My Bonsai Green Pepper Plant

Bonsai Green Pepper Plant

Every once in a while, I make a mistake, that turns out pretty well. Last year, around June, when I was transplanting my pepper plants into the garden, I somehow forgot to plant this one. It sat in a black plastic planter, and I kept watering it. Eventually, I planted it into the pot above, and set it by the window. It grew all summer, and through the winter, but I noticed some supper tiny little black bugs that lived only on this plant. I believe these bugs are “Flea Beetles”, which you can read about here.

I decided that I would need to destroy the plant, in order to kill off all the little bugs. (I didn’t want to populate the garden with bugs that had all winter to multiply in safety). Instead of killing it, I would cut off the top, and quick burn the bottom leaves to fix the problem.  I used a lighter to quick burn the leaves. This process only kills the bugs, since the leaves can tolerate a quick flame.

I’m quite happy to see it flower, and it may set some small peppers:

Peppers being formed below the flowers

So all in all, not much of a way to grow food, but it does make a nice “bonsai” pepper plant…..