Devv-2018-Loving life in the dirt

stc3248 · May 9, 2019

Wow...you really blasted ahead of us mortals. Such great looking pods you're at least 3 weeks ahead of me on pod size. Love the bee water hole, contemplating adding a hive or two myself. Great stuff as always.

Bhuter · May 9, 2019

Great stuff, Scott!

I'm really anxious to see how your German Pinks turn out! I've tried for years and just get 2-4 a year. Every year they kick-a$$, then one day, they'll be completely wilted. Sometimes they're even fine the next day. So I did some research and I have bad guys to maters around the yard: Walnut Trees. Walnut trees produce Juglone.

Walnuts and butternuts produce a compound called juglone that is toxic to many other plants. Tomatoes and other members of the nightshade family are particularly susceptible. They can wilt suddenly when in contact with juglone from the roots, husks or uncomposted leaves of the walnut tree.

BINGO! So this year, we're doing maters in pots.

Orekoc · May 9, 2019

And if you get rid of the tree, it can take 5 years for the soil to be free of the Juglone. Usually it doesn't start developing till the tree is 7 years old.

Got to cut down the seedling in my back yard, it is getting around 7 years old. Ugh.

Also, black walnuts produce the most juglone, from what I've read.

Bhuter · May 9, 2019

Orekoc said:
And if you get rid of the tree, it can take 5 years for the soil to be free of the Juglone. Usually it doesn't start developing till the tree is 7 years old.

Got to cut down the seedling in my back yard, it is getting around 7 years old. Ugh.

Also, black walnuts produce the most juglone, from what I've read.

I think you're right about the Black variety. Yeah, there are 6-12 walnut trees just along the property line. This ground will take forever to exude the juglone. Lol. Walnuts are a PITA, anyway. Especially when mowing. Lol.

*FLING*

Devv · May 10, 2019

Sawyer said:
Things are looking about as great as expected here.

I'm trying to think of a "birds and the bees" joke for that watering station, but can't quite find it. It does look a lot like a bird bath, though.

Thanks John,

I made a BBQ pit for my son out of a 300 gallon propane tank 5 years ago, that's one the ends I cut off. The birds love it, as do the bees. It is what it is, and it was scrap, so for free

One thing about living out here, no need to impress the neighbors, and I certainly don't try..

They need binoculars to spy on us...

Devv · May 10, 2019

stc3248 said:
Wow...you really blasted ahead of us mortals. Such great looking pods you're at least 3 weeks ahead of me on pod size. Love the bee water hole, contemplating adding a hive or two myself. Great stuff as always.

Thanks Shane!

We have a few natural hives around here, 3 within 50 yards of the house. There were 4, but one was 15 feet from the house and I had to seal the tree up, as they were 5 feet from the BBQ area and getting mean.

Good luck on your grow this year in uncharted land

Devv · May 10, 2019

Bhuter said:
Great stuff, Scott!

I'm really anxious to see how your German Pinks turn out! I've tried for years and just get 2-4 a year. Every year they kick-a$$, then one day, they'll be completely wilted. Sometimes they're even fine the next day. So I did some research and I have bad guys to maters around the yard: Walnut Trees. Walnut trees produce Juglone.

Walnuts and butternuts produce a compound called juglone that is toxic to many other plants. Tomatoes and other members of the nightshade family are particularly susceptible. They can wilt suddenly when in contact with juglone from the roots, husks or uncomposted leaves of the walnut tree.

BINGO! So this year, we're doing maters in pots.

Thanks Adam!

I'm really bad about names, numbers, now that I'm amazing with...I think I called you Andy somewhere along the journey...maybe it's age. I'm so bad I have a file for this...LOL

I read about the Walnut trees and their toxicity a while back. They don't hurt the peppers? The Pinks have a nice load of fruit

And I hope they do well here, time will tell!

Bhuter · May 10, 2019

Devv said:
Thanks Adam!

I'm really bad about names, numbers, now that I'm amazing with...I think I called you Andy somewhere along the journey...maybe it's age. I'm so bad I have a file for this...LOL

I read about the Walnut trees and their toxicity a while back. They don't hurt the peppers? The Pinks have a nice load of fruit And I hope they do well here, time will tell!

It seems like it should hurt the peppers, but it's always just the tomatoes. And now that I think of it, it's only the bigger tomatoes that wilt. Hardly ever...if ever...does it affect the cherry tomatoes. They always rock!

Devv · May 10, 2019

Bhuter said:
I think you're right about the Black variety. Yeah, there are 6-12 walnut trees just along the property line. This ground will take forever to exude the juglone. Lol. Walnuts are a PITA, anyway. Especially when mowing. Lol.

