Devv-2017-Having a good time in the dirt

meatfreak · Apr 16, 2017

Devv said:
Thanks Stefan!

Maters I can do. The Chinense test me and I'm still trying to figure them out So how do you train them to go 7'? Mine are about the height they get just before they start to fall down because the support limit has been reached. I need to break out the 3/8 rebar and stake the cages.

Trellis is the word, I trellis my tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers. They would go higher if it weren't for my tunnel to be little over 7ft in height

By the end of July, early August I need to top of my plants cause the have reached the height already. Looking back at your pictures you already got the wooden construction around your plants so you can easily get it done. Look it up on the internet for ideas but use rope to trellis the plants. Be sure the rope is strong enough to hold the weight, I just bought some new and it can carry 140lb. Maybe a bit overdone but still

Also be sure to prune, removing leaves from the bottom and side growth (suckers). I think I got some pictures of mine.

Picture from 2014, notice how narrow the strings are. In this case it was a fail and I had to replace them later in season. You really wanna have more wide ones and stronger. I always plant 2 plants at a spot.

This is a picture from 2015, you can see them in the background. It works the best with regular varieties but with Cherry types it still gets messy as the make a lot of side growth that you don't wanna remove for yield :o

meatfreak · Apr 16, 2017

Something like this perhaps?

stickman · Apr 16, 2017

Devv said:
Well the Gochu has one turning, so I'll consider IT the real first one of the season. The C. Pubiscens were planted in mid summer; but that's the only way I get pods from them it seems.

I'm not surprised the Biker Billy didn't grow true... it was an f1 cross right outta the gate, so unstable in succeeding generations.

Now this I didn't know. But I did grow some from different seeds that were true last year. One thing I need to do is have a better method of organizing my seeds

I'll be experimenting this year with green mulch under my taller plants that don't go into plastic mulch. I got a pound of Dutch White Clover seeds to sow underneath my Tomatoes and Lacinato Kale once they get well-established. This variety of Clover is only supposed to grow 6 inches tall, so it shouldn't shade out the veggies it's surrounding, but it'll grow thick and smother weeds, prevent erosion by wind or water, scavenge nutes and hold them in place, and add nitrogen to the soil to boot! It's a persistent perennial, but can be relatively easily smothered at the end of the season by covering with a thick cardboard or old carpet kill-mulch. Then by spring, the area will be ready to plant again. Your comment about nutrient drift in your beds makes me think you might be interested in this.

I'll be watching to see how your experiment does. Any fear of them "stealing" from the intended crops?

I used cardboard 2 years ago to kill out sedge grass (nut grass). First I watered well in August after the garden was done to bring them out. Then used the pitch fork to expose the nut, which I disposed of. Then I covered the affected portion of the garden with cardboard and left it on until almost spring. I think I chased down 3 after that and haven't seen any more.

Also if you noticed I created several barriers to effectively terrace the garden The fence is one, and I have two more using 1x8's. I'm hoping that helps with the nutrient drift Do you think the Clover will do well here?

Cheers!

Good news about the Gochus ripening up for you... I hope you and LB get lots of them!

It's true that the Dutch White Clover does tend to have a dense root mat, but if it's sowed after the main crop has had time to fully establish itself and sink deep roots it shouldn't interfere or take away too many nutes from the soil unless it's extremely poor. This variety of clover is only supposed to grow about 6 inches high so it shouldn't shade out the main crop. It's dense foliage should smother any weeds though, and help the soil retain moisture. I don't know how well it would grow in your area... have you noticed any growing near you? That's the kind of question your extension agent should be able to answer. Thanks for sharing your experience using kill-mulch, it makes me more confident this scheme will work. :party:

Devv · Apr 18, 2017

meatfreak said:
Something like this perhaps?

Thanks for the input Stefan. I'll give that a whirl next season on some of them for a comparison. It will for sure decrease the mater jungle, that's a 4 foot spacing between rows.

Devv · Apr 18, 2017

stickman said:
Good news about the Gochus ripening up for you... I hope you and LB get lots of them!

It's true that the Dutch White Clover does tend to have a dense root mat, but if it's sowed after the main crop has had time to fully establish itself and sink deep roots it shouldn't interfere or take away too many nutes from the soil unless it's extremely poor. This variety of clover is only supposed to grow about 6 inches high so it shouldn't shade out the main crop. It's dense foliage should smother any weeds though, and help the soil retain moisture. I don't know how well it would grow in your area... have you noticed any growing near you? That's the kind of question your extension agent should be able to answer. Thanks for sharing your experience using kill-mulch, it makes me more confident this scheme will work.

