Recent content by Siliman

@ Paul G--thanks for container food ideas--I was envisioning same thing: as the summer wears on, use fish ferts in moderation, maybe starting dose prior to first pods ripening around late July. Yep, I have a limited number of over-winters going again. I do the full wash down prior to...

I had good luck with a dry layer of perlite on top of the soil in the container, then lacing that with the DE. My thoughts any bug seeking transit to the soil would be doomed.

Lame as my GLOG is, thought I would do a wrap-up. Paul G has me fired up a bit, as he was kind enough to send several seeds my way and get me thinking about peppas again. So having been roused from pre-winter sleep, here is a recap. This year, I attempted 57 varieties of peppers and succeeded...

@ STC, thanks! The plants are my therapy...the smokey air I could do without--no end in sight. But I caught a couple days off and roamed around the garden with Mr. Ming. Above, L to R: Bhut Indian Carbon, Nancy D (Hatch mystery), Ming, Aji Rojo (overwintered), Inca Red Drop, Twisty 3x Jalapeno...

Whoa, fantastic!! Thanks for the poddage update! Also appreciate your thoughts on partial smoking and then finish with the dehydrator. My smoker (electric) runs pretty hot, so I'll dial back the time in there and then transfer. I don't have a huge crop like yours, but plan to compare small...

Hey, Kevin! Indeed, Every Pod a Victory! I caught up on the last 2 pages of your mini-series, but it is on the list to view the entire thing. I've only missed the middle 40 pages or so... I enjoy your pod-eating reports. I think I'm in a similar boat, and just trying to figure out how to...

@ STC, fires suck and I don't envy being around the Santa Annas. Our fire variety this year is a monster fire in heavy timber pumping a LOT of smoke locally and really no stopping where and when it goes. Then when the winds shift away from that fire, we get smoke from some massive fires in...

Thanks, KingD. I'm not a bird guy, but I googled it and it kinda looks Peregrine. There were three of them around for a week or so, loud, somewhat aggressive, would fly in close overhead. and my 'hunter cat' learned to beware. San migs best in class, IMO. I would think SoCal would be pepper...

Hey, thanks Stick! Hopefully the Chimayo aroma kicks into gear as it air dries, and my nose-buds clear up. Man, it's been about a month straight of smoke around here. Everybody in town is kind of punch drunk and wacked out, more than usual. The chilis roll on, though. Every time I come...

Well, I've missed almost every post and and Glog for the entire summer. I work in dispatch and western Fire Season for me = "strap on the ass-kicking machine." This year it left me little time to surf here and a lot of gardening by flashlight. But enough about my woes and 'the dog ate me home...

Hey, Greg, just wished to say thanks for that detailed post last week. I like your 'cradle to the grave and back to cradle' recycling. I definitely plan to do same putting the container mix in the raised beds for 2013. Also your fert regimen is GREATLY appreciated. I followed you pretty close in...

Just beautiful! Your Supers look both happy and angry. When those ripen, I hope the folks that did the magazine article come back to sample the goods and report that! Gonna make Chicago proud. Could you give a rundown of your growing medium and your fert schedule as you get into this phase...

I've been messin' around with adding a couple big handfuls of alfalfa pellets to a 5-gal brew. Gives some bulk to your 'tea bag' but the solids are excellent as a top dressing. Lots of soil building benefits, including nitro and it is seems to be very mellow.

Sulfur is recommended here to help lower pH levels in our highly alkaline clay soil. There is some danger in overdoing it, as with any amendment, but other than that none of the local "experts" I consulted had anything bad to say about it. Recco was to apply, then retest pH at least a month later.

Glasnost on hold, couldn't vote for the Russkie crab, though the photos and presentation were simply amazing. Actually, it was the drool from the 'brain' on the tasty looking homemade bun broke the tie. So going 3/5ths of the way with my vote: