The Cake Garden

I knew I was saving those flimsy plastic cake domes from supermarket-bought birthday cakes for a reason.

Though nights are still below freezing here in early April, the bed against the house, warmed by radiant heat from the foundation and dotted with plastic cake domes, becomes a microclimate for early salad fixins.

Slugs prefer pak choi 10 to 1 over spinach.



Legend has it that a circle of copper deters slugs. The science behind that claim is that copper produces a mild electric charge when in contact with moisture, and slugs find that most irritating. Unraveled copper scouring pads twisted into collars for baby pac choi look like weird plant jewelry.

What the heck is erba stella anyway? I hope it's not like arugula.

Peppers!

So every time I do my weekly shopping at the small corner meat market/ethnic grocery, I pick up a handful of these tiny green chilis. They might be a Thai type, that's what the grocer has written on the cardboard box. I like them because they are so tiny I don't need to slice them, I just add a couple of them whole near the end of cooking down a spicy curry. I let them fry just enough to release that pungent pepper smell, and if I don't let them fall apart, it gives the dish just enough kick without being unbearably overpowering.
Occasionally there is a ripe red one in with the greens, as last time. So, I cut it open and emptied it of many little seeds. I put those seeds in a baggie with a damp paper towel, and left it in a warm place for about a week. Almost 100% germination. Cool.

And look what happened. Where am I going to put them all? Maybe I'll take a lesson from Ottowa Gardener, and keep them permanently in containers, so I can bring them in every winter, like a tropical house plant. Now I must go shop for some functional and attractive pots.

I did the same thing last November with pepper seeds picked out of a jar of pickling spice. Only got 3 viable plants though, and have no idea what type they are, but aren't they just adorable?

Okay, Okay, yes, that is a flat of garlic (loose cloves recently discovered in the bottom of the fridge), and you can also see the 2 sprigs of mint I rooted that now threaten to take over the dining room. As God is my witness, I shall never pay for condiments again!