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October 13, 2005

Pickin' Peppers

By James Beaty

It’s a bloomin’ wonder.

Bache-area resident Mina Williams is surprised to see a bell pepper plant in her home garden keeps growing ... and growing ... and growing.

To pick the peppers, Williams has to reach for the sky. The red, green and multi-hued peppers growing near the top of the plant tower above her head. Pulling out a tape measure, Williams took a measurement that showed the plant is about six feet, five inches tall.

“I’m just kind of amazed,” she said

Although the plant has been shooting up recently, it got off to a slow start. Another plant set beside it began showing results long before the taller one did.

“It wasn’t putting on peppers and the other one was,” Williams said.

Once the plant began shooting upward, though, it started producing.

“It seems like it’s grown more in the past two months than before,” Williams said.

She didn’t do anything differently for the plant in the way of fertilizer. It’s not some kind of scientifically-developed hybrid, either. Williams said she bought the plant, along with the normal-sized one planted near it, at Papa’s Country Market in McAlester.

They were about the same size when they were planted, as Williams recalls. She has no explanation for why one is so much taller than the other —unless the plant naturally grew higher to seek sunlight by rising above a bushy tomato plant growing next to it.

The peppers grown on the huge plant have a great taste, Williams said.

“They’re very good,” she said.

With a week of relatively warm temperatures in the forecast, Williams has no idea how tall the plant may grow.

“It’s still blooming and growing,” she said, noting a small white bud near the top of the plant.

“I was wondering how much taller it would grow before the good Lord puts on a frost,” Williams said.

“If I give it a little water, it might grow to seven feet.”

Why doesn’t she give it a little more water, then?

“Maybe I’d better,” Williams said, smiling.

While she can’t really explain the reason the plant grew so tall, Williams is obviously pleased that it did. She’s also pleased with the other produce in her garden.

“The good Lord’s blessed me with them,” she said. “That’s all I can say.”

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

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