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Devv-2018-Loving life in the dirt

Here we go again! ;)
 
This year will be a mix of in the dirt and container growing. Mostly in the dirt. I have some OW's going, 5 are cut back, 6 are pubes that still spend time outdoors as the weather allows. I have pH issues in the dirt, working on that, and hoping for some better results this season. One thing the wife and I decided is to NOT grow into the fall again. I was pulling plants the same weekend I started my seeds. I'm using 4 2 bulb T8's with 6,500K bulbs, and 1 4 bulb T5 with I believe 6,500K bulbs.
 
So here's the list:
 
Planted 12-3-17

~Aji Amarillo
~Aji Dulce
~Scotchbrain
~Scotchbrain-Morugawelder
~P. Dreadie's-Windchicken
~BOC-Windchicken
 JA Habs
~Aji Oro
~pdn-bonda w PaulG
~pdn-bonda p PaulG
~pumpkin bb6-Morugawelder
~pumpkin bubblegum Bhuter
~orangegum tigermamp Bhuter
~7-pot cinder Bhuter
~pimente-neyde Bhuter
~Big Black mama-OCD Chilihead
~Brainstrain-Reaper OCD Chilihead
 
Planted 12-30-2017
 
~Jalapeno-Zapotec, Orange, Farmers.
~Poblano
~Bell-Yellow, Red.
~padrons
Hot Hatch
~Ancho
~Antep Aci Dolma
~Big Jim
~Anaheim
~Large Orange Thai
~Gochu-Stickman
~Aji Limo Rojo
Jimmy Nardello
 
Planted 1-1-2018
 
~Yellow Brainstrain- Pepperguru
 
The ~ indicates we have lift off.
 
I planted extra early to beat the heat, hoping for pods before the temps go crazy. I may have to buy more lights...LOL
 
Pics sometime tomorrow ;)
 
 
 
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Looks awesome! Glad the hard part is about over for ya. 
 
Well, until you have to weed, anyway. :)
 
Is that RCW I see in the pic? You use any fabric weed barrier under that or does it do well enough you don't need it?
 
 
 
TrentL said:
Looks awesome! Glad the hard part is about over for ya. 
 
Well, until you have to weed, anyway. :)
 
Is that RCW I see in the pic? You use any fabric weed barrier under that or does it do well enough you don't need it?
 
 
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Thanks Trent!
 
I have about 7-8 yards of RCW that's been re-ground through a chipper, and is currently aging with a cow manure mix. I'll add this as it gets warmer to the rows. I don't need to use a weed barrier, the RCW does most of the work. The walkways either have old pvc conveyor belt material under the RCW or shredded paper. Very few weeds with this setup. Just the way we like it ;)
 
I walked outside to take a Growdown pic, the dogs were barking....and at the end of the driveway (135 yards) was an 18 wheeler. Never mind they were supposed to email me AND call before delivery ;)
 
My new toy!
 
99.jpg

 
Now I have to make a slab and hang the gutters, and plumb this baby.
 
Devv said:
I walked outside to take a Growdown pic, the dogs were barking....and at the end of the driveway (135 yards) was an 18 wheeler. Never mind they were supposed to email me AND call before delivery ;)
 
My new toy!
 
99.jpg

 
Now I have to make a slab and hang the gutters, and plumb this baby.
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Yeah Baby! Now your grow is gonna take off Scott! Well done that man. [emoji2]

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk
 
Oooh nice! That your rain-catcher?
 
I need to pick up a 2,000 gal tank soon-ish. The water at my farm is hellishly alkaline (over 8.5) so I will have to pump well water in to a tank, adjust the pH, add whatever nutrients, then pump it from the tank through my drip irrigation. Kind of a major pain in the ass in my not-so-distant-future. 
 
I'm hoping for a nice rainy spring / summer so I don't have to work as hard. :)
 
 
Devv said:
 
Thanks Frankie!
 
This is my first year planting both the Zapotec's and Big Jim's. The Big Jim's are supposed to be a Hatch pepper, hopefully the hot Hatch. We bought some last year at the grocery store and made Chili Releno from scratch. It came out super fantastic! Hoping these are the ones [emoji6]  It was similar to a Poblano in flavor, but with a thinner skin.
I've read good things about the Zapotec, I have 8 plants going. I hope they live up to their reputation! A lot of what we're growing this year reflects what we buy, so we went all in with those varieties. A few are to experiment and see if we like them.
 
Click to expand...
 
 
Devv said:
I walked outside to take a Growdown pic, the dogs were barking....and at the end of the driveway (135 yards) was an 18 wheeler. Never mind they were supposed to email me AND call before delivery [emoji6]
 
My new toy!
 
 
Now I have to make a slab and hang the gutters, and plumb this baby.
Click to expand...
 
