Sawyer '15 - Killing frost 11/22 + pics

Sawyer · Feb 18, 2015

Devv said:
Looking forward to see how things turn out John. I know you'll have a ton of work ahead this spring!

Thanks, Scott. You are right, it's going to be a lot of work. I may have to recruit some help at some point.

Pulpiteer said:
Wow, thanks for that information John! Did you mean half a day "per day" or "per week" for that $4000 per acre? That's interesting stuff. I think 1 1/2 feet between plants works well for me with peppers, but I know I don't space out my rows the best. 6 feet is a big spacing though, but understandable if you're using machinery. You'll have to get a good shot of a quarter acre full of peppers. That would be cool. I remember a few years back Alabama Jack had a video of I think some scorpions he had a cousin of his farming, and the plants were huge and there were a ton of them. It's a neat sight to see.

You're welcome, Andy. That's half a day per day, meaning starting early in the morning and finishing by late morning or around noon at the latest. By then the pickup would be loaded with however many 20 lb. boxes we packed that day and headed to auction. A perfect box of #1 tomatoes would have two layers of 1/2 pound tomatoes arranged 4x5, each carefully wrapped in its own tissue. On the best days, those boxes would bring $10 each. That didn't happen very often, but even $6 or $7/box was good. A box of unclassifieds might sell for only $2 or $3/box.

My rows won't be anywhere close to that far apart. This past year, they were so close, I had to go down some of them on hands and knees. I don't want to do that again, but they will still be close, maybe 3' between rows. Also, they won't all be grown in one block, so the pictures may not be what you're expecting.

I remember seeing that video of Alabama Jack's peppers. I don't remember if they were Scorpions or 7 Pots, but the plants were monsters. I don't expect mine to get anywhere nearly as large.

stc3248 said:
Fantastic list!!! Can't wait to see how this plays out!

Hey, Shane, thanks for stopping by. Hopefully I can keep up with things this year, although I'm already behind on even getting seeds into dirt.

Well, I'm about two weeks behind my original plan, but I planted two flats of seeds today. If we have a late spring like we did for the last two years, and the seeds germinate in good time, I should be okay. If we have an early spring like in 2012, I'm a bit late at this point. Especially if some of the older seeds are slow to germinate or fail altogether. I've changed my numbering system for the 72-cell flats this year. Last year I used a serpentine scheme numbering each block of 6 cells from #1 to #12 winding from #1 block in the front right back and forth to #12 block in back right. If that doesn't make sense, it doesn't matter, because I'm not doing that this year (except for the plants I've already potted up to 3.5" sq. pots, so that's confusing). This year, the first two flats are numbered in blocks of 3 cells each from #1 to #24 counting 1 to 12 on the right side (facing the flat from the narrow, left end) and 13 to 24 on the left side. Like this:

I planted two flats today, PF1 and PF2, today according to this scheme, with the following varieties. For the most part, I planted 3 seeds per cell, with some exceptions as noted.

I'll be especially interested to see how well the BJ Orange and Red seeds germinate. The Orange seeds are straight out of fresh pods and haven't been dried at all. The Red seeds are several years old, at least six I think, but have been stored in a refrigerator for most of that time. The rest are about evenly divided between 2014 and 2013 seeds, with a very few going back to 2012. These have had only intermittent refrigeration, so I'm a little nervous about some of those.

Edit 2/25/15: Corrected incorrect sow dates in chart.

Pulpiteer · Feb 19, 2015

I do about 3' between tomatoes and that seems to work well. It probably would between pepper rows too, but I squeeze them into 2' rows.

That's a ton of work for those tomato fields, btw. 5 months half time for $4000? Wow.

Your numbering system looks good. With so many peppers, that is kind of a big deal :surprised:

jcw10tc · Feb 20, 2015

I'll be interested to see a picture of the field once you plant all that. Can't imagine how big that will be. Hope it all goes as planned for you this year. All the seeds I got from you are going well so far.

