From commentor Stan of the Sawgrass:
I realize this isn’t what you North’nrs usually see, and I’d rather post pictures of my tomatoes and asian hot peppers, but my neighborhood has a creepy level of plant fungus. All kinds! The tomato plants are black stubs, the goat’s-horn peppers are frosty-white and now dead, and I think I’m going to have to cut down the last of the hibiscuses. I’m planting some sweet peas in the morning, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
__
Anyway, when I was a kid, we’d planted some pineapples and got some nice results. When I moved back to Florida, I thought I’d try planting the pineapple tops instead of just trashing them, and it’s been somewhat productive:
OK, they’re tiny– a really “big” one is about the size of my double-fist (got big hands, though). But you get to have the fruit ripen in the sun, instead of being picked green and ripening on your kitchen counter. I mostly did this just for the fun of it, but I’ve never had a sweeter, less acid, or more fragrant pineapple.
__
And it’s the ‘gift that keeps on giving’. Twist off the top when you harvest it, let it dry for a day or two, then stick it into the ground. That’s it. Period. It takes about two years (that’s my experience, at least) but you get a neat lil’ chunk of tropical bromiliadiana to amaze your friends with.
__
I don’t know how it does in northern climes, but I saw a fruiting pineapple in my Chicago neighborhood sometime around 1998 (picture around here somewhere–maybe.) Other than putting out some fertilizer and not kicking it over when you think it’s dead (it may very well sprout up two new plants) there’s absolutely no care involved. Except waiting the two years or so for it to fruit.
__
Also, too– you probably don’t know this, but those polygonal bumps on the pina started out as real blossoms:
It happens when the pina’s a teeny-weeny baby, and it doesn’t last very long, but there it is. Real cute, and seldom seen.
__
Also, also too– since this is Bloon Jooz, this is….
Cat and hunter extraordinaire, Eight Ball! Like most of our cats, he’s a feral who adopted us. I’ve gotten pretty good at socializing ferals like Eight Ball- it takes a few weeks, mostly trust-building using food. There’s definitely an age limit to completely socializing ferals to humans, but I’ve been surprised to see how much you can ‘tame’ some of these animals if you’re very, very patient. Mostly just sitting while they eat, and slowly getting closer day by day.
__
And Eight Ball is a trip, as they say. He likes people, me especially, but he’s never quite understood that when you “play”, you shouldn’t draw blood. It scares people. Poor lil’ guy– his mom abandoned him, and he never learned social skills, so I just slap him when he bites. He’s confused, but he doesn’t run away– or learn better, either. He’s truly the “Cat that Walks By Himself,” and when I read that story to my niece, I made sure Eight Ball was listening too.
__
PS– Nobody seems to mention this very much, but if you look at his right eye (left in the pic above) he’s getting a cataract. All of out outside cats have gotten them too– just like me. It’s linked to increased ultraviolet exposure (uhh.. citation needed), but I don’t remember this happening when I was a kid down here.
__
But Al Gore is fat, so there. End of story.
__
Nuthin’ much to report from my own garden — we are getting some ripe cherry tomatoes at last, but mostly I seem to be doing an awful lot of watering & tying up for very little reward — so you have my most sincere thanks, Stan!
(And a reminder… email me at [email protected] / click on my name near the top of the right-hand column, and you can be a star, too… )
Meanwhile, what’s the gardening like in everybody’s neck of the woods, right now?
Just Some Fuckhead
Pond update: I dug a little more. Prolly got about half a foot to go. It’s so hot two trees were fighting over the dog.
Mike Kay (Team America)
Lawrence O’ Donnell was on fire, tonight.
Catch the 11 PM replay, as he dick slaps the Professional Left.
JPL
I love the story about the pineapples. Thanks
You can watch all of the msnbc tv shows on line as soon as they finish airing.
MikeJ
I’ve got too many raspberries. I know that sounds impossible, but over a pint a day is too much for me. Last year I whipped up crème anglais and puff pastry, but I can’t do it every day.
piratedan
@MikeJ: geez, I was expecting a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoUkC5dEO0Y montage when my search kicked up Raspberries…..
maybe you can contact the local food bank to take the excess off your hands, I had a similar issue when I had a grapefruit tree that was pumping out more produce than I could eat or give away.
Origuy
Too many raspberries? How about Cranachan with raspberries and shortbread?
jane from hell
JSF, lolz.
Stan, that was awesome. You’re right, most of us *can’t grow pineapples (outdoors anyway) and so we don’t. Your pics are to drool over. That’s what she said.
cathyx
John got rid of his open thread. This is it for now.
Cliff in NH
Dog begged for a walk, took picture of dog:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64725711@N07/5938832978/in/photostream/
Walked dog, (ate blueberries) walked (ok, rode) more, Munched more blueberries
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64725711@N07/5938274009/in/photostream
Made pizza, Photographed pizza, Ate pizza.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64725711@N07/5938833396/in/photostream/
Posted this.
Linda Featheringill
Lovely story of the pineapples!
And yes, I’ve read of the connection between UV rays and cataracts.
My garden is still at it. Lettuce is good and the snow peas have started. I’ll have lots of peppers this year.
We have two types of tomatoes, one is about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and the other is a 1-inch yellow cherry. The cherry tomatoes are wonderful for containers. They are kind of bushy instead of spreading all over. And there are tons of little green tomatoes. The tomatoes have reached the point in their life cycle where they need to be watered twice a day. The other stuff, not so much.
We’ll see how the little ones taste. If they’re good, I might just go with only those next year and save myself some trouble.
In this part of the world, tomatoes usually start getting ripe about the first of August, more or less. So my little darlings will be right on time.
