Vege's you should never have to buy

[kindness]

It's an awesome time to be in the garden at the moment, watching the plants loving the spring weather and perfect amounts of rain we are getting is freakin' beautiful here.... it's got me to thinking about foods that I haven't bought from a shop for some years now as I've got the plants growing.

This is the first time I've ever had my own place to take care of - own bit of land that I don't have to stress about turning back into lawn when I move out! Before this however I had carted a mass of pots to every house I've lived in and always managed to grow some of my own food... hence the topic. Some things you should never have to buy from the supermarket, if you have even a bit of sun, can manage to water and can get yourself some decent soil.... Can't really word this well so I'm just gonna start a list!

You should never have to buy the following once you have bought the initial plants / seeds.

Spring onions

Mustard Greens

Silver Beet

Parsley

Rosemary

Bay Leaf

Kaffir Lime

Rocket

etc...

I'm interested in how many crew here grow there own tucker and what are some of your never buy foods? As mentioned above I gots my own bit of land to care for now with fantastic soil and I'm busy turning the back into a food forest... so I'm keen on hearing about crazy self seeders / tough bugger plants you grow.

cheers

[fydesvindico]

I haven't bought onions for ages!

If you buy them once, you'll never have to ever again.

Instead of throwing away your onion bottoms, you can grow them to produce more..

Here's a link.. How to Grow Onions from Discarded Onion Bottoms

fyde.

[dworx]

The same goes for the whole scallion family, leeks, spring onion,chives etc. Tomatoes obviously will drop their fruit and grow welll from the seed. Rosella flowers once you have them growing are great for making jams Rosell jam or any other fruit jam,you just use the pectin part of the rosella flower instead of buying jamset. Beans are great and cabbages will regrow if you cut them from the stem, although I have been told the next growth will be smaller. Buy a raspberry plant they pup like nothing else and will provide a good supply of fruit. I guess if you are going to do it you may as well do it for everything you like eating.

[kindness]

I didn't realise the whole scallion family grew as per spring onions nice. Won't be throwing their little butts away anymore.

I'm not across Rosella flowers - will have to look into them.

Got plenty of beans n peas going on and I was also given 30 odd raspberry canes which are coming to life atm.

It's been a pretty great spring so far, I've really noticed how the moon affects the growing of the plants in the garden... I thought that perhaps there was something missing in my soil there maybe a week or so back as there didn't seem to be much happening above ground with my garden - then in thinking about it I came to the conclusion that the moon was not out during the day and figured the pull would be more to the roots. So the garden was putting all its efforts into the ground and BOOM as the moon is now out in the day, (specially today!) it's pumping! Flowers everywhere and my peas are outgrowing their 7ft trellis YEW

[dworx]

OOh and zucchini, to maturity for seed and the young for eating, pumpkin, melons all good seed producers to help bank.

[gilligan]

Carrots, spinach, spuds, sweet potato, herbs galore - coriander, basil, parsley, tarragon, thyme, marjoram, oregano, etc strawberries, beans, tomatoes, lettuces, spring onions, leeks are what i have re veges, just let a ciuple go to seed and keep for next season. I did a big order from diggers, the heirloom mob, and i wont be needing seeds again...

[dworx]

Rosella a favorite of Qld'ers

Roselle (plant)

From Wikipedia

Roselle

Roselle plant

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Rosids

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Genus: Hibiscus

Species: H. sabdariffa

Binomial name

Hibiscus sabdariffa

L.

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of Hibiscus native to the Old World tropics, used for the production of bast fibre and as an infusion. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based subshrub, growing to 2–2.5 m (7–8 ft) tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8–15 cm (3–6 in) long, arranged alternately on the stems.

The flowers are 8–10 cm (3–4 in) in diameter, white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base of each petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) wide, enlarging to 3–3.5 cm (1.2–1.4 in), fleshy and bright red as the fruit matures. It takes about six months to mature.