Sawyer · Feb 20, 2015

Pulpiteer said:
I do about 3' between tomatoes and that seems to work well. It probably would between pepper rows too, but I squeeze them into 2' rows.

That's a ton of work for those tomato fields, btw. 5 months half time for $4000? Wow.

Your numbering system looks good. With so many peppers, that is kind of a big deal

I say 3', but I'll probably squeeze them tighter. We'll see. As for the $4000/5 months, remember, that's net profit. All of the costs, including transplants, fertilizer, stakes, ties, wages, packing materials, fuel, etc., are already accounted for. And this was nearly 50 years ago. A dollar was worth more back then. (I think I got paid 50¢/hr and was happy for it... but what does a kid know?) It was quite a lucrative endeavor back then. Thing of it is, a box doesn't really bring much more these days. All of the advantage is in increased production and decreased labor costs (i.e., "migrant" labor).

Yeah, I think I've optimized my numbering system. Its real test is in what comes next. See below.

jcw10tc said:
I'll be interested to see a picture of the field once you plant all that. Can't imagine how big that will be. Hope it all goes as planned for you this year. All the seeds I got from you are going well so far.

Hey, Justin, I got the last of the seeds you sent planted today. I gave some of them away, so I've got my fingers crossed for good germination. I'll have plants scattered around all over my place, so a single big block of plants may not happen. Stay tuned, eventually pictures will show up.

I planted a third flat today. Because I have so many more varieties I want to try this year, I scaled back from three cells per variety, as in the first two flats noted above, to only two cells per variety as per this scheme:

And filled those cells with these seeds:

Two more flats to go...

Edit 2/25/15: Corrected incorrect sow date in chart.

Van · Feb 20, 2015

Very impressive list....... :surprised:

jcw10tc · Feb 20, 2015

Hey, Justin, I got the last of the seeds you sent planted today. I gave some of them away, so I've got my fingers crossed for good germination. I'll have plants scattered around all over my place, so a single big block of plants may not happen. Stay tuned, eventually pictures will show up.

Hopefully you will. These are from Judy at pepperlover. Most of the seeds I got from her this year have had very high germ rates, close to 100% I think.

Devv · Feb 21, 2015

Good luck with the germ rates John!

Sawyer · Feb 25, 2015

Van said:
Very impressive list.......

jcw10tc said:
Hopefully you will. These are from Judy at pepperlover. Most of the seeds I got from her this year have had very high germ rates, close to 100% I think.

Devv said:
Good luck with the germ rates John!

Thanks, guys. Justin, I've usually had good luck with pepperlover seeds, too, and when I don't, she always makes good on them if I bring it to her attention.

Okay! As of this morning, I have the first sprouts of 2015! I have three 7 Pot Yellow Long (seed from Stefan) at 7 days, a couple of Aji Amarillo (TWF) and one Aji Mango (PL) both at 6 days. I guess the last two are in keeping with others' observations that the baccatums are quick germinators. I'm pleased to have hooks this early because it took me two or three days to get the temperature adjusted correctly. I took pictures but either I had too much coffee or not enough, because they all came out blurry. I'll try again later.

I corrected the incorrect sow dates in the sowing/germination charts posted up above. I recycled the forms from last year and forgot to change the dates.

Now I have to figure out what's wrong with my water pump. After the well plumbing work discussed in last year's glog, I never insulated the wellhead as well as it was before. I had a bucket over it, with a 100 W incandescent light bulb under it to keep the wellhead warm. It has worked even when the temperature has gotten down close to 10 deg F. Unfortunately, several nights ago a strong wind blew the bucket off, without my noticing. The wellhead froze, but I continued to use water. When the pressure got low enough for the pump to kick on, there was nothing to pump. By the time I figured out what was going on, the pump quit. I just threw the disconnect switch and have left it 'til now. I'm hoping it was just a thermal cutoff switch in the pump motor, but I may be in the market for a new pump motor or pump or both. It's gotten warm enough today that everything should be thawed out.

