Red kidney bean growing test!

Forsyth MO - It was the later part of March and while it was early spring and I already had some good pepper and tomato plants a growing, I thought to extend my luck a bit. that took the form of trying to grow me some red kidney beans - beans I took from a commercial package purchased from a grocery store!

I planted four in a medium sized pot with some old Miracle Grow potting soil from the previous season. That was on March 18th and by the 28th, I had two that had germinated. I plan to update this post as the time passes to see how well they do!

Bean plants grown in old beer cans!

Forsyth Mo - Just for grins I planted a Great Northern bean in a discarded 16 ounce bean can just to see if it would come to anything at all. Surprisingly, the young plant that sprouted did very well, situated as it was, in a south facing kitchen window. After sowing the seed in late January, I had pods that were close to being mature by mid March. Wow!

March 30th - Wow! Seed to new seed in two months!


















April 3, 2017 - I harvested a total of 23 beans from my little experiment!

Fresh salad with home grown cherry tomatoes!

Late last summer, I started a cherry tomato from seed. Summer faded into fall with no results. It wasn't until November that my plant began producing some of the best cherry tomatoes I've ever eaten. It was now mid December and I was still enjoying them in fresh romaine salads!

Cayenne pepper seeds started!

Forsyth MO - Sure, it was the 18th of November and a cold front was on the way! But, what better time than that day to start my 2017 crop of hot peppers!

I took seed harvested from this season and placed 2 seeds each into a four cell tray. The soil used was Miracle Gro potting mix which has done well for me in previous years. I was guessing that it would take about four weeks before I could expect germination. If I wasn't successful, I still had plenty of time to do that again!

Update: November 28 and I had 100% germination!

Update: Dec 2 - All the seeds germinated and showed good vigor!

 Update: Dec 13, 2016 - I transplanted the seedlings into larger quarters. They were developing first true leaves, at that point!

Update: Jan 4, 2017 - My little plants were healthy and strong!

Waiting for the spring!

Forsyth MO - Summer is now over and the air over southwest Missouri has taken on the distinct feel of autumn. And, while my brave little cherry tomato plant is still cranking out tomatoes, I can see the writing on the wall...

So, here comes what I call the 'dark months'. December through March have little to offer a man who like his veggies fresh off the vine. I'll have to content myself with produce grown in far off countries who may or may not have banned such fun pesticides as DDT. Were my country not constantly engaged in war, we perhaps could have constructed 'Megagreen Domes' under which hundreds of acres of fertile soil grow organic vegetables using the light from millions of LED's! Air would be circulated by giant fans powered by solar arrays with water coming from super condensers. Such a self-contained environment could even support select insects like bees that could help with pollination. You see, if you could divert the flow of trillions of dollars from a war machine, you'd have the ability to do such wonderful things.

That, as they say, ain't gonna happen. So, I find myself already in the planning stages of growing a future spring crop of peppers and tomatoes on my condo balcony. Last summer and fall, I did not have to buy any of these at the store and my pots produced just enough to keep me supplied.

See you all in the spring!

Red cayenne pepper, year after year!

Forsyth MO. – I have been growing cayenne peppers for some years now, all from one original plant I purchased from a commercial seed company years ago. Just one or two plants supply me with all the peppers I need during the course of a summer and fall! Then, sometime around mid to late November, I will germinate few seeds to grow over the wintertime and which will then be transplanted to large pots in the following spring. It's nice having the greenery during the dark days of winter when the reduced light allows for slow growth. By the time April comes around, I have some great starter plants ready and raring to go!

Banana peppers generation III!

About two seasons ago, I ordered a packet of Banana peppers from some outlet and successfully grew them to maturity. I found the slight heat to be a welcome addition to many of the dishes I like to prepare, not the least of which is as a spicy addition to my hot dogs!

And, being a frugal sort of fellow, I decided to try and use the seeds from these for a new generation. I planted them in the fall into a small dish with potting soil and surprisingly they germinated and then produced a crop of similar peppers the next summer. Wait a minute! Fall? Yes, I like to start peppers from seed in November under a modest grow light and then will repot them in the spring to go outdoors on my balcony. Doing things this way gives me some greenery to look at in the winter months which is nice. The plants grow slowly and haven't seemed to be held back in any way!

That was two years ago and here I am planting Generation III. After harvesting a bright red pepper, I let the seeds dry out for about a week or so and then will plant them in a soil medium to germinate. And thus far, they've reproduced plants and peppers that are just like the originals!