The Additions to the Family

This past Saturday(April 22nd), I went to a community plant sale in Southeast Dallas, called Our Saviour Community Plant Sale. It's done by a group that handle four different community gardens in Dallas. They use organic gardening, and actually help the people in the communities where they grow. To quote their website gardendallas.org.:
"Our mission is growing people. Each year Gardeners in Community Development makes it possible for hundreds of Dallas area families, mostly low-income, to enjoy fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers grown in our community gardens. These gardens enhance the quality of life in area neighborhoods in many ways, and provide a place to learn and share our joy of gardening with others."
Though I didn't know much about these guys until just recently, I'm now a big fan...

So at the sale, I picked four plants:

The tag said Rocatilo. But I can't find anthing by that name on the internet. I did find a Rocotillo. If the plant survives and bears fruit, I can compare them to the picture found at the ChilePlants.com site - Rocotillo.


This is a Mucho Nacho Jalapeno. I've never heard of it, but I've read some good things about it on the internet. It bears a lot of peppers, and they have good heat and flavor.


The classic Thai pepper. Used in all kinds of cooking, and it will hopefully bring the LOVE. Because, as we all know, love = pain.


This last one is yet another I have never heard of - Kung Pao pepper. At first I thought it was a joke, but yet again, the internet comes to the rescue. It seems like a Thai pepper, but it's bigger. And I have no idea what the heat from the peppers will be like. One site I've seen says they're more mild, while another says they are hot. I'm sure climate, watering, and how the wind blows makes a difference. I'll just see if I can keep it alive.

edit: In looking at this pictures, it just dawned on me that those pots may not be big enough for these plants. But they were all I had left, so what the hell...

Problems already...!

Saturday morning...I got up and faced the day. The first thing I did was go out and look at the plants. The Ancho had looked a little droopy Friday night. But this morning, it was pert and looked happy as could be. So I went to South Dallas, to a plant sale - Our Saviour Community Garden on Jim Miller Rd. Picked up some random peppers plants they were selling. Hopefully they will grow as well. Anyway...

I get home about noon, and the Ancho has completely collapsed! From standing strong to hanging completely limp in just a few hours...and I have no idea why. Today(Sunday the 23rd) has shown no change. I'm just gonna hope it's the only plant that gives it up...
Here's how it looked on Saturday afternoon:


I get the feeling that I'm taking this a little personal. I know they are only plants, but I've paid good money for them, and I want them to grow...dammit...!

Oh well...they can't all die on me...!!!

Put 'em in the pots

I got home from work on Friday, April 21st, and decided to put the plants in their pots. The soil in the pots got a good soaking the night before, from the storm that rolled through. All the plants looked good. Some already had flowers, small fruit, and buds on them. I picked all that growth off the plants. The plants need to focus on growing first. Once they get established, set some roots, and get bigger/sturdier, then I'll let the good stuff grow. I also picked off a few yellowish leaves from some of the plants. Probably got that way from lack of sunshine for a few days...

Once I plucked all that off, I got them in the pots.

Lesson Number One in Plant Growing: Have patience! Something I do NOT have a lot of...but am quickly acquiring.
When you get the plants out of the little containers, you've got to break up the root ball. But that's got be done gently, or you'll hurt the plant. So I went slow, and with patience. I made good size holes in the soil, broke up the root ball, and put the plants in the pots. With some plants(tomatoes), the rootball/plant need to be put in the ground deeper then how they were started. This will give it some support. But that's not necessary with peppers. Then I hit them with a soaking of water, with some seaweed/fish emulsion stirred in. It's a good, organic fertilizer...but since the soil was already really moist, I didn't put too much water.

Here are the plants in their pots. Not only did I put the name markers the plants came with into the pots, I decided to put the names of the plants on to the pots themselves, just in case. I hope the pots are big enough. I'd hate to have a lesson number two...well, I know at some point there will be probably be a lesson number two...

Notice the Ancho looks pretty good(first one on the left). The plants are Ancho 211, Fatalii, Chilly Chili, and another Fatalii.


Jaloro on the left, Alredge Heirloom on the right in the big pot, and the pot to the right has a Chocolate Habanero.


Two Red Savinas


Scotch Bonnet, another Chocolate Habanero and a Sunbright, which is a bell pepper type.

Arrival

The plants made there arrival on Thursday, April 20th. They were in good condition, though the Ancho 211 plant looked a bit rough. A lot of it's soil had come out, and the plant looked a little wobbly.

Here they are in the box:


And out of the box, though I got a little excited and started tearing the packing apart, before I remembered to take a picture:


And all lined up:


I left them to rest on the porch for the night. It was going to be a rainy, windy night, and they'd need the protection.

On the Truck

Per an e-mail I received from UPS, my plants are on the truck for delivery. Hope they leave them on the doorstep! I'd hate to think they will throw them back on the truck for delivery tomorrow...

Pots are Ready

Got all my pots ready yesterday(Wednesday, April 20th). Since I'm doing container growing, it wasn't that difficult to do. Used some potting soil I bought at an organic nursery, compost, humus(though I still don't quite understand what it is!) and some lava sand(again, no idea). As I've NEVER gardened before, I used information from the only semi-expert I know - my mom. Though she too has never grown peppers, she has been gardening in Texas for over 20 years. So I take what she has to say very seriously.