Contents [hide]

1 Names

2 Uses

2.1 Leafy vegetable/Greens

2.2 Tea

2.3 Beverage

2.4 Jam and preserves

2.5 Medicinal uses

3 Phytochemicals

4 Production

5 Crop research

5.1 Crop genetic resources & improvement

5.2 Mutation breeding

5.3 Natural outcrossing under local conditions

6 Gallery

7 Footnotes

8 Further reading

9 External links

[edit] Names

The roselle is known as the rosella or rosella fruit in Australia. Its close relative, Hibiscus cannabinus is also known as meśta/meshta on the Indian subcontinent, Tengamora in Assam, Gongura in Telugu, Pundi in Kannada,LalChatni or Kutrum in Mithila] Mathipuli in Kerala, chin baung in Burma, กระเจี๊ยบ krajeab in Thailand, bissap in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin and Niger, the Congo and France, dah or dah bleni in other parts of Mali, wonjo in the Gambia, zobo in western Nigeria (the Yorubas in Nigeria call the white variety Isapa (pronounced Ishapa)), Zoborodo in Northern Nigeria, Chaye-Torosh in Iran, karkade (كركديه; Arabic pronunciation: [ˈkarkade])[dubious – discuss] in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, omutete in Namibia, sorrel in the Caribbean and in Latin America, Flor de Jamaica in Mexico, Saril in Panama, rosela in Indonesia, asam paya or asam susur in Malaysia. In Chinese it is 洛神花 (Luo Shen Hua) . In Zambia the plant is called lumanda in ciBemba, katolo in kiKaonde, or wusi in chiLunda. In certain West Indian islands, Grenada, for example, it is called Sorrel.

[edit] Uses

The plant is considered to have antihypertensive properties. Primarily, the plant is cultivated for the production for bast fibre from the stem of the plant. The fibre may be used as a substitute for jute in making burlap [1]. Hibiscus, specifically Roselle, has been used in folk medicine as a diuretic, mild laxative, and treatment for cardiac and nerve diseases and cancer.[2]

The red calyces of the plant are increasingly exported to America and Europe, where they are used as food colourings. Germany is the main importer. It can also be found in markets (as flowers or syrup) in some places such as France, where there are Senegalese immigrant communities. The green leaves are used like a spicy version of spinach. They give flavour to the Senegalese fish and rice dish thiéboudieune. Proper records are not kept, but the Senegalese government estimates national production and consumption at 700 t (770 short tons) per year. Also in Myanmar their green leaves are the main ingredient in making chin baung kyaw curry.

In East Africa, the calyx infusion, called "Sudan tea", is taken to relieve coughs. Roselle juice, with salt, pepper, asafetida and molasses, is taken as a remedy for biliousness.

The heated leaves are applied to cracks in the feet and on boils and ulcers to speed maturation. A lotion made from leaves is used on sores and wounds. The seeds are said to be diuretic and tonic in action and the brownish-yellow seed oil is claimed to heal sores on camels. In India, a decoction of the seeds is given to relieve dysuria, strangury and mild cases of dyspepsia. Brazilians attribute stomachic, emollient and resolutive properties to the bitter roots.[3]

[edit] Leafy vegetable/Greens

In Andhra cuisine, Hibiscus cannabinus, called Gongura, is extensively used. The leaves are steamed along with lentils and consumed as Dal. They are also mixed with spices and made into a Pacchadi.

[edit] Tea

In Africa, especially the Sahel, roselle is commonly used to make a sugary herbal tea that is commonly sold on the street. The dried flowers can be found in every market. Roselle tea is also quite common in Italy where it spread during the first decades of the 20th century as a typical product of the italian colonies. The Carib Brewery Trinidad Limited, a Trinidad and Tobago brewery, produces a Shandy Sorrel in which the tea is combined with beer.

In Thailand, Roselle is drunk as a tea, believed to also reduce cholesterol. It can also be made into a wine - Hibiscus flowers are commonly found in commercial herbal teas, especially teas advertised as berry-flavoured, as they give a bright red colouring to the drink.

