Annie's 2014 Glog: MoA ferments

jedisushi06 · Apr 17, 2014

Plants are looking so gooooddddd!!!!!! Very nice list you got going on there! :dance:

maximumcapsicum · Apr 17, 2014

Good luck getting everything split and stacked!

Devv · Apr 17, 2014

I plant a cover crop every year, and it takes 3 or 4 light tills to kill it, so I feel grass and weeds will bug you this season in the new plot. Most of our weeding is the rye that comes back up...Don't know how hot the manure is, if hot go lightly. This year in the newly plowed space may be a challenge. I'm finding out that the heavy soil I added is either dead or had some herbicides in it, BUT...BUT they promised no herbicides, you know how that goes...and another BUT! Everything BUT the peppers are looking stellar, so maybe it's just a stinking cold spring...

Regardless, you can amend with nutes as you see fit. With the size of my garden, and you're doing 2x???? I hope you have the summer off, I don't, well in 4 years I do

I always have to add goodies, liquid types work well for me.

Have fun with this, and don't over do! Said the kettle to the pot

annie57 · Apr 18, 2014

JJJessee said:
I'd go with the flame-thrower.
Especially if it's an area where fire wouldn't get outta hand.
I've got an organic farmer buddy that uses one religiously.

It's not the "greenest" way maybe, but to get ahead of it I think it's worth it. Then I'd start mulching like a madman.
Good luck on the wood.

"Get outta hand" or boot stomp? :rofl:

I figure . . . well, I :dance:

this idea, TripJ as I love that torch! The harder to kill invasive grasses, will laugh. But still plan to rip--need to bring up distant roots on two trees, whack with chainsaw--and then rototiller it. So, would you say, "burn baby, burn," rip (burn again or not?), then r-till? This fall am going with your cover crop oats and A-peas? Which did you use? (Another trip to 5th!) But ya know, mulching like insane mulching, might just work really well. Thank you, TripJ!

jedisushi06 said:
Plants are looking so gooooddddd!!!!!! Very nice list you got going on there!

Thanks, Mikey.

They seem like happy kids! Ready to go OUT!

maximumcapsicum said:
Good luck getting everything split and stacked!

Shucks, Adam: expecting rain tomorrow morning, ending early. I hope they don't wuss-out. I'm heading out in a few and will be using my new Stihl 251 in the rain, to finish zipping kindling to size; have used it in rain, and just clean it up well, afterward: no issues. Air filter doesn't get wet, nada. Stacked 3 4' x 4' pallets 3' high (or more--eyeballed) of just kindling yesterday evening/night. We shall see!

Devv said:
I plant a cover crop every year, and it takes 3 or 4 light tills to kill it, so I feel grass and weeds will bug you this season in the new plot. Most of our weeding is the rye that comes back up...Don't know how hot the manure is, if hot go lightly. This year in the newly plowed space may be a challenge. I'm finding out that the heavy soil I added is either dead or had some herbicides in it, BUT...BUT they promised no herbicides, you know how that goes...and another BUT! Everything BUT the peppers are looking stellar, so maybe it's just a stinking cold spring...

Regardless, you can amend with nutes as you see fit. With the size of my garden, and you're doing 2x???? I hope you have the summer off, I don't, well in 4 years I do I always have to add goodies, liquid types work well for me.

Have fun with this, and don't over do! Said the kettle to the pot

I think am going with Oats and AWP and maybe some Crimson Clover this fall, I hope, Scotty. New plot will definitely need them.

Yeah, I know grass is gonna be an issue, but stuff like pigweed is pretty easily torched/killed, should it arise. Crab-Johnson-Bermuda grass about never dies. Not sure it can be removed. (But it can be torched as it comes [back] up.) I mowed low, low, yesterday, before stacking that kindling, finished in dark. Hmm. Am gonna have to fix some that in daylight, as one flat looks whacked/cattymompussed, or mommucked, as they say on OBX.

