I think the thermostat is broken

 Welcome back to another episode of Lost In the Farmers Market, and wow June has been a test of everyone’s patience hasn’t it? It’s been super-hot and then not so much, we’ve had Thunder storms, thundershowers and flooding. Then there’s the weirdo pollen problems, I swear August is going to be absolute hell, and to think certain people still deny climate change. Well anyway today’s blog post is all about the garden photographs and what’s going on in the test gardens so be prepared for a lot of images folks.

Ricinus communis ‘Zanzibar’ – Castor Bean

 

That’s right folks this is one of those giant castor beans I was selling at the market. I kept one for planting in the gardens and here it is. In just two weeks after it’s planting its newest leaves are already a foot in diameter. When I joke about this plant being really good at drawing attention away from other things it’s not a joke it’s more or less an observation of fact. I will post a monthly photograph to show how big these things really can get so all you gardeners out there can really see what those not-so-tiny seedlings are capable of.

 

Solanum x burbankii - Wonderberry

 

Some of my customers at the market looked at the Wonderberries with a bit of doubt, which is understandable; they do look a lot like a certain weed. But then Wonderberries are very close to their genetic origins and as such they have not been as genetically homogenized as things like their cousin, the Better Boy Tomato. Even if you bought these with no intention of eating the purplish-black berries the plants still are interesting to look at and certainly will get you answering all kinds of questions. Take a peek at my post from last month to see how much growth has happened with this plant in just three weeks.

Nicotina alata ‘Seratoga Purple Bicolor’, ‘Seratoga Rose’ – Flowering Tobacco

Some folks seemed confused by the idea of growing tobacco just for the flowers, but some could not tell the difference between the purple and rose types. Purple is on the left and has a faded ‘face’ while Rose is on the right and is a pink-rose color throughout the bloom.

 

Hemerocallis sp. - Daylilies

It’s sort of a tradition to post pictures of the day lilies when they bloom and these are my assorted mix, there are some tawny day lilies int here and a bunch of other assorted types and colors.

 

Physalis sp. – Ground cherry

It’s impossible to know what specific variety this volunteer is, it could be the Cossack Pineapple, it could be Cape Gooseberries, it could be the new seed I bought at the beginning of the year. All I know is it volunteered in the same pot as my Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and I’m ok with that.

 

Echinacea purpurea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ – Coneflower

The crazy reddish-pink coneflowers are still going, they seem to like their spot but that garden bed could use a weeding. Remember folks, roses and coneflowers do make good company.

 

Hemerocallis sp. ‘Gentle Shepherd’ – Day lilies

Originally slated as a fill in for the Memorial bed, and then used in a curbside bed and then transplanted into the Compass bed in 2017, these plants sure get around. They’re bigger and healthier than ever.

 

Clinopodium vulgare – Wild Basil

For those with a good memory I offered these plants for sale in a prior year. Well as it turns out they are definitely perennial, and they seem to be doing just fine in the test gardens with light maintenance. Yes you can use the leaves in cooking, they impart a flavor that’s a bit like Thyme and Basil combined.

 

Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Texas Star’ – Swamp Rose Mallow

Does anyone remember how I tell that story about that one neighbor I used to have who mistook a plant in my front yard for Marijuana? Well this is that plant, it’s a hibiscus, but until the flowers bloom it really does look like a recreational herbal substance.

 

Opuntia ellisiana – Spineless Prickly Pear

While the flowers do not last long, boy are they a sight to behold!Prickly Pear is a true cactus and Cactus blossoms are worth all the troubles that cacti can give you when the plants are not in bloom.

 

Capsicum chinense x frutiscens ‘Fayetteville Inferno’ – Fayetteville Inferno

There she is, pushing four of five years old, the oldest and biggest of the pepper plants I grow at the test gardens, she’s taller than she’s ever been and gets special treatment. You see Peppers are short-lived perennials, and to get one to live more than three years in cultivation is a bit uncommon. This pepper is at least four years old and I’m hoping for a fifth growing year. Why all the fuss? This is the only Fayetteville Inferno Pepper plant in existence anywhere. I’m harvesting seed and taking cuttings this year just to keep the line going.

 

Brassica oleracea medullosa – Marrowstem Kale

Marrowstem Kale was an oddball seed purchase based on the name. I mean a kale that doesn’t get woody or stringy stems where you can eat almost the entire thing? What is not to like about that level of efficientcy? What no one mentioned was that these Kales can bet massive, like on the scale of how big a properly grown Collard or Cabbage-Collard Plant can get. The specimen pictured has leaves that are a foot long and it’s stem is 1” in diameter. Despite its sinewy looking main stem it seems to be doing just fine, even cabbage moth damage doesn’t seem to be slowing it down. This has got to be some kind of a growing record, and now I’ve found it has a specific scientific name that diverges from the names of all other Kales.

Here's some info on the plant:

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Brassica+oleracea+medullosa

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but by booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog. Also, as of the start of 2019, my booth can now process credit or debit cards thanks to the acquisition of s a Square reader so your payment options have doubled. With that said, if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic vegetables, herbs and fruiting shrubs come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the Hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

Summer Veggies: ($3.00 each)

Pepper, Sweet Banana, Poblano/Ancho, Habanero, Golden Bell, Ghost ($4.00)

African Runner Peanuts (Almost Gone!)

Herbs: ($3.00 each)

Basil, Emerald Tower, Dolche Fresca, Rutgers DMR Devotion

Cervesa & Lime Cuban Oregano

Oregano

Thyme

Ornamental Stuff: ($3.00 each)

Cotton, Erlene's Green (Limited Quantity)

Flowering Tobacco 'Saratoga Purple', 'Saratoga Rose'

Marigold 'Antigua Yellow', 'Durango Red',  'Tangerine',  'Hero Bee'

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'

Coming Soon:

Comfrey (Herb, late summer)

 

We have a new place to share information and work on groovy sustainable stuff!  You can look for Sustainable Neighbors in our own Nextdoor.com group under the name “Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville”. You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join but it is a private group so feel free to request to join us if you are signed up on the Nextdoor.com site.

 

https://nextdoor.com/g/ybvdm226x/?is=nav_bar

 

Unfortunately, Covid-19 is still mucking up the works in terms of meeting in person. The good news is that Sustainable Neighbors does have a Discord Server. You can request access through our Meetup.com page or you can request access via our Nextdoor.com group. The meetup.com page is below for anyone looking to join us.

 

https://www.meetup.com/SustainableNeighbors/

 

Since our meetings have an open-door policy you don’t need to buy anything or maintain any sort of attendance standard, you can come on in and join the meetings. When this Covid-19 mess calms down we may be able to resume normal in-person meetings. If not, you can always send me questions through this blog or visit the farmer’s market. This brings to a close the Twelfth LITFM post of 2021; stay tuned the next episode which should be posted on or around the 25^th of June. There will be more garden updates and other cool stuff.