[edit] Beverage

See also Hibiscus tea

A roselle drinkIn the Caribbean sorrel drink is made from sepals of the roselle. In Malaysia, roselle calyces are harvested fresh to produce pro-health drink due to high contents of vitamin C and anthocyanins. In Mexico, 'agua de Flor de Jamaica' (water flavored with roselle) frequently called "agua de Jamaica" is most often homemade. Also, since many untrained consumers mistake the calyces of the plant to be dried flowers, it is widely, but erroneously, believed that the drink is made from the flowers of the non-existent "Jamaica plant". It is prepared by boiling dried calyces of the Flower of Jamaica plant in water for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the water turns red), then adding sugar. It is often served chilled. This is also done in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago where it is called 'sorrel'. The drink is one of several inexpensive beverages (aguas frescas) commonly consumed in Mexico and Central America, and they are typically made from fresh fruits, juices or extracts. A similar thing is done in Jamaica but additional flavor is added by using ginger and rum, it is a popular drink of the country at Christmas time. It is also very popular in Trinidad & Tobago but the ginger is substituted for cinnamon and cloves for added flavour. In Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso and Benin calyces are used to prepare cold, sweet drinks popular in social events, often mixed with mint leaves, dissolved menthol candy, and/or various fruit flavors. The Middle Eastern and Sudanese drink "Karkade"(كركديه) is a cold drink made by soaking the dried Karkade flowers in cold water over night in a refrigerator with sugar and some lemon or lime juice added.It is then consumed with or without ice cubes after the flowers have been strained.In Lebanon, sometimes toasted pine nuts are tossed into the drink.

With the advent in the U.S. of interest in south-of-the-border cuisine, the calyces are sold in bags usually labeled "Flor de Jamaica" and have long been available in health food stores in the U.S. for making a tea that is high in vitamin C. This drink is particularly good for people who have a tendency, temporary or otherwise, toward water retention: it is a mild diuretic.

In addition to being a popular homemade drink, Jarritos, a popular brand of Mexican soft drinks, makes a Flor de Jamaica flavored carbonated beverage. Imported Jarritos can be readily found in the U.S.

In the UK the dried calyces and ready-made sorrel syrup are widely and cheaply available in Caribbean and Asian grocers. The fresh calyces are imported mainly during December and January in order to make Christmas and New Year infusions, which are often made into cocktails with additional rum. They are very perishable, rapidly developing fungal rot, and need to be used soon after purchase – unlike the dried product, which has a long shelf-life.

[edit] Jam and preserves

In Australia, rosella jam has been made since Colonial times and is still sold regularly at community fetes and charity stalls. It is similar in flavour to plum jam, although more acidic.

[edit] Medicinal uses

Many parts of the plant are also claimed to have various medicinal values. They have been used for such purposes ranging from Mexico through Africa and India to Thailand. Roselle is associated with traditional medicine and is reported to be used as treatment for several diseases such as hypertension and urinary tract infections.

[edit] Phytochemicals

The plants are rich in anthocyanins, as well as protocatechuic acid. The dried calyces contain the flavonoids gossypetin, hibiscetine and sabdaretine. The major pigment, formerly reported as hibiscin, has been identified as daphniphylline. Small amounts of myrtillin (delphinidin 3-monoglucoside), Chrysanthenin (cyanidin 3-monoglucoside), and delphinidin are also present.

[edit] Production

Harvesting roselle planted on bris (sandy) soils in Rhu Tapai, Terengganu - Sept 02China and Thailand are the largest producers and control much of the world supply. Thailand invested heavily in roselle production and their product is of superior quality, whereas China's product, with less stringent quality control practices, is less reliable and reputable. The world's best roselle comes from the Sudan, but the quantity is low and poor processing hampers quality. Mexico, Egypt, Senegal, Tanzania, Mali and Jamaica are also important suppliers but production is mostly used domestically.[4]

In the Indian subcontinent (especially in the Ganges Delta region), roselle is cultivated for vegetable fibres. Roselle is called meśta (or meshta, the ś indicating an sh sound) in the region. Most of its fibres are locally consumed. However, the fibre (as well as cuttings or butts) from the roselle plant has great demand in various natural fibre using industries.

Roselle is a relatively new crop to create an industry in Malaysia. It was introduced in early 1990s and its commercial planting was first promoted in 1993 by the Department of Agriculture in Terengganu. The planted acreage was 12.8 ha (30 acres) in 1993, but had steadily increased to peak at 506 ha (1,000 acres) in 2000. The planted area is now less than 150 ha (400 acres) annually, planted with two main varieties.[citation needed] Terengganu state used to be the first and the largest producer, but now the production has spread more to other states. Despite the dwindling hectarage over the past decade or so, roselle is becoming increasingly known to the general population as an important pro-health drink in the country. To a small extent, the calyces are also processed into sweet pickle, jelly and jam.