They "promised," huh? Tell me what lawn--the part above topsoil?--not been hit with some herbicide? Where do these people find "topsoil?" But as long as plants aren't suffering--it's one thing or another--and if between cold and herbicide, plants thriving, welp, I'd take that! :party:

In Austin, outside Wheatsvile Food Co-op, some guy selling some habs, serranos, jals, poblanos--couldn't stand it, so bought some @ end of Feb. Night lows in 70's. Then . . . a prolonged Blue Norther . . . but they pulled through. So dreamy :drooling:

to think of putting peppers in ground in late Feb! Maters didn't do so great, but we had a few until heat got 'em.

Josh has promised me composted. He knows the wood-delay story.

Off, off, off, OFF, this summer. I've already told admin, dept. chair (made signs, wore the sign, bought billboard space on I-40; I jest), fire me, but no Summer. They gave me two HELL semesters and they knew they did; be damned if I'll teach Summer sessions. Besides, I come in, bruised, cut, beaten up, but tanned and not pasty, and academics have no clue what to make of such. I'm sure you know what I mean. Wore my camos and steel-toed boots in one day with silk shirt and nice leather jacket. Now, kids love this stuff, but it worries everybody else. Good. Thanks Scotty! (Said pot back to kettle :cool:

.)

Devv · Apr 18, 2014

I've removed 99% of the Bermuda, a little tries every year to come back, but I just pull it when I see it, and chase the roots down.

If you go with Crimson clover get it in first, once it's well established then hit it with the grass. I planted both at the same time this fall and the rye out did the clover.

You're right, I doubt the topsoil is as clean as they said. But if anythings in it, by next season we should be good

I did dig up pics from last season, I keep then in folders named by the date I took them. I'm on schedule with the Annuum's, but last year I planted the Chinense around April 27th do to a late start. So they're just now coming on, but almost a foot taller than the ones I put in last year. So maybe I put them out too early, but then again, I feel all this time they had to be setting their roots. Always learning, that never stops.

I wish I had the summer off, I'm soooo ready to retire. First op is around October 2018, I'll be like stick a fork in me....I'm done..

JJJessee · Apr 18, 2014

annie57 said:
"Get outta hand" or boot stomp? I figure . . . well, I this idea, TripJ as I love that torch! The harder to kill invasive grasses, will laugh. But still plan to rip--need to bring up distant roots on two trees, whack with chainsaw--and then rototiller it. So, would you say, "burn baby, burn," rip (burn again or not?), then r-till? This fall am going with your cover crop oats and A-peas? Which did you use? (Another trip to 5th!) But ya know, mulching like insane mulching, might just work really well. Thank you, TripJ!

Thanks, Mikey. They seem like happy kids! Ready to go OUT!

Shucks, Adam: expecting rain tomorrow morning, ending early. I hope they don't wuss-out. I'm heading out in a few and will be using my new Stihl 251 in the rain, to finish zipping kindling to size; have used it in rain, and just clean it up well, afterward: no issues. Air filter doesn't get wet, nada. Stacked 3 4' x 4' pallets 3' high (or more--eyeballed) of just kindling yesterday evening/night. We shall see!

I think am going with Oats and AWP and maybe some Crimson Clover this fall, I hope, Scotty. New plot will definitely need them.
......

I'm pretty smitten with the Oats and AWP after tilling them in my mater and pepper rows today. First I thought it was toast after we hit near 0° a few times last winter. But it greened up like champs. Rye is good and may even be a better weed suppressor, but you have to beat it into the ground with a tiller. Tough it is. Of course with the AWP you get the nitro-punch. I may venture into some CrimClover or drillin' radish, but I'm tickled with the oats and peas for now. I wish I'd innoculated those legumes :banghead:

Devv · Apr 18, 2014

When I use rye I till it in after it gets about 8"s high, and plant again. Mainly because I've been there done that, it sets up a heck of a root system. Don't know if that's possible further North..

annie57 · Apr 18, 2014

JJJessee said:
[. . . ] Rye is good and may even be a better weed suppressor, but you have to beat it into the ground with a tiller. Tough it is. Of course with the AWP you get the nitro-punch. I may venture into some CrimClover or drillin' radish, but I'm tickled with the oats and peas for now. I wish I'd innoculated those legumes

Devv said:
When I use rye I till it in after it gets about 8"s high, and plant again. Mainly because I've been there done that, it sets up a heck of a root system. Don't know if that's possible further North..

