My pepper journey

PaulG said:

Okay, that's more serious - looks like stem rot to me - only salvation
may be to cut the stem below the rot and see if it will push out some
new branches from a healthy stalk.  Also scrape a bit of skin off to see
if the inner layer is green or brown - green signals that that part of the
branch / stalk is still viable. My own philosophy is that by cutting back
to green growth, the plant has less dying stalk to maintain / wither and
the assets can be channeled into the new, healthy growth and healing
the cut/s. 

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I think the ghost is done-zo.
Ill try cutting into the stems tonight too see if anything's green. Was trying to salvage it as the plant was a monster and produced lots of pods but I was only able to harvest maybe 10... and I didn't save any seeds (lesson learned)

RiP Ghost Pepper.
 
I have some random Bhut varieties.  I'd be happy
to send you a few... I've learned that lesson myself,
several times           

PaulG said:

RiP Ghost Pepper.
 
I have some random Bhut varieties.  I'd be happy
to send you a few... I've learned that lesson myself,
several times           

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Haha, well I always welcome more varieties to grow. I believe I have someone sending a few varieties of bhut. You could pm me some of your current surplus seeds, I'll happily PayPal over funds to cover postage and of course a little extra on top for the trouble.

Assuming you're in the US. Haha

Topped my smaller pepper plant, and noticed is first little side shoot! So... cute. Lol.

I'll look over my seed supply and let you know what I have.
 
Some are several years old, but have been well-stored and
should be viable.

Nice progress!
 
Happy New Year to you!

ThatBlondGuy101 said:

Nice progress!
 
Happy New Year to you!

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Happy New Year!
 
I saw you had a lot of updates going on as well, unfortunately at work I couldn't get the images to load so I'll have to pop back over and check out the pics.

So, I am planning on putting at least 10 peppers in 5 gal pots, and had a question over adding eggshells to soil.
 
I've been saving all my eggshells and grinding them up in a blender, I've got about 1 1/2 gatorade bottles of powdered shell saved up (16oz bottles I believe);
 
Is there such thing as too much eggshell/calcium added? For instance if I mix all the soil up for all (10) five gallon smart pots, then just dump all that powder into the mix will that be adding too much Calcium?

Teaks said:

So, I am planning on putting at least 10 peppers in 5 gal pots, and had a question over adding eggshells to soil.
 
I've been saving all my eggshells and grinding them up in a blender, I've got about 1 1/2 gatorade bottles of powdered shell saved up (16oz bottles I believe);
 
Is there such thing as too much eggshell/calcium added? For instance if I mix all the soil up for all (10) five gallon smart pots, then just dump all that powder into the mix will that be adding too much Calcium?

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I did some quick googling, and I found a lot of stuff saying how/why to add egg shells, but nothing said a recommended amount or a maximum amount. So I guess you can't have too much? One thing that I did find was that because the egg shells take so long to biodegrade, their calcium-boosting effects aren't usually in action for a few months (i.e add them in Fall/Autumn, get effects next Summer).

ThatBlondGuy101 said:

 
I did some quick googling, and I found a lot of stuff saying how/why to add egg shells, but nothing said a recommended amount or a maximum amount. So I guess you can't have too much? One thing that I did find was that because the egg shells take so long to biodegrade, their calcium-boosting effects aren't usually in action for a few months (i.e add them in Fall/Autumn, get effects next Summer).

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Oh damn, so keeping them in my freezer probably isn't going to help? Lol

I cam just go ahead and dump em in my compost bin hopefully they can breakdown a bit. Was planning on potting up around March

Few updates, got a baby tomato coming along. About the size of a pea currently.

As well as a proposed list of peppers I'm going to grow. Considering smart pots and fox farms soil but idk how fiscally responsible that is as opposed to just getting a few bags of manure and putting them in the ground on my property.

Maybe a mixture of the two, as will as a few hydro just to note any differences.