More later.

Sawyer · Feb 25, 2015

Just since this morning, I have a few more hooks and sprouts. In PF1 (Pepper Flat #1), it's still just one variety, but there are now four 7 Pot Yellow Long sproutlings. In PF2, again, just one variety, a single Arkansas Peach (F2). [What I'm calling an Arkansas Peach is a peach variant of a red not Carolina Reaper from two years ago. I started calling it (the red one) a Funky Reaper, because initially I thought it looked like Scott's Funky Reaper and figured we had each gotten the same off-pheno seed. Turns out the pod shape is similar, but the pods on mine are larger and the plant is not as prolific as the Funky Reaper. So I started calling it the Arkansas Reaper. I grew three (four?) plants last year and at least two of them were true to the red "not" pheno. I'm not sure yet if I want to propagate the red one. I am growing it this year and will hopefully make a decision at the end of the season. One of the three or four grown last year retained the interesting pod shape, but the pods were peach colored. This one I like. I call it the Arkansas Peach, because I've got to call it something. We'll see how the F2 generation does this year.]

PF 3 has four varieties germinating that you can see here:

Working on my well pump caused me to be too late to attend a colloquium I wanted to hear today, so I spent the time instead planting a fourth flat, PF4:

At least one more pepper flat to go.

Speaking of my well pump, it could have been much worse. Turns out one of the contacts in the pressure switch was burnt. I checked voltage to the fuse box (yes, fuse, not breaker), then to the pressure switch itself. Then I disconnected the fuse box (since I was standing in about 2" of seeped in rain water) and measured the resistance through each leg of the pressure switch contacts. One side was fine, one side measured open, regardless of the contactor position. Of course, it was on the side away from what was convenient to see, but I managed to get an emery board between the contacts and gave it a good scrubbing. I had seen that some (much?) of the contact pads were completely burned away, so I knew this would only be a temporary fix, but I still had hopes of making the meeting. It worked, pump came on and filled the tank, then cut off as it should. I noticed a pressure adjustment, so boosted the pressure about 5 psi. Pump came back on until the new pressure was reached, then stopped. I came in to take a shower and was really impressed with the new, higher pressure, which didn't seem to fade as it should to the pump turn-on point. In fact, it seemed to get higher and higher. Once I got out of the shower, I could hear the pump continuing to run and realized the contacts were probably stuck. By the time I got back to the pump, the tank pressure was at 70 psi (it's normally 45). I threw the disconnect and drained some water to get it back to 50 psi. Fortunately, there don't seem to be any leaks because of this. I have a new pressure switch, so I guess I'll install it tomorrow. I think I have to get an adapter, though.

Trippa · Feb 26, 2015

Wow!! What a list ... You certainly look like you have your work cut out for you ... Best of luck for an epic season equal to your epic grow list ... On you grow!!

meatfreak · Feb 26, 2015

Congrats on the first seedlings, John. Happy to hear they were mine

This year the Chinense were first to germ over here, after merely 3 days.

PaulG · Feb 26, 2015

Glad to see sprouts showing up, John.

This will be one for the books! Good Luck :cheers:

Sawyer · Feb 26, 2015

Trippa said:
Wow!! What a list ... You certainly look like you have your work cut out for you ... Best of luck for an epic season equal to your epic grow list ... On you grow!!

meatfreak said:
Congrats on the first seedlings, John. Happy to hear they were mine This year the Chinense were first to germ over here, after merely 3 days.

PaulG said:
Glad to see sprouts showing up, John.

This will be one for the books! Good Luck

Thanks, guys, things are starting to shift gears here. Stefan, I don't think I've every heard of a chinense germinating in just 3 days. That's amazing. You must have hit the sweet spot right on the nose.

