Devv-2018-Loving life in the dirt

Devv · Apr 1, 2018

stickman said:
Glad to see your rain cistern works as well as advertised Scott. [emoji106] That reminds me, I've gotta tighten up my own rain barrel. The threaded rubber plug that the tap screws into leaks. I bought a proper bulkhead fitting and inside screen a while back, and I have to install them before setting it up outside. Just waiting for the threat of snow and ice to pass first.
Since you've got your tank above ground, are you planning on painting it white to keep the water inside cooler? I'll bet that Texas summer sun will heat it right up!

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

I'd love to paint it, but they say it voids the warranty. I have to go and read it again to make sure. If that is the case I may just make a simple lean-to to shade it.

Devv · Apr 1, 2018

karoo said:
Sounds great , nothing like rainwater to keep those plants happy.

It should really help being the rain water is 2 full points lower than the well water. I figured I'd take the plunge, being I'm trying to lower the garden Ph out of the low 8's

Devv · Apr 1, 2018

TrentL said:
Looks really good man! It is nice to see plants in the ground... we've got snow in the forecast tomorrow for Easter here, so .. still a loooong ways to go up north. Heck I still have tomatoes to put down in to starter trays!

By the time I get all my plants in the ground your season will be about over lol. Mid may to early June is when everything is going in the dirt here.

Thanks Trent!

I'm feeling the soil amendments are paying off. It's the first time in 3 years the dirt grow is looking better than the containers.

And you're correct, mid June is when we're pretty close to done here.

Devv · Apr 1, 2018

Happy Easter all! We had the kids and the 6 G-kids for a sleep over. After breakfast they did the Easter Egg hunt. Everyone has work or school tomorrow so it's quiet here again. They age 2,5,5,7,11,and 16. So it's like a hurricane when they all visit. :shh:

Nothing special going on in the garden, everything is growing nicely and a few more pods are showing up here and there. I'm hoping things get to being loaded up here soon.

Should be eating Jalapenos here very soon

Annuum's in the Hugel Bed. I spread some mulch in the walkways before the sun got hot.

Got a bunch of just set tiny maters and peppers. Pics will be taken when they get a bit larger.

2 Aji Amarillo's. I learned my lesson after growing one last season. Cages they need! They're starting to flower.

Aji Dulce.

Orange Gum Tigermamp. This was one of the last to germ and needs to catch up. Nice looking plant though, I love the coloration of the foliage.

Pob's on the West fence getting taller. I see some Chile Relleno candidates

One of Paul's purple PDN x Bonda crosses.

One of the GD's in the dirt.

Another one in a container. Has quite a few flowers on it...

TrentL · Apr 1, 2018

Those look damn good!

You hitting them with any liquid nutes now that they're podding up? They're gonna be hungry for PK with the poddage.

Devv · Apr 1, 2018

TrentL said:
Those look damn good!

You hitting them with any liquid nutes now that they're podding up? They're gonna be hungry for PK with the poddage.

I used Alaska fish ferts when they were in containers, and only that.

The soil was amended to meet the recommendations outlined in the soil test. I used a half dose of Azomite, and a half dose of kelp meal to help with trace minerals. Added Fish Bone meal to meet specs as the test showed I was low in Phosphorus and available Calcium. This product is supposed to make these 2 things more available when the soil Ph is high. I Also added a half dose of blood meal, a useful product for Nitrogen when the soil Ph is high. I did this at the beginning of February, so things could gel a bit before planting.

I added 2 TBLS of Tomato Tone in the hole of each plant when I planted and another 2 TBLS the day before the rains came. I also use 1 tsp of Calmag per gallon every week in a foliar application on the maters and every 2 weeks on the peppers, as the soil Ph is still rather high, which limits Calcium uptake. Once a month they get a foliar application of Chelated Iron, which also contains Copper, Manganese, and Zinc. Same deal with high soil Ph as the reason for the foilar application.

I should be good

stickman · Apr 2, 2018

I'm lovin' the way the leaves look in your dirt plots Scott... nice size and color, and laying nice and flat. It's obvious they're happy!
Since it's the soil-dwelling microbiota that do the heavy lifting by extracting nutrients from your organic amendments, a root drench with a light dose of molasses every week or two would keep them happy as well. Keep up the good work!

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

Devv · Apr 7, 2018

stickman said:
I'm lovin' the way the leaves look in your dirt plots Scott... nice size and color, and laying nice and flat. It's obvious they're happy!
Since it's the soil-dwelling microbiota that do the heavy lifting by extracting nutrients from your organic amendments, a root drench with a light dose of molasses every week or two would keep them happy as well. Keep up the good work!

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

Thank Rick,

It's been a crazy week, so glad for the weekend! I did manage to brew a molasses|compost tea this week and hit all the plants. Also this morning LB and I spread one of the bins of compost around all the plants. It was comprised of composted leaves, cow manure and re-chipped RCW. 2 more bins to go....

I did find out that I can paint the tank, so that's a good thing!

LB just had to try these Zapotec Jals. They're a bit small but as she says perfect for poppers.

stickman · Apr 7, 2018

Devv said:
Thank Rick,

It's been a crazy week, so glad for the weekend! I did manage to brew a molasses|compost tea this week and hit all the plants. Also this morning LB and I spread one of the bins of compost around all the plants. It was comprised of composted leaves, cow manure and re-chipped RCW. 2 more bins to go....

I did find out that I can paint the tank, so that's a good thing!

