What's growing in January

We have had our largest crop of miracle fruit this year. Our plant keeps producing more and more fruit each day. Having one miracle fruit before breakfast is such a treat. Everything tastes sweet without added sugar. 

January has again proved to be a month full of bananas. It seems like most every variety that has been in the ground a year or more is fruiting....everything except the Saba, which keeps growing taller and wider. 

Our honeybees love the banana flowers! Below are some pictures of our bees on dwarf orinoco flowers. Dwarf Orinocos are wonderful cooked as chifles (fried, thinly sliced plantains), sweet plantains (fried when ripe and yellow), or eaten out of hand. They are a favorite of our blue headed pionus parrot. 

What's Growing in January

Our passion fruit continues to drop ripe fruit each day. The meyer lemon tree had two ripe lemons. The tree has been affected by citrus greening, so these may be the last fruits from this tree. The little key lime tree that we have potted us has escaped greening so far. The pimiento dulce and paprika peppers we planted from seeds have been doing fantastic along. Our cherry tomatoes were hit with powdery mildew. I made a spray of baking soda, liquid soap, and a small amount of listerine in a gallon of water. The affected leaves have died off and new leaves are growing. Hopefully the plants will continue to put out delicious tomatoes. 

We also have star fruit that is almost ripe, plenty of ripe cranberry hibiscus, fresh oregano, rose hips, bell peppers, and lettuce. 

Our seminole pumpkin plants are looking very healthy and there are new little fruits forming. Some of the mango trees have blooms forming. The miracle fruit tree continues to put out beautiful red fruits that transform anything sour into a sweet treat.