bpiela's 2017 glog

bpiela · Mar 8, 2017

Update with some good and some bad.

I will start with the good.

The plant, that I am calling Mel's Unknown, are from seeds from a buddy of mine named Mel who got the seeds while on a trip to Tahiti. He said that the plants grew very tall like trees. I have a feeling these are just some basic small red annuum pepper but I am giving them a try. All three that I am growing are doing well. Here is a pic of the best one.

And, if I look close enough, the first bud of the season!

Now, onto the bad. I had started the seeds for my Aji Lemon Drops in some Jiffy pellets and boy did I have issues with them. Very poor germination, poor root growth, etc. I had gotten 3 out of 4 cells to pop, but it has been a rough road. 2 perished. My one plant is still struggling to survive. I kinda laugh at it because I look at all the other awesome Aji Lemon Drops for the Growdown and I am going to be lucky to get a single pod off of this guy by the September...

So, I will win least productive! Yes! Good times...

Superhot Sim · Mar 9, 2017

Ben dont let one runt plant ruin your season , your plants all look very healthy and sometimes the one that lags behind turns out to be a real good producer ...Your have a steller season mate ,and headingg the right way

bpiela · Mar 9, 2017

Superhot Sim said:
Ben dont let one runt plant ruin your season , your plants all look very healthy and sometimes the one that lags behind turns out to be a real good producer ...Your have a steller season mate ,and headingg the right way

I hear ya. Not letting it get me down. I am having fun with it. I am just happy it finally got its second set of leaves...

stettoman · Mar 9, 2017

And I thought I had a challenge! I had one germ out of 6 seeds, kept holding my face right until that one lil' guy had a couple trues, then topped it. It started doing really well after that and I relaxed.

It's early, Ben. let it do it's thing, that which don't kill it will give you a bumber crop!!

*edit* HA!! I said "bumber"!! Honest man, meant BUMPER, really!!*

stickman · Mar 12, 2017

On the whole your grow is about par for the course Ben... you win some, and you lose some. One reason most of us plant so many varieties (or so many of one variety) is to make up for that. So cheer up guy. We're pullin' for ya. :party:

bpiela · Mar 17, 2017

Trying to figure out how I will watering the garden this season. My raised garden is approx 23.5' x 12.5'. I want to try the IRT mulch. So, would the plan look something like this?

1) prepare soil with amendments if needed.
2) lay out drip irrigation system
3) lay down IRT mulch over drip irrigation.
4) Cut holes in IRT mulch to plant peppers. Also in this hole, install emitter on drip line.
5) I plant things very close. Last season, I had 7 rows going shortways across the garden.

For drip irrigation to work for me, I will not be able to have it connected to the faucet all the time. In the past, I have a 100' hose connected to the outdoor faucet at the house, then walk the hose out to the garden and manually hand spray the garden for some amount of time. Afterwards, I would roll up the hose next to the house where it would stay until next time I watered. I will need to be able to setup the drip and connect it to the faucet via the 100' hose manually when I want to water. Does anybody with experience know if that is something that I can do? Something like running the hose out to the garden and connecting it to the drip lines and then turning on the water, then rolling it up afterwards...

Thanks!

Devv · Mar 17, 2017

bpiela said:
Trying to figure out how I will watering the garden this season. My raised garden is approx 23.5' x 12.5'. I want to try the IRT mulch. So, would the plan look something like this?

1) prepare soil with amendments if needed.
2) lay out drip irrigation system
3) lay down IRT mulch over drip irrigation.
4) Cut holes in IRT mulch to plant peppers. Also in this hole, install emitter on drip line.
5) I plant things very close. Last season, I had 7 rows going shortways across the garden.

For drip irrigation to work for me, I will not be able to have it connected to the faucet all the time. In the past, I have a 100' hose connected to the outdoor faucet at the house, then walk the hose out to the garden and manually hand spray the garden for some amount of time. Afterwards, I would roll up the hose next to the house where it would stay until next time I watered. I will need to be able to setup the drip and connect it to the faucet via the 100' hose manually when I want to water. Does anybody with experience know if that is something that I can do? Something like running the hose out to the garden and connecting it to the drip lines and then turning on the water, then rolling it up afterwards...

