Ducks ALIVE in 2025!

[ducks4you]

Ha, Ha!! That's my daughter, not me!!

 

[ducks4you]

DD's enjoyed dinner in our "cold room," and puppies slept well in the cool in their crate. Potty training, so not finished is going very well. I am also exerting control.
I mentioned the atty friend, whose GSD's are 5 months old. She took them for a walk recently and face planted bc they are dragging her around. She is sending them to a 3 week long training place.
I am working on Sasha NOW, since she is under 20 pounds and pulls like a mushing dog!
I go down the cement stairs backwards and lead Sasha and Tegan down the stairs so that I don't get dragged forward.
THAT is their job now, to potty outside.

 

[ducks4you]

I am SO Glad that I bought tomatoes and peppers from local guy who gardens almost his entire yard in a town nearby. I Thought that the long peppers were Jalepanoes, but now I know that they are Marconi sweet peppers--I remember the labels, and I am growing several in different pots. I have learned many things about container gardening to share with those here who Don't have my gardening space. It takes a LOT of watering to keep them going, but watching them grow close to the house makes it easier to harvest. I harvested enough Marconi and Sweet Bell peppers this morning for DH to make a test chili, so he gets it right for the Salsa Party on the 11th, which we do every year, just usually a little bit sooner than this. Beans have been cooked and softened. When I am done posting here I am chopping up the peppers and onions. I also harvested Serrano hot peppers. I have my gloves and I will start them dehydrating. What a gift that Excalibur hydrator is!! Thanks all for the recommendation. It is permanently on my counter, justifying the space there. Funny, I have the dehydrator And the Microwave on a power strip. CAN'T run both simultaneously or it trips the power strip circuit.
Today I will pulverize jalepanoes that were dried and stored. Not exactly sure how I will use the Serrano peppers, but I have one drying out on the porch to save seeds.
Something ELSE I have learned this year--I don't need as many okra as I have planted in the past. If I get about 20 some plants put in end of May next year along the 9 ft cement base of the cistern by the house I will be able to harvest an adequate sufficiency. Same with the Serrano peppers. I only need 3-4 plants next year to harvest.
Here are pictures of my whiskey barrel planter peppers taken this morning. You will see mature Marconi peppers, mature Serrano peppers, and one mature Red Bell pepper. In a few I am chopping up the mature Marconi and the mature Bell for the chili. What fun, even though my 2025 gardening season was hampered!!

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Beautiful pepper photos!!!!!!!!

 

[ducks4you]

I thought that all of the mums in my front walkway bed were dead, but one survived, a rust one. I bought Almost past it purple and yellow mums at Lowe's--box stores don't hire Anybody in their garden center who can tell shXt from shinola--all that they needed was repotting and water. Their roots are Not big enough for This winter, so I have potted them with some other plants and seeds and, when I clean up the front beds this week, they will look lovely as Fall decorations.
I laugh bc my gardening DD gave up on mums for 2025 and bought fake ones! Why not?!?!?
Here they are, starting with the survivors, and I will try a cutting of same to grow some more. I think they only have a several year shelf life, being non native.

 

[ducks4you]

I tried zinnias, twice, basil seeds twice--NOTHING grew in this pot next to the whiskey barrel, then...basil sprouted. I also sprouted one nasturtium there. I plan to overwinter this pot in my 2nd floor south facing upstairs office this winter. Since I never Did open the windows there, and I have one of those blow dryer plastic window covers, that's for later this month.

 

[ducks4you]

I harvested ALL of the Serrano peppers in the whiskey barrel planter, more in the tomato planter by the side door, cut them and I am now dehydrating them. Dunno how you'all do YOUR prep work, but next to the sink by the coffee maker is My preferred spot.
I used gloves to protect my eyes from fingers with hot pepper seeds on them, and had a paper towel under the waste, which will go into my composter. I guess if anything grows in my composted stuff next year, I will know it is some kind of pepper...

 

[ducks4you]

I took an accounting and I still have 50 quarts of canned tomatoes in the downstairs pantry. I think that will us through the winter, since I am doubtful that there will be an additional canning this year...alTHOUGH I did can 4 pints for DD last week...might happen again. We are heading up to our first frost soon.

 

[digitS']

how you'all do YOUR prep work,

I think that your drying should work fine, Ducks'. In 2009, i explain my approach here along with more discussion by others on Serrano.

Serrano peppers...lots of them!

My grandpa brought me a 1/2 bushel of serrano peppers he grew when they came to visit today. Can you guys give me some ideas or recipes of what I can do with them? My grandma said you can string them up to dry like you do cayenne. They're so pretty and festive! How do you all keep yours...

www.theeasygarden.com

 

[ducks4you]

Here is the finished product. @digitS' HOW do you make pepper flakes out of these? BOY, that's an old thread!