Loss of the Tepin Chile Plant?

We've been having a heatwave here in Southern California. Normally, it doesn't get this hot until at least June, but the weather has been very strange this year. I've been away at work for the last few days and have not been able to keep up with my handwatering. Tonight, I had a look at the little tepin chile in its pot and it looked like a dried stick. I gave it water hoping that it wasn't too late, but I have a feeling I have lost the plant. My pots of herbs are also suffering. Several of the plants are dying and my parsley is bolting. I will need to make a few replacements there as well.

At least the peppers in the bed are fairing well. They are sheltered from the worst of the heat in my east yard and while they didn't get water, the bed retained enough moisture to keep them healthy. I gave all the plants a good dose of water this evening and I think that the majority of my plants will be fine.

Thai Dragon Pepper Removed

After I was done handwatering my raised bed, I decided to get in some weeding in my east yard where my pepper garden is. I got the three or four weeds that had sprung up in the bed itself and then got to work on the gravel path surround the bed. Some grass and clover has sprung up through the weed barrier and I want to make sure that I get it out before it goes to seed. I was surprised to discover that a bit of bopoca had also taken root in the ground under one of my fuchsia baskets. It must have fallen out of the basket this winter. It too is now in the weed can.

Once that was completed, I took another look at the thai dragon pepper that had fallen over due to the weak, chewed up, stem. I noticed that it had a single pepper forming on it, but even so I decided to remove it and added it to the weed can. Then I took the two extra cayenne pepper seedlings from the nursery that I had not planted and disposed of them too. The cayenne peppers in my bed are doing fine, so I don't believe I need the backups any longer. I'm expecting my box from the chile woman any day now, so my raised bed needs to be ready to receive the new pepper plants. I can hardly wait for them to arrive!

Whisper Rose

While I normally focus on my peppers and other salsa elements of the garden, I wanted to share a photo of my Whisper Rose in its first flush of spring bloom. Whisper is white with a touch of cream on the reverse, truly an outstanding HT rose.

Loss of a Thai Dragon Pepper?

I've been out of town on business for the past week. When I go, my gardens always suffer a little. This time was no exception. My husband did water the peppers for me during my absence, but sometimes even this is not enough to stop trouble.

When I went out to check on my pepper garden this morning, I was surprised to find that my thai dragon pepper was lying on its side in the bed. At the base of the stem it looks like something had knawed the plant away. Could it be a cutworm? I thought the pepper was large enough to handle the cutworm problem, but perhaps I was wrong. The plant is still alive and starting to grow up at the end and even flowering, but I'm considering removing it altogether. I will either find a new thai dragon chile or perhaps I'll plant that little Tepin Chile in its place.

Two of my bell peppers are starting to flower. All four are looking very healthy and gaining more height. I will need to cage or stake them soon. So far, none of the chiles have flowered except the thai dragon. This is okay. I think that it is better if your chiles and bells don't flower until July. The plants develop better roots and seem to get stronger in general.

Tepin Chile

Southern California is always beautiful during April. Once the spring rains are finished, the air is clean and the temperatures are moderate. It is the perfect weather to go out to the nurseries in search of new plants. I managed to find my way to the Fullerton Arboretum this morning and was well pleased not only by the selection of unusual plants, but the friendly voluteers that staff the "potting shed". I purchased this Tepin Chile for only 50 cents! Unfortunately, the bulk of their pepper plants, including the Blushing Beauty pepper I was looking for, sold out in their tomato and pepper sale last weekend.

I continued my search for another red bell pepper to the larger Armstrong nursery near Fullerton. There were no more Red Beauty peppers to be had. There was a lone California Wonder on the table among an assortment of hot chiles and Gypsy Peppers. So I decided to get the California Wonder, although it is not a favorite and a Chilepin Chile. This will complete my pepper bed for 2005. Both the California Wonder and the Chilepin have been placed into my pepper bed. I am hesitant about planting the Tepin though. It is still small and I fear that if I put it into the soil, the cutworms will get it.

First Pepper Plants of 2005

My first batch of pepper transplants are now in their bed. As you can see by the picture, my soaker hose system is still not quite where it should be. I need to find some guides to keep the hose in the proper place for watering, but that will come in time. I haven't needed to do much watering due to the excess rainfall that we've been experiencing this spring, but my peppers, herbs and roses have loved the extra water.

The chilies are as follows from back to front: Gypsy Bell, Yellow Bell, Purple Beauty Bell, Fresno, Cayenne, Red Caribbean Habanero, and Thai Dragon. I'm planting the bells singly and the chilies are side by side since they tend to be smaller plants.

Fushcia Basket

One of my local nurseries was having a sale on common variety fushcias, so I treated myself to a little pink and white one. I find these sort of fushcias to be very hardy. I have one that has been in a basket for over four years. I have paired this plant with two white bopocas. Both are just starting to take off, blooming fabulously.