Thanks Rick!

All the Annuum's do really well here, so we should be good.

I'm thinking it's the same clover that grew in yards when I was a kid in NY. it really attracted the black bumble bees as we called them, and never grew high. I'll check into it's growing climate

Devv · Apr 18, 2017

Some good news and some bad news.

Good news first.

We picked a Peach 2 days ago and ate it today, perfection!

Most of these are from the tree in the back end of the garden. The coons and birds are already hitting them. I know they're not supposed to be harvested until the green turns yellow, but in full sun they looked yellow. We left more than half on the tree because they were obviously green still. I see a nice large batch of Peach-Habanero jelly coming up this weekend! The just have to be better than the hard ones in the store that once get soft are mealy

The bad:

So far 3 plants have wilted in the last 7 days, it's not for lack of water :tear:

I removed them. One, as an experiment, got the roots washed off and dipped in a Sulphur-Epsom solution. Which I immediately rinsed off, plus I poured the remainder on the leaves (rinsed too).1tbls of per gallon. I then repotted it in a pot with new soil and set it aside in the shade way away from everything else. I also wore gloves :shh:

Not expecting much here. I hope more don't succumb. If so I'll be planting in pots for a few season and plant other goodies there.

Fingers crossed! And LB is calling...LOL

stettoman · Apr 19, 2017

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...

Don't you just love a freshly tilled garden plot?

Devv · Apr 19, 2017

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...

Don't you just love a freshly tilled garden plot?

Wow Eric! That soil looks like dark chocolate! I'd be loading up to move there, but it's too dang cold!

Last year I grew 80 plants, 24 were San Marzano and I had bad seeds, they produced grape San Marzano's. But the other 56 yielded 100 quarts, which we ate and canned. Being I live for the red sauce, and the G-kids do too, that's where most goes.

Some also goes for hot sauces too. I was sick during the 2015 grow (4 hospital stays (stupid docs)) and lost the grow. So the large grow was to make up for LB having to buy store bought canned maties. We will have a few quarts left over, and I'll see where the 30 gets us this season. I'm sure I'll never go below 18 and I like to plant them in different spots each year. I did break out the 3/8" rebar already to stake the leaning cages.

Devv · Apr 19, 2017

Mini Red Rocoto pods are close!

Also have a few turning on the Aji Largo. Seeds from Dale aka GIP. These reside under a Live Oak tree, a big one

stettoman · Apr 20, 2017

Devv said:
Wow Eric! That soil looks like dark chocolate! I'd be loading up to move there, but it's too dang cold!

You like it now, you should see it WET!!

Living up here (as you know) is an exercise in acclimation. Some can, many cannot. I survived 12 years in Fountain Hills AZ until I went crazy not from the heat, but from missing the change of seasons, so I brought my unsuspecting bride and children "home". Been back here where I grew up since 2002, and the family still doesn't hate me. I think I have a chance....

I spent an all-too-short week in your neck of the woods in March of 2016, could easily live there if some/most of those other people would just leave....

stickman · Apr 21, 2017

Devv said:
Some good news and some bad news.

Good news first.

We picked a Peach 2 days ago and ate it today, perfection!

Most of these are from the tree in the back end of the garden. The coons and birds are already hitting them. I know they're not supposed to be harvested until the green turns yellow, but in full sun they looked yellow. We left more than half on the tree because they were obviously green still. I see a nice large batch of Peach-Habanero jelly coming up this weekend! The just have to be better than the hard ones in the store that once get soft are mealy

The bad:

So far 3 plants have wilted in the last 7 days, it's not for lack of water I removed them. One, as an experiment, got the roots washed off and dipped in a Sulphur-Epsom solution. Which I immediately rinsed off, plus I poured the remainder on the leaves (rinsed too).1tbls of per gallon. I then repotted it in a pot with new soil and set it aside in the shade way away from everything else. I also wore gloves Not expecting much here. I hope more don't succumb. If so I'll be planting in pots for a few season and plant other goodies there.

Fingers crossed! And LB is calling...LOL

I don't see why White Clover wouldn't grow in your area... it was the only green in our lawn during the drought last summer.

Thumbs up for ripe Peaches, but thumbs down for wilting in your plants! :stop:

I hope you've got a handle on it Scott, disease is never fun to deal with. We're pullin' for ya!

Devv · Apr 21, 2017

Thanks Rick,

My beautiful plants are looking pretty rough right now. No more wilting, but after two years of wetter than normal weather, I guess all the bad guys are ready for action. Nothing wrong with the tomatoes or potatoes, but the peppers are now having the leaves curl. I suspect it's mites, so it's hammer time after I run to town. That and caterpillars from hell, just stripping the leaves off the plants (this is a first). BT at them in the morning.

