Devv's 2015 - 16, Life is good!

Well here we go again!
 
I just got finished planting seeds for 70 plants. Scaling back a bit this year; last year was a lot of work! That and I have to do more than garden this season
 
My apologies as I can't remember shit where I got all the seeds from. Some were harvested from pods some I saved, and some were sent to me. I can say this 99% originated from the most generous THP members!
 
Without further ado, here's the 2015 list:
 
Red 7 Pot Lava: Mikey
Black Thai        : Mikey
Yellow Jonah  : Mikey
Jack’s Choc Superhot: Mikey
Red Bhutlah   : Mikey
Tepin x Lemmon drop
Pimenta Lisa : Stefan
Brazilian Starfish
Bell
Poblano
Billy Biker
Jalapeno
Jimmy Nardello
Bishops Crown
Sweet Hungarian Paprika
Bahamian Goat
Urfa Biber
Jelly Bean White Hab
Jigsaw
Nagabrain F4
Numex Jalamundo
Cream Fatalii
Isabella Island Hab: Jim
Cherry Bomb: Jim
Moa
Kurt’s
JA Habs
White Bhut
Anaheim
Jigsaw
Burgundy
Ma Wiri wiri: Jim
Pepperdew: Jim
Pimenta De Padron: Jim
Wild tepin: Jim
Jigsaw
Six secrets from Stefan
Orange Primo: Mikey
Choc Bhutlah
Scotch Bonnet x Indian Red
Red Lava: Mikey
White Hab
Naga King: Rick
BOC: Rick
 
I leaned more towards peppers my wife can eat. After all she helped me quite a bit, I might as well grow some for her
 
Last season was a challenge regarding what was what. I eventually figured them out, but was not happy with the confusion. And yeah, I'm easily confused.
 
Here's a pic of the 70 starters:
 

 
Trying something different, the Jiffy's are numbered and will be entered into a spreadsheet. As they pop, they will go into the solo cups with permanent marker to label them.
 
This year I'm starting things in the converted hunting room (man cave?). LB wanted the extra bedroom back   The room is part of the shop; 24x8 and insulated. It's been rather nasty for the last 4 or 5 days, damp and temps below 52°, but it was 68° in there a few minutes ago. Also I'm trying a heating mat to help with germination, which was abysmal IMHO last year.
 
Anyone who knows how I fly, knows I like to grow in the dirt. I have a few in containers from last season, but they just don't do as well.
 
I put a ton (literally) of work into the soil since the start of last season.
 
I feel soil preparation is the key to success:
 

 

 
I tilled in over 24 yards of RCW and 10 yards of shredded leaves after pulling the plants in the fall.
 

 
I then planted Crimson Clover and Rye as a cover crop, this pic is from 2 weeks ago..
 

 
The area I planted the cover crop in is 2,300 to 2,500 square feet. Half is framed for sunshade. A must in the 100% summer sun the garden gets. There's some Comfrey of the left
 

 

 
Dec. 6th I tilled in the whole shootin' match. I waited too long. But I do like it when it darkens up. This is what it looks like after 2 2" deep passes. If you wait too long the roots form a sod, this makes for a bad day of tilling. I got this far and decided to call it. Shiner time!

Once I'm sure most is dead and wont come back when I water crop 2 goes in.
 

 
On 12-10

The grass on top has dried, and rain is forecast through Sunday (yeah right), so I tilled again. It brought up the grass from below and now the garden looks like last Sunday. I went a couple of notches deeper this time to break up more of the roots. I spread rye seed and watered for 45 minutes. It should come up quickly as the weather is warm for a week or more. 50's-70's.
 

 
This is the garden today, the second cover crop is just coming up. And I have to prep an area for onions, which hit the dirt January 15th. The rest gets tilled in at the end of the month.
 
I fly out of here tomorrow afternoon, and won't be back until a week from now. So I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
 

 

[twilliams386]

Hopefully this is the last of it, but somehow I doubt it. The problem is, is that we go from too cold to HOT too soon.
 
The wife says she knows of some Bakers; my jobs have always kept me kind of isolated.