I think you guys have convinced me NOT rye! :shocked:

I don't need anything have to fight more than grasses. In rainy climate with clay, crab and bermuda don't kill easy, but I generally smother to dormancy. Already growing some wheat from wheat straw mulch in established garden. It pulls up easy. So CClover first, then inoculate AWP, then go oats? ("It just ain't . . . riiii . . . rye." Now gonna have nightmares about rye.) Saw youtube video about those radishes . . . yeah, they uh, "drill." I cuss Adam and Eve a lot. Monsanto's a given. "Blame somebody." :rofl:

400 bucks for mulch this year?? That was such sweet news :liar

: after spending an afternoon "riding the chainsaw," but got 4 pallets of "kindling" stacked. Some of it could be split but heck, we got too much to split still. Shucks, I love this "hobby."

Highlight of my afternoon, taking my one break, this neighborhood guy, weird as hell, walked down; it's astounding what comes out of his mouth sometimes, like my right to be buried in my backyard? So, he has this great idea for me: our local waste treatment plant will deliver, FREE, as much human sludge (he said "compost") as I ~~want~~ do NOT WANT. I didn't bother to mention pharmaceuticals, prions . . . he was very enthusiastic and said he'd been doing it for years in his garden. :lol:

Then, his wife called him on his cell phone from jail. He was angry that people "in 'is hyar wicked worlt just don't understand my woman's work for The Lord." She was arrested for unlawful entry when she walked into this old woman's house, speaking in tongues . . . or from medications that she's even in his beans, root veggies, etc. (I'm all for composting toilets within parameters, conditions.) And according to him, it was her 3rd arrest in a month for . . . same. thing. "I went to the woods . . . to live deliberately with nutjobs."--modified Thoreau

GA Growhead · Apr 19, 2014

Lol. Too funny!

Devv · Apr 19, 2014

And that's exactly why I live 2 miles down a road with 3-4 houses on it, AND a big iron gate at the entry.

The idyot that was throwing pebbles at my window @ 1AM, I greeted him with my pistol (in my undies..LOL). AND the idyot asked "is Jamie here?" (she had moved out 3 years ago).

I said "leave, just leave" as I stroked the action. The thing that pissed me off was he parked his car and walked 100yds. up the driveway. He probably wound up as fertilzer in somene else's garden, but not mine.

Cool thing now is I have Otis, "go say hi Otis"

Edit: You know I worked mostly alone for 25 years, not now, I work with people. And the gene pool is a scary, yes very scarey thang!

stickman · Apr 20, 2014

Sounds like the gene pool's pretty shallow out your way miz Annie. Seriously...neither of them saw anything wrong with walking into someone's house unannounced and uninvited, and acting like they were zonked out of their skulls!? If they tried that out this way, they'd be looking at psychiatric evaluation and possibly a dangerousness hearing if they didn't have a little accident with a baseball bat first... You do seem to have the most "entertaining" neighbors.

Barley-pop57 · Apr 20, 2014

Wow, Annie....I'd start stocking up on ammo. Just joking here...but shoot the ones that are suppose to work and shoot the uninvited unless they do the work. You ma'am have patience !!! I always enjoy reading of your adventures.....

meatfreak · Apr 20, 2014

Time for some pictures, Annie

Happy Easter!

annie57 · Apr 26, 2014

GA Growhead said:
Lol. Too funny!

Well, then Jason, you know "that local type." :shocked:

We find it funny, while others are amazed. Your advice on new pepper plot is welcome!

Devv said:
And that's exactly why I live 2 miles down a road with 3-4 houses on it, AND a big iron gate at the entry.

The idyot that was throwing pebbles at my window @ 1AM, I greeted him with my pistol (in my undies..LOL). AND the idyot asked "is Jamie here?" (she had moved out 3 years ago).

I said "leave, just leave" as I stroked the action. The thing that pissed me off was he parked his car and walked 100yds. up the driveway. He probably wound up as fertilzer in somene else's garden, but not mine.

Cool thing now is I have Otis, "go say hi Otis"

Edit: You know I worked mostly alone for 25 years, not now, I work with people. And the gene pool is a scary, yes very scarey thang!