More hooks and seedlings today. PF2 still has just the Arkansas Peach coming up, but there are two of them today. PF1 and PF3 warrant posting updated charts. Light green indicates changes from the last update. Darker green indicates life is present, but no change from last post. In the event I lose plants, that will be noted with a red color.

I found a slug crawling along the edge of PF1 this morning. It was quickly dispatched and totally without remorse. I've also seen a couple of fungus gnats, but I have a sticky strip hanging that seems to be keeping them in control.

Devv · Feb 26, 2015

Can't beat hooks and babies!

I didn't realize you used the well to supply the house too. So it's a bugger when they give you trouble. I too keep an extra pressure switch and starter on hand. Nice to have especially if trouble finds its way on a Sunday.

Sawyer · Feb 26, 2015

You know it, Scott!

Yes, the well is my sole supply of water, but I like it that way. I currently buy R.O. filtered water for drinking at 39¢/gallon (used to get it free where I worked, but then I went rogue). Have plans to build a solar still for purifying the well water for drinking. I'm pretty sure it's safe as is, but it has too much calcium, iron, and sulfur for my taste buds. I use it for brushing my teeth and cooking (it makes a really great pot of coffee), but that's about it as far as ingesting it goes. The water utility line passes right in front of my house, I think, but I really have no interest in connecting to the system. I guess if I were to sell this place, I'd look into it. I've been meaning to get a well bucket and pulley system (think I have that part already) so I can get water even if everything electrical fails.

I installed the new pressure switch today, so everything is back to normal... as long as I remember to leave the taps dripping tonight. I don't usually worry about it unless the temps drop below 15ºF and they're headed to 14ºF tonight. Need to remember to buy a new switch to have on hand. What's this "starter" of which you speak? Apparently my system doesn't have one, or it's integral to the pump motor.

Sawyer · Feb 27, 2015

04/04/15 edit: Germination update for PF1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
~~03/21/15 edit: Germination update for PF3,5,6,7.~~
~~03/14/15 edit: Germination update for PF1,2,3,4,5.~~
~~03/11/15 edit: Germination update for PF4 only. Sixth and 7th Flats sown.~~
~~Edit: Germination Update 03/08/15~~
~~Edit: Germination Update 03/03/15, 5th Flat sown.~~
~~Edit: Germination Progress Updated 03/03/15~~
~~Edit: Germination Progress Updated 03/01/15~~

More germination to report. I'm going to use this post for future numbers updates instead of reposting these charts every time. ~~I'm including PF4 here, now, even though it was just planted two days ago. When it's planted, I'll add PF5 (and a possible PF6 dependent on my being able to access more land and help).~~ Again, light green denotes increased germination from the last update, dark green denotes life, but no new germination, and bright yellow (gold) indicates 100% germination. I hope I won't have to use it, but red means some plants died.

Inconsistent temperatures account for some of the unevenness in germination, but it's also become clear some of my seeds are bad. I'll try replanting, but may have some holes.

capsidadburn · Feb 27, 2015

Looks like the rumblings of a giant sleeping machine is beginning to awaken! Looks cool, like others, can't wait to see!

Sawyer · Feb 27, 2015

capsidadburn said:
Looks like the rumblings of a giant sleeping machine is beginning to awaken! Looks cool, like others, can't wait to see!

Thanks, Mike. How are the natives coming along? I'm behind on getting some of mine in the ground.

capsidadburn · Feb 28, 2015

Pretty good John. I wish I would have started earlier with germinating. I still have a lot in cold stratification packs in the fridge. I've about two flats of plants as seedlings with about half of those peppers. Hopefully I will get some kind of glog going soon!

Later, Stay warm! 14° Yuck!

stickman · Feb 28, 2015

Nice save with the pressure switch John! Having a compromised water source would be fatal, and with all the seeds you have started it would hurt! Glad to see you have some Kurtovska Kapija seeds started, I think you'll really like them. Don't be surprised if they take until September to fully ripen though... they have the longest season of any Annuum I know. Cheers!