Nice ZS, lot of rare plants.
Did the Douglah seed you got from me pop for ya?
Did the Douglah seed you got from me pop for ya?
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Fun and Cheap Hot Sauce Garden
- Thread starter ZanderSpice
- Start date
Thanks SH, I've seen the cups and it looks good. I don't like to touch the sprouts so I've been doing it the old fashioned way. I might try it sometime when I run low on some rare seed.
Hello SS, I believe I have 2 or 3 showing tails and one fully up. That tray had some dry spots, but I'll have a couple plants from your Douglah seed for sure. Thanks again and thanks to everyone else who sent me seed. Once my plants get going, please let me know what seeds are most desired and I'll save a bunch to share in the fall.
I've got most everything collected to build a nice row cover so I'll be really busy this weekend. My plan so far is to clear a ~20' x 4' strip and lay down some biodegradable black paper mulch. Then I'll make some wire hoops and cover with Agribon AG-19. If all works well, it will hold in a bit of extra heat at night and I won't have to worry about bringing them out and back in every day. It should be plenty of room for a bunch of trays so I'll be able to pot up and extend my watering cycle quite a bit too. There's almost no better feeling than when a garden's running on autopilot for days at a time and you just get to enjoy watching them grow up.
I've also got a bunch of Turface MVP and something called Omega 2000 that I cant wait to try out. I've seen some aphids and whiteflies around so I'll be blasting them with water and letting loose the ladybugs soon too.
Hello SS, I believe I have 2 or 3 showing tails and one fully up. That tray had some dry spots, but I'll have a couple plants from your Douglah seed for sure. Thanks again and thanks to everyone else who sent me seed. Once my plants get going, please let me know what seeds are most desired and I'll save a bunch to share in the fall.
I've got most everything collected to build a nice row cover so I'll be really busy this weekend. My plan so far is to clear a ~20' x 4' strip and lay down some biodegradable black paper mulch. Then I'll make some wire hoops and cover with Agribon AG-19. If all works well, it will hold in a bit of extra heat at night and I won't have to worry about bringing them out and back in every day. It should be plenty of room for a bunch of trays so I'll be able to pot up and extend my watering cycle quite a bit too. There's almost no better feeling than when a garden's running on autopilot for days at a time and you just get to enjoy watching them grow up.
I've also got a bunch of Turface MVP and something called Omega 2000 that I cant wait to try out. I've seen some aphids and whiteflies around so I'll be blasting them with water and letting loose the ladybugs soon too.
Things are growing slowly. It's been much colder than usual at night and my water quality is really bad. I'm sure they'll take off when things warm up and I start taking better care of my little babies.
I was away for 4 days so I set up a flood table to water these guys:
I switch over to a little bit bigger "flower house" greenhouse. I can leave them inside during the day w/ the vents open and they don't cook. It gets cold at night and I only have some passive warmth, but everything's still alive especially the Yellow Scorpions:
This little capillary watering system kept these things going while I was gone. I had poor germination on these, probably in part because I'm getting rid of old coco pellets and trying to use up all my leftover seed starting supplies. I also buried the seeds pretty deep all around.
The last picture is of some cuttings I took many months ago. I kept them partially protected outside in tiny glass jars of water. Only a couple sprouted roots but the others are still alive w/ bumps on the cut. I put four in these little coco containers and we'll just have to wait and see if they survive. From memory thats a Bhut Jolokia, Yellow Bhut, Yellow Scorpion and Fatalii. I've had little success striking cuttings of Red Trinidad Scorpions and the overwintering ones are slow to return. I started plenty of seeds though so I should have a great, hot season ahead.
I was away for 4 days so I set up a flood table to water these guys:
I switch over to a little bit bigger "flower house" greenhouse. I can leave them inside during the day w/ the vents open and they don't cook. It gets cold at night and I only have some passive warmth, but everything's still alive especially the Yellow Scorpions:
This little capillary watering system kept these things going while I was gone. I had poor germination on these, probably in part because I'm getting rid of old coco pellets and trying to use up all my leftover seed starting supplies. I also buried the seeds pretty deep all around.
