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Kissin' the Keys
August 8, 2017September 9, 2020

Gardening in South Florida, Zone 11a

DSC_0026I’m starting a potted garden, because pots provide me the ability to move the plants around to provide them the best possible growth. I can shift my pepper plants when they get leaf sun burn, I can provide more sunlight for my lime tree,  and I can easily expand the root space they need by switching around pots. Plus, I may expand my variety of plants if I have luck with my current plants.

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The real star of my garden.
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Official plant inspector

Sorry for the dog detour, onto the plants…

Variegated lemon, a unique pink fleshed lemon.

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When it grows in a fruit cycle of 4 – 5 years, eventually the lemons should look like this:

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How cool is that lemon? A similar tart taste, with a sweetness as it matures. This purchase was a happy mistake at Kmart (yes, Kmart alive and well). I was rooting for your basic garden variety of tasties, and grabbed what I thought was a regular lemon tree. DSC_0012.jpg

Since my research shows that this plant takes a while to grow, this one may be coming back with me wherever we move next!

Poblano Pepper

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Poblano peppers pop up in many latino dishes I like to make, such as this roasted poblano and tomatillo salsa 

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Green bell pepper

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It looks pretty similar to my poblano, but the green bell pepper seems to have a thicker stem in healthier shape. Prayers for my poblano to shape up – or better yet, that I shape up as a gardener!

You can see the sun burnt edges of the green bell pepper’s leaf – he has moved from the balcony box, see above, and onto the floor of the balcony.

Basil

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The basil plant and tomatoes like to grow together, as the basil plant helps ward off common mites that destroy tomato plants. Plant together when possible.

These buddies will need a bigger pot soon, as I’ve read that tomatoes like a 5 gallon nursery pot.

Cherry Tomato

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Cherry tomato on the right. Honestly, I can’t remember if I bought the hardy warm weather tomato, or a cherry tomato plant. I’ll find out once the tomatoes start to grow, and I get either a little tomato or a big one!

Don’t judge me harshly – I assumed each plant had the little tag in the pot, but came home to find that Kmart rounded a few corners in their garden department! I’ll cut them a break, considering they were the only garden nursery within a half hour of me.

Lime Tree

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I picked up a lime tree at a local nursery, the edible plant they seemed to offer. At Key Lime Products,  I chatted up the local owners, who were incredibly friendly and picked out for me the best looking healthy lime shrub.

I’m hoping to find more garden nurseries out here, so I can support local owners.

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The lime tree is growing profusely, and has accepted a little critter guest. I web searched whether I should cut off this spider egg and momma I found in the plant, but spiders are natural pest control. He’s going to stay.

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