[edit] Crop research

In the initial years, limited research work were conducted by Universiti Malaya (UM) and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). Research work at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) was initiated in 1999. In many respect, the amount of research work is still considered meagre in supporting a growing roselle industry in Malaysia.

[edit] Crop genetic resources & improvement

Genetic variation is important for plant breeders to increase the crop productivity. Being an introduced species in Malaysia, there is a very limited number of germplasm accessions available for breeding. At present, UKM maintains a working germplasm collection, and also conducts agronomic research and crop improvement.

[edit] Mutation breeding

Genetic variation is important for plant breeders to increase its productivity. Being an introduced crop species in Malaysia, there is a limited number of germplasm accessions available for breeding. Furthermore, conventional hybridization is difficult to carry out in roselle due to its cleistogamous nature of reproduction. Because of this, a mutation breeding programme was initiated to generate new genetic variability [5] The use of induced mutations for its improvement was initiated in 1999 in cooperation with MINT (now called Malaysian Nuclear Agency), and has produced some promising breeding lines. Roselle is a tetraploid species; thus, segregating populations require longer time to achieve fixation as compared to diploid species. In April 2009, UKM launched three new varieties named UKMR-1, UKMR-2 and UKMR-3, respectively. These three new varieties were developed using variety Arab as the parent variety in a mutation breeding programme which started in 2006.

[edit] Natural outcrossing under local conditions

A study was conducted to estimate the amount of outcrossing under local conditions in Malaysia. It was found that outcrossing occurred at a very low rate of about 0.02%. However, this rate is much lower in comparison to estimates of natural cross-pollination of between 0.20% and 0.68% as reported in Jamaica.

[edit] Gallery

A popular roselle variety planted in Malaysia, aka variety Terengganu. Roselle fruits are harvested fresh, and their calyces are made into a drink rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins.

Two varieties are planted in Malaysia (Left - variety Terengganu or UMKL-1; right - variety Arab. The varieties produce about 8 t/ha (3.6 short tons/acre) of fresh fruits or 4 t/ha (1.8 short tons/acre) of fresh calyces. On the average, variety Arab yields more, and with higher calyx to capsule ratio.

Dried roselle calyces can be obtained in two ways; one way is by harvesting the fruits fresh, decore them, and then dry the calyces; the other way is by leaving the fruits to dry on the plants to some extent, harvest the dried fruits, dry them further if necessary, and then separate the calyces from the capsules

Roselle calyces can also be processed into sweet pickle. This is usually produced as a by-product of juice production. However, quality sweet pickle may require a special production process.

Variation in flower colour of roselle (a tetraploid species)

Calyx - a collective term for sepals of a flower; Epicalyx - a collective term for structures found on, below or close to the true calyx, also called false calyx. Some varieties show pronounced epicalyx structures, such as found in variety Arab. (Plural calyces)

Decoring — removal of a seed capsule from the fruit using a simple hand-held gadget to obtain its calyx

Some breeding lines developed from the mutation breeding programme at UKM

[edit] Footnotes

^ "hort.purdue.edu". http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Hibiscus_sabdariffa.html. Retrieved 2007-08-25.

^ "drugs.com". http://www.drugs.com/npp/roselle.html. Retrieved 2008-05-11.

^ Purdue Univ, Center for new crops, Roselle

^ "fao.org". http://www.fao.org/inpho/content/compend/text/ch28/ch28.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-25.

^ .[1] [FNCA 2005]

[edit] Further reading

Chau, J. W.; Jin, M. W.; Wea, L. L.; Chia, Y. C.; Fen, P. C.; Tsui, H. T. (2000). "Protective effect of Hibiscus anthocyanins against tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced hepatic toxicity in rats". Food and Chemical Toxicology 38 (5): 411–416. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(00)00011-9. PMID 10762726.

Mohamad, O., Mohd. Nazir, B., Abdul Rahman, M. and Herman, S. (2002). Roselle: A new crop in Malaysia. Buletin PGM Dec 2002, p. 12-13.

