The garden is now in its 16th week, I think. Despite the fungus problem with the tomatoes, I have to say it has been a fairly successful experiment so far: the chilies and basil have done great, while the tomatoes have still produced over a dozen softball sized fruits with lots more still on the vine. The ones in containers did less well (blossom-end rot) — I think there’s no use in venturing outside the planter box next year.
The chilacas have been the big producer. I have two plants, including one that hadn’t yet set fruit by the end of July. That latter since became top-heavy enough with peppers that a couple of stems broke off in high winds last night, so I hauled in around 20 peppers this morning. Salsa-to-be.
Anyway, this is what we’ve eaten thus far:
- Tomatoes, by themselves
- BLTs, of course
- Caprese salad
- Chicken with sauce chasseur
- Sausages and mushrooms with fresh tomato sauce
- Pepper steak (bell peppers, poblanos)
- Pesto, normal and spicy with Hungarian peppers
- Chilaca cheese dip (chilacas, yellow jalapeno[1] and poblanos)
- Poppers (cherry peppers, chilacas, and Hungarian peppers)
The only fruit we haven’t meaningfully consumed in some way are the Thai chilies, which are incredibly hot. I’ll probably make those into some form of sriracha or chili paste.
[1] I think? Middle of the above photo — not really sure what these chilies are but they look similar to jalapenos on the outside and turn red when ripe, but the similarities largely end there.