LB just had to try these Zapotec Jals. They're a bit small but as she says perfect for poppers.

Woot! Early harvest! [emoji312] Whaddya think Scott... 11 more weeks of harvest for the chiles?

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

Devv · Apr 7, 2018

stickman said:
Woot! Early harvest! [emoji312] Whaddya think Scott... 11 more weeks of harvest for the chiles?

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

That will be about it for the tomatoes. The chiles, I'll let what ever is on the plants go until they ripen. Then I'll call it quits. Myself and the garden need the rest...LOL

One other thing I did this morning was to trim all the lower leaves on all 90+ plants to get them off the ground. For 2 reasons, disease potential, and so we can see if the Rattle Snakes have come to visit. Now that the garden has a real fence, we should be good. But I can't trust my life to that. Two years ago we had two show up, one scared me while trimming. I'm glad LB was there pointing it out to me, because I didn't see it.

Took this yesterday, on our road. A 4 footer. I let it be; I only kill ones I can't safely relocate. Like the one on my doorstep last summer.

stickman · Apr 7, 2018

Devv said:
That will be about it for the tomatoes. The chiles, I'll let what ever is on the plants go until they ripen. Then I'll call it quits. Myself and the garden need the rest...LOL

One other thing I did this morning was to trim all the lower leaves on all 90+ plants to get them off the ground. For 2 reasons, disease potential, and so we can see if the Rattle Snakes have come to visit. Now that the garden has a real fence, we should be good. But I can't trust my life to that. Two years ago we had two show up, one scared me while trimming. I'm glad LB was there pointing it out to me, because I didn't see it.

Took this yesterday, on our road. A 4 footer. I let it be; I only kill ones I can't safely relocate. Like the one on my doorstep last summer.

Snakes we have here, but the venomous ones aren't nearly as big. We have a few Timber Rattlers and Copperheads in the scree piles at the bottom of cliff faces in remote areas... lots of places to hide and the rocks are a heat sink where they can warm themselves. They're very shy though, and will try to escape unless unthinking big people block their exit. The only native snakes I've seen around here to match that Rattler for size are Eastern Rat Snakes. One of my clients had one about 4 feet long that preyed on the Chipmunks burrowed in around their woodshed.

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

Devv · Apr 7, 2018

That one never moved, it was on the road just trying to gather warmth. And yes, they would rather not confront us. Us humans often surprise them and they simply react. Living in a true rural setting, as LB and I raised our kids we were always saying "watch out for the nakers". Thankfully they never had any confrontations. Now it's the G-kids we have to warn when they visit. One good thing is the 3 dogs alert us; and I worry about them...

So LB was picking some carrots, I came out to help. My hearing is not the best after all the years in a rather noisy environment. She said "don't pull them all", I heard something different. I pulled them all.
She was not happy....

I did help

Sawyer · Apr 8, 2018

Nice looking carrots. What variety?

They might be deadly and occasionally have an attitude problem, but rattlesnakes sure are beautiful. Growing up, our "conventional wisdom" was that rattlesnakes considered humans their equal. "You leave me alone; I'll leave you alone." Copperheads (another beauty) will do their best to get away from you. You almost have to step on one to get it to bite. Cottonmouths are the nasty ones. Given half a chance, they'll come looking for a fight. They stink, too. I've located more than one in time to safely avoid it by freezing at the first whiff of that stench.

Your plants just blow me away. It's gotten down to the mid-20s °F here the last two nights and I'm still starting seeds.

charlesquik · Apr 8, 2018

The plants are looking good Devv.

I'm a little bit jealous you guys out south already have plants and pods outside while I have 5 feet of snow in the backyard :deadhorse:

Masher · Apr 8, 2018

Great looking plants Devv, you are miles ahead of most of us with that great weather your having. :dance:

Genetikx · Apr 8, 2018

Looking great here Scott, except the snakes. That's one of the reasons I only made it a year in Houston. And the nutrea...and tree roaches. I do miss Rudy's tho

How'd you made the molasses tea? I've bought a powder to make it before but I imagine much cheaper using the real thing.

jedisushi06 · Apr 8, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vifUaZQL8pc

jedisushi06 · Apr 8, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAa2QZbGsHY

Devv · Apr 8, 2018

Sawyer said:
Nice looking carrots. What variety?

They might be deadly and occasionally have an attitude problem, but rattlesnakes sure are beautiful. Growing up, our "conventional wisdom" was that rattlesnakes considered humans their equal. "You leave me alone; I'll leave you alone." Copperheads (another beauty) will do their best to get away from you. You almost have to step on one to get it to bite. Cottonmouths are the nasty ones. Given half a chance, they'll come looking for a fight. They stink, too. I've located more than one in time to safely avoid it by freezing at the first whiff of that stench.

Your plants just blow me away. It's gotten down to the mid-20s °F here the last two nights and I'm still starting seeds.

Hi John,

Nantes, they seem to do well here. I sow them in a raised bed in September. Don't even thin them, we just let them go.

Was 43° this morning here; that's February weather

Devv · Apr 8, 2018

charlesquik said:
The plants are looking good Devv.

I'm a little bit jealous you guys out south already have plants and pods outside while I have 5 feet of snow in the backyard

Thanks Chuck!

The wife and I left NY in 1978 and never looked back. We get 3 months of bad weather; that's mid June-mid September. But there's still plenty a person can do in the mornings. We used to float the river a lot, but I hit my limit of sun doing that