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Peppers, or Not

Garden grown Green peppers vs. Jalapeno peppers

Green peppers: never get as plump as the ones in the store, usually have a stronger-bitter flavor instead of sweet, I don't enjoy growing them or eating them. So I quit buying and growing the plants about 3 years ago. But...when my sweet momma offered me 3 left over plants in April I took them and stuck them in the ground. They are growing and looking great.

Jalapeno peppers: Let's talk! I make loads of salsa, Jalapeno Pepper Jelly (ripened to red for Christmas gifts), I can ripened red pepper rings for my son, brother, and church pastor, and now were addicted to jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese wrapped in bacon and broiled to perfection ( I ate 16 in one setting). I take pleasure in growing peppers so hot, as my sister put it, " I ate one of those nuclear bombs last night in a vegie wrap. I'm missing a sinus cavity, but it was good".

I love growing jalapenos. This year I bought a packet of seeds to grow MANY plants. Few germinated. The ones that did are pathetic...still only 1 inch tall after 2 months. We have a problem here. To be safe I decided to buy 2 plants. The rainy weather has nearly killed one, all the while my 3 "green" pepper plants are growing well. Getting desparate I went back to Walmart to pay for some of the over-priced jalapeno plants. And taking the advice of a fellow gardener on this website I looked for a pot with 2 growing in it. BINGO! In the back of the jalapeno flat was a pot with 2! SCORE! What made it even better? They were as big or BIGGER than my 3 green pepper plants....I'd show them. So I got home with my plants, carefully divided the two, stuck them into the ground and picked up that little ID tag you find in each pot...it read "Mammoth Green Peppers".

My mom's three green pepper plants laughed out loud.

Tags: bloopers, blunders, fits, garden, gardener, hissy, in, mad, mock, oops, More…peppers, plants, that, the, throwing

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Comment by Barbara, zone 8 VA on August 15, 2009 at 11:46am: If you like sweet peppers, always let them ripen to their ripe color, yellow, orange, red and then eat them. I agree on the taste of green peppers whether from the store or the garden and always let peppers ripen. We also always roast and seed peppers, a lot of work but a divine taste and texture. wonderful added to sliced garlic cooked in olive oil for putting on crusty bread, adding to homemade pizzas, panini sandwiches, Hungarian goulash, stir fried dishes and many other things.

Comment by Joanne Davis~~top of Z6/IL on August 8, 2009 at 3:13pm: I have to add an update. The deer muched off the top of one of my jalapeno plants. The two earliest plants I put out are a whopping 9" tall. It's been 4 months, people!!! From one of those I've had ONE, 1, una....tiny little pepper. My mom's three green pepper plants...producing lovely green peppers. Of course.

Comment by Joanne Davis~~top of Z6/IL on June 10, 2009 at 4:15pm: SALSA
20 garden fresh tomatoes
1 lg sweet onion
2 lg fresh garlic cloves
1 T fresh cilantro
1 6 oz tomato paste
1/2 c lime juice
2 1/2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
5 lg jalapeno peppers

Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. Place in a colander to drain. Measure 10 cups. Dice onion and mince garlic. Mix all ingredients except peppers. Taste test for seasonings. Chop peppers and add to salsa. Add more tomatoes to reduce heat; add more peppers to increase heat.

For canning: a double batch yields 5+ quarts. Boiling water bath, pints 35 minutes, quarts 45 minutes.

Thanks for asking. I've made a lot of salsa...one year I canned 5 gallons total.

Comment by Meg Wolf on June 10, 2009 at 12:07pm: I grow about 8 different peppers... always enjoy all of them. We especially love grilling them duirng the summer

Comment by Eloise S. Zone 5 on June 10, 2009 at 11:32am: I agree on peppers. My late aunt's green peppers were bigger than stor. I founfd out she puchased them from catalgue from Henry fields. I order all my veggies from them aand love the product.. Order Big Bertha! They are small plants/ pods when sent to you..I am trying them this year myself.

Comment by Patty Shupe on June 10, 2009 at 8:52am: Joanne,
Would you share a good salsa receipe? My husband decided this was the year for making our own but I don't want to make something that hasn't been proven.

Thanks,
Patty