*FLING*

I can the nuts acting like the bones my dogs leave around. I came in from mowing and the wife was like.."look at that window" Rupps..

I've been super busy, and I need to post pics. It's been raining off and on all week here, I've only stepped into the garden once this week. This is a way cooler May, cooler than I can remember here ever. 67° as a high today, pretty unheard of down here. Mostly we're seeing mid 80's, so we're about 7-10° lower, which is good! Come on Chinsense plants!

Devv · May 16, 2019

So no pics lately, my bad. I didn't start a new glog this year because I knew it was, is going to be a crazy year. I can retire in October, but may go to January...probably. I have a lot to do before then. I flip between yard work, the garden, and the house addition. and I have to go to work...sigh. That really gets in the way of things. That and I try to keep up with the fantastic glogs going on, and just can't.

So the Peaches have come in, as the Garlic, and the Onions have too. Stuffs everywhere in the house and outside. Maters started ripening..we have just under 60 plants, and it's gonna get crazy real fast. And of course a few peppers here and there. Hand watering the garden with rain water takes close to 2 hours...

Pics this weekend for sure.

stc3248 · May 16, 2019

I'm on that retirement train this year too...at least from the Navy so I know the struggle. Pace yourself, but we're gonna hold you to the weekend update!

PtMD989 · May 16, 2019

I can’t even think about retiring, unless I hit the Lotto [emoji16]. So right now my retirement will start the day I either walk out into Lake Superior and keep walking ,or go play on I-75 during rush hour [emoji2957]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Devv · May 17, 2019

PtMD989 said:
I can’t even think about retiring, unless I hit the Lotto [emoji16]. So right now my retirement will start the day I either walk out into Lake Superior and keep walking ,or go play on I-75 during rush hour [emoji2957]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I'm 60 now, and have been working full time since age 14. I'm certainly ready! I did a career change at 41 from auto-tech to IT. So I won't be raking it in, but we also saved a lot. Good luck when you reach the age!

Devv · May 17, 2019

So....I now see what you meant Paul. I posted and it blows me back to the menu...weird.

Orekoc · May 17, 2019

I retired at 59.5. Just me, kinda tight dollar wise, but worth it. House paid off, car paid off, CC paid off, well till my car and truck both had several thousand dollars each in repairs, but almost paid off again.

Enjoy.

Devv said:
Well I'm 60 now, and have been working full time since age 14. I'm certainly ready! I did a career change at 41 from auto-tech to IT. So I won't be raking it in, but we also saved a lot. Good luck when you reach the age!

Devv · May 17, 2019

stc3248 said:
I'm on that retirement train this year too...at least from the Navy so I know the struggle. Pace yourself, but we're gonna hold you to the weekend update!

OK let's try this again. I had this all typed and it never comes out the same the second time. I feel my creativity has been stolen...LOL

Congrats on the future retirement Shane! One thing I know is the private sector loves to hire retired military, any plans on what you may want to do?

OK some pics, round 2, maybe just 4 at a time, less work if the software gods really hate me today..:

Garlic, I'll spare you all of the Onions and Peaches tables :shh:

One of the raised beds, the 2 others are full of Asparagus. These are the "extras".

Hopefully one of Paul's whites.

Top shot, it's kinda crowded in there.

More to come....

Devv · May 17, 2019

Whew! that one went..raised bed continued..

Aji Arnaucho, the one in the garden had reddish colored pods and they ripen green, these I dunno. I brought one to work and 3 of us tried it. It's a nice pepper with good heat that doesn't burn your face off. A keeper in my book.

Seeds from 2014 I believe, a White Bhut from Walkgood. I really like this pepper.

Jimmy Nardello, I have enough of these to feed a small army. They wouldn't germ and all of a sudden I had like 30 plants and ran out of peeps to give them too. These are rather large peppers compared to what I normally see. Hard to judge when shooting into a hole.

stc3248 · May 17, 2019

Atta-boy Scott! Keep them coming!

Devv · May 17, 2019

The garden:

Maters gone wild. I cut them back once, and will again tomorrow. Hornworms out the wazoo this year. 30 plus squished so far.

Strange looking spidy has a treat lined up..

OK, made it to where I was blown out earlier. Here's some pinks for you Adam!

Devv · May 17, 2019

I'm finding a lot of these along with the Hornworms. Squish came right after the camera click.

White Bhut in the dirt, wondering if that far pepper is any good...Gonna pick tomorrow. Today was a no work day, set the wobblers to run this morning :party:

P. Dreadies, really ground hugging plants this year...

Gotta love the friends