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The last summer of my 30's: Spice and herbs on the balcony

39 is a multiple of 13, and that makes it cool.
 
That very important point out of the way, I've actually started planting for the season, so I figured I might as well start migrating to a new thread. How is it that I've gone through three glogs here already? I feel far internet-older than I should.
 
Rather than leading with the full plan, which I've already beaten to death in the winter thread, here are the first victims.
 
summer-basil.jpg

 
Yep! Not peppers. I'm going to try some companion plants. After some wicked aphid and stink bug infestations made my life less pleasant last year, I figure not only could this help keep them out, it wouldn't be bad to have some herbs. They're at least as stupidly expensive to buy in grocery stores here as they are in the US, so it couldn't hurt. These two are basil, since that's the only thing I can actually buy so far; later I'm planning on peppermint, bay laurel, chives, Thai basil, and possibly holy basil.
 
They're all getting planted alongside the garlic, which I've had growing for the better part of a year, but which has failed to yield any kind of useful bulbs. Doesn't matter, though, since the scapes are still awesome, and they're also supposedly supposed to be good against bugs. And, really, I just love garlic.
 
The first two actual peppers to go outside will be the only two mature plants I have in the tent right now, Friggitello (pepperoncini) and Sugar Rush Peach. They're both fruiting like mad, and I'm looking forward to bagging them up (from 1 gallon of coir to 5 gallons of soil) in the coming week.
 
last-tent-biggies.jpg

 
The SRP in the front really is just that awesome. While it takes a frustratingly long time to ripen, it is an excellent variety -- right at the top of my comfort zone for heat -- and it really is leaning that far over thanks to pod weight. The Friggitello in the background has one particular pod, with the white tape on it, that should be a cross between these two. I'm hoping that's the start of two or three more interesting grows that should mostly occupy the tent this summer.
 
Perhaps the first real sign that this summer grow has started will be when I'm sitting on my balcony, wearing my jinbei and having a drink in my little canvas tailgating chair, watching the plants grow. I promise pictures, whether anyone wants them or not.  :cool:
 
Click to expand...
The outside plants aren't doing much so far. The weather was a little too warm for a couple weeks and this week it's been cold and rainy, so unfortunately they haven't had the best time acclimating.
 
I pulled a few unripe pods off the maybe-jalapeno and probably-alma paprika, once again half way buying into the idea that might make them put their energy into other things.
 
unripe.jpg

 
Do the striations on the dark ones look jalapeno-y to anyone else? :) I gave the large one a try. While it doesn't really have a smell or flavor to speak of yet, it was a lot hotter than I was expecting. I also tried the lighter one; it also had no smell or flavor, but from the lack of heat and the way the plant's growing, I'm confident that's an alma.
 
Back inside, there's a lot more to see this time!
 
tent-group-shot.jpg

 
The bottom of the tent is filling out nicely. You can see front and center the only runt: One of my CGN 21500 got a really wicked root removal and hasn't recovered. I pulled it up and it does have the beginnings of a healthy root, though, so I'll keep helping it limp along.
 
I thought the Nanbu would end up ripening from tip to top because of the way it started, but now the whole pods are darkening and then reddening. Fairly quickly, too; looking forward to trying these.
 
tent-nanbu.jpg

 
I gave away three of my Kratky plants to a good home; the one Lemon Starrburst I have left in a bottle is churning out the pods. No ripening yet, but it seems like a good pheno.
 
kratky-starrburst.jpg

 
On one of my Trippaul Threat, there's still just the one pod, but it's doing well.
 
threat-single.jpg

 
The other, though, has started a second! Good to have a backup, I suppose. Both plants keep flowering like crazy.
 
double-triple.jpg

 
Lookin' pretty good in its can, too.  :cool: Probably ought to top it, but I just can't bring myself to go through with it...
 
can-threat.jpg

 
The pod on the right started pretty much exactly that shape and has just kind of expanded. Ghost? The one on the left looks kinda wonky, but then I might as well just name all of my glogs "Wonky."
 
maybe-ghost.jpg

 
This Lemon Starrburst seems to have some issues with its lower leaves. Either that or it's getting in the can challenge spirit. I don't know, it doesn't answer my questions...
 
can-starr-camo.jpg

 
The healthier but more boring canned Starrburst. Not sure how well it comes through in the pictures, but all of these are bursting (oh ho ho ho) with pods; just wish they'd start ripening...
 
can-starr-bush.jpg

 
My lone Purple Thunder, in can Kratky, snuck into the photo shoot. Continues to be healthy and happy, though no buds yet.
 
