2019 Hay Bale Pepper Patch

I've been a member for a while but never posted a grow log. My usual garden is too boring for that. I use 20-30 pots and overwinter my mama plants in a hillbilly winter shelter. Our ground here isn't good for in soil gardening and I've not been enthused enough to undertake the work and expense to build raised beds.
 
Now I have my peppers working the way I want and have the need for a much larger grow to supply a project. The main peppers I'll grow will be reaper, douglah and fatalii. For a couple of years I'll do hay bale gardens and heap tons of organic trash into the area. I have monumental amounts of pine straw, oak leaves and bonfire ash every year to dump in the walkways. I think this will do a world of good to make this new garden area mo'betta for eventual in ground growing.
 
I closed off a 38x38 patch in the NE field that gets full sun. This is the area I chose. The big painted guy is my fertilizer supplier.
 
The little painted guy is my running buddy and load inspector.
 
 

 

[DWB]

Yep. I left 4 ft of clear floor area between the bales and 6½ ft between the plants.

 

[stettoman]

I've been away. Obviously, DW, you've been left unattended.
 
...let this be a lesson to us all....

 

[DWB]

I've been away. Obviously, DW, you've been left unattended.
 
...let this be a lesson to us all....

 
My supervisors are very lenient with me. They tend to look the other way and let me get away with whatever I want to do.   
 

 

[PaulG]

Amazing to see the growth from the fencing shot until now!
 
Your hay bale idea looks like it worked 'OK'    , DW!
 
Good luck getting some support around those other rows. 
Retrofitting is always a bear.
 
 

 

[DWB]

Amazing to see the growth from the fencing shot until now!
 
Your hay bale idea looks like it worked 'OK'    , DW!
 
Good luck getting some support around those other rows. 
Retrofitting is always a bear.
 
 

 
Heheh, yeah, the bale idea worked OK even though the original concept failed a very long time ago.
 
The retrofit wasn't too bad. I jacked everything up with ropes and baling twine and pantyhose pieces. The squish job reminds me of what my wife says about her mammygrams
 
I lost a few dozen green pods and some branch tips but much better than the alternative with one of our several inch gullywasher storms. Now my ez-search row is nothing but a memory. All of the main pepper rows are now fenced.
 
 

 

[BigCedar]

Wow DW 
 
My jaw just hit the floor!
 
Your jungle, national forest, garden, whatever you call it is absolutely incredible! What a sight to behold! I can't imagine what its like in person. Hats off to you sir, you have freaking murdered it this season! 
 
Your harvests, the before and after shots, pushing up the shade cloth , your puppies, pod shots, fence job, next year prep... Unbelievable. 
 
   

 

[PaulG]

+1 Big Cedar!

Fencing looks great, DW.

 

[DWB]

Wow DW 
 
My jaw just hit the floor!
 
Your jungle, national forest, garden, whatever you call it is absolutely incredible! What a sight to behold! I can't imagine what its like in person. Hats off to you sir, you have freaking murdered it this season! 
 
Your harvests, the before and after shots, pushing up the shade cloth , your puppies, pod shots, fence job, next year prep... Unbelievable. 
 
   

 
Thanks Brandon. I wish you could see it in person. It's becoming a very interesting place. It's just a bit of ground in full, all day sun with patches of moving 30% shade and a lot of plants but there's a lot going on in there. Lia has started spending a lot of time in there with me since it's gotten so thick. Her following me around and kinda snuggling with me as I crawl around and work with the plants has helped me notice it's cooler in there and the place has a really nice feel to it. Kinda like a fort to a kid. Indeed, I've been measuring and it's 4-5° cooler on the jungle floor than in nearby grassy places that are in full shade. The more it grows, the more it seems to take care of itself and the happier it is... with the minor exception of the bugs. I haven't done any watering since May. It's happy with the water it gets from the rain and the rain seems to always come just in time. Weeds aren't an issue at all. The few that manage to grow up though the thick compost floor are quickly and easily pulled. Pick a pod, pull a weed, easy deal.
 
This place has cost a lot of time and work but it's the kind of place I haven't had since the early 80's when I grew a different type of jungle. That was also a tremendous amount of work. Maybe it's good practice and refreshment for the possibility I may live long enough to grow that other type of mo'money jungle again but pods are great too. I love them. Regardless, it's nice to confirm I still have it in me and great to know I'm still able. I feel good in my little piece of jungle.

 

[PaulG]

Congrats on a job well done, my friend!

 

[DWB]

Congrats on a job well done, my friend!

 
Thank you Paul.
 
The fence is working well to protect the new row I just corralled. We're getting a bit of the tropical storm with almost 2" rain since late last night. No  damages anywhere. The broken plant on Thursday was indeed a cheap wake up call when the section broke off from a lousy inch of rain.
 
