Today, I ventured out to the dome to assess the situation during the “poor air quality” warning. My area is experiencing the highest levels of poor air quality ever, primarily due to the wildfires raging in Canada. I want to share what the dome looks like and provide some insights about my growing space. I truly believe the plants are filtering a lot during these challenging outdoor conditions. The outdoor air was filled with a metallic and rubber-like odor from the heavy smoke, and visibility was reduced to about 20 feet.
Inside the Dome During Air Quality Alert
I made it to the dome, and it feels quite pleasant inside. Most of the way I covered my nose with a damp cloth so I couldn’t smell the smoke from the Canadian fires. Surprisingly, I don’t smell any of the smoke from the fires affecting Ohio today inside the dome greenhouse. Perhaps the vents are doing their job? Anyway, I wanted to check on a few things and show you how my hot peppers are doing, as I’m quite enthusiastic about them. In the vlog today I share many plants that are doing amazing during the heat of the summer. Scroll down to find my list of peppers and more highlights.
My video can be found on my Bren Haas YouTube Channel. Let me know if you have issues viewing the content by commenting in the appropriate space on my blog.
New Additions
This summer, I added two Bird of Paradise plants, which I hope will bloom soon. They haven’t flowered yet, but they are in a warm spot with ample sunlight. Fingers crossed!
I also noticed a trumpet vine climbing a walnut tree right outside the dome, which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies due to its vibrant orange blooms. This would explain all the monarch butterflies I keep seeing outside the dome near this new addition.
Plant Care Today
While I’m here, I want to ensure my plants are well taken care of. I might look into the type of fertilizer that would benefit the Bird of Paradise plants to encourage blooming. Overall, everything looks fantastic in the dome. I’m quite comfortable, and despite the poor air quality warnings outside, I can’t detect any unpleasant odors in here.
I’ve been on a journey discovering the various zones in this space and enjoying the amazing plants we can grow as home gardeners. I have a fondness for my Mangave and various succulents and cacti, which aren’t typically found in my hardiness zone of Ohio due to winter conditions. I’ve lost a few plants over the years, including a Madagascar cactus I adored but accidentally overwatered.
Plant Highlight From VLOG
Below is the list of plants I highlight on the video today.
- Bird of Paradise
- Jade
Peppers
It’s like a tropical party in the dome which includes hot pepper plants! Growing the hot peppers inside the dome works best for me because it shades the plants from the scorching sun. I also know the plants are safe from critters nibbling on it, causing some buds to fall off. However, in the video you will see a praying mantis in one of the tall pepper ‘trees’ eating the bad bugs!
Most of my peppers are located over here, where they receive a bit of shade due to the double wrap, but they still get too much sun at times. They were becoming droopy, but now that I’ve adjusted their position during peak sunlight hours, they seem much happier. In the vlog I share how they are full of flowers and peppers are starting to form. Growing peppers is a fun challenge, and I even spotted a few habanero peppers developing.
- Hot Peppers
- Scorpion Trinidad Moruga
- Quick Fire
- Spinning Tops Pepper
- 7 Pot Bubblegum Super Hot Pepper
- Ghost | Bhut Jolokia Chile Pepper
- Pot a Peno Pepper
- Ghost Pepper
- Chiltepin Hot Pepper
- Habanero Red and Yellow Pepper
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- Biquinho Yellow Hot Pepper
Let’s Connect
I love propagating my variegated spider plants, and I have a big container of succulents that I need to tend to when I find the time. My raised bed veggies and cut flower garden are thriving. My husband and I have planted a couple dozen new trees this summer. I hope to share more about them in a future video so please consider subscribing to my blog.
Thank you for joining me today! I appreciate your questions, especially about the dome, so keep them coming. Happy summer, everyone and stay safe!
Bren