Yeah, great song by Austin Lounge Liz: "Shallow End of the Gene Pool." And "Life Is Hard (But Life Is Harder When You're Dumb)" and I would ask Conrad to add ("Or Dead.") (In fact, I did ask that at one show @ Broken Spoke, and they did :twisted:

.) Gonna need your advice on this new pepper plot with pics to follow. Thanks in advance!

stickman said:
Sounds like the gene pool's pretty shallow out your way miz Annie. Seriously...neither of them saw anything wrong with walking into someone's house unannounced and uninvited, and acting like they were zonked out of their skulls!? If they tried that out this way, they'd be looking at psychiatric evaluation and possibly a dangerousness hearing if they didn't have a little accident with a baseball bat first... You do seem to have the most "entertaining" neighbors.

Yeah; entertaining like Jeff Foxworthy, Rick, but this shit's real. I went to early-vote yesterday. May primary. Dude RAILING against this guy not gonna get back into office, behind me. I said nothing: can only vote in your party, or as an indie, in the primary. So, I let the poll folks tell the moron he was not in the correct line to get a ballot to cast against this politician of his OWN party who he hated. Long line too. Inbreeding at its finest! Your advice on new pepper plot. Pics to follow.

Barley-pop57 said:
Wow, Annie....I'd start stocking up on ammo. Just joking here...but shoot the ones that are suppose to work and shoot the uninvited unless they do the work. You ma'am have patience !!! I always enjoy reading of your adventures.....

Who the hell around here wants to work, Mikey? I'd be shooting half the population! Then, I'd be in prison with the other half of the lazy lunatics I did not shoot. Good line by Butch Hancock in "Wave, Not the Water:" "I would have killed myself but it made no sense: committin' suicide in self-defense." In this case, homicide. Six of one . . . advice on new pepper plot welcome.

meatfreak said:
Time for some pictures, Annie Happy Easter!

Ah, Stefan: reading my mind. Thank you! Had great Easter. Helped Mama dye eggs: we made up dye color and wound up with some deep purple, black ones! Too cool! Told kids they were licorice-flavored. :liar

: Advice on new pepper plot welcome!

Okay some pics. Peppers been hardening off since early this week. Having 3 mattocks rehandled, one axe, bent a t-post, and had to get new chain for chainsaw. But did find another purpose for that Fiskars X27 splitting maul/axe. :dance:

Maple roots are beastly. Cousin came Wed. to rip new pepper garden space (and ripped old garden to dig up any/all Black Walnut roots--got a few up that I dug back and c-sawed off) and drug up MORE Maple roots in new pepper plot (I had to remove more dirt/grass and get down to origin, which is of course the damned stump.) I imagine when he tills he'll finish getting the one I know I missed some of. Enough typing/talking.

Peppers and others:

Supers: What gives with this Fatalii as it was born with variegated leaves. I thought chlorosis, initially, but it's just the color of the leaves on this one. Yellow fatalii. Other is "normal-looking." It could have crossed with red fatalii (or hosta)?

More supers, few fruties, Goat's Weed, PDN x Bhut etc:

Am just throwing out other pics of plants in no particular order since they are "ordered" by height (and have some Bubblegum and Orange Primo as tall as toms):

AnnsGlog4-26-14annuumpeppersotherstall3_zpsfe247d67.jpg

AnnsGlog4-26-14tomatillotomatojalseggplanttall1_zpsbef97a5a.jpg

Smallest or shortest, super is yellow moruga but it'll get big:

New pepper plot 50' x 30':

Old garden area minus a BW and Pecan, ripped, 50' x 150':

About that grass in new pepper garden plot, I got a lot out: crab/bermuda/johnson--anything that looked evil--shook off topsoil--and am smothering some stumps with grass (and yes; I know the wood still needs to be split but it's been cut so long, no maul--wedge and sledge am over--and the dang Maple stump needs to be brought down and that big a** log cut up--but they'll get to it by first weekend in May and without me, as I'll be putting in garden then. ET has promised me a huge split wood delivery if it's not dry by December. Good deal no worries. He and Andy usually work 6 days a week; any person willing to work esp. at logging company? I'll wait on 'em.)

