Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday September 22, 2009

Monday, September 21, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday September 22, 2009

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Q&A: Getting the Heat out of Jalapeno Peppers

Question: We purchased seeds for "mild" jalapeno peppers. The plants are producing nicely, but the peppers are very very hot. What can we do to reduce the heat when we want to use them for salsa? Would boiling them or roasting them on the grill help?

Answer: Mild jalapeno varieties vary in their heat levels and in their tendency to occasionally produce hotter fruit. Anything that stresses the plant will cause a mild Jalapeno, such as 'TAM Mild,' to produce hotter fruit. Keep them growing vigorously from seed to harvest and you will have the mildest fruit the variety can give you. A very good way to reduce heat in a harvested pepper is to remove the inner seed walls. When you slice a pepper open you will notice some white membranes extending into the fruit interior. These are where the seeds are attached and where the substance that gives peppers their heat, capsaicin, is concentrated. Remove these membranes and the seeds and you will have a greatly reduced amount of heat. Boiling or roasting will not do the trick.

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Q&A: Pruning Oleanders

Question: Should I trim my oleanders back this fall, or wait until spring?

Answer: Oleanders require little if any pruning. The best time to prune them, however, is in late winter, just prior to the start of spring growth. That way if any cold damage occurred over the winter it can be removed at that time. Minor pruning can also be done in spring and summer if needed.

If major pruning is needed, it is best to cut individual shoots back to the ground line, or at least where they join another shoot. Shearing creates an unnatural form.

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Tip: Harvest Winter Squash

Before first frost, harvest winter squash such as butternut and acorn. Select mature fruits (skin is full color with hard stems), leave 2 inches of stem attached and let them cure and dry in a 70F, room for 2 weeks.

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-- From the ArcaMax editors

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors