AJs 2012 Season - A Pictorial Discussion

I am getting a one day jump on last season...today is my 2012 season start...

The Germinator has been cleaned, I am using new trays for seed starting and Hoffman's Seed Starting Mix as my grow media...

If any of you decide to use Hoffman's Seed Starting Mix, be patient, it takes as much as 24 hours pre-soak to get this light weight mix totally wet...I have said it before and I will say it again...this is the cleanest seed starting mix I have ever used....clean and light weight means better root growth IMO..

All circuits and systems are a go on the germinator...am stabilizing the temperature for the next 24 hours...as you can see, the upper box is about 93F and the lower box is 85F...I have to vent the top to let both chambers reach the same temperature...

something tells me this is going to be another hot summer....close to record heat again...so the season will go as mother wants it to...I am learning each year how to change my grow techniques and am adapting to North Texas...

hope you folks enjoy this thread...if anyone has any questions or comments, they are welcome...

 

[Fremp]

curious how you mixed the poo?
like what to what ratio...
Guess I've got some Google'n to do!!!!!

 

[AlabamaJack]

10% by volume manure to my recycled soil...

 

[PaulG]

Wow, I waited too long to visit your grow log again, AJ. Your grow looks great!
I can't wait until I get some varieties I like to grow in successive years like you
have done. The pods are fun to look at, real eye candy! I'll hold those images
in my mind while I'm working in the garden!

This has been a great learning process about...well Life in general. I love that feeling of being elbows deep in dirt,water,mud,cow poo(LOL). Lots of my time in the garden is spent doing garden stuff,and LOTS of deep thinking about LIFE(may sound corny to some haha). I've learned some things about myself,but mostly a TON about mother nature.Great deep thinking sessh's!!

That is what it is all about, Fremp.
We garden because it is in our blood!
And, hopefully makes us better people.
I can't think of very many gardeners I
don't like! My favorite gardening movie
is 'Being There'. Ever see that?

Thanks for letting me have your thread
for a second, AJ. Good growin' ,man!

 

[AlabamaJack]

everythings cool Paul...I think everyone has their favorite peppers and I was lucky enough to score some trinidad varieties the winter of 07'...since then I have done exactly as you said...chose the pods best to MY liking and grown those seeds...every year, I get closer and closer to what I am looking for...

I know these are just jalapenos but I love them because they are so versatile...I have three BB Jalapeno plants of which the tallest one is 18" and the shortest one is about 14"...but...all three are loaded with pods...I have already picked about 40 pods off these plants...I love my Billy bikers

 

[stc3248]

WoooHoooo....I see a post in the poppers thread coming up! I love Jals...they make it all look so easy! Great looking plants and pods!

 

[AlabamaJack]

first significant harvest of the season...about 12 pounds or so...and probably 25 pounds of tomatos...

tomatos left to right are Porter's, Cherokee Purples, and Brandywine....peppers are a mixture of red and yellow 7s and Scorpions mostly

 

[mido]

That sure put's a smile on your face ronny!!

 

[cmpman1974]

Nice haul AJ!!

 

[Spicegeist]

"... and it was all yellow..."

beautiful!

 

[RocketMan]

Paul well said my friend.

AJ those Jalapenos are looking mighty tasty sir. Mighty tasty!

 

[saugapepper]

They really do!!! I got to get me some Biker Billy seeds for next year.

 

[AlabamaJack]

That sure put's a smile on your face ronny!!

yup...was grinning ear to ear while I was picking...this is the first time ever I have had a spring harvest here in North Texas...now it's time for the plants to revert to vegetative growth since the heat has hit...getting ready for a string of 100+ temps....

Nice haul AJ!!

thanks Chris...

"... and it was all yellow..."

beautiful!

thanks, this is the first year I have grown more yellows than reds, next year I will probably split my planting between red, yellow, and chocolate...

AJ those Jalapenos are looking mighty tasty sir. Mighty tasty!

They really do!!! I got to get me some Biker Billy seeds for next year.

most everyone has their favorite peppers and I have found that these Billy Bikers are the most versatile pepper I grow...they are hotter than the standard jap by about 50% and taste delicious...they are now a must for my pico de gallo and salsa...

 

[PIC 1]

Lookie here!.............AJ, .Those Yellow 7's are putting a smile across many a face!
That's some nice backyard pickin.........I guess you could say, that harvest is "Music to the Ears"
Man its good to get that (and more) under the belt before the long ride of summer heat. But like you said extra vegetation will produce more fruit down the road, and your season is long...
I don't have any Porters, but the Cherokees and a few types of Brandywines are thriving in the garden as I type.

Put those pods to good use...and enjoy the heat............ (pod fire that is...Your Texas 'Gold' )

G

 

[AlabamaJack]

thanks Greg...I will be all yellowed out at the end of the year

I made spaghetti sauce with the tomatos...and it is dang sure good...

 

[BakersPeppers]

Hey Ronnie,

Lookin good there my friend....I will say that there is some good looking Peppers & Toms in that pic! I am startng to fine tune these HOT BOYS myself and there is hope for growers like myself because of nice people like YOU! Thanks again my friend! May the pepper gods shine on me like they have you!

Dale Baker Jr
Baker's Peppers LLC

 

[Capsicum]

everythings cool Paul...I think everyone has their favorite peppers and I was lucky enough to score some trinidad varieties the winter of 07'...since then I have done exactly as you said...chose the pods best to MY liking and grown those seeds...every year, I get closer and closer to what I am looking for...

I know these are just jalapenos but I love them because they are so versatile...I have three BB Jalapeno plants of which the tallest one is 18" and the shortest one is about 14"...but...all three are loaded with pods...I have already picked about 40 pods off these plants...I love my Billy bikers

Wow that is just a masterpiece!!! Look at all those peppers on that little bush!

Nice harvest too AJ!!!

 

[AlabamaJack]

a little update on 28 June....

all plants get the same relative amount of water/food each day...5 gallon containers get 17 ounces three times a day (8 minutes on a 1 gph dripper)

here is a shot of my scorpions and Ike...yellow this end before the steps and "long tailed" the other end...these get full sun all day long....

a shot of my third year scorpions and my second year tepins...they are under 30% shade cloth and get sun from about 9 am to 3 pm, then the 50% shade cloth to the west makes it pretty cool in the heat of the day...

a shot of my 7 pot...about 4 ft tall and huge under 50% shade cloth

and this is one of my seed pods for next year...I wish all my scorpions looked like this....

 

[Pr0digal_son]

Nice work AJ. Looks like your annuums have rebounded? I think you had some problems with them earlier? Now that your temps are peaking,will your plants totally shut down(veg growth too) or just pollen production and flowering?

 

[MGOLD86]

Lookin good Ronnie! If feasible, would you grow everything under the shade cloth?

 

[AlabamaJack]

Nice work AJ. Looks like your annuums have rebounded? I think you had some problems with them earlier? Now that your temps are peaking,will your plants totally shut down(veg growth too) or just pollen production and flowering?

I think the only annuums I am growing are the Billy Bikers and they definitely have recovered and producing like mad...

If this year is anything like the past 4, all the chinense varieties will revert to vegetative growth for the next two months...pollen production is almost nil already and I expect the plants to stop producing flowers or slow down until the September cool down...

Lookin good Ronnie! If feasible, would you grow everything under the shade cloth?

thanks MG...I like the 50% shade cloth since I have a long grow season and my summers are so brutal...the plants definitely like it and are very healthy...but then again, the largest, best producing plants I have so far are in full sun with no shade all day long....tough call...and the plants in the 25 gallon containers are growing very well under the 30%....really tough call...

in other words I don't know...