But this is deal with new pepper plot--1. that grass? I could shoot it with propane torch that Arksaw/John sent me coupon off--should I do that? It's mostly clover. Should I just shoot the edges? Should I say, "Heck with it" and get up to Lowe's to pick up appliance box cardboard stash that friend has saved back for me and just smother it once it is tilled and plants are in?

Second issue: tilling it. We're expecting some rain from Midwest weather Tue./Wed next week. NOT a good idea to till before or after rain. Amended or not, it's clay-base. It will form CLODS. Cousin keeps calling me, when I want it all tilled and I'm "NOT WITH LOTS RAIN ON WAY!" I'm sticking by that, even if it means not getting stuff in until end of next week. If I had a TEAM of people helping me, be different. But I have 150 peppers plants, 64 tomatoes, 12 tomatillos, Cisneros and Tom Verde, some bell peppers, zukes, cukes (from plants I grew), summer, winter squash (Cushaw with friends) and a couple rows of Bush Blue Lake "damnedbeans"--one word, thanks to my mother's pleas, since I refuse to do pole beans, even if they taste better than any bush bean. I did buy my brother some KWonder pole bean seed, as he's expanded his garden 50' feet and is growing corn.

Thus, gonna take me a few days to get this garden IN, in which I won't battle clods. Also, to amend new plot with compost before tilling in. Will amend hole with my supersoil/compost blend as well.

But here's the FUNKIEST aspect of new pepper plot: some of soil was mossy, loaded with worms, perfect pH. 6.6. Rest of it is a little higher, still loaded with worms from years of fallen leaves, needs some lime. (Already limed/"Azomited" big garden.) Should I just add tablespoon of lime to hole? About 1/2 of garden--closest to maple truck--has perfect pH. But lime kinda wanders around, if tilled in. Don't want nute lockout.

Last question: how do I keep those cut Maple roots BACK; tree roots love moisture and compost. Sheet metal dug in/buried around east side of pepper garden? If they turn and do a 180, I'll be fine: want the stump dead anyhow (along with it coming down more but will take a 34" blade/chain on saw--cousin tried to cut through middle of stump to half it with his Stihl 20" and just too hard).

Am sorry (I've hurt myself not catching up with glogs, but between this semester, trees, new garden area, plants . . . ) thank you, anybody with a suggestion. I know plants look a little beat-up, but then, I've not been too gentle about hardening them off. They went out, got fed, watered, and they stayed out since middle of week, overnight or when calling for storms/wind, in little greenhouse. Again, thanks for looking and please forgive my AWOL here, but any spare moment has gone to cutting kindling, logs that I could get through, splitting, and digging/sawing/whacking up tree roots. My mother's new lines, "What happened to your hands? What happened to your legs? What happened to your face? Better buy some Neosporin." Really?

JJJessee · Apr 26, 2014

Those plants are gorgeous and look plenty anxious to get in the ground.
I'd do the pasteboard if I had plenty -come down hard on that Bermuda grassass. Weight it down to keep the wind from gettin' it.
Worms will love it and it sounds like your ground is already well populated.
Peel it back and feed them some verm-appropriate table scraps ever now and then to keep 'em interested and frisky.

Devv · Apr 26, 2014

Hi Annie,

Been busy have ya?

Sulfur is for lowering PH, Lime to raise.

The grass, hard to get rid of if it rains, I however, don't have that issue. Best you can do is till and pick or rake it out. You'll probably have to mulch the heck out of it the first year, and be a weedin' a lot! I'd plant the crops that cover it the best in the new spot.

So now your garden is close to 3 times the size of mine, and I never plant it all. Gonna be a ton of work! One cool thing is no crowding of the plants.

We noticed our corn is tasseling, just starting, and already loaded with the dang worms. This is the last year for corn, I need to let the bad guys die out. And I don't have any BT! Or I would be spraying.

And I agree with JJJ, those plants are screaming for dirt day!

stickman · Apr 26, 2014

All nice pics miz Annie... I'd say your poised on the edge of a stellar season! Don't worry about the variegation on the peppers... I had some of that on my Chilhuacle Negro plants last year. They seemed to grow out of it shortly after they started setting pods.

