Just for Fun - Wk 4

 NM Hatch Chilis

Not much to see here..the chili plants have grown, but not remarkably so. The plants are healthy, vigorous & sport a deep green that, I hope, is a predicator of the size & quantity of the fruit they will bear.

No flowers, as yet, but I expect we will start seeing buds on the larger plants. The 2 still in 3" pots will need to be transplanted soon, but there's no rush..probably some time this coming week. I hope to "gift" 1 or 2 this coming week..with the number of new projects coming on-line, I will need the space.

Dwarf Tomatoes 

The tomatoes have doubled in size & another week's growth will mean they'll be crowding the shelf they occupy. I'm not really sure just how tall these bush tomatoes will grow, but I do have floor space, which is probably their next stop.

As you can see, this pot houses 2 plants; I felt like the plants were too young to be ripped apart earlier in their development, but now I wonder if it will even be possible to separate them..I'll give them another week & see how they look.

Like the chilis, I hope to reduce their numbers before they get much larger..maybe next week?

Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) - Update

Decided to take the next step in this plants development & move the Creeping Fig to a tray. He has been in a training pot for 5 months, so he should be ready. Despite his gnarled & rugged appearance, this is still a young plant with his best years in front of him. What his role might be, however, is up for grabs & will depend on how well he takes to down-potting..can he live in 2-3 inches of soil? Can he handle 2 root-reductions in 6 months? Well, we're gonna find out.

Structural pruning is complete now, for this tree..for better or worse..from here on out, it will be "pinch & grow" as he forms a canopy & grows foliage.

Or, as this is a "creeping" fig (actually a Ficus), he may want to find something to climb. Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing how he evolves.

See the full history of this tree @ Creeping Fig or use the Tree Inventory menu

 

Oldest Plant on the Patio

 This space is usually used to introduce a new specimen, but today, I want to re-introduce not only the oldest, but an original 'grown-from-cuttings' little tree that deserves some recognition. This  is one of the reasons I started this blog..to "organize & document"..

April 5 was the 2nd Birthday of "Goldie", a Japanese Golden Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginatus'), the first home-grown specimen in my collection, originally collected from a hedge growing in front of our apartment building.

May 2026

April 2024       

See the full history of this plant @ the Photo/History page: Japanese Golden Euonymus

 

A Growbox for the Hibiscus

 (exerpted from the Photo/History page for Hibiscus (Rosa sinensus) Brilliant)

It's not self-watering, doesn't have a gro-light, isn't even built out of wood, but, I think it will do the job of hosting the Hibiscus for a few weeks, self-draining, allows adequate air & water circulation, allows root growth without crowding the plant or restricting it...and the best part, costs under $2.00. It's just a plastic basket, with drain holes drilled into the bottom.

It certainly isn't a container designed for display, but it does give this specimen a chance to "catch his breath" after de-potting, a 30% root reduction (pruned) and re-potting in a loose potting mix that will encourage new root growth without restriction..roots can grow right out of the sides, if left untended.

The theory behind this is that this basket will allow faster & possibly less traumatic recovery for the plant, after root-pruning & downsizing..just have to wait & see, but a worth-while experiment, I think.

Just for Fun - Wk 3

 Dwarf Tomato's:

The tomato's are "bustin' out all-over", as you can see from the photos. They outgrew the 4" pots & I re-potted them in cut-down 1-Gal leftover nursery cans.

Since I didn't have any terra-cotta pots that were comparable in size, our experiment to see whether plastic or terra-cotta was better for growing tomato's has been concluded as a draw.

When I re-potted, I planted them as deeply as possible, pruning the bottom leaves (sacrificial) in order to maximize space for root growth. More roots means the plants can hold-up better against the afternoon winds & as they are on the west side of the patio, make maximum usage of the afternoon sun.

I am looking for homes for, at least 2 of these plants..any takers?

NM Hatch Chili's:

The Chili's are on the E-side of the patio & get all morning sun, as opposed to the 'maters on the West..the competition now will be whether morning or afternoon sun is most compatible for these plants, for whatever that's worth.

All 5 of the seedlings survived; 3 are potted in 4" pots, w/ the other 2 still in 3", but they will probably need to be repotted by next weekend.

Realistically, I only need 1 Chili plant, but all of the seedlings survived (Iwish I had this much success all the time). 

I'm looking forward to seeing blooms on the larger plants & that means the chili's can't be far behind.

Check back next Saturday for the next installment of "Just for Fun"