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Devv-2017-Having a good time in the dirt

Another season has come and gone. Time to start a new one!
 
Although I did already a few weeks ago :shh: . After last years dismal (late) start I jumped in a bit early to insure I could have viable plants come dirt day. I can always cut them back, if I need to. I have to compile a list yet, but I'm growing the full spectrum. Sweets, to supers, based upon what we will actually use. Most of my list is to make LB happy; I'm really glad to see her infuse peppers in more and more dishes. Can't beat that when the wife takes interest ;)
 
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Not the best pic; but the shelf is being sketchy, and I don't need all the babies bouncing off the floor.
 
Good luck to all this season :party:
 
Devv said:
I've been grow tom's seriously for over 30 years. Peppers (seriously) for 6 years this season. I still don't feel I have the pepper grow down yet for my climate. I need to start the Chinense December 15th next year, 3 weeks ahead of the Annuum's.
 
Actually, I think you could transplant outside the end of February with the IRT and low row cover if the weather co-operates like it did this year and if your schedule agrees. :)
 
 
moruga welder said:
Whew !  Stop take a deeeeeep breath ! lol  I hear ya , makes sense ,  guess starting them a little earlier would help , hows the humidity ?  Maybe 40 % shade cloth ? That would stink to have that much summer and not able to reap the harvest you have sown , all year . 
 

I'm good Frank ;)
 
The humidity is rather high now but gets really low as summer kicks in. Next season I start even earlier, and less plants (I keep telling myself that). I did cut down on the maters 30 plants versus 60 to 80..LOL.
I have around 40 pepper plants in the dirt, and few more in the wings. I need to cut that down to 30 or less and work towards better production.
 
stettoman said:
Don't tell me; your every day car is a '97 Kia with a sticker on the bumper that says "My other car is a '17 Hellcat".
 
You're killing me here Eric ;)
 
When the weather is off I drive the 2004 Chevy 4x4; good for 14mpg no matter how you drive it. It's just broken in with a whopping 102,000 on it. LB has her Hemi Charger; that gets 26-27 mpg on the hwy. Not bad for a 370 ponies :D My car gets 21+mpg if I'm light on the right foot :shh: 
 
We use one of those 2 depending on where we're going when it rains if we're both traveling. I10 is crazy so we take the truck to see my son and kids, it just feels safer.
 
 
stickman said:
 
Actually, I think you could transplant outside the end of February with the IRT and low row cover if the weather co-operates like it did this year and if your schedule agrees. :)
 
 
I'm in total agreement and that's the plan for next year.  I might even shoot for February 15th with the Annuum's, I ran short on time this season early on. That's not going to happen next year. I intend on designing some sort of easy to assemble/disassemble row cover system.
 
The IRT impressed me this season. I never did measure the soil temps, but really didn't need to. I could feel the soil temp differences when I planted.
 
So I've been off 9 days with spring break. Stayed home and got a ton of work done. Going back to work tomorrow to rest ;). I never get caught up around here but we made a huge dent. LB was out there with me pretty much every day. She raked leaves while I doing heavier chores. She also helped with the mulching project we started.
 
Here's a few pics..
 
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This was operation "white stuff brown stuff". I scarfed a bunch of white shredded paper and put a layer of that down, LB did the brown stuff. I had already shredded a bunch of the leaves she raked; and she used them until they ran out and then started using last years mulch score from the county. I had about 12-15 yards left, half is gone.
 
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I shredded some more leaves and we got this done this morning.
 
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By the time the season is over the shredded paper will be gone, more mulch will have been added. And it will be tilled in.
 
Current pepper layout:
 
All rows start from the North and run west to east.

Hugel bed:

Gochu - Urfa - Urfa - Kurts - Kurts - Pobs - Pobs - Pobs - Nardello - Nardello

Middle row: Gochu.....................................Nardello

Jalamundo - Jalamundo - Billy Biker - Large Orange Thai - Purple Jal - Pobs - Jalamundo -Billy Biker - Large Orange Thai

Dirt:

MoA - MoA - MoA - Tigermamp - Bahamian Goat - Aji Limo

MoA - Reaper - JA Hab - JA Hab - White Bhut - BOC - Aji Dulce - Jig Hab - Scotch Brain - JA Hab

Aji Amarillo - Aji Dulce - Billy Biker - Jalapeno - Jalapeno - Jalapeno - Piment D'Espelette - Piment D'Espelette.
 
