Pink Fleshed Apples & Mini Orchards

Back in 2012 I had the most amazing fresh salad in San Diego California and I've been in love ever since. "Pink Pearl" thin apple slices with blue cheese, honey and diced almonds, candied kumquats - just amazing. If you read my blog, you can see I love unique edibles, beautiful fruit and vegetables, pink-fleshed apples are high on that list. Regular apples are pretty great, and I have two espaliered apple trees with over 15 grafted varieties, but nothing as showy as "Pink Pearl" or "Surprise".

There are actually dozens of pink and red fleshed apples and only a few of those have actually been fully domesticated and none of them have been altered in a lab or dyed. Check this site for a list of many pink fleshed apples. with Many wild type apples are actually pink fleshed, and over time farmers and orchard industry bred out the pink and started feeding the demand for larger white crisp apples. Today consumers know nothing more then a few varieties and expect white fleshed apples in pies and baked goods, clear golden apple juice and only recognize a few varieties based on either, green, red or yellow fruit skin. 

Peppers for this Year - 2016 Season

Everything is coming together for the new season! I've got all my tomato seeds ready (maybe...) and things are coming together! Starting today, room under the grow lights got more crowded with the first tray of peppers all planted. Febuary 17th marks day one and I want to keep track of the growth and process over the season. Check out my Instagram @suburbanmicrofarm for pepper progress updates and more.

One thing I noted about last year's pepper choices was a lack of flavourful cooking peppers and hot peppers. I chose edible peppers but they were really more for show and beauty then for amazing taste. So this year, during my seed hunt, I looked for varieties that bring in some decent flavour or heat and that add good colour and shape to my overall collection. 

"Ozark Giant" - "Grenada Seasoning" - "Early Jalapeno"

New Peppers for 2016
Corbaci

Buena Mulata

Albino

Bhut Jolokia White

Chocolate Georgescu

Giant Arconcagua
Grenada Seasoning
Ozark Giant
Early Jalapeno

Returning 2015 Peppers

White Lakes
Yellow Monster
Lilac Bell
Midnight Dreams
Fish
Chocolate Beauty
Purple Beauty
Violet Sparkle
Monzano Chile

I can't really say if there is a favourite new pepper amongst the 2016 additions, but I am excited to see them all in one basket and to start getting creative in the kitchen. I'll also be making more detailed notes on the growth habits of the seedlings. 

For those of you who are new to growing peppers, they are so easy! You can even save your own pepper seed very easily and start them anytime in the next two months. The plants themselves don't require much staking and support and are relatively disease resistant. I'm going to plant a few plants in more ornamental design locations and and space (especially the large peppers) in a more traditional field format. Tomato seeds will be started next week and I can't wait! 

I have a new seed starting area to show-off very soon, and just as quickly it will be full of seedlings. I might do a post about seed starting, what containers I use and the soil I prefer and tricks that I have learned throughout the years.  It's about to get busy, can't wait to see what 2016 brings!