I'm pretty excited to try them, they look so fun! I'm hoping they have that classic hatch chile flavor.. I remember I had one of those mac and cheese boxes from Trader Joe's with "hatch chile" in it and it was delicious... I also make a really great poblano mac and cheese that I'm hoping to take to the next level with these big jims. I really dropped the ball on growing jalapenos last year so I got 3 different kinds of fun jalapenos this year to make up for it. Ah, it's going to be a great year.
 
Wow that rain tank is awesome! Never looked into this... I assume as long as your rainwater is a reasonable pH this is a GREAT investment. Have you set it up yet?

Edit: here is my homemade poblano Mac and cheese:
adb2364876b94536ba7786bb49e762ec.jpg
 
stickman said:
Yeah Baby! Now your grow is gonna take off Scott! Well done that man. [emoji2]

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk
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Thanks Rick,
 
I should make a life quite a bit easier. Carrying all those 2.5gal jugs gets old.
 
I've been away entertaining here for the last 6 days and have some catching up to do!
 
PeriPeri said:
Nice one Scott, that is the way to go! Will you be using a pressure pump or will you have a gravity feed?
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Thanks Lourens!
 
Been wanting one for many years! I'm going to start out with a gravity feed and see how it works with 1.5" diameter pipe. The garden is about 10-12 feet lower than where the tank is going to sit, so fingers are crossed ;)
 
 
fcaruana said:
 
   
I'm pretty excited to try them, they look so fun! I'm hoping they have that classic hatch chile flavor.. I remember I had one of those mac and cheese boxes from Trader Joe's with "hatch chile" in it and it was delicious... I also make a really great poblano mac and cheese that I'm hoping to take to the next level with these big jims. I really dropped the ball on growing jalapenos last year so I got 3 different kinds of fun jalapenos this year to make up for it. Ah, it's going to be a great year.
 
Wow that rain tank is awesome! Never looked into this... I assume as long as your rainwater is a reasonable pH this is a GREAT investment. Have you set it up yet?

Edit: here is my homemade poblano Mac and cheese:
adb2364876b94536ba7786bb49e762ec.jpg
Click to expand...
 
That's an interesting dish we need to try ;)
 
I had family here since Saturday, and just got back from the airport drop off. So a lot to do. Tomorrow I make the slab and order the "Leaf eater". Saturday I'll start hanging the gutters. And the next chore will be burying over 100 feet of the 1.5" PVC. The just wait for rain, of which none is in sight :mope:
 
 
Hey, Scott, your glog is always an inspiration to read. It's good to see green in the dirt. We're still just shy of a month to last frost here. And I still have most of my seeds to plant.

I had a terrible sinking feeling several days ago. Was collecting all the seeds together and couldn't find the most recent additions, a PepperLover order and the ones you sent. Put me in an embarrassed panic for a couple of days, but all's well that ends well. I found them.

Will follow your tank setup with interest. I need to do something similar.
 
Sawyer said:
Hey, Scott, your glog is always an inspiration to read. It's good to see green in the dirt. We're still just shy of a month to last frost here. And I still have most of my seeds to plant.

I had a terrible sinking feeling several days ago. Was collecting all the seeds together and couldn't find the most recent additions, a PepperLover order and the ones you sent. Put me in an embarrassed panic for a couple of days, but all's well that ends well. I found them.

Will follow your tank setup with interest. I need to do something similar.
Click to expand...
 
Good to see you back on the THP John!
 
Made the slab today. LB said "you should have had a cement truck come here". LOL She's right!
 
34 80lb bags later...and LB was right there with me mixing the whole load. We used the tractor bucket to mix in.
 
I added portland to each mix to increase the strength of the slab.
 
 
Sawyer said:
Did you use any sand or aggregate or other extender? I always thought concrete was supposed to be cheap until I looked at the price of bags of cement.
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I used sacrete for most of it, adding portland cement at the rate of 2 shovels full to each mix of 160lbs to increase the tensile strength. The last mix was portland cement and sand. 2 parts sand, 1 part cement. The final mix makes smoothing things over so much easier, as the sacrete has small stones in it. The slab is about six inches thick with 3/8" rebar. The foundation is sand, which is very stable as ours is this clay sand mix. When it's dry it's like a rock. I often have to soak it before digging. The night before pouring the concrete I soaked the form area really well to get things to settle and pack down.
 
Trident chilli said:
Slab picture please ... well done Scott I bet that was a "work out" laying that ... one hell of a nutrient tank
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You betcha. A really good workout. I'm surprised, today I have just the mildest ache in my right bicep. I guess my exercise regime and all the yard work helps. Not bad for being 60 in October. ;)
 
I don't have a slab just showing it when empty. But here's a pic with the tank in place, and the gutters are just getting started....
 
113.jpg

 
I really wanted the tank off the shop, for several reasons. Like it's in the way there ;) But the metal roof overhang is like 5"s on the shop.
 
 
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