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Earthbox Update

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Finally have a cucumber nearing readiness.  This is a “spacemaster” cucumber, which has turned out to be a sprawling vine that has not lived up to its name.  I had to add a trellis to the Earthbox to give it somewhere to meander.  This is the first cucumber that has developed on it also, so it is lagging way behind the three other squash plants.

Earthbox Cucumber

Not sure how big it should get

Harvested one of each squash variety this morning.

Earthbox Squash

Multipik, 8 Ball and Zephyr

Peppers coming along.  Not sure when the Anaheim will be “done”.  The bells should turn orange when ready.

Earthbox Anaheim Pepper

Anahiem...time to pick? The ones at HEB are bigger!

Orange Bell Peppers in Earthbox

Should turn orange when ready

Once again I’ve been cursed by puny jalapenos.  The ones on my plant this year are about one inch long.  Next year I’m going to seek out some “jumbo” variety and start one from seed.  This plant I got at a nursery.  It’s certainly productive, but I’d prefer a bit larger peppers.

Am finally getting some Poblanos.  Hoping they turn out to be normal size.  Last year the plant produced puny ones.  That was a plant picked up at a nursery.  This one I grew from seed that as far as I could tell should produce full size peppers.

Earthbox Poblano Pepper

Poblano coming along

Earthbox Pepper Update

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Peppers are coming along well.  All are producing except for the poblanos.  Looks like I will have mini-jalapenos again.  Was hoping for the big size peppers you see in the grocery stores these days–3 to 4 inches long.  Next season I will have to seek out some seeds like that.

Earthbox Peppers

Pepper plants at 46 days after seedling transplant

Earthbox Serranos

Serranos

Earthbox Jalapenos

Muchos Jalapenos

Earthbox Anaheim Pepper

Anaheim Pepper

Earthbox Orange Bell Peppers

Orange Bell Peppers

Squash Pollination

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

The bees have found my Earthbox!  So far I have only seen bumblebees and not the garden-variety (heh heh) orangish bees.  At least I think they are bumblebees–they’re black and yellow colored.  Regardless, they are doing their thing.

Pollen-Coated Bee on Squash Flower

A Busy Bee

Here’s what you get if they don’t show up (or if you don’t hand pollinate):

Earthbox Unpollinated Squash

Unpollinated Squash

Multipik Squash

Pollinated Multipik vs. Unpollinated Multipik

First Squash Harvest

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Harvested the first squash from the Earthbox today.  One Multipik and one 8 Ball ready.  Probably should have picked the 8 Ball yesterday–I think they are supposed to be picked when baseball size.  This one is closer to a softball.

So, first squash ready 51 days after planting the seeds in the Earthbox.

Earthbox Squash

Multipik and 8 Ball

Pepper & Cucumber Update

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

The cucumber is finally starting to fruit.  The li’l cukes are teensy tiny compared to the squash.  The flowers are also much smaller.

Earthbox Cucumber

Spacemaster Cucumber Baby

Finally getting some peppers forming too.

Earthbox Jalpeno

First Jalapeno

Earthbox Serrano Pepper

First Serrano