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Kurtovska Kapijas pods!
 
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Gochu pods too!
 
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Aji Oro pods!
 
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Aji Largo pods!
 
I'm really excited about the Pubes podding up :party:
 
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Moa
 
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Just love this Tigermamp!
 
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B-Goat forkage :dance:
 
Well that's ten. Work tomorrow....Ugg!
 
Will the Hugel beds cut down on watering needs if you just kept them going??
You could run a soak hose permanently through the hugel bed for periodic flooding throughout Summer.

There problem solved ... Everyone Scotts going until Christmas!!! ;)
 
stickman said:
Alright Scott! I'm ecstatic to see pods on the Kurts and Gochus already... I don't usually get to that stage here until late June or early July. Everything's looking freakin' great! Drive on! :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Rick!
 
Trying to do better than last year ;)  Already have a plan in my brain for row covers. They will be attached to the fence, but able to pivot, or rotate upwards. I need to design an easy to release system for removal when no longer needed. The frames will be PVC, glued up except the legs. They can fold up then. Then I can have them ready, and just drop them in place and cover. I have 40 feet of South facing fence I could do in 4 10' sections to make it easier to manage.
 
 
randyp said:
Wow Scott, it looks great.I love how you adapt and are giving the plants every opp to drive roots down before the heat sets in.
 
Thanks Randy!
 
I have depressions made on either side of the plant to use when I water. Hoping the roots will get larger. In years past with just flooding I was not happy with the root growth. I'm hoping this will make for more robust plants!
 
Pulpiteer said:
In the dirt! I love looking at pics of your garden
 
Thanks Andy!
 
I sure hope the weather stays the same for the next few weeks. We really need the temps where they are now. Not worried about the cold anymore. Heat is the issue. I'm in 2 weeks early this season, it's been really warm.
 
 
OCD Chilehead said:
Fantastic, Scott. Already getting some pods. WooHoo! Soil looks amazing.

Your technique is proven.


Keep it going my friend.

Oh, Tigermamp is amazing. I have it growing as well as variants of. Stick out like a sore thumb among the others.
 
Thanks Chuck!
 
The garden soil is getting better every season. If you noticed I scaled back on the numbers to lessen crowding this year. It also gives me more room to add mulches on the large walkways to increase the soil tilth ;)
 
 
Datil said:
 
I know the feeling... LOL :D
Garden looks great! Congrats for the early pods!
 
Fab
 
Thanks Fabrizio!
 
Back on the job today, it took me a few hours to get back into it. ;)
 
Today was Monday....ALL day!
 
 
Trident chilli said:
Excellent gardening Scott you must be pleased with your efforts .... pods not pests
 
Thanks John!
 
I love the work, being outside and growing good clean food, so much that I have to give quite a bit away. But that's half the fun! ;)
 
 
Trippa said:
Will the Hugel beds cut down on watering needs if you just kept them going??
You could run a soak hose permanently through the hugel bed for periodic flooding throughout Summer.

There problem solved ... Everyone Scotts going until Christmas!!! ;)
 

Hi Tristan!
 
I don't think the Hugel bed will pay off this year. I'm just hoping it will help! But next year I'm hoping it really makes a huge difference as things settle in.
 
It needs to, digging a 20x4' ditch 2' deep was some real work ;)  I do know the 2, 2' wide 18" deep x 32' trenches I filled with mulch stayed nice and moist long after a rain this winter. These are at the other end of the garden where I planted the tomatoes. I plant on doing more this fall, but a bit more slowly. Old injuries like to haunt 2 weeks after the dig...stupid me...
 
Great stuff going on there!  
Kudos     :clap:      :clap:   Scott and LB, well done!
 
Dang, wish I could get something in the ground, I'm still digging out from the snow storm LOL we got hit with a wind storm then not 12 hours later got burried in 18-24 inches of fluffy white shit. Gunna be another month and a half or more before we start getting into the garden and raised beds. Quickly, what kind of bulbs are you using in your t5 set? Everything looks awesome.
 
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