Saturday, September 3, 2011

Summer Harvest: Sweet Bell Peppers!






The peppers have started to mature! I am very excited since this is the first year of success with peppers in my garden. They have always been destroyed or pilfered by the fairies, brownies or what have you. This year I moved them to a large pot on the patio where they would get full sun and I could keep an eye on them!



Bell peppers have been cultivated to come in different colors including red, yellow, orange and green. I myself prefer the yellow, red and orange...they seem to have a more delicate flavor, more nutritional value and have fewer "digestive side effects", plus they are pretty :-). These peppers are native to Mexico, Central and South America. The peppers enjoy a lighter soil mix blended with good compost and peat when planted in pots. They are not heavy feeders, but a good organic fertilizer once or twice a season is fine. Do not let the soil dry out too much or the plant will be stressed and not produce peppers. Keep it moist but well drained.



I pulled my first orange pepper from the plants this evening and sliced it up and saute'd it with roasted tomatoes and served it tossed with linguini. The pepper and tomato mixture is also flavored with fresh garlic, basil and oregano as well as salt and pepper to taste. I love late summer meals that are easy to toss together, but still delicious!


Happy Gardening!

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