Mohamad, O., Mohd. Nazir, B., Azhar, M., Gandhi, R., Shamsudin, S., Arbayana, A., Mohammad Feroz, K., Liew, S. K., Sam, C. W., Nooreliza, C. E. and Herman, S. (2002). Roselle improvement through conventional and mutation breeding. Proc. Intern. Nuclear Conf. 2002, 15-18 Oct 2002, Kuala Lumpur. 19 pp.

Mohamad, O., Ramadan, G., Herman, S., Halimaton Saadiah, O., Noor Baiti, A. A., Ahmad Bachtiar, B., Aminah, A., Mamot, S., and Jalifah, A. L. (2008). A promising mutant line for roselle industry in Malaysia. FAO Plant Breeding News, Edition 195. Available at http://www.fao.org/ag/AGp/agpc/doc/services/pbn/pbn-195.htm

Pau, L. T.; Salmah, Y.; Suhaila, M. (2002). "Antioxidative properties of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) in linoleic acid model system". Nutrition & Food Science 32 (1): 17–20. doi:10.1108/00346650210413951.

Vaidya, K. R. (2000). "Natural cross-pollination in roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Malvaceae)". Genetics and Molecular Biology 23 (3): 667–669.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Roselle (plant)

Roselle on Encyclopædia Britannica

Roselle at NewCROPTM, Center for New Crops & Plant Products, at Purdue University

Roselle at the University of Florida

Larsen-twins: Hibiscus sabdariffa

Jus de Bissap ("Roselle juice")

Bissap page(in French)

Amarula (Flor de Jamaica en Colombia)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_(plant)"

[ThunderIdeal]

sprouts :D

[herbal_hindsight]

chilli!!!!

mint, thyme, parsely, basil, oregano, rocket, potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, cucumbers, melons, carrots, strawberries, rasberries, goji berries, egg plant, curry plant, and thats just what ive already got growing!

the seed list of edibles ive managed to build is awesome! i just built a 9x4 ft raised garden bed aswell and will be implenting the square foot gardening method to get all my veggies on the grow! ;-)

the best part is not only will i save money on not having to buy them but ill have more than enough for myself so what i don't use i can share with my friends and family!

[Yeti101]

Yeah, I hardly buy chillis anymore, and I never buy culinary herbs. And I oftem have more 5 coloured chard than I know what to do with. The orange sweet potato is great, once you have it you'll never get rid of it, though a wet autumn can put a dent in it's productivity.

Nasturtium - not evryone's favorite thing to eat, but I love the peppery leaves & flowers & buds and it's sooo easy to grow.

Don't forget choko's either.

[Auxin]

i just built a 9x4 ft raised garden bed aswell and will be implenting the square foot gardening method to get all my veggies on the grow! ;-)

If space isnt a major limiter you might consider also trying extensive gardening, check out Steve Solomon's 'Gardening When It Counts - Growing Food In Hard Times' if you get a chance. Real good read for growing food on the cheap with limited water.

Walking onion is a real workhorse for green onions, let a plant go full term and it makes dozens of little bulbs you can plant that cannibalize the bulb to spring up into instant green onions. I've got more green onions than I know what to do with and I still have 100+ bulbs in the fridge

In the US theres a strong bias against beets, virtually no one eats them except from cans, and they rarely like them even then (the women make us eat them). I recently tried cooking some up into a cross between borscht and chicken stew.. farkin' good shit! Convenient since beets are said to be quite drought and cold tolerant once established. I'm gonna grow them next year.

Whats the deal with chard? When I ate the stuff raw it made my throat raw for 30 hrs at first I thought I was coming down with the cold but no, it was the uncooked chard. Is that normal or is this fucking Monsanto produce simply dripping with caustic pesticides? I wont grow something I cant eat raw, I'm too much a hippie for that.. many mornings for breakfast I just sit down out side, sort of lean over, and eat a plant as it grows. Cant have that shit screwing up my throat

[Yeti101]

Chard & silverbeet have decent amounts of oxalic acid - need at least a light blanch, especially for older leaves. I wouldn't eat much of it uncooked

[Auxin]

Thats what I suspected it was.. I always avoided oxalic veggies but got the bright idea that I wanted 'variety' lol. I just didnt expect it to be that strong given that people eat spinach raw.

