the rest of the peppers to rehydrate later for use in salsas and sauces and just eat the eggplant and squash as it comes in. Freeze up some pesto from the basil. Can up some beans and use some as I pick them for the dish that made us stop ordering out chinese. If I have enough tomatoes left, which I usually don't since I eat them like apples, I'll make up some pasta sauce or roast and can them.
So far I've got three maters (cherokee purple, heatwave, big boy) in some ten gallon pots that are doing well so far. I've done well with hot peppers the last three years, but they are struggling to take this year since we've had some cool snaps at night. Growing some poblanos for the first time since I've got a killer enchilada recipe that calls for a green sauce made with them. Also doing the regular jalapenos, habaneros, and cayenne. Have the standard bell peppers in as well. Five of them I think. The eggplant (three each of black beauty and inchiban) is taking off like it always does. I think I could piss on them everyday and they'd still do well. For some reason I can grow eggplant like a champ. Don't really understand it.
The cold snaps are irritating me though since I'm scared to put my squash and bean seeds in the ground. I've got raised beds, so they get warm enough during the day, but too cold on some nights. Need this weather to level off some. I actually grow bush beans up under the peppers and eggplant. I also throw some basil around underneath the tomatoes.
My basic goal is to make my own bloody mary bar for tailgate season. That'll include homemade mix from the maters along with pickled cukes, green beans, and okra. The hot peppers will be in the brine and I even just flat out pickle some of the peppers themselves. I'll dry out the rest of the peppers to rehydrate later for use in salsas and sauces and just eat the eggplant and squash as it comes in. Freeze up some pesto from the basil. Can up some beans and use some as I pick them for the dish that made us stop ordering out chinese. If I have enough tomatoes left, which I usually don't since I eat them like apples, I'll make up some pasta sauce or roast and can them.
