You might be surprised that I would want such a frost. It's now frigid outside, the leaves of most perennials are in tatters, and all of my annuals are kaput. But I do have a confession - there is one annual that I have been waiting to die...
the Jalapeño Pepper plant
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I have had two problems with this plant:
1) the only person in the house that eats jalapeño peppers is Mr. Red House
2) this plant doesn't know how to stop giving.
And giving.
And giving.
I actually did can my first pint of pickled peppers this summer, which I was very proud of myself for. So I put the next large round of peppers that I picked in the fridge, meaning to can them. Well, you know how life gets (I like to blame my kids a lot for these types of things); before I knew it, the peppers were too old to use, and I had to throw them out.
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| Die, plant, die! |
Several more times I had to throw out large batches of peppers, as I refused to admit the fact that I just didn't have time to can, and Mr. Red House certainly couldn't eat scores of peppers each week. Seriously, how many plants can one little plant produce?! This plant was getting on my nerves and giving me quite the guilt complex!
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| It's about time! |
Now, after a good freeze, I think this plant is finally done! No more guilt about wasting food! ..Well, at least, until next summer when Mr. Red House begs me for another pepper plant...
Do you have any perfectly good plants in your garden that you wish would die?
Indie, I was laughing from the beginning. Hot peppers grow well for me, and I don't like to eat them at all. But they produce better than almost any other veggie in my garden. I have a few sitting in my kitchen window right now, waiting for me to do something with them.
ReplyDeleteI don't really care for peppers or cucumbers - so of course, that's what grows best in my garden!
DeleteWell, there was the never ending tomato plants, when I couldn't eat tomatoes this summer because of my allergies. Every time I looked out the window there they were taunting me...ha ha..
ReplyDeleteWell I got them good, now they are compost.
Jen
Oh no! That is too bad about the allergies. At least you got the last laugh!
DeleteHahaha! You mean you didn't save the seed to grow some more next year?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post - and while I don't wish the demise of any of my plants, I do wish the Wisteria could learn to self-prune.
Ahh, self-pruning. Wouldn't that be so wonderful? I have several plants that could benefit from that!
DeleteFunny! We planted lots of hot peppers this summer and they produced lots of peppers! I hate pulling out plants that are still alive so I was waiting until the first frost to pull the annual plants out of the containers so I could plant the violas which I bought over a month ago.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you - I just can't bring myself to pull out a perfectly good live plant even if I hate it! Maybe because I feel more like a successful gardener when my plants are alive and thriving :)
DeleteMy cockatoo would be very disappointed. He loves hot peppers, but you are right, they do take over the world. You always wonder will they ever stop growing and producing.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about putting the peppers down my vole and mole holes as a deterrent. Knowing my luck, new pepper plants would just sprout and we'd have a whole different world of problems!
DeleteThere is definitley a time when I am happy to call it quits in the garden. My husband is happier earlier than I am to quit the lawn mowing. Now we can both settle down to cooking eating and reading. For a while.
ReplyDeleteI need a little more cold and snow here. The weather is still fine enough to go out and do stuff. I think I'm ready for a break!
Deletehahaha - I had the same problem with my pepper plant this year. Finally, I just ripped it up! At least you were nice enough to let Mother Nature do the dirty deed!
ReplyDeleteIt must be some sort of compulsion - I just hate pulling up any plants that are still alive! I really should have taken it out so long ago!
DeleteSo you tired of picking peppers.? I was planning on growing banana peppers next year and wonder if they'll have the same modus operand? Guess I could donate to local Olive Garden for their bottomless salad bowl. (HA HA)
ReplyDeleteMy husband also got a random Hungarian wax pepper plant (which reminded me of banana peppers.) It also did pretty well, but nowhere near that Jalapeño pepper plant! My husband was well stocked in peppers this summer.. Someday when I have lots of time to can, I will appreciate the abundance!
DeleteThe only plant I ever remember feeling that way about is Cherry Tomatoes. I didn't have any in my garden this year, but the only year I planted them they wouldn't stop. And then they reseeded the next summer! I like Cherry Tomatoes, but there were just too many. And they don't can/freeze/preserve as well as other Tomato varieties. Thanks for the giggles.
ReplyDeleteMy cherry tomatoes were very prolific this year as well. Thankfully, between my husband and I, we managed to keep up with them. (There were lots of pasta dishes and salads this summer!) And yep, I ended up with quite a few little sproutlings. I think we only had four plants. Any more and we'd have been canvassing the neighbors to give them away.
DeleteIndie, so I guess you are not going to lose any sleep over the demise of your hot pepper. I would love to get one for next year but they wont grow outdoors where I live.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize it was that cold there that peppers wouldn't grow! That is quite the short grow season!
DeleteI have been to known to forget to bring in an annoying houseplant. Oops, oh well.
ReplyDeleteOops, that reminds me, I was supposed to take in a few plants...! I don't really do fussy or needy plants...they don't usually live so long here :)
DeleteMy hot peppers which I can no longer eat produce like crazy too...I am glad to see them end as well...
ReplyDelete