The last picture is of some cuttings I took many months ago. I kept them partially protected outside in tiny glass jars of water. Only a couple sprouted roots but the others are still alive w/ bumps on the cut. I put four in these little coco containers and we'll just have to wait and see if they survive. From memory thats a Bhut Jolokia, Yellow Bhut, Yellow Scorpion and Fatalii. I've had little success striking cuttings of Red Trinidad Scorpions and the overwintering ones are slow to return. I started plenty of seeds though so I should have a great, hot season ahead.
I did a lot of work in the garden this weekend.
First thing Saturday AM I started transplanting. I did 40+ and set them outside. A few wilted at first but quickly bounced back with some shade and water. The spent the night in the greenhouse and are outdoors for good.
I did some work on the soil mix in my new raised bed. I built the bed a few weekends ago for ~$30. It's a little narrower than most, but I like the shape. I put in about 4 inches of a blend of my native soil (screened), last years potting mix (screened), turface, and some alfalfa and molasses horse feed. I'm trying to use what I have around and keep my purchases to a minimum. As soon as I watered down the mix and it was smelling so sweet I saw lady beetle fly over and walk around a bit. I see a lot of them in my alfalfa patch at the community garden too.
I planted another tray of tomatoes and peppers and did a few covered cups w/ paper towel for a few tough cases.
http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/19705-fun-and-cheap-hot-sauce-garden/page__view__findpost__p__421846
Finally, on Sunday, I hooked up my RO water filter. I can't believe I was drinking the tap water before. It would foul up my countertop filter in a couple days. The water is so clear and tasty now I'm sure the seedlings will do better with this. I have to figure out a fix for the watering outside, but for now, things are looking very good.
First thing Saturday AM I started transplanting. I did 40+ and set them outside. A few wilted at first but quickly bounced back with some shade and water. The spent the night in the greenhouse and are outdoors for good.
I did some work on the soil mix in my new raised bed. I built the bed a few weekends ago for ~$30. It's a little narrower than most, but I like the shape. I put in about 4 inches of a blend of my native soil (screened), last years potting mix (screened), turface, and some alfalfa and molasses horse feed. I'm trying to use what I have around and keep my purchases to a minimum. As soon as I watered down the mix and it was smelling so sweet I saw lady beetle fly over and walk around a bit. I see a lot of them in my alfalfa patch at the community garden too.
I planted another tray of tomatoes and peppers and did a few covered cups w/ paper towel for a few tough cases.
http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/19705-fun-and-cheap-hot-sauce-garden/page__view__findpost__p__421846
Finally, on Sunday, I hooked up my RO water filter. I can't believe I was drinking the tap water before. It would foul up my countertop filter in a couple days. The water is so clear and tasty now I'm sure the seedlings will do better with this. I have to figure out a fix for the watering outside, but for now, things are looking very good.
pretty impressive layout
Thanks everyone,
@muskymojo: I'll fill up the rest with more of the same. It's just taking a really long time to separate the soil from the sod. I may add add some pulverized lump charcoal in the next batch.
@mmcdermott1: Thanks! I saw a picture of your space and irrigation setup and it was the real deal. Very nice.
@patrick: Thanks for stopping by. You just reminded me I have some seed from you stashed away. I thought I was done for the year, but I think I'll have to find those this weekend and get em going. I do have a couple trashcans sitting out that I use for filling my watering can. I'm hoping it will be good enough for my plants in the ground and large containers.
I'm planning a pretty big garden this year, so I'll probably have to rig up some irrigation to the back of my yard. I don't have water or power back there so something needs to be done or I'll be spending an hour each day hiking around with gallons of water. I'll have that all figured out in a month or so.
@muskymojo: I'll fill up the rest with more of the same. It's just taking a really long time to separate the soil from the sod. I may add add some pulverized lump charcoal in the next batch.
@mmcdermott1: Thanks! I saw a picture of your space and irrigation setup and it was the real deal. Very nice.
@patrick: Thanks for stopping by. You just reminded me I have some seed from you stashed away. I thought I was done for the year, but I think I'll have to find those this weekend and get em going. I do have a couple trashcans sitting out that I use for filling my watering can. I'm hoping it will be good enough for my plants in the ground and large containers.