Here's this week's comparative growth picture. Everything is a little saggy because of the weight of the rain but several are well through the ceiling and going for the sky since last week.
 

 

[Devv]

I was gone most of the day. We got an inch of rain today. It came in two showers that happened when I was here and don't know how many when I wasn't. About 7:30 I went out to the garden to do a quick 5 gal. BT/soap spray and found this. Made me want to cry. This is in the "young/small" row
 

 
The good news is at least I can ripen the pods.
 

 
 

 
I had the same thing happen with an Aji Arnaucho, the main fork just split in two. I just left it, and it has not effected the growth, they just be a hangin' low.
 
I bought the DR chipper about 4-5 years ago. Not cheap! About $2,250. They don't sell the model anymore.  The one I bought is a chipper/shredder. This one is very similar: https://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/chippers/chipper-shredders/csr-shredder-14-50-fpt-b-s-ms-pro.axd
 
I only bought it because I keep these type things for like 20 years. I got 20 out of my first troybilt tiller before I gave it to my son. 20 each out of my last 2 John Deere mowers, new one is on order...probably the last unless I'm lucky. I would love to be around to buy #4
 
Dude! Your garden is killing it! Are you going to run it until the first frost?
 

 

[DWB]

Another perspective. All the lumps and bumps are the pepper plants raising the shade cloth. It doesn't seem like that's a good thing for the plants. The 30% shade was obviously a good thing to help grow the plants this large but I wonder if it's still a good thing? The plants that are breaking out of the shade seem to be doing very well in the full sun. Nice healthy foliage and making flowers above the shade line. No sign of sunburn.
 
I'm looking at options here.
1) Loosen the panels to give the plants some more room to grow and continue to raise the cloth.
2) Start peeling the panels back to expose more plant.
3) Shift the panels left so they offer more shade coverage for the walkways rather than the plants. This will still keep it cooler and give the plants all the room they want to grow up and out.
 
 

 
The bean wall v 3.0. Still growing like kudzu but producing only small amounts of beans. I'm sure there are more if I could find them within the bales of beanstalk. The cubic mass of these 24 bean plants is amazing.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Devv]

Another perspective. All the lumps and bumps are the pepper plants raising the shade cloth. It doesn't seem like that's a good thing for the plants. The 30% shade was obviously a good thing to help grow the plants this large but I wonder if it's still a good thing? The plants that are breaking out of the shade seem to be doing very well in the full sun. Nice healthy foliage and making flowers above the shade line. No sign of sunburn.
 
I'm looking at options here.
1) Loosen the panels to give the plants some more room to grow and continue to raise the cloth.
2) Start peeling the panels back to expose more plant.
3) Shift the panels left so they offer more shade coverage for the walkways rather than the plants. This will still keep it cooler and give the plants all the room they want to grow up and out.
 
 

 
The bean wall v 3.0. Still growing like kudzu but producing only small amounts of beans. I'm sure there are more if I could find them within the bales of beanstalk. The cubic mass of these 24 bean plants is amazing.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Just wow! I can't think of anything else to say
 

 

[DWB]

 
I had the same thing happen with an Aji Arnaucho, the main fork just split in two. I just left it, and it has not effected the growth, they just be a hangin' low.
 
I bought the DR chipper about 4-5 years ago. Not cheap! About $2,250. They don't sell the model anymore.  The one I bought is a chipper/shredder. This one is very similar: https://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/chippers/chipper-shredders/csr-shredder-14-50-fpt-b-s-ms-pro.axd
 
I only bought it because I keep these type things for like 20 years. I got 20 out of my first troybilt tiller before I gave it to my son. 20 each out of my last 2 John Deere mowers, new one is on order...probably the last unless I'm lucky. I would love to be around to buy #4
 
Dude! Your garden is killing it! Are you going to run it until the first frost?
 

 
I actually went for duct tape, string and fabric to try to save the damaged part but it was too far gone. Nothing but a shred of bark-skin holding it together. There was no way it could live.
 
Nice machine you linked. I doubt I've been a good enough boy to get that for my birthday present this year but it would be nice. I use my Kubota for shredding. I plug the discharge of the 60" deck with a thing I built out of a hunk of thick rubber mudflap and an old CB radio antenna mount. That turns it into a leaf shredding machine. Tiny shreds that can either be left in place in a thin layer to quickly rot or windrowed to scoop up and haul to a pile. I loaded my 6x10 trailer three times last year with shredded leaves ust from the dog's yard.
 
I know what you mean about buying good stuff and having it last. I've had this Kubota diesel mower since 2007. Great machine. I can cut all of our 7 acres here in 3.5 engine hours. I don't walk too well after that ride but what the hey.
 
Yes, I'll run it until frost kill but I'm sure I'll devise many ways to stretch it. I'll need to build a hoop house to grow certain peppers on through the winter too. Note to self: start new seed babies and some clones.
 