Exactly, there's not much of a transition period here.
I ask because one of my wife's co-workers is from Devine. His father was the man who had the awful pistol accident a few weeks back. was just wondering if maybe y'all were familiar

 

[Devv]

Exactly, there's not much of a transition period here.
I ask because one of my wife's co-workers is from Devine. His father was the man who had the awful pistol accident a few weeks back. was just wondering if maybe y'all were familiar

 
The wife said she knows of them, but we're not familiar. Sad to read about his accident!

 

[twilliams386]

Yeah wasn't sure, had to ask.

It was definitely a terrible tragedy, my wife and sister in law went to the funeral for support. The son is a good friend of both of them.

On another note, could you check out the pic of my OW on my glog? Not sure if it's cold damage, wind damage or something completely different

 

[Sawyer]

...No fun watching them just sit and do absolutely nothing for 30 days...

 
Not just that, but my earliest plant-outs last year never did catch up to ones I planted later, when it was warmer.

 

[randyp]

     Things look fantastic Scott.I am pushing back my start 2 weeks this year on plant out myself.Last year that was May 1.But after re reading my glog I had a couple frost warnings I had to deal with.I want to avoid any stress on the babies I can.
    Keep up the good work,the green at your place warms us Northerners hearts.

 

[PaulS]

Wow! Your plants are coming along really nicely, garden too, good work dude.
The peach tree flowers are really nice, I'd like one but I dont think it would like our climate

 

[Devv]

Yeah wasn't sure, had to ask.

It was definitely a terrible tragedy, my wife and sister in law went to the funeral for support. The son is a good friend of both of them.

On another note, could you check out the pic of my OW on my glog? Not sure if it's cold damage, wind damage or something completely different

 Will do!
 

 
Not just that, but my earliest plant-outs last year never did catch up to ones I planted later, when it was warmer.

 
Exactly, I think it slows them down, as mine did the same. But it's so hard to sit on them!
 

     Things look fantastic Scott.I am pushing back my start 2 weeks this year on plant out myself.Last year that was May 1.But after re reading my glog I had a couple frost warnings I had to deal with.I want to avoid any stress on the babies I can.
    Keep up the good work,the green at your place warms us Northerners hearts.

 
Thanks Randy!
 
I hope the weather breaks for 'yall soon! And they say global warming. Funny how we're not seeing so much of the political garbage now that half the country is under snow and ice...
 

Wow! Your plants are coming along really nicely, garden too, good work dude.
The peach tree flowers are really nice, I'd like one but I dont think it would like our climate

 
Thanks Paul!
 
Here's a link form the ag extension in the UK:
 
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/peaches

 

[stickman]

 
Not just that, but my earliest plant-outs last year never did catch up to ones I planted later, when it was warmer.

 

Exactly, I think it slows them down, as mine did the same. But it's so hard to sit on them!

 
That hasn't been my experience, but maybe our latitude and my use of plasticulture can explain the difference.
 

 
I hope the weather breaks for 'yall soon! And they say global warming. Funny how we're not seeing so much of the political garbage now that half the country is under snow and ice...

 
I agree, and don't think it's a coincidence. Cheers!

 

[Devv]

 
 
That hasn't been my experience, but maybe our latitude and my use of plasticulture can explain the difference.
 
 
I agree, and don't think it's a coincidence. Cheers!

 
Oh I agree!
 
The way you're doing things keeps the soil and plants warm for sure, and that's the key.

 

[Sawyer]

Yeah, I could see plastic helping with soil temperature.  I may use plastic on some rows this year, though as much for weed/grass control as anything.

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Getting caught up. Nice job Scott. Next week I'll start soaking some tepin x lemons. Have some Jigs soaking in the trailer now. Still outa town. Doing my best to keep up with the blogs. Thanks for sharing.

Good luck Scott

Chuck

 

[Devv]

Yeah, I could see plastic helping with soil temperature.  I may use plastic on some rows this year, though as much for weed/grass control as anything.

 
Well my goal was to have the hoops up, black plastic on the ground and some of the tomatoes planted, and that was LAST weekend. I don't know where the time goes...
 
I did get 2 1/3 yards of leaves ground up in the chipper, I'll use that as between the rows mulch. The tom's looks fine yesterday, not today, so they went into the doggie pool for bottom watering.
 

Getting caught up. Nice job Scott. Next week I'll start soaking some tepin x lemons. Have some Jigs soaking in the trailer now. Still outa town. Doing my best to keep up with the blogs. Thanks for sharing.

