It was a great year for peppers in our garden...

[creekland]

Due to the frost/freeze warnings, we clean picked our green pepper plants last night and got 5 grocery store bags of red and green peppers.  This is after we've given away at least 4 bags, had stuffed peppers three times (making 15 at a time + using another in the recipe), had them on salads and for many breakfasts, and putting them in many recipes like goulash.  Then there were plenty given to our chickens due to blemishes.

 

We started with 12 plants.  They did well.  I have no idea how much all of those peppers would have cost in a store, but I suspect it would be a little more than the $6 the plants cost.  All fertilizer is free (we live on a farm and fertilize naturally in the fall and spring - not while plants are there).

 

Tomatoes, squash and beans all did very well too, but I think peppers "win" this year.  It boggles my mind to think a mere 12 plants produced all those peppers.  If it weren't for the freeze, we'd have quite a few more too that were just too small to pick.

 

Tonight I'll likely be freezing many to use in recipes over the winter.

[Melissa in Australia]

:hurray:

[Mimmy]

My peppers were incredible this year too! The plants were at least twice the size my plants typically get and I used the same seed to start them. I've been stuffing my kids with peppers :)

[Jayne J]

Wow! The best I ever produced was 4 scrawny, tiny little things. I gave up on peppers a long time ago. Congrats!

[creekland]

Wow! The best I ever produced was 4 scrawny, tiny little things. I gave up on peppers a long time ago. Congrats!

The difference might be in the soil, light, or climate.  We've lived in areas where we just couldn't grow peppers too.

 

We picked all of ours last night, too, but didnt get the freeze that was predicted.

Our freeze is predicted for tonight, but I'm not sure I'm going to be "available" this afternoon to pick anything, so we picked everything except Kale (which does ok in a freeze) last night.  I left the really small peppers (< 2 inches), so if the freeze doesn't come, we could still have another picking.

[FaithManor]

That's great! I dehydrate about 30-40 peppers per year. They store so easily in canning jars with caps and

look beautiful on my pantry shelves. It's really convenient. I throw them into scrambled eggs, stir fries, soups and stews, you name it.

 

If you've never made red pepper soup, definitely do it. My family adores it. It is one of their favorite

meatless meals. I cook it down until its pretty thick and then serve it over a bowl of brown rice with

a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and small dollop of sour cream. Big salads on the side and everyone is

happy!

[Serenade]

I've had pepper harvests like that, too, but this year was about the worst for peppers I ever experienced.  I think we got one little one.  Everything looked good in the early summer, plenty of rain and sunshine, but then the deer got in and nibbled some of the plants.  Didn't kill 'em, but nibbled back several weeks of growth.  We put a fence around them, and they could have recovered from that.  But then the rain came and came and came, and the sun barely appeared in-between.  My peppers stopped growing.  It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced gardening-wise.   Last year we got so many peppers from very few plants, too, and I was so excited about the potential this year since we knew where exactly to plant them.   Boy, was I seriously disappointed.  The only thing good in my garden this year was cucumbers (before the rain set in), and basil.  Lots and lots of basil, most of it volunteers seeded from last year's plants.  We had some tomatoes, but they pretty much died out with the rain, too.  Sigh.  Maybe next year will be better.

[Callie]

My peppers did great this year too!  Seven jalapeno plants survived, they are twice as big as normal and the limbs are touching the ground weighed down with peppers.  I picked nine pounds of large jalapenos approx. two weeks ago off of those plants.  My shelves are loaded with pickled peppers and cowboy candy.  Our first freeze is predicted tonight also and I need to pick peppers, green & lima beans and my few remaining butternut squash.

[Callie]

I've had pepper harvests like that, too, but this year was about the worst for peppers I ever experienced.  I think we got one little one.  Everything looked good in the early summer, plenty of rain and sunshine, but then the deer got in and nibbled some of the plants.  Didn't kill 'em, but nibbled back several weeks of growth.  We put a fence around them, and they could have recovered from that.  But then the rain came and came and came, and the sun barely appeared in-between.  My peppers stopped growing.  It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced gardening-wise.   Last year we got so many peppers from very few plants, too, and I was so excited about the potential this year since we knew where exactly to plant them.   Boy, was I seriously disappointed.  The only thing good in my garden this year was cucumbers (before the rain set in), and basil.  Lots and lots of basil, most of it volunteers seeded from last year's plants.  We had some tomatoes, but they pretty much died out with the rain, too.  Sigh.  Maybe next year will be better.

Funny how it works.  I am overloaded with peppers and replanted cukes three or four times and had a dismal amount this year.  I planted 64 tomato plants and they were useless also.  Green beans I planted in June(?) are still producing.

[creekland]

I've had pepper harvests like that, too, but this year was about the worst for peppers I ever experienced.  I think we got one little one.  Everything looked good in the early summer, plenty of rain and sunshine, but then the deer got in and nibbled some of the plants.  Didn't kill 'em, but nibbled back several weeks of growth.  We put a fence around them, and they could have recovered from that.  But then the rain came and came and came, and the sun barely appeared in-between.  My peppers stopped growing.  It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced gardening-wise.   Last year we got so many peppers from very few plants, too, and I was so excited about the potential this year since we knew where exactly to plant them.   Boy, was I seriously disappointed.  The only thing good in my garden this year was cucumbers (before the rain set in), and basil.  Lots and lots of basil, most of it volunteers seeded from last year's plants.  We had some tomatoes, but they pretty much died out with the rain, too.  Sigh.  Maybe next year will be better.