HYDRO::

YBS x2
Aji Dulce
Aji Chile
FTL Bonnet (all these 4 are from PepperGuru)

SOIL::

YBS x2
Dulce
Chile
Bonnet
(Following are being sent by cone9)
Not White Bhut Jolokia (source said it actually grew red Red)
Jalapeno Yellow
Cream Fatalii
Aji White Lightning Bolt
Tepin x Lemon Drop F5
Tepin x Lemon Drop F3
Sugar Rush Orange
Legacy Big Jim
Urfa Biber 
(Following are being sent by TBG)

Carolina reaper
cardi scorpion (red)
moruga scorpion (red)
Brazilian starfish
Yaki blue
Aji Margariteno
Aji pineapple
Pink tiger
Trinidad perfume
(TBG and my hopeful crosses, breeding with intentions of a stain of super large pod super hots)
Scorpion x Jim F1
Jim x Scorpion F1

EVENTUALLY put into soil, both currently hydro::

ChocBon x2 (the mystery peppers I've been posted, looked like either choc bonnet or choc bhut, but my neighbor called them choc habenero)

Jalepeno x2

A little update, my topped pepper is shooting out crazy new growth.

My untopped is preparing for setting fruit it seems.

My tomato has some tomatos getting bigger but I keep underwatering it so it's slow.

All while 0-10°

You'll be well prepared for the upcoming season!
 
Keep up the good work!
 

Oh, that white stuff needs to go, and now!

Devv said:

Oh, that white stuff needs to go, and now!

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You had me scared lol I thought there was mold in a picture! Then I realized you were talking about the snow lol

ThatBlondGuy101 said:

You'll be well prepared for the upcoming season!
 
Keep up the good work!
 

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Hoping to get all the varieties cone sent me started in late February.

But the idea is definitely there I think this will be a good season for me!

Oh yeah, circle/slash the snow!

Okay everyone, forgive me if this fails miserable; but, I had a moment to sit down on my laptop and sketch on my pictures to determine the best garden plot for my peppers coming up this season.
 
This first plot, is on the "lower" section of my property. It is actually part of my front yard, but since the front of my home faces away from where the sun rises there is a chance it could miss early hours of morning sun. I've been told the soil is probably not the greatest in this location, though I know it's been prime real estate for geese over the past few years (I've lived in this neighborhood a lot time). So, I'm thinking it might be decent with geese crap over the years - though that could not be good for plants. Not sure.
 
It is important to keep in mind I plan on borrowing a rototiller and working the soil good, adding compost and lime at the very least. In BOTH locations.
Then covering 100% cardboard; due to it molding to the earth as well as promoting earthworms working the soil under the cardboard, as well as the obvious water retention and weed block.
Then covering with hay, possibly some soiled (hay+manure), over top the cardboard.
 
So, plot 1 (pictures) BTW, don't mind that nasty old barrel in the yard I'm trying to get it taken to the dump.
 

 
 

 
 
Pros:
1. PLENTY of space, I didn't take exact measurements of anything, but it takes about an hour to mow with a self propelled mower that has about a 4 foot deck or so. Again, maybe not exact, but It's a massive mower.
 
Cons:
1. Lower in elevation, could miss out early hours of morning sun
2. I've been told the soil is not the best in this spot.
2a. Call this one an extension to #2, if the soil is not ideal, I would need to bring in some better soil to amend the current. So, $$$$.
 
Secondly, don't mind the old windows and the metal pieces laying around - I recently had mine replaced during my remodel so bare with the mess. Anyways;
This plot, although I haven't measured exactly, is in all likeliness is 20ft x 50-60ft probably. Though it is on a slope, so a very gradual decline from the back of the garage towards the lake. Maybe a 2-3 foot drop from the garage to the very end of the yard, then it drops pretty much straight down to the lake about 8 feet below or so. I do know, that the previous owner, grew plants right up against the back of the garage, including peppers, which I guess grew pretty nicely.
 
 
 
So, (second plot)
 

 

 

 
 
Pros:
1. Higher elevation, gets basically direct sunlight from sunrise to sunset.
2. History, I know in the very least that peppers will grow here.
2a. Again, call it 2a. a history of successful produce would mean I don't have to make up for poor soil conditions. Though I plan on adding something to either location - this one would be less therefor less $$$.
 
