Tangent Gardening "Extras"

Urban Gardening in unnatural heat... Why Not?

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

A Rainbow of Bell Peppers....

   
    When you think of Bell Peppers most people think of green... boring green. Green enough to miss those still hanging on the branches until, "oops!" too late it went soft.  But, what about the range of colors that exist, the colors of the rainbow, minus the blue...
    
     Red that is so red, the first question  people ask is, Is that hot? Oh, and the orange, orange that makes you think of citrus... Yellow, yellow like a banana... I even think that there is purple... deep enough to confuse it with an eggplant..  and last, but not... Chocolate color peppers...
    
     This is the gamete that I decided to purchase today... We now own Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Chocolate varieties of Bell Peppers. Oh I can't wait to get these added to my tangent list!



     I did get my tomatoes also  Early Girl - indeterminate... This was the variety that grows best in this AZ weather.


     I splurged on a Sage plant, and some marigolds.



      The marigolds were going to be inter-planted with all the peppers and tomatoes to help with companion planting, but they were so neat looking that I planted them in separate spots and in their own pots...



    I planted Nigella Seeds and 4 O'Clock's. I did seed cat grass and some catnip...
 I also planted Bush scallops, zucchini and cucumbers... 

 The White Lady

Last Year "2011"-

   I want to tell you  about my trip to Tombstone. Other than the incredible history, living and dead.
I had toured a place called the, "Rose Tree Museum". If you are a rose tree or bush connoisseur, this is a must see to believe, tree...




     I have never in my lifetime, seen a monster of a Rose Tree.. This magnificent specimen, is a White Lady Banksia, It originated from China, but was shipped over to the states from Scotland.  This tree is of  to date 125 years old. There is nothing they do, but water it. The ever spanning limbs is at close to 9000 square feet (no joke). Not to mention the trunk itself is, close to 6 feet tall and 3 feet round.


     The pruning takes approximately 2 months with two truck loads of clippings to be rid of. The flowers are double petal, white clusters. It is a climber and does well in zones 8-9, but doesn't do well in frost. Blooming happens in late spring. This particular bush blooms in April. It is extremely fragrant and an all around  superior species.


 In the photo above, I was actually standing on a platform looking down and across the top of The White Lady...  It was high enough to be, I would say, equal to a flight of stairs.... 
     Unfortunately, I missed the majestic display. This is what I got... (huge sigh!).

    But seeing pictures they had,  made me imagine how beautiful it was.



      Please go and see if you ever venture Tombstone.

April would be the better time to go!

Lettuce!!

My coffee can lettuce is coming along amazingly. I can't wait to see the color and crispness that I have seen in the catalog pictures...


 
      The black berry bush is beginning to show new growth.  I really thought that I did something wrong. I can't wait to see it become a big bush.

   
I have planted these....


and I already have sprouts...  Well, except for the patty pans... Still waiting, I did just plant them...

I hope that I have success this time!  Last year the bugs (aphids had a feast). The stink bugs were a problem too....

But all has been remedied so far!  Here's to hoping, last year the infestation was really bad!  No signs yet!

Hooray!!!!





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