It is always a gamble with the weather and critters.  We've had to have our garden fenced since we moved here - esp to keep rabbits and ground hogs out.  The weather - that's the biggest gamble.

 

I hope you have a better year next year!

[creekland]

That's great! I dehydrate about 30-40 peppers per year.

How do you dehydrate them?  Hubby dehydrates hot peppers on the front dash of his truck...  but I doubt he'd want green peppers all spread out in there.

 

I'm wondering about trying some dehydrated this year - along with those in my freezer.

[FaithManor]

How do you dehydrate them?  Hubby dehydrates hot peppers on the front dash of his truck...  but I doubt he'd want green peppers all spread out in there.

 

I'm wondering about trying some dehydrated this year - along with those in my freezer.

Hi Creekland,

 

I have a large dehydrator - energy star appliance so it is pretty economical - that I inherited from my folks, and a small one from Harbor Freight that I paid $19.99 for and holds about 3 peppers diced fairly small. I also have some window screens from garage sales and can dehydrate on my picnic table on sunny days...the old fashioned way...so long as we can keep the birds away. The stupid birds disturb them sometimes.

 

You can also do them in your oven if its settings allow you to go down to say 100 degrees. My oven is some dumb model in which the lowest setting is 170 so it doesn't dehydrate as much as it bakes. But, even at 125, if you don't mind leaving the door open to let the moisture escape and keep the temp inside from getting to intense, you can do it that way. My MIL does it that way with apples this time of year because it's chilly out anyway.

 

Peppers need know other preparation than washing, drying well, coring/removing seeds and the softest stringy flesh of the core, and dicing. Make sure you get them really dry. They need to feel crisp to the touch. Throw them in a jar with a screw on cap. It's one of the easiest ways to preserve and not take up much space. It is also very healthy because there is very, very little nutrient loss. I do onions, leeks, carrots, celery, pears, apples, and strawberries this way. With the apples and pears, I put a couple of teaspoons of citric acid in a quart jar of water and toss the slices in there for a few minutes before putting them into the dehydrator which helps preserve their color. I also do some sour ones for eldest boy...he adores sour things. So, for those, I take a few apples slices, soak them in lemon juice, and then dry them on a paper towel and sprinkle with citric acid. He thinks their great! They pucker lips, so I keep that jar well labeled! LOL

 

Faith

[unsinkable]

Michigan gets dry and hot enough to dry food in the sun? I would think there are very few days with low enough humidity to make this worth the time.

[FaithManor]

Michigan gets dry and hot enough to dry food in the sun? I would think there are very few days with low enough humidity to make this worth the time.

We had several low humidity days during a dry spell and it was in the 90's. We can't do this every season, but there are definitely years when we can...of course, that kind of weather is not necessarily good for some crops.

 

Faith

[FaithManor]

You know, I should also note that the reason I have peppers to dehydrate early enough in the season that IF we have hot, dry days, I can use the screens is because my dad starts them indoors early, and we have hoop houses to help hold in the heat on cooler summer days, so I have green peppers in early August. I don't have red ones that early. But, we do have onions.

 

That said, "natural" methods of dehydrating in Michigan are very iffy because every season is just about unpredictable. It's kind of nice when we can do it, but it's very irregular. Apples are ALWAYS done in the dehydrator or oven since obviously by October, it's getting chilly here.

[Ipsey]

Ok, then, pepper people. We had good luck with our peppers too, unfortunately, I don't care for the finished product. Our peppers' walls were quite thin. I prefer them thicker with more juiciness to them. Can you tell me what pepper species/breeds you like, if you get peppers with nice thick walls? (Red and green!)

 

Thanks!

[creekland]

Ok, then, pepper people. We had good luck with our peppers too, unfortunately, I don't care for the finished product. Our peppers' walls were quite thin. I prefer them thicker with more juiciness to them. Can you tell me what pepper species/breeds you like, if you get peppers with nice thick walls? (Red and green!)

 

Thanks!

I wish I could tell you but my mind has trouble remembering details like those.  We buy started plants from our local hardware store each spring.  They always carry the same variety, but I'm just not remembering what variety it is.  It does produce nice, thick, juicy walls and large peppers for stuffing (or any other size pending when they get picked).

[kewb]

Wow! The best I ever produced was 4 scrawny, tiny little things. I gave up on peppers a long time ago. Congrats!

 

Me, too!  The only produce I have ever successfully grown is cherry tomatoes and basil.  Once I got a zucchini but that had more to do with me running out to get it before the ground hog nibbled it.

[Belacqua]

Me, too!  The only produce I have ever successfully grown is cherry tomatoes and basil.  Once I got a zucchini but that had more to do with me running out to get it before the ground hog nibbled it.

 

Same here. Our peppers were so feeble even the rabbits didn't want them. The only plant that did at all well this summer was the potted blueberry, and our resident chipmunk had his way with the fruit before I could get to it. Jerk.

 

Fortunately, we have a great Pepper Guy at our farmers' market, so our freezer is full. I'm not a failed gardener...I'm supporting the local economy!

[unsinkable]

You know what we are still picking....raspberries!

 

It's amazing. We have a medium sized bush and they just keep coming and coming...