canned-thunder.jpg

 
I have three Palermo Red left (one of those got given away as well); this is the largest, and wow, it does look like it's going to be a big plant. Think I'm going to have to pot it up and put it outside before it takes over the tent. I don't know what the holes are; I've checked half-heartedly for bugs, because if that's what it is, I half way don't even want to know.  :confused:
 
palermo.jpg

 
My Pepper Joe's roll-o'-the-dice Scotch Bonnet appears to be setting pods, so hopefully soon we'll see what Joe hath wrought.
 
scotchish.jpg

 
This is why I was pretty sure one of the plants I put outside was alma paprika. This one is growing the same way; I've never had a pepper plant grow as dense as those do. It's hard to even find all the flowers.
 
almaybe.jpg

 
When my manager heard the US crew was taking a half day off on Friday, he decreed that we would as well. So I'm off for a walk with the family. :)
 
Everything looks to be rollin' in the
right direction, 'Fish!
 
Pretty impressed by your beer can
challenge plants; liking the Lemon
Starburst and Trippaul Threat pods,
as well!
 
I wouldn't worry about the yellow leaf
on the Starburst. The plant may decide
it just doesn't want to carry that many
leaves. I would just cut it off.
 
PaulG said:
Everything looks to be rollin' in the
right direction, 'Fish!
 
Pretty impressed by your beer can
challenge plants; liking the Lemon
Starburst and Trippaul Threat pods,
as well!
 
I wouldn't worry about the yellow leaf
on the Starburst. The plant may decide
it just doesn't want to carry that many
leaves. I would just cut it off.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! Yeah, I'm also really happy with the way the can plants are turning out. I really am going to need to top that Threat, though, it's freaking massive.
 
I went downstairs to check on the tent this morning and found the canned Starrburst had given up on that leaf and dropped it anyway, so no action necessary.
 
Unfortunately, when checking on the outdoor plants, I found a lovely aphid infestation on my probably-jalapeno. So much for companion planting. Gonna break out the insecticide later; we finally got nice weather today, so it'll probably have to wait until the sun stops roasting the plants.
 
My super-Japanesey Nanbu are finally ripening all the way, and they are just a gorgeous shade of red. :) Plant's a bit droopy because the freaking thing drinks more than I do, so it's basically wilting every time I open the tent; a can clearly is not the right receptacle for this. It needs at least a six pack, or maybe a keg.
 
gorgeous-pods.jpg

 
I can't wait for the Lemon Starrburst to start ripening. Think I'm going to hold off on more photos of those until they do; they really are fruiting prodigiously, and I think they're going to be really impressive.
 
podz said:
You can't grow mint in a container with anything else - the roots will completely fill the entire pot no matter how large the pot and it will kill the other plant.
Click to expand...
 
I was under the impression mint goes nuts but roots shallow; is that not the case?
 
All I'm risking right now is a stalk of garlic that was probably not going to make it anyway, since I did a really poor job of transplanting it. My peppers each have their own bag, it's just a few of the herbs that are sharing containers.
 
internationalfish said:
 
I was under the impression mint goes nuts but roots shallow; is that not the case?
 
All I'm risking right now is a stalk of garlic that was probably not going to make it anyway, since I did a really poor job of transplanting it. My peppers each have their own bag, it's just a few of the herbs that are sharing containers.
Click to expand...
 
Looked to me that you had the mint growing in the same pot as the bay laurel.
 
I've got peppermint in a 3-gallon pot full of coir-vermiculite-perlite mix and it just goes nuts. Sends out invaders from the top of the pot as well as out through all the drainage holes. I have to cut them off repeatedly. It just came back with a vengeance despite being outside all winter. Wife and I like to drink mojitos in the summer and this one plant is way more than enough.
 
podz said:
Looked to me that you had the mint growing in the same pot as the bay laurel.
 
I've got peppermint in a 3-gallon pot full of coir-vermiculite-perlite mix and it just goes nuts. Sends out invaders from the top of the pot as well as out through all the drainage holes. I have to cut them off repeatedly. It just came back with a vengeance despite being outside all winter. Wife and I like to drink mojitos in the summer and this one plant is way more than enough.
Click to expand...
 
Ahh, OK. No, the bay laurel is by itself. I have two basil plants sharing their bags with garlic bulbs; other than that, the mint is the only thing without a dedicated bag.
 
I've definitely got my eye on it regarding invaders. Grew a couple different kinds of mint before, I've seen how aggressively they expand... not interested in having eight bags of mint and no peppers at the end of summer. ;)
 
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