Chile negro pepper growing

Excited to see a real chile negro pepper growing. I don't know when to pick them but will cross that bridge later, I suppose.

aka Pasilla bajio or 'chilaca' or 'chile negro'

DIY Critter protectors for my tomatoes

Given the critter issue in our community gardens, I decided to take defensive action. Last year, a bulk of my tomatoes were eaten by an unknown critter, probably squirrel. Last year, I wrapped the tomatoes in the mesh bags that the garlic and tomatoes come in from the grocery store. The critters ate right through the mesh. This year, I decided to cut apart the plastic apple cartons and use the individual portions for each tomato. Not pretty but they seem to be working.

First Sungold on my balcony

Growing tomatoes on a balcony in a pot is a challenge, especially if the conditions are suboptimal. Total direct sun for my balcony is around 4-5 hours per day. Hence, with these limitations, it would only be cherry tomatoes, and I've chosen Sungold, my favorite. The first ones ripening are presented below. I have them in a 15 gallon container.

First blooms: scarlet runner bean

A nice surprise to see these poking out. I did plant these a bit late so normally these would be further along at this time of the year. I'm not super fond of the beans for food, meaning I may need to look up some recipes, but the blooms are spectacular. Because I have read the hummers love the flowers, they are a definite go for me regardless of the food aspect. I do know for sure bumblebees come around for the flowers as well. I am happy to provide support the locals with the scarlet runner beans. Interesting to me that I read the scarlet runner beans are perennials because I find they die out during our fairly mild winters.

First chile pepper bloom: Pasilla bajio or chile negro

Presenting Pasilla Bajio or 'chilaca' or 'chile negro'. This is the first year I have had success with germination. I only had one seedling at that. We'll see how it turns out. Family: Solanaceae Capsicum annuum