Hot Pepper, The Plant Who Lived

This is the tale of a little hot pepper plant that I started from a seed in the Spring of 2010. The seed grew so nicely in my starter pot indoors. Two levels of leaves and a strong, strong stem.

When summer came, I happily put it right outside, having never heard of "hardening off" (yes, it sounds pervy). The newborn leaves got totally bleached in the sun. I thought this plant was a goner. It was completely yellow and the whole plant was dry like paper. Yet, there was still a little green at the base of the stem, so I kept watering it to see what would happen.

It never recovered last summer, but instead lost all of it's leaves and became mostly a partly-green stick. As winter approached, I brought the plant into the office because we keep our house so cold.

This Spring, we saw the first tiny leaf appear.

Now, several months later, it's looking fine: 12 leaves and a flower to boot! Since it seems so happy here at the office, and since Winter is not far away, I'm going to leave it on my desk and see what kind of growth occurs this winter. I might even get to put it in my garden next summer.

After hardening it off properly, of course.