+1 on Scott's comments about getting rid of grass... if you're gonna plant the same year you busted the sod, it's a given that you'll be pulling up the chopped-up bits of roots around the plants you put in. I'd say put down a double thickness of newsprint on top of the soil once you've tilled in the humus/amendments and raked it out level. Then put at least 3 inches of mulch on top of that... bark mulch, shredded leaves, grass clippings, straw... even shredded newspaper will do. The idea is that seeds in the soil won't be able to penetrate the double layer of paper to get up into the sun, and will smother and die. Seeds on top of it won't be able to get roots down into the soil, and will wither and die in the sun.

Roguejim · Apr 26, 2014

stickman said:
All nice pics miz Annie... I'd say your poised on the edge of a stellar season! Don't worry about the variegation on the peppers... I had some of that on my Chilhuacle Negro plants last year. They seemed to grow out of it shortly after they started setting pods.

+1 on Scott's comments about getting rid of grass... if you're gonna plant the same year you busted the sod, it's a given that you'll be pulling up the chopped-up bits of roots around the plants you put in. I'd say put down a double thickness of newsprint on top of the soil once you've tilled in the humus/amendments and raked it out level. Then put at least 3 inches of mulch on top of that... bark mulch, shredded leaves, grass clippings, straw... even shredded newspaper will do. The idea is that seeds in the soil won't be able to penetrate the double layer of paper to get up into the sun, and will smother and die. Seeds on top of it won't be able to get roots down into the soil, and will wither and die in the sun.

Good advice here. That's how some folks put gardens in the middle of a lawn area. No digging necessary, just newspaper and more dirt on top.

annie57 · Apr 27, 2014

JJJessee said:
Those plants are gorgeous and look plenty anxious to get in the ground.
I'd do the pasteboard if I had plenty -come down hard on that Bermuda grassass. Weight it down to keep the wind from gettin' it.
Worms will love it and it sounds like your ground is already well populated.
Peel it back and feed them some verm-appropriate table scraps ever now and then to keep 'em interested and frisky.

Thanks TripJ. Out there this morning and got most of rest of grass out and a Maple root I neglected, chop, chop. And in process hurt my freakin' right arm. Not torn rotator cuff because can hold arm up but left ripping, axing that root out for last, dragged my a** back in after 4 hours. Nice wormy population. Took some anti-inflam, Tylenol arthritis; just fed them some blended up nanners, egg shells, coffee grinds, buried, ahead of this storm and later, CHILL during the week. Or that's forecast. I (we) aka, I, bought this place from my parents so, I know a little about that particular garden area: every local fisherman, including my grandfather--as a kid, I didn't get it (and surely couldn't do it)--would come over in summer after a rain and as long as they didn't kill/touch anything in Mama's garden--the grass around garden didn't matter as was just as populated--caught nightcrawlers. Flashlight and nab them. I still can't do it! But it's good soil. Funny how that one formerly moss area feels sandy, loamy, actually. Hmm. Cardboard and vermi-diet it is!

Devv said:
Hi Annie,

Been busy have ya? I dunno, Scotty; you ever been busy?

Sulfur is for lowering PH, Lime to raise. I know; I got screwed up in my post. pH was around 5 on one part of big garden, limed it a little before he ripped it--fine in other parts--it's 6 and 7 in new garden, so I might just leave the new pepper garden alone: amendments tend to raise pH.

The grass, hard to get rid of if it rains, I however, don't have that issue. Best you can do is till and pick or rake it out. Been there, done that this morning. You'll probably have to mulch the heck out of it the first year, and be a weedin' a lot! Now, Scotty, really; a hoe don't fit my hand. (Actually used my brother's cutter hoe dothingywhatchy this morning/afternoon. But that's the end of that! Took it back to him.) I'm gonna smotha the motha. I'd plant the crops that cover it the best in the new spot. Man, that's the new pepper garden area been talking about!! Planting close enough so they compliment--height/spread--and shade out some weeds. It's getting mulched to ever-loving Hades and back. Think going with pine bark mulch. Can get some delivered, and well-worth it.

