Ghosts and Garlic
The ghost have sprung and the garlic grown
So, I just wanted to provide a little update - (Edit 1 below - 1921 - same day as posted).
I’m proud to report there are now 3 baby ghosts “peppa” that have sprung. Rumor I heard is ghost pepper seeds prefer high temperature and they still take quite a bit of time relatively speaking, so while just about all the other peppers have been out of the soil, the ghost remained hidden….that is until yesterday (or maybe the day before). This morning there were 3 of them if you look close at the image (just “right click” it and save it in a new tab and then it is easy to zoom in). As for increasing temperature, it helps to have a clear lid to put over the seed containers to increase the temperature, but don’t let the moisture stay too high for too long I think.
Anyhow, being that a new one (the latest “ghost”) showed up today, my confidence is increasing that they all will spring or at least most of them and being their seeds took longer, I suspect they may be true ghost plants versus some sort of hybrid - but time will tell. Regardless, it gives me joy and hope that these seeds which were saved from last year’s crop have all mostly germinated. That could be sustainable.
So, the image below is a comparison between the same sets of pepper seeds (saved from last year’s crop) with seeds planted in “wrapped soil pucks” versus seeds planted in similar, but loose and aerated soil. I can say for a fact, the ones in the “loose soil” germinated quicker, but a “ghost” has yet to show there yet (the two rows with no sprouts).
Now, this next image is from the garden outside at my “getaway” place. Last fall, I took some garlic cloves individual and planted them. Garlic takes awhile to grow, but here is an image of several garlic plants I reckon. Not all of them seem to have taken, but I believe from a single bulb (containing many cloves) I now have basically quadrupled the amount of garlic I started out with…..so that seems worthwhile even if it does take some time. Here is the image:
So, this is a quick post partially inspired by a desire to move on from my last post and focus on what really matters to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Edit 1 - 1922 on 3723 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, you may not believe me, but I tasted some of the product in the jars below that had been “slow-fermenting” over the winter, and the product was from one of the pepper-jar concentrate, and all I can say is this stuff is HOT - but good (for me at least). I feel invigorated now I felt the heat of it. The other jar, labeled as such is some of the sauerkraut been “slow-stewing” and I smelled it, and it smelled good to me. So, these are just some of what the crop of 2022 resulted in, and the sprouts above are more of it. So, is it not undeniable that it is good to work hard and take pride in product made with love. I think that is undeniable.
OK, here is the image:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~end of edit #1 as timed above, but time now is….1925~~~~~~
Blessings and solace if I could be so bold to wish upon all those reading here.
Ken
Now, I can't help myself, so I'm gonna make one more post by my lonesome.
Just in case you happened to look closely at the "Edit #1" image as I did after I took the picture.....for awhile I couldn't figure out the "reddish" reflection between the jars central - do you see it?
At first, I thought it might have something to do with the plastic clothes pin, but now I know better, but I have the advantage of being physically here and present at the place where I took the picture.
Look close at the reflection in the dark tiles and I'm sure you will figure it out......it ain't got anything to do with the clothes pin - I'll tell you that.
I'll tell you this as well, that pepper concentrate is "good stuff" and it ain't for sale - maybe next year I'll have product to offer up in this regard - just depends.
BK
For the sake of accuracy, there are actually 5 ghost pepper seeds that have sprung.
Two of the chambers have 2 plants each and the little itty bitty baby one stands alone presently.
Now as a contingency, if none of the other seeds spring, then I will separate out the 2 sharing a place presently and try to keep both of them alive long enough to put them in soil proper.
But I think more of them are going to emerge, and yes tis true, sometimes you have to pull some of the sprouts out for the sake of the other ones - tis no easy task, but what is the point of trying to keep them all if doing that means you diminish their chance collectively?
The reality is I have already done this and I think the ones I pull out don't mind it because they know they were part of the "Grand Play" of life and that I care about them, just like I cared about them when I planted the seed they were.
BK