Everything's Coming Up Jalapeños

It may be Fall, but our little balcony garden is about to overrun with spicy, (hopefully) delicious mammoth jalapeños! Just three weeks after I shared my delight on Instagram about our first budding pepper, the plant has grown 4x larger and is producing a half-dozen more! I snapped a few quick pictures, because I can't contain my excitement about this.

I've never been the best at keeping plants alive. Succulents, maybe, but this is my first attempt at growing a vegetable plant—especially one in such a small container. We recently had to move it to a larger pot, because the first one we put it in was beginning to topple over under the weight of the growing jalapeños. The last thing we wanted was for the plant to fall over onto the ground, or have the peppers alone fall off and, inevitably, be devoured by our little Gretchen pups.

Neither John or I had any idea what the peppers would look like when they were actually starting to form. We kept looking at it every day, trying to figure out what stem might become a jalapeño. Once the plant started to flower, I got nervous when the petals would brown and then fall off. Maybe I wasn't caring for it properly?

Little did we know that the shedding of the petals would give way to little green nubs, so long as the stem stayed attached. So I did my best not to mess with any part of the plant (no poking or prodding), and voila! Pepper-y goodness!

John is waiting as patiently as he can for these guys to grow to their full size. He already has plenty of recipe ideas, which is good, because I have a sneaking suspicion all of these jalapeños will be ripe at the exact same time. Perhaps it's time to learn how to jar and pickle these veggies.

Do you have any jalapeño recipes you love? Other than using them on top of pretty much everything, I've never really cooked with them. Ideas would be welcome!

Wares & Things: Light and Ladder

hanging ceramic planters | Light and Ladder

I don't know how many of you live with cats. But if you do, you'll certainly empathize with the dangers of placing potted plants on tables or counters. If the plants don't get eaten (that's our kitty, Hobbes' thing), it's only a matter of time before the pot gets scoot scoot scooted right off the edge of the bookshelf (Bartleby's M.O.)

So when I saw something about home accessories & design company Light and Ladder (via Elephantine) and their use of air plants and succulents in hanging wall planters, I immediately perked up. Handmade ceramics and metal, with organic leather or rope detailing, add a completely different look to a bare white wall. (I actually can't stop imaging the bright white planters against a vibrant burnt orange or turquoise accent wall -- mmm... like a Moroccan oasis.)

Owner and designer Farrah Sit is based in Brooklyn, and her studio has grown to include works by other local craftspeople. I may have spent all morning looking at her Etsy shop and eyeing that hive planter (pictured on the top-right). She also designs other home wares and one-of-a-kind exhibit pieces that are unbelievable (don't even get me started on her forged silver flatware!)

Given our cats' proclivities for destroying houseplants, these ceramic planters seems like a brilliant solution to keep the surfaces clear -- and add some unique decor to a bare wall or corner.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

my new herb garden (l-r: jalapeno, mint, basil, rosemary)

While I still have yet to receive the beautiful pots I've been coveting, John and I decided it was time to add some life to our balcony.  Neither of us are very experienced with plants, but it was important that we start with something that would be used -- in our kitchen, that is.

So we started slow, planting a few of the necessary herbs and vegetables that we love so much:  rosemary, basil (my favorite), mint, and finally, jalapeño.  I've only ever grown basil and rosemary before, so I'm really excited to see a pepper growing in our modest little pot eventually.  We even have room to add another plant!  What would you recommend we add as a 'must-grow'?

Next up, I hope to find the right succulents to put in the right ceramic pots.  While the large home improvement + garden center stores might be suitable for picking up starter herbs and ferns (and the reed mat that helped us enclose our 6th floor balcony), I found that the succulent selection is always greatly lacking.  Even the pre-made succulent displays are cheap, with packing stones glued into place!  Definitely not what I'm looking for. 

Anyone know of a good independent succulent nursery in the Los Angeles area?  That may just be my next challenge, and I'll report back on what my investigation finds.  :)