So now your garden is close to 3 times the size of mine, and I never plant it all. Gonna be a ton of work! One cool thing is no crowding of the plants. Ya know, I'd like to get some hogs. Several of em, build them a nice fence around that stump, little covered pen could put over it in winter and slam that stump root area full of feed with Texas "toothpick." Just keep loadin' stump area up. In fall increase their fecal producing, roaming area, to include the new garden, but feed them exclusively in that stump/any above ground root area. That way, the stump/all roots come/s up; I got organic "stuff" for new garden area, and fall after next, get a freezer full of meat.

We noticed our corn is tasseling, just starting, and already loaded with the dang worms. This is the last year for corn, I need to let the bad guys die out. And I don't have any BT! Or I would be spraying. I was so thinking about going corn but the worms were huge factor in decision not to. I won't use Sevin now, so, let my brother do it and kill his soil and beneficials. Am sorry, honey.

And I agree with JJJ, those plants are screaming for dirt day! Ain't they just? And we got that freakin' front coming in--I think it's the only one, contrasted with last year, but that's why cuz keeps calling me--think he was stoned when he ripped both gardens--wanting to know when I want them tilled: NOT until after ~~rain~~ downpours from Midwest, and no rain in sight for few days (dirt clods = compaction) as gonna take me a while to put in. Need to let neck and shoulder rest because I can't open the frig door with right arm. So blasted mad to find another root while hoeing, digging in that new pepper space, got felling axe, not playing, felt something tear in shoulder, hurt like . . . ugh. My fault for being po'ed when swinging it and being used to weight of 8 lb. splitting maul. Neighbor might as well of thrown pebbles at my window. She was sitting out there, on her deck, coffee and cig, watching, lazy, lazy woman. Wants me to BRING her veggies. Hell, told her to walk down and get what she wants. I ain't taking a healthy human being jack. Freakin' entitlement attitude . . . "That thar garden's gonna kill you! How come you just don't go to 18 Produce and git what you want to eat in summer?" Second mistake po'ed. Yelled back: "I don't trust, don't respect, any bitch or sumbitch don't have dirt or grease under their nails!" It's true but I didn't have to tell her my opinion. Thank you, Scott.

stickman said:
All nice pics miz Annie... I'd say your poised on the edge of a stellar season! Don't worry about the variegation on the peppers... I had some of that on my Chilhuacle Negro plants last year. They seemed to grow out of it shortly after they started setting pods. That's nice news, Rick. I think I had a yellow 7 pull that number on me last year but once settled in, it got right with universe

+1 on Scott's comments about getting rid of grass... if you're gonna plant the same year you busted the sod, (I am) it's a given that you'll be pulling up the chopped-up bits of roots around the plants you put in. I'd say put down a double thickness of newsprint on top of the soil once you've tilled in the humus/amendments and raked it out level. Then put at least 3 inches of mulch on top of that... bark mulch, shredded leaves, grass clippings, straw... even shredded newspaper will do. The idea is that seeds in the soil won't be able to penetrate the double layer of paper to get up into the sun, and will smother and die. Seeds on top of it won't be able to get roots down into the soil, and will wither and die in the sun. Gonna do newspapers--been saving them--and cardboard too, Rick. Thank you, sweetie. Regardless of price, getting dump load of pine bark/pine mulch in week or so.

Roguejim said:
Good advice here. So true. That's how some folks put gardens in the middle of a lawn area. No digging necessary, just newspaper and more dirt on top. Jim, I suppose I do both: rip, till, aka dig and sheet. I lasagna in fall with horse manure and lots of leaves. I kinda find it humorous that around here we talk about mowing the "lawn," when in truth, we're mowing crabgrass, bermuda, quack--which are grasses but weeds. Maybe other folks have lawns but we mow the weeds! Thank you!

Devv · Apr 27, 2014

Um, I know when I mow, it's mowing weeds

I no longer water the "yard", can't eat it, no one can see it, and I just don't care...LOL

The front, hoping it knocks the 95+°, almost 7PM and still 95°. Also hoping it doesn't get crazy your way. I agree, weather forecasting nowadays is more a show.

I'm a tired boy, back to work tomorrow to rest up!

You have a great week now!