I don't intend to give up. I hope the plants don't!

stickman · Apr 21, 2017

Devv said:
Thanks Rick,

My beautiful plants are looking pretty rough right now. No more wilting, but after two years of wetter than normal weather, I guess all the bad guys are ready for action. Nothing wrong with the tomatoes or potatoes, but the peppers are now having the leaves curl. I suspect it's mites, so it's hammer time after I run to town. That and caterpillars from hell, just stripping the leaves off the plants (this is a first). BT at them in the morning.

I don't intend to give up. I hope the plants don't!

Ool... Hornworms? BT will spike their guns for sure. Good luck Scott!

Devv · Apr 22, 2017

stickman said:
Ool... Hornworms? BT will spike their guns for sure. Good luck Scott!

As a matter of fact I found two hornworms this morning. This is extremely early in the season for them to show. Normally around July-August is when I see them. Another type of caterpillar I'm finding is dark colored with lighter colored stripes. About an inch long and 3/16-1/4" in diameter. In reading, what I'm seeing could be several things. Virus or bacterial, hope not or we're pretty much done. Mites, thrips etc., or severe calcium deficiency. I'm going with the critters because I see it in plants no where near the garden that live in pots. I apply calmag, so it shouldn't be a calcium thing. I sprayed them with a product made up of Pyrethrins - 0.25% and Clarified Hydrophobic Extract of Neem Oil - 70%. The label said safe for organic gardening. I will apply the BT powder in the morning, we had a cool front this AM and the wind is cranking from the North pretty good.

Time to make some Peach Habanero Jam!

Blitz527 · Apr 22, 2017

Man, Sorry to hear of the troubles you are having, things will turn around I hope. Good luck and keep us posted.

PaulG · Apr 23, 2017

Geez, Scott, if it isn't one thing, it's another.
You are doing a great job of balancing all the
aspects of your garden - looks really great.

Have you figured out what's bothering your
plants, yet? Hate to hear stuff like that.

Devv · Apr 23, 2017

Blitz527 said:
Man, Sorry to hear of the troubles you are having, things will turn around I hope. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks Alex. I have my fingers crossed.

Devv · Apr 23, 2017

PaulG said:
Geez, Scott, if it isn't one thing, it's another.
You are doing a great job of balancing all the
aspects of your garden - looks really great.

Have you figured out what's bothering your
plants, yet? Hate to hear stuff like that.

Yeah Paul,

It's been that way. I guess most of my issues are all the open country around me here. In suburbia, most are on top of things, like taking care of the yard etc. Here we have everything. It's been a bumper butterfly spring, which accounts for the leaf eating caterpillars. If it's disease, I'll be in pots next year. The rest I can deal with. I'll know soon enough

I was out a good 5 hours feeding, watering and putting up the bird netting. Tomorrow I start with the sunshades. We're gonna pull this off one way or another.

So we made some Peach Jam with some MoA's and White Habs.

Steak last night

Prime1 Prime Rib Roast was on sale last week, I cut 7 inch 1/4" steaks from the roast.

This is how many of the plants look :shh:

This is the worst of the "eaten" plants.

The other side of the coin. The Maties are eye level and look healthy; and as Ron White says "they're looooaaaaaded".

The grapes are doing well too. I purposely moved them into the garden to help me, the addicted one from over planting. The grapes and the maties are why the bird netting is going up; or I get none.

The Jimmy Nardello's have some nice huge pods! One other thing I've been seeing is worm holes in pods :mope:

Hope I don't see anymore.

Some decent Poblano pods coming on.

At least the Annuum's are doing their part

Yes it's bright out today! All the plants in the Hugel Bed look OK except the two in the front on the left. They both have the funky leaf curling. They have a few pods that look normal. No bumpy blotchy look going on.

One of the growdown gals in the dirt.

PaulG · Apr 23, 2017

Scott! Slow down, brother!

Just kidding. Growing in your region has a
whole host of issues I wouldn't want to deal
with, but you do a superb job of maintaining
your composure and taking care of business!

Keep the faith, my friend!

Devv · Apr 23, 2017

PaulG said:
Scott! Slow down, brother!

Just kidding. Growing in your region has a
whole host of issues I wouldn't want to deal
with, but you do a superb job of maintaining
your composure and taking care of business!

Keep the faith, my friend!

I'm good

I just get frustrated some times seeing all the hard work go South