I'm planning a pretty big garden this year, so I'll probably have to rig up some irrigation to the back of my yard. I don't have water or power back there so something needs to be done or I'll be spending an hour each day hiking around with gallons of water. I'll have that all figured out in a month or so.
Thanks lazienfat. They're still growing slowly due to the chilly nights, but it saves me from having to water too frequently. I keep them in the greenhouse and only have to water about twice a week. I checked in on them this morning and snapped a couple shots. There's a little more room in there, but not enough for what is on the way.
Thanks logchief. I lost a few along the way, but it seems like a perfect way to try and keep them around for another season. The Jalabanero and Aji Crystal are just about ready to be potted up.
I did a bit more work this weekend:
I brought in some compost and stuff to fill up the bed. Then I placed the gate piece over the bed and attached some 9 gauge wire hoops. Finally I covered it with Agribon fabric, buried half and secured the rest w/ bricks. I'll water the bed with compost tea and other good stuff for a couple weeks and then it will be a protected area for my seedlings. Once the weather is warm enough, seedlings come out and I'll plant directly in the bed. By that time I should have a few more beds and a fence constructed.
I also fed and watered my seedlings, pruned my C. pubescens and sprayed some neem oil around. That's it for now.
I did a bit more work this weekend:
I brought in some compost and stuff to fill up the bed. Then I placed the gate piece over the bed and attached some 9 gauge wire hoops. Finally I covered it with Agribon fabric, buried half and secured the rest w/ bricks. I'll water the bed with compost tea and other good stuff for a couple weeks and then it will be a protected area for my seedlings. Once the weather is warm enough, seedlings come out and I'll plant directly in the bed. By that time I should have a few more beds and a fence constructed.
I also fed and watered my seedlings, pruned my C. pubescens and sprayed some neem oil around. That's it for now.
I love that mini greenhouse, sweeeeet design 
I love that mini greenhouse, sweeeeet design
Thanks! The weather looks like it will be finally warming up so it didn't get much use this year. I've only got two trays in there now and probably not much more before everything can out in the open. We'll see what happens, I may leave the fabric up for a while to keep the pests at bay.
Speaking of pests, I'm noticing things are different at my new spot. There's a row of trees out front that is absolutely infested with mites and aphids and more. I think it may take some work to get things under control, but I planted enough so I can sacrifice a few. Sick/infested plants are getting tossed right in the trash. I'm still staying away from the pesticides and I'm keeping the pyrethrin as a last resort. I've released 3,000 lady beetles so far and they're doing the job in the greenhouse.
I just sprayed down the seedlings in the "flowerhouse" with some aerated compost tea and took some photos. These aren't all my seedlings, but 6 of the 8 trays I had at the time:
The stumps I've been overwintering are doing very well. I think I lost about 9, but some are totally leafed out and ready for a transplant:
And some are just getting started:
I have a few seedlings in ICU and a nice healthy tray that was transplanted later in the day:
My final tray for the season was just removed from the heater mat. Some varieties didn't germ, but I'll try again next year.
My aerated compost tea is fantastic. I pretty much follow the instructions for "Deuley's Own Little Texas Tea Brewer". My recipe is 1/2 Earthworm Castings or Rich Compost and 1/2 A&M (alfalfa and molasses) horse feed. I don't know much about the type or quality of the horse feed molasses, but my tea smells great and bubbles up nicely.
Here it is brewing:
And a scoop of it to show the color:
That's it for now. Warm weather is on the way and things will be planted out over the coming weeks.
My final tray for the season was just removed from the heater mat. Some varieties didn't germ, but I'll try again next year.
My aerated compost tea is fantastic. I pretty much follow the instructions for "Deuley's Own Little Texas Tea Brewer". My recipe is 1/2 Earthworm Castings or Rich Compost and 1/2 A&M (alfalfa and molasses) horse feed. I don't know much about the type or quality of the horse feed molasses, but my tea smells great and bubbles up nicely.
Here it is brewing:
And a scoop of it to show the color:
That's it for now. Warm weather is on the way and things will be planted out over the coming weeks.
