Gardening

I don't even like hot stuff and that looks like it will work.
I do it with Serrano because it takes some of the heat away and I like heat. jalapeño will have a little bit of heat unless you are growing some kind of crazy hybrid.
 
I do it with Serrano because it takes some of the heat away and I like heat. jalapeño will have a little bit of heat unless you are growing some kind of crazy hybrid.

I either add jalapenos to a salsa or (more likely) make a stuffed version wrapped in bacon. Last year was the oven, this year the smoker will see some work...
 
My Magnolia's and other trees are blooming here because we've had 70 degree days. This morning, its 30 degrees. This is why we wait until Mothers Day.

We started 'The Pollening' about a month ahead of schedule, maybe a bit more than that. Many things are blooming. I am afraid of what's going to happen with these next couple weeks of colder weather.
 
Some of you might remember, or can go back in this thread, how I fought a losing battle with fungi which is common here in FL. After speaking to the county Ag office (I cannot emphasize this enough, call them, email them, stalk their office, browse their website, but this is a free goldmine of information.), I made some changes for this year:
- Plant early and avoid the heat. Fungus loves the hottest part of the year, so get in your harvest before this happens.
- Mulch. The master gardener I spoke to was ambivalent to mulch (he didn't in his garden, but recognized the value), but I went and used pine bark. I've already noticed a decrease in weeds and better water retention.
- One of the two beds has an added layer of landscaping mat to reduce weeds.
- I'm aggressively pruning the lower branches of my tomato plants. That encourages vertical growth and reduces "attack vectors" for soil-borne fungus.
- Spray early, spray often. I alternate between neem oil and a copper-based fungicide. The former also helps with insects, but I'm trying to keep it all at bay until the plants produce fruit.

We'll see if this works or not.

While recommended, I did NOT do this because of time, but it is on my "To Do" list and that is a drip irrigation system. By not "blasting" water on the plants you reduce the opportunity for fungus to grow and you can keep the soil's water level constant.

One last thing for this year which I didn't do in seasons past: I am staying on top of fertilizing the soil. Every two weeks and I already notice a huge difference in how quickly the plants are growing.
 
I am going to do tomatoes, basil, cilantro, and basil again this year. Probably not in a bed and just in containers. Haven't decided.
 
I am going to do tomatoes, basil, cilantro, and basil again this year. Probably not in a bed and just in containers. Haven't decided.
I think basil is one of the easiest plants to grow and harvest. I say this for anyone: if you can’t grow and harvest basil then gardening is probably not your thing.

Basil and marigolds are almost hands off cruise control plants.
 
I think basil is one of the easiest plants to grow and harvest. I say this for anyone: if you can’t grow and harvest basil then gardening is probably not your thing.

Basil and marigolds are almost hands off cruise control plants.
Good litmus test. I like it!
 
Wow, my garden doesn't resemble that picture from 3 weeks ago. Anyway, I've harvested two massive zucchini and 3 batches of basil for pesto. The cucumber vines have a mind of their own however. The peppers are slow to grow, but our weather has been a bit cool, so a little heat will help. It is also dry, we finally had rain this weekend. I'm watering as needed (mulch really helps to retain moisture), but it isn't the same as rainwater, you know?
 
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