Hello April!

The start of the mad spring dash to start our seeds and coddle our plants and make our gardens grow. Now we start to dream of the harvest and yields from all of our new varieties. All of the options whittled down to the select few that we deemed worthy of the precious garden space we tend.

I started trying to build my cold frames today and ended up having a glorious nap. Some days you do things on your list. Some days you nap. And Spring marches on.

What selections did you make?

I’ve seen some of the prettiest seed packages on social media and all sorts of varieties I’ve never heard of before. This seed swap that my sister and I did introduced me to a bunch of of new plants. Possibly there were just soooo many that you had to try some of these, and some of these and some of these and then you start to sound like me. 

What did I choose? 

Funny you should ask. Let me tell you a little about the garden guests for this summer’s gala.

First on the plate, and first started out of sheer insanity and minor misunderstanding:

Peppers

1. Brazilian Starfish

Seed started:

February 2, 2021

I did this because I read on rareseeds.com that a lady in Toronto starts her’s at this time in order to make sure they are producing by the time she gets them out in mid-May. Somehow this translated into I needed to start all of the peppers early which has created mad havoc in this house but that will come later. For now, I’m glad I started these guys early, they are very slow growers. 

Size:

72” tall by 36”wide 

Location:

Full Sun

Matures in:

90 days

Native to:

The baccatum pepper species originated in Peru, but this variety was domesticated in Brazil.

Why did I Choose it?

I received these seeds in the seed swap and they sounded so interesting I wanted to taste them. 

Uses?

Brazilian starfish boasts complex floral and fruity tones that are perfectly offset by medium heat. Use anywhere you would a regular sweet pepper and expect a bit of spice with it. 

Specifics:

Unique, star-shaped fruit. Brazilian starfish boasts complex floral and fruity tones that are perfectly offset by medium heat. Expect surprises when snacking on this pepper. The fruit varies in heat but often medium spicy, sometimes exceeding that of jalapeños. Fruit is always juicy and quite sweet. Curious-looking fruit reaches 2 inches in width, ripening to brilliant red at maturity. Plants are vigorous and unusual, having an almost weeping, vine-like habit. Slow to yield but, by the end of the season, amazingly prolific.

Personal Notes: 

So far the pepper plant has been quite slow to mature. Everything else would have full size peppers on them if I wasn’t picking the flowers off. I topped them because as per my pruning information, fish peppers do best with lots of branches. 

I assumed this was a little like coppicing. You can have one large main stem and that’s it or a profusion of medium stems that yield more than the one large one would anyway.  I’ve placed the tops in water to see if I can start new plants from the cuttings.

2. Ancho Poblano

Seed started:

February 4, 2021

Did not need to start so early. They are huge and ready to make a lot of peppers. I think I’m going to plant them in buckets and then let them make peppers. I can put them on the deck on nice days and bring them inside if it gets cold. We may actually have peppers by May. 

The earliest I’ll probably start these guys next year is the beginning of March. February was too early. 

Size:

30-60” tall by 24” wide

Location:

Full Sun

Matures in:

65 days from when set out

Native to:

The poblano is a mild chile pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico.

Why did I Choose it?

If you have never had Chiles en Nogada, please, just find a proper Mexican restaurant and order it. You will never regret the choice!

Uses?

Family friendly heat. Cooking with these peppers will only add a little kick that even most kids will enjoy. They’re often stuffed and roasted but there really are so many options for you to try.

Specifics:

They're one of the most popular peppers used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking because they're not very spicy, but have a really great flavor, especially when roasted! They’re flavour is mild heat, rich fruity sweetness, getting hotter the longer they ripen. Immature they are perfect for stuffing, mature they make great chile powder.

Personal Notes:

I bought them mainly because Josh said he would learn how to make Chiles en Nogada for me. And that is what my heart desires. 

3. Black Hungarian

Seed started:

February 4, 2021

Again these guys were started much too early. I wanted to figure out that perfect time so that they were big enough to be ready to produce right when it was time to plant them out, unlike last year when it seemed to take forever for the pepper plants to get active. February is too early. Beginning of March seems better!

Size:

24 tall by 24 wide 

Location:

Full Sun

Matures in:

65-80 days 

Native to:

This heirloom Chile, comes from the city of Kiskunfelegyhaza in modern day Hungary.

Why did I Choose it?

It sounded delicious and looked very pretty. 

Uses?

Use the pods interchangeably with jalapeno peppers for a shock of colour in dips and salsas. 

Specifics:

The flavour of these peppers really brightens as they mature, and the colours stand out on market tables. Try Black Hungarian pepper seeds in patio containers, but aim to keep the soil constantly moist during the growing season, and keep the plants well ventilated by allowing air circulation around the containers.

Personal Notes:

I’m really looking forward to adding these peppers to our salsa instead of the jalapenos for that extra color. They’ll also be delicious eaten many other ways. 

Tommorrow the rest of the pepper party.