Remember my disillusionment with gardening?

Little did I know that out right neglect of my plants would offer such a bounty?

I started out with the healthy green plant from the store - so very proud of my efforts to repot and using the miracle grow dirt.

I continued to water and fertilize this little bell pepper plant, in hopes that one day I would have my very own bell peppers to eat that didn't cost me a whopping $.65 each, purchased at the grocery store.

Well... my plans weren't going as well as I had hoped.... my bell pepper plant quickly turned to what appeared to be barren - not going to put out any peppers for me to enjoy - nadda, zip, zilch!

Along the time I accepted defeat and started sluffing off my watering and fertilizing habits, the puny bell pepper plant was just left to fend for itself. I totally neglected this little plant. After all, if it's not going produce for me, well then I'm not going to stand among the mosquitoes and scratch and itch for it? Ya know?

Fast forward about 6-8 weeks and all the while the bell pepper plant has been suffering in the heat with no love from me whatsoever, and suddenly I discover that this plant is covered in bell peppers! It's a miracle! Who Knew? Neglect it and it will grow? Sadly this theory hasn't worked with any of my other plants?

I am so excited. I will finally have some fresh bell peppers to enjoy and maybe even a few that I can dice and freeze for cooking with this winter? The mother in me wants to bring this little plant back under my protective care and start fertilizing it, but no... I'm going to continue with the 'tough love'. Obviously it needs to do it's own thing without any help from me.