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Devv-2017-Having a good time in the dirt

Another season has come and gone. Time to start a new one!
 
Although I did already a few weeks ago :shh: . After last years dismal (late) start I jumped in a bit early to insure I could have viable plants come dirt day. I can always cut them back, if I need to. I have to compile a list yet, but I'm growing the full spectrum. Sweets, to supers, based upon what we will actually use. Most of my list is to make LB happy; I'm really glad to see her infuse peppers in more and more dishes. Can't beat that when the wife takes interest ;)
 
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Not the best pic; but the shelf is being sketchy, and I don't need all the babies bouncing off the floor.
 
Good luck to all this season :party:
 
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You cannot keep a good man down, and your nailing this all the way Scott. Keep going mate your hard work going to pay off. Plants loading up nicely.
Superb glog and a great read, keep up your superb work.

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk
 
stettoman said:
Scott, I've grown a LOT of tomatoes, had a LOT of tomato plants take down cages and trellises and string setups, and until you simply realize that the only way to hold up the tomatah monstah is industrial...
 
I quit growing full rows of tomatoes years ago, have weaned myself to no more than 5 plants/year now, and these 8' T-posts have NEVER failed these last 4 years. Yes, they are driven 3 feet in. They haven't met their tomato plant match yet...
 
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 Don't you just love a freshly tilled garden plot?
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Things look good Scott.You are correct Sir.You want to catch a bigger fish you need a bigger pole. ;)
 
Things are looking good at your place Scott! Mini-Rocotos are doing well for you and the Peach-White Hab jam looks delish. :drooling:
 
I was shocked after seeing Chuck's soil test come back with such a high pH. I didn't imagine they could get that high outside of an alkalai environment and I'm wondering if some of your problems in the garden stem from similar origins. I'm guessing that the rock underlaying your soil is Limestone. One quick way to check is to put a few drops of vinegar in a pinch of soil. If it fizzes you've got problems for some plants... peppers included. From what I'm reading, Iron deficiency due to nute lockout is one of them.   http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1954&context=extension_curall
 
Your Tomatoes are surely doing well, and they like soil to be more acidic than the Peppers, so you're probably good there, but the telling point in the UUtah article was that high calcium tends to lock out the micro and trace nutes. Food for thought anyway. :)
 
 
Superhot Sim said:
You cannot keep a good man down, and your nailing this all the way Scott. Keep going mate your hard work going to pay off. Plants loading up nicely.
Superb glog and a great read, keep up your superb work.

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk
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Thanks Sim,
 
I appreciate the comments ;)
 
PaulG said:
I can hear that, brother.  Especially when
it just comes out of the blue like that.
 
 +1 what Sim said!
 
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Thanks Paul,
 
I'm feeling a bit better about things. LB and I escaped Thursday and played hooky on Friday. ;)
 
stickman said:
Things are looking good at your place Scott! Mini-Rocotos are doing well for you and the Peach-White Hab jam looks delish. :drooling:
 
I was shocked after seeing Chuck's soil test come back with such a high pH. I didn't imagine they could get that high outside of an alkalai environment and I'm wondering if some of your problems in the garden stem from similar origins. I'm guessing that the rock underlaying your soil is Limestone. One quick way to check is to put a few drops of vinegar in a pinch of soil. If it fizzes you've got problems for some plants... peppers included. From what I'm reading, Iron deficiency due to nute lockout is one of them.   http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1954&context=extension_curall
 
Your Tomatoes are surely doing well, and they like soil to be more acidic than the Peppers, so you're probably good there, but the telling point in the UUtah article was that high calcium tends to lock out the micro and trace nutes. Food for thought anyway. :)
 
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Thanks Rick,
 
Yes, we have limestone big time around here. And I tested the water PH=8.0; which is why I use rain water to irrigate when I have it. So far it's all I've used; but if it doesn't rain tonight it's one more watering and I'm out. I've really stepped up the foliar applications of calmag, seaweed extract and the Hasta Gro, which is an organic mix 6-12-6.
 
I've been on a 4 year binge of adding organic materials to the soil to help balance the PH levels. I'm guessing just in the last 3 years 100 plus yards added to the 1,600 square feet I use as the main garden. I'll till deeply one last time this summer after pulling the plants to mix in the 3"s I added after planting. Then I guess I sell the tiller and go broadfork.
 