Thanks!

For starters. Planted in January, pic taken today.

Some just do what the heck they want.....

1-5 look fine..

For watering. I ran underground PVC to the garden with a cutoff for potential freezes. I see no reason a garden hose couldn't be used. You just need to let it run and then wind it back up. I can't use drip I here. My water fouls the emitters 1/3 the way into the season. Hence my flooding the ditches.

bpiela · Mar 20, 2017

Some updates.

Here are my Carrot Bhut Jolokia's. I bought the seeds from Puckerbutt at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo two years ago, finally decided to grow them. I don't have any more seeds of these so I am hoping to isolate some pods and share a bunch of seeds if all goes well. Here is a blurry pic of all three.

I just suck at taking pictures, but I am too lazy to redo them. Here is a closeup of the tops of the plant on the right and then the plant in the middle. Already getting buds.

Lastly is a pic of a Sara R Long Trinidad Scorpion. The leaves are laaah-je.

Devv · Mar 21, 2017

Nice healthy looking plants Ben

What's your nutrient regimen?

bpiela · Mar 21, 2017

My nutrient regimen is "Plant seedlings in Miracle Grow Potting Soil, add water".

Also, I did hit them once with CalMag+ diluted in water. Not as huge as the plants in your garden. Your garden is truly an inspiration! Thanks for visiting!

stickman · Mar 21, 2017

Right on Ben! Looks like as soon as you shed the white mulch and the ground warms up you're ready to go!

bpiela · Mar 21, 2017

stickman said:
Right on Ben! Looks like as soon as you shed the white mulch and the ground warms up you're ready to go!

Thanks Rick! Got my fingers crossed that things continue on this positive path...

Superhot Sim · Mar 22, 2017

Brilliant work Ben all 3 carrot jolokia look very healthy indeed , they will fly when they go in dirt , when can you start planting out is it same as over here about May time. ?

Keep up your good work :party:

bpiela · Mar 22, 2017

Superhot Sim said:
Brilliant work Ben all 3 carrot jolokia look very healthy indeed , they will fly when they go in dirt , when can you start planting out is it same as over here about May time. ?

Keep up your good work

Thanks! Yeah, my plant out date is usually around May 15th. If I can get things done earlier, like specifically with the drip irrigation and the IRT mulch, then maybe I can go a little earlier.... That is a big "if" there.

Trident chilli · Mar 22, 2017

Carrot Jolokia just love the name ... looking forward to this maturing.... long Trinidad Scorpion looks a beast all the best for your plant out

D3monic · Mar 22, 2017

Sucks about the spider mites . Do ladybugs eat them?

bpiela · Mar 22, 2017

D3monic said:
Sucks about the spider mites . Do ladybugs eat them?

I thought they would, but it doesn't seem like they do a good job on them. Maybe they aren't as tasty as aphids so they are eaten last... They could be the "insert least favorite green vegetable here" of the ladybug diet.

moruga welder · Mar 22, 2017

jolokias are looking nice ! all will be well ,, :party:

D3monic · Mar 22, 2017

bpiela said:
I thought they would, but it doesn't seem like they do a good job on them. Maybe they aren't as tasty as aphids so they are eaten last... They could be the "insert least favorite green vegetable here" of the ladybug diet.

I had really good luck with AzaMax for spider mites... and most other plant pests.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032JYKGG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bhuter · Mar 22, 2017

bpiela said:
I thought they would, but it doesn't seem like they do a good job on them. Maybe they aren't as tasty as aphids so they are eaten last... They could be the "insert least favorite green vegetable here" of the ladybug diet.

This is very interesting. I thought ladybugs loved spider mites. But like you say, maybe they want more aphids. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction, but back when I had a spider mite problem on plants that were not peppers, I used this with great success.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005T4IVT4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1490213163&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mighty+wash

But this wasn't made for what we grow here, so I'm not sure if it can be used on something edible. Like D3 says, AzaMax is a great product.

-Adam