Good luck Scott

Chuck

 
Hi Chuck!
 
Good to see you. I hope things go well for you this season!
 
You know one thing I figured out is if you have the time you don't have the money; if you have the money you don't have the time. That's if you're a regular working stiff and not rich.
 
Nowadays, time is more important to me. Life goes by sooo fast! One day you wake up and look in the mirror; "who's that old guy?" Well it's me....damn I got old fast!   Lately I've been on mission "slow down", well age forces that some, it's time to smell the roses
 
Take care Chuck and slow down

 

[maximumcapsicum]

I saved some lemon drop seeds from the peppers you sent me last summer. They're my fastest growers by a huge margin. Gonna have to move them to the window sill soon! Hoping they produce... That was a tasty pepper.

 

[PaulG]

I laughed at your forecast in #218.  It doesn't look a whole lot different
than our weather here, except we're all ecstatic cuz it's been so abnormally warm  

 

[Jeff H]

I laughed at your forecast in #218.  It doesn't look a whole lot different
than our weather here, except we're all ecstatic cuz it's been so abnormally warm  

 
Ahhhh, to heck with the both of you and your warm forecasts. we're sitting at about -4F tomorrow morning and about a foot of snow on the ground from last week.

 
 
 
You know one thing I figured out is if you have the time you don't have the money; if you have the money you don't have the time. That's if you're a regular working stiff and not rich.
 
Nowadays, time is more important to me. Life goes by sooo fast! One day you wake up and look in the mirror; "who's that old guy?" Well it's me....damn I got old fast!   Lately I've been on mission "slow down", well age forces that some, it's time to smell the roses
 
Take care Chuck and slow down

 
 
Words to live by.

 

[Devv]

I saved some lemon drop seeds from the peppers you sent me last summer. They're my fastest growers by a huge margin. Gonna have to move them to the window sill soon! Hoping they produce... That was a tasty pepper.

 
I'm sure they will, and they produce well! Good luck with them!
 
 

I laughed at your forecast in #218.  It doesn't look a whole lot different
than our weather here, except we're all ecstatic cuz it's been so abnormally warm  

 
Well when your summers are high 90's to 100+, the cold fronts are quite the bother. LB and I took today off, long before we saw the forecast. 35° out there right now, we've been inside all day running the heck out of the fireplace. Normally this time of the year we see 48° at night and 65-75° as the highs. That's planting weather for everything but the peppers.
 
 

 
Ahhhh, to heck with the both of you and your warm forecasts. we're sitting at about -4F tomorrow morning and about a foot of snow on the ground from last week.

 
 
Words to live by.

 
I don't envy the weather you get during the winter, but that's why I'm down here   My brother lives in Vermillion, and I was talking to him the other day, it was 2° for the high. I said "that's crazy!". He said he'll take 2° over my 102° any day.
 
Yeah we all need to slow down and take lessons from those countries where they get 6 weeks vacation every year. Now that would be a treat!

 

[Jamison]

Kickin ass and takin names already Scott!  Amazing job as usual buddy!  I can't wait to get them San Marzanos going.  Might be a bit too late but Essegi sent me 3 different strains of SM's from Italy and I'd love to send you some to try as well.  Please let me know!

 

[JoeFish]

Looking good Devv. Can't wait to see more. Gotta get going on some comfrey research. Last time I tried it kind of confused me but that's not hard.

 

[ronniedeb]

Lovely photos of your plot and your plants. The Pimenta Lisa is a beautiful plant!

 

[Devv]

Kickin ass and takin names already Scott!  Amazing job as usual buddy!  I can't wait to get them San Marzanos going.  Might be a bit too late but Essegi sent me 3 different strains of SM's from Italy and I'd love to send you some to try as well.  Please let me know!

 
 Thanks Jamison!
 
Hey if you have plenty, I'm game. Thanks for the offer!
 
 

Looking good Devv. Can't wait to see more. Gotta get going on some comfrey research. Last time I tried it kind of confused me but that's not hard.

 
Thanks Joe!
 
I really need to post some pics. Tomorrow is supposed to get above the 30's; Yes!
 

Lovely photos of your plot and your plants. The Pimenta Lisa is a beautiful plant!

 
Thanks!
 
I'm so ready for the weather to straighten out so I can start sticking plants in the dirt....Patience is needed!