 
 

 

 

[Devv]

 
I actually went for duct tape, string and fabric to try to save the damaged part but it was too far gone. Nothing but a shred of bark-skin holding it together. There was no way it could live.
 
Nice machine you linked. I doubt I've been a good enough boy to get that for my birthday present this year but it would be nice. I use my Kubota for shredding. I plug the discharge of the 60" deck with a thing I built out of a hunk of thick rubber mudflap and an old CB radio antenna mount. That turns it into a leaf shredding machine. Tiny shreds that can either be left in place in a thin layer to quickly rot or windrowed to scoop up and haul to a pile. I loaded my 6x10 trailer three times last year with shredded leaves ust from the dog's yard.
 
I know what you mean about buying good stuff and having it last. I've had this Kubota diesel mower since 2007. Great machine. I can cut all of our 7 acres here in 3.5 engine hours. I don't walk too well after that ride but what the hey.
 
Yes, I'll run it until frost kill but I'm sure I'll devise many ways to stretch it. I'll need to build a hoop house to grow certain peppers on through the winter too. Note to self: start new seed babies and some clones.
 
 
 
 

 
I'd love to see your rig. I have 07 JD 5103, and have a 60" mower (brush hog) as well. I'm always down for good ideas
 
Edit: And you mention walking..LOL..why is that now beginning to be a chore after a hard days work? Viejo? I fit that statement!

 

[BigCedar]

 
Thanks Brandon. I wish you could see it in person. It's becoming a very interesting place. It's just a bit of ground in full, all day sun with patches of moving 30% shade and a lot of plants but there's a lot going on in there. Lia has started spending a lot of time in there with me since it's gotten so thick. Her following me around and kinda snuggling with me as I crawl around and work with the plants has helped me notice it's cooler in there and the place has a really nice feel to it. Kinda like a fort to a kid. Indeed, I've been measuring and it's 4-5° cooler on the jungle floor than in nearby grassy places that are in full shade. The more it grows, the more it seems to take care of itself and the happier it is... with the minor exception of the bugs. I haven't done any watering since May. It's happy with the water it gets from the rain and the rain seems to always come just in time. Weeds aren't an issue at all. The few that manage to grow up though the thick compost floor are quickly and easily pulled. Pick a pod, pull a weed, easy deal.
 
This place has cost a lot of time and work but it's the kind of place I haven't had since the early 80's when I grew a different type of jungle. That was also a tremendous amount of work. Maybe it's good practice and refreshment for the possibility I may live long enough to grow that other type of mo'money jungle again but pods are great too. I love them. Regardless, it's nice to confirm I still have it in me and great to know I'm still able. I feel good in my little piece of jungle.

 
 
That's really cool DW I'm proud of you man! Wonderful write up on your jungle vibe, I had a great visual going on reading it   sounds like your very own Garden of Eden.. Too cool. That different jungle also sounds pretty awesome, I hope one day that becomes a reality for you once again. I too hope that one day I can do the same    Congratulations on proving yourself to yourself buddy, that feeling is hard to replicate! 
 
Also, in regards to your aerial shot.. 
 

 

[DWB]

 
I'd love to see your rig. I have 07 JD 5103, and have a 60" mower (brush hog) as well. I'm always down for good ideas
 
Edit: And you mention walking..LOL..why is that now beginning to be a chore after a hard days work? Viejo? I fit that statement!

 
There's a pic of the mulching plug I rigged up for the Kubota in this post.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/69987-2019-hay-bale-pepper-patch/page-3#entry1603709
 
It's a zero turn mower. Goes like a raped ape but it's like riding bucky bronco when ya run it hard in what I fondly call "the stumpfield". It's not such hard work but it gets painful in a hurry. Si, un poquito viejo
 

 

[DWB]

 
 
That's really cool DW I'm proud of you man! Wonderful write up on your jungle vibe, I had a great visual going on reading it   sounds like your very own Garden of Eden.. Too cool. That different jungle also sounds pretty awesome, I hope one day that becomes a reality for you once again. I too hope that one day I can do the same    Congratulations on proving yourself to yourself buddy, that feeling is hard to replicate! 
 
Also, in regards to your aerial shot.. 
 

 
Is that clip from when the Ferrari blew up?

 

[BigCedar]

 
Is that clip from when the Ferrari blew up?

 
You know what I honestly have no idea I just googled... "Mind Blown Gif" and felt that one was fitting lol.

 

[DWB]

 
You know what I honestly have no idea I just googled... "Mind Blown Gif" and felt that one was fitting lol.

 
Ha, I definitely got that part Brandon. It's been a long time but I'm pretty sure that scene was right after a bad guy blew up Crockett's black Daytona with a stinger missile. His mind was definitely blown. From Miami Vice sometime in the early 80's.