Cucumbers are blooming but no fruit yet. I’m getting so impatient. Give me cucumbers! Give me cucumbers! Arrghhh!
passerby
I’ve got one bell pepper so far, no cukes, tomatoes, or mirliton yet–some blossoms, so there’s still hope.
Got basil out the wazoo and made some great pesto.
All this is growing in containers, and I suck at gardening–hope the tomato vines don’t wither away, one died already and I honestly don’t know if I gave too much water or not enough, too much plant food or not enough.
My coleuses and petunias are making feel better though.
And thanks for the pineapple story and photos. Might take a shot at that, you’ve convinced me its easy.
hilts
How ALEC, the Koch brothers and their corporate allies plan to privatize government
h/t http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/11603/publicopoly_exposed
Cliff in NH
And since this is a garden thread, I’ve got lots of flowers and one tomato on one tomato plant (patio), 2 ‘maters and some flowers on early girl, and some flowers on the beefsteaks. they are the best looking tomato plants I’ve ever had =) Hoping for the best – got a bowl of water nearby for the birds too.
Lowbush blueberries are ripe and plump everywhere, highbush should be coming in in a few weeks… Yummy blueberries!
Blackberries soon too I think!
Linda Featheringill
passerby #11
How hot is it where you live? If it’s too hot, you might need to erect some sort of at least partial shade to protect the tomatoes from 3 o’clock to about 6 o’clock. If they are in containers and if the containers drain well, it’s probably difficult to over water tomatoes. I am feeding my tomatoes once a week.
I keep a water dish near the potted garden for bird and animals and such. I’ve found that insects, like wasps and such, like the water. As I haven’t seen a single bee since we moved in last year, I hope that the wasps like our blossoms. Pollination seems to be taking place so something is working.
One important thing about container tomatoes: They really need to be able to catch a passing breeze. In the past, I’ve lost some because they were too close to the house. They just wilted. But I moved their “littermates” out further and they recovered nicely. [good trick on a balcony!]
lamh34
Watching “I Hate Valentine’s Day”. A little Indy flick I saw on Sundance one day & fell in love with it. It reunites the stars of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” Nia Vardalos & John Corbett! I’m a sucker for a rom-com!!! Fellow rom-com-ers should def try to rent it or buy it!
jharp
I’d be happy to grow any size pineapples.
Central Indiana. No ripe tomatoes yet. Tons on the vine. Some peppers but not the good cayennes yet. Tons of basil, rosemary, thyme.
And had a casualty amongst my habaneros. Friggin varmits.
Linkmeister
.Wonderful!
Being in Hawai’i I’m amazed at how good that pineapple looks, small or not.
Mark S.
Did some post just disappear?
Uncle Clarence Thomas
.
.
I don’t understand how President Obama can lose playing 11-delusional chess.
.
.
Cliff in NH
@Linda Featheringill:
I recommend dirt bags, or smart pots for containers, they are porous so the plants seem to love em compared to my old plastic pots (drowned, stunted plants). So far So good:
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-HGDB15-Reusable-Planting-15-Gallon
I tried them because of good reviews…
RoonieRoo
I loved the pineapple story. I’ll have to look into if they are a potential crop where I live.
Right now, I’m just getting black-eyed peas, amaranth and chard. My luffa vines are really taking off.
I’m in prep mode for the fall garden that is just about to be planted. I’ve “renovated” two of my spring tomatoes for the fall. This is the first year I’ve cut back spring tomatoes for the fall so we’ll have to see how it goes.
Comrade Kevin
I have never had any luck with bell peppers, but jalapeños, Thais, and even habaneros grow great in my yard.
Jon H
A couple hundred years ago pineapples were rented out for parties. They were too expensive and rare to actually eat. People just looked at them.
That’s also why pineapples were a decorative motif back then.
CatHairEverywhere
Very cool pineapple story. I want to grow some now!
MikeJ
@Cliff in NH:
Does every thread have to come back to Jane?
Kristine
NE IL, hello! The Siberian and Tommy Toe tomaters in the raised bed have a few pea to marble-sized greenies each, and the Cubanelle has a pepper about an inch long. I’m still harvesting mesclun. The basil are doing well, although something is munching on leaves here and there. The parsley hasn’t gone to seed yet, which surprises me. Temps swing from 70s to 90s and back again.
I had gone out of town for a week, and set up a seeper hose with a timer. The stuff in the raised bed looks great, but I must have overwatered the container tomatoes. The leaves look a little yellowed. Not blighty. Just yellowed.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@MikeJ: Me too, too many raspberries. I picked at least three pints so far, the kids quit eatin’ them, and there must be a pint that hit the ground after a couple of heavy storms. I’ll get the rest this weekend I guess.
Mark D
Nicely done — especially since I truly wish we could grow some tropical fruit. But they’re not really a Missouri thing.
Well, except for maybe this year. It’s been damn hot and absurdly humid — probably enough to be considered tropical …
OzarkHillbilly
MMMMmmmm….. pineapples…. I will never forget riding in the back of a pickup in N.Central Mexico with the juice of a fresh pineapple running down my chin and soaking my shirt front.
Mark, not sure where in Misery you are, but here in Washington Co we done passed up “tropical” and went straight to hell.
Just got back from 2 and a half days on the Mineral Fork (so hot even the goggle eye won’t bite) so don’t even know how the garden is doing….
Tho I did pick wax and burgundy beans, cherry and the 1st beefsteak & Roma tomas (black prince’s not far behind) also made the second BBerry cobbler and tomorrow night a pie
ps (for some reason the 2nd part of marks comment is not within the blockquote, even tho when I try to edit, it says it is)