[kindness]

sprouts :D

 

nice one TI that may challenge my growing skills however - jokes aside... how do you grow and keep a decent sprout crop going? anyone got some sweet skills in that department that they can share? I'm imagining that soaking alfalfa seed, or mustard seed, (I have about 2 billion of them at the moment!) and putting them in a jar is all thats required.. but I could be wrong?

@yeti - the orange sweet potato sounds like a good idea. They aren't frost hardy though are they? Or does the vine die back in winter, sprouting again from tubers? I 'spose I could look that up using google but while I'm here....

@Auxin - I will look into that book, sounds like a good read. Speaking of oxalic acid, ever tried warrigal greens / new zealand spinach? That stuff is nasty uncooked, a real throat burner!

@herbal - I'm with ya man, I love giving food away to people also love trying to make a meal using only ingredients from the garden and watching the food on our plates at night slowly become more from here as the season is progressing

garden love

[kadakuda]

my family always grew beats in canada (i hate the things personally!!!).

if winters are not a problem, corn, peppers and tomatoes are all easy. i never buy corn or peppers...tomatoes i just hate growing so i buy htemn instead lol.

[kindness]

why do you hate growing tomatoes kadakuda? I love the smell of them on a hot summers day, and short of buying them when in season from the wholefoods here I've not tasted one as good as a home grown?

It's quite interesting that beets have got a bit of a bad name lol. I can understand a bit of broad bean hate but beets? I love em specially the bit when I go for a piss a while after and wonder why I've got blood in my wee lol

[mescalito]

Good thread kindness!

Basically anything in the herb section and most seeds in the spice section at the supermarket/grocers will sprout (even poppy seeds )

Also look for the markdowns or try to ask for cut prices on bedraggled plants at Big dub or Bunnings and bringem back from the dead!

Aliums will keep in water for a while(keep the water renewed!),then plant out after a trim up!

SAVE ALL YA SEEDS

[San Rainbow]

cool thread!

I have a chilly seed collection obsession...

the misses is always giving me shit for having seed drying out everywhere, she through my last haul

Edited November 3, 2010 by San Rainbow

[TG83]

This thread gave me some inspiration, so went out and got a heap of different veg seeds yesterday afternoon. Been digging a new area of the yard out for a full sun garden, so may as well get something growing in there while the rest of it is being finished off

**Edit**

Also look for the markdowns or try to ask for cut prices on bedraggled plants at Big dub or Bunnings and bringem back from the dead!

I often do this, had a few successes but breaks my heart when some of them don't make it through. Any plants I buy I tend to purchase the ones that seem to have been ready to plant for far too long, just doesn't feel right leaving them there to perish

Edited November 4, 2010 by TG83

[mud]

We had some cherry tomatoes that grew from mulch

spring up every year for a very long time.

That is, with no care of watering at all.

Potatoes, everyone should have potatoes in everywhere I reckon

[kadakuda]

kindness...tomatoes are just needy and nute hogs, thats all. also tehre are a lot, i mean a LOT, of pepper/eggplant/tomato growers near by and all smoke. there seems to be, i have not really looked into it, a lot of TMV going around so i just try to avoid as many of the fam as possible...or at least thats my excuse for not having to take care of them. i did start some tomatoes last week though, but on my roof.

for beats, me and my cousin have a long history of various bodily functions and beats when kids...immature stuff mostly, but neither of us have eaten a single beet since.

san rainbow. you ever grow those hot peppers that look like the tip of a dick? i forgot the name, but it was catchy and funny.

[Alice]

Peter Red chili or Peter peppers, aka "penis pepper".

I prefer the name Chili Willy

Edited December 2, 2010 by Alice

[mr me]

I have really good growth on cabages, caulis, pumpkins and the peach tree is going crazy. All this rain is working wonders.

[Auxin]

no, no, no... 'Chili Willy' is the medical syndrome caused when men pee after chopping hot peppers but without washing their hands thuroughly enough.

I know the phenomena well, lol

[Alice]