I trimmed most back a bit more. The root ball was usually less than 2" around. You need to leave room for new roots to grow. I think the coco coir worked nicely too. Another thing I found was that the earlier I took down and trimmed the faster it recovered. The ones I took down at the end of the season seemed a little tired and took a very long time to bounce back. If you want to trim down and keep a stalk around, don't wait too long, take your last good harvest and get to it while it's still ready to grow a bit.
I didn't mention earlier that my season has been delayed a bit by using some new coco coir that needed to be rinsed first. It's hit and miss, sometimes a brand works great, sometimes it needs a good rinsing. My seeds sprouted fine, but the true leaf stage went slowly as the roots dealt with the new coco. After I gave them all a good watering from the top and a few floods the new coco is working much better. From now on I'll test out each new batch of coco to see if the runoff water is running clean before I plant. On the other hand, my recycled coco from last year is looking really great. Everything new will be transplanted to recycled coco and I'll use new when and if I pot up seedlings.
The weather was pretty nice Saturday, so I pulled everything out for an inventory.
Here's a couple sets of some in rows by type:
I picked out these as plants that I would offer for sale. Six are now gone.
Back to the plants that started it all. They started in peat pellets and then into some leftover pots with a horrible cactus potting mix. They are way behind for when they started, but the stems are nice and thick and the roots look good. I couldn't let them suffer anymore so I moved them into some premium custom potting mix I'm testing out. I know they look bad, but they're clearly tough plants and just need some decent space for their roots.
Overall, things are looking good now that it's warming up and I've stopped abusing my plants. I timed things well so that I was able to take January off and now the plants will be perfect size at plant out. I'm really happy with everything now, especially how well the Douglahs are doing. I'm still planning the garden layout, but one things for sure, I'll be making tons of hot sauce.
Thanks again to everyone who sent me seeds. I've got a ton of new types from a number of different sources. I had so many varieties that exceeded expectations with great germination and strong sprouts.
Here's a couple sets of some in rows by type:
I picked out these as plants that I would offer for sale. Six are now gone.
Back to the plants that started it all. They started in peat pellets and then into some leftover pots with a horrible cactus potting mix. They are way behind for when they started, but the stems are nice and thick and the roots look good. I couldn't let them suffer anymore so I moved them into some premium custom potting mix I'm testing out. I know they look bad, but they're clearly tough plants and just need some decent space for their roots.
Overall, things are looking good now that it's warming up and I've stopped abusing my plants. I timed things well so that I was able to take January off and now the plants will be perfect size at plant out. I'm really happy with everything now, especially how well the Douglahs are doing. I'm still planning the garden layout, but one things for sure, I'll be making tons of hot sauce.
Thanks again to everyone who sent me seeds. I've got a ton of new types from a number of different sources. I had so many varieties that exceeded expectations with great germination and strong sprouts.
We're still slowly warming up. This weekend was great and I'm learning my backyard gets WAY more sun than my old patio. I'm having to water regularly and heavily. The plants seem to love it, they're picking up nicely.
First 2011 pods!!! I actually harvested some pods in January, but those were left overs. These pods were from flowers that formed this year. Both the cut down stump and a cutting of last year's Jalabanero have already set pods. I removed the pods when I potted up the cutting, and I'll be potting up the stump soon too. I'm so excited about these plants, they're really early!
Tons of flowers on this 3+yr old Manzano:
Recently potted up and out of the greenhouse:
Hot Sauce Bed w/ a Yellow Scorpion:
Not a pepper, it's basil, "Tree Tulsi":
That's it for now. Hope everyone else has a great season too.
First 2011 pods!!! I actually harvested some pods in January, but those were left overs. These pods were from flowers that formed this year. Both the cut down stump and a cutting of last year's Jalabanero have already set pods. I removed the pods when I potted up the cutting, and I'll be potting up the stump soon too. I'm so excited about these plants, they're really early!
Tons of flowers on this 3+yr old Manzano:
Recently potted up and out of the greenhouse:
Hot Sauce Bed w/ a Yellow Scorpion:
Not a pepper, it's basil, "Tree Tulsi":
That's it for now. Hope everyone else has a great season too.