Cons:
1. Smaller, but it might be enough to grow the large amounts I was planning on growing (at least 30 peppers?).
2. Part of the reason I purchased this home was the view from the house, I don't want anything getting in the way of that. Now I love looking at my plants, but I don't want them being an eyesore.
 
 
Anyways that's all I can think of for now. I do plan on keeping a few varieties on the back deck in smart pots; just the choice ones I want to baby and take extra care of. Mainly TBG and my cross idea, and other varieties that I don't have many seeds of so I can stock up and slim the risk of losing the variety entirely.
 
Would love some thoughts, hopefully the pictures work and all that. I did my best to give you all the lay of the land. Even drew up this nice picture on paint for you to get a better idea.   If it helps to think of it this way, the 2nd plot is on the "main level" of the house, and the 1st plot is on the "basement level" towards the front of the house.
 

 

My Thoughts:
 
 
- Missing out on the morning sun shouldn't be too bad, my Patch doesn't get it until the sun is nearly 30o from the horizon.
- I'd be more concerned about the sun during the rest of the day, but I think that the sun has different intensities in different parts of the world, so it may not be an issue where you are, but if the plants are in full sun all day long (excluding the morning), they will either drink a lot of water or fry. Will you be looking at putting up shade-cloth? I don't  use it myself, but as you've probably seen, other people use it to great success. By pure luck, my Patch happens to be shaded by a tree every afternoon, starting from 2 and becoming complete from 4, and so they get don't get more than 5-6 hours of harsh sunlight. (Out of the 14 hours of sun a day.)
- You'll know better than me, but it looks like the smaller, "top" area will get shaded by the house in the afternoon, especially closer to the garage? if so, that's a good thing.
- I'd also keep in mind that you're next to water, which I believe cools down the air heaps, adds moisture to the air, and is generally a good thing. I think, you'll want to check if I'm right. This would apply to both spots.
- All up, I think I'd lean towards the 2nd, smaller, 'top" area, because it looks to be more sheltered (a good thing), it looks like it would get more shade in the afternoon (a good thing - if the sun works the same way there as here), and the sun that it does get would be more early, less late, which is good.
 
But all in all, you'll know your yard better than anyone, so choose whichever one works best for you!

ThatBlondGuy101 said:

My Thoughts:
 
 
- Missing out on the morning sun shouldn't be too bad, my Patch doesn't get it until the sun is nearly 30o from the horizon.
- I'd be more concerned about the sun during the rest of the day, but I think that the sun has different intensities in different parts of the world, so it may not be an issue where you are, but if the plants are in full sun all day long (excluding the morning), they will either drink a lot of water or fry. Will you be looking at putting up shade-cloth? I don't  use it myself, but as you've probably seen, other people use it to great success. By pure luck, my Patch happens to be shaded by a tree every afternoon, starting from 2 and becoming complete from 4, and so they get don't get more than 5-6 hours of harsh sunlight. (Out of the 14 hours of sun a day.)
- You'll know better than me, but it looks like the smaller, "top" area will get shaded by the house in the afternoon, especially closer to the garage? if so, that's a good thing.
- I'd also keep in mind that you're next to water, which I believe cools down the air heaps, adds moisture to the air, and is generally a good thing. I think, you'll want to check if I'm right. This would apply to both spots.
- All up, I think I'd lean towards the 2nd, smaller, 'top" area, because it looks to be more sheltered (a good thing), it looks like it would get more shade in the afternoon (a good thing - if the sun works the same way there as here), and the sun that it does get would be more early, less late, which is good.
 
But all in all, you'll know your yard better than anyone, so choose whichever one works best for you!

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You would be correct about the shading in the smaller plot. I have 2 great big white oak trees that would provide decent shading from the sun while it is directly overhead and setting.
I'm not sure why I'm focused on the morning sun so much, I think I read somewhere it is the most important few hours for plants hah which could be wrong.
 
I wasn't planning on using shade cloth; never have for any gardens in the past but maybe it's worth doing a test over to see if its really beneficial in my area.
The lower plot would miss a few hours of sun and then would be shade-less for the majority of the day.
 
Thanks for the input, I'm leaning towards the smaller plot as I didn't really account for shading and the important