Speaking of which I have the 5 tines cut and roughed out. I used my torch versus getting the school kids to use the good stuff they have there. They're all busy with finishing out the school year and I know they don't have the time right now. So right now I have 5 tines cut, and the 1 1/4" 11 gauge square stock is cut to accept the tines. It got hot out, and so did I, so I'll weld them when it's cool tomorrow. Then I just need to decide how I want the handles. Wood would be much lighter ;)  It won't be pretty but the dirt won't care :shh:
 
Devv said:
 
Thanks Rick,
 
Yes, we have limestone big time around here. And I tested the water PH=8.0; which is why I use rain water to irrigate when I have it. So far it's all I've used; but if it doesn't rain tonight it's one more watering and I'm out. I've really stepped up the foliar applications of calmag, seaweed extract and the Hasta Gro, which is an organic mix 6-12-6.
 
I've been on a 4 year binge of adding organic materials to the soil to help balance the PH levels. I'm guessing just in the last 3 years 100 plus yards added to the 1,600 square feet I use as the main garden. I'll till deeply one last time this summer after pulling the plants to mix in the 3"s I added after planting. Then I guess I sell the tiller and go broadfork.
 
Speaking of which I have the 5 tines cut and roughed out. I used my torch versus getting the school kids to use the good stuff they have there. They're all busy with finishing out the school year and I know they don't have the time right now. So right now I have 5 tines cut, and the 1 1/4" 11 gauge square stock is cut to accept the tines. It got hot out, and so did I, so I'll weld them when it's cool tomorrow. Then I just need to decide how I want the handles. Wood would be much lighter ;)  It won't be pretty but the dirt won't care :shh:
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Very cool Scott! Have you tested your soil this year to find out how much all that organic matter got you?
 
Ooh... I wanna see pics of the "broadfork-to-be!" :onfire:
 
 
stickman said:
 
Very cool Scott! Have you tested your soil this year to find out how much all that organic matter got you?
 
Ooh... I wanna see pics of the "broadfork-to-be!" :onfire:
 
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I haven't, I want to make sure all the goodies are broken down first. I do feel something is amiss with my soil specs. I'll post some plant picks tomorrow; I'm now thinking it's nutrient uptake issue.
 
Here's the pics ;)
 
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Still more work to be done! So far all scraps from making gates and BBQ's. I'm not going to weld it up like this; I want an angle on the tines.
 
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Aji Oro pods! Sorry for the blur, the camera focused on my hand. Cute story about my "hairy self"; about 10 years ago a Kindergarten student stopped me as I was getting out of the truck. He grabbed the hair on my arm and said "hey mister, are you turning into a monkey?" I rolled ;)
 
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B.O.C., just got new shoes today.
 
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P. Dreadie did too ;)
 
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Got the sunshade up, still have to finish closing in the bird netting. And yes, those holes are from the hail storm last year that scared the sheet out of LB and I. And the forecast tonight is possible hail. Boo!
 
Finally took some pics today; I'm guessing the plants will make it. I should have taken then earlier before it got so bright out :eek:
 
April 30th and we had a cool front with hella winds come in yesterday evening. The winds continue today. The garden is holding up really well; the fence helps a ton to protect from the wind. One spot is not closed in with sunshade or bird netting, The pic above shows that spot. Pulled 7 or 8 hornworms of the plants today. I sure hate those bastages!
 
My heart goes out to the people involved with last night violent weather. Some really scary weather last night North of us.
 
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Aji Amarillo loving life, a few flowers even :shh:
 
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First Chinense to set a pod, it had a hornworm on it last week that did some damage, but it's moving past it.
 
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B-Goat, most of the Chinense still have the crinkled leaves. I'll be watching to see how the new growth comes out.
 
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Gochu with some color!
 
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Plenty of the good guys around ;)  I guess the fence is keeping the lizards out, I haven't seen any in the garden yet.
 
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The plants in the Hugel Bed are doing well, most are loaded down with pods.
 
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Jimmy Nardello
 
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Aji Lemon Drop
 
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Another one of the P. Dreadie's
 
Weather looks good for the 10 day, I hope it hangs for 30 more days!
 
Dang Scott!

I just got caught up. You've had some troubles lately. I have a bunch of plants. I'll send you a bunch if you want. Won't cost you a dime.

I hope things turn around for you. I'm sold on the testing. I'm going to test every year. I hate wondering what's going on.

Take care my friend.
 
Very cool-looking broadfork beginnings Scott! That should do some serious soil aerating! As we get older, it gets tougher to get up off our knees, and I love how well this tool works while keeping your back straight. How long did you end up making the tines? 
 
  Love the color that's beginning to show on your pods, and wowed by the cross-section of varieties. Your season must be heating up fast if you're putting up the shade netting already!
 
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