Devv: Someday, I'll get this right, South Tejas Growing

Well I'm way behind this season. Hopefully I can do better....no guarantees!
 
I'm still trying to figure out this "new normal", my brother said it took him a full year.
 
Any way:
 
Last year, could be the year before as they all seem to meld together now   I cleared the Crepe Myrtle trees that were invading the garden root-wise. That spot WAS the original garden 31 years ago.
 

 
Now that area looks like this:
 

 
I added 600 square feet to the garden, the soil is pretty darned saweet! Back then I added 16 yards of Black Gumbo to help with the drainage. Then LB wanted a pool, which is now gone. Garden reclaimed! The goal is to have a crop rotation so we can keep diseases at bay, as I mainly used the 1,600 sf fenced area for night shades.
 
During the off season I made some Bio Char. I need to take pics of the new kiln I made, that will come later.
 
Crunched char. I use the tractor to crush it on the driveway, it's laid on an old sheet to make it easier to pick up.
 

 
I use the old chipper-shredder to grind it. First I wet it so the dust isn't an issue.
 

 

 
Then I grind all this, and this is just a sample of what gets ground.
 

 
Then it rests here until we add it to the soil.
 

 
 
 

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Fantastic vids, so many laughs and surprised too by what these little yappers do.   
 
Sexy harvest of the different pepper varieties, what kind of stuff you make the peps into?
 
 
 
 

 

[Devv]

Dachsunds are even worse. Ridiculous.

LOL! That's how old Sydney used to handle the snakes.
I think I need to watch that again

 

[Devv]

Fantastic vids, so many laughs and surprised too by what these little yappers do.   
 
Sexy harvest of the different pepper varieties, what kind of stuff you make the peps into?
 
 
 
 

The Bells, Poblanos, and Big Jims are used for stuffing. Also some stir fry with Fajitas. The Jimmy Nardellos, and the Sugar Rush types go in salads and also some stir fry.
The Jals usually get made into poppers, and hot sauces. The really hot stuff is used for flakes and powders, and powering up hot sauces.
And, of course we grow so many we give away a bunch.

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Nice, I’ll have to start getting creative with all the varieties like you have. I hear that, I can never consume my supply I’d probably die    :

 

[Devv]

Nice, I’ll have to start getting creative with all the varieties like you have. I hear that, I can never consume my supply I’d probably die    :

Poblano peppers are coming in, time for Chilli Relleno! I have a good recipe @ http://www.devtex.net/recipe.html
Also my Grandfathers Italian red sauce recipe that's been in the family since before I born.
 

 
Picked a few..bottom left 2 peppers are from last years Red P. Dreadie. 2 completely different phenos.
 

 
So this is new for me, starting peppers in May. Seeds from Paul, ChiliTepin. Hope I spelled it correctly
 
Thanks Paul!

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Sweet, I’ll have get the little lady to try out your recipe woot 
 
fruits look good, wonder what dreadie crossed with...did you grow any peaches last year? 

 

[Devv]

I had the Sugar Rush Cream in the mix, pods from the plant last season:
 

 
They all looked like that one for the most part..

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Ah very nice, I could definitely see resemblance. How’s the taste? Similar?

 

[Devv]

Ah very nice, I could definitely see resemblance. How’s the taste? Similar?

Actually those pods are still on the counter top. But last year the reds were a lot bolder in flavor, and just a bit hotter than the Yellow P. Dreadie.
 
Today and the last few days have flown by.
We did have a crazy assed lightning storm last night. Got almost 2 inches of rain, and some hail that didn't get me out of bed...LOL

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Nice, same here just no hail...yet 

 

[Sinn]

 
There are dogs and then there are Jack Russells. Watch this little dude make quick work out of a Cape Cobra!

Hell yeah Go dog go!

 

[Devv]

Things have been quite busy in the garden, with harvesting/processing. That and we've been getting a little rain here and there.
 
We've been putting up corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic.
 
I took a few pics this morning:
 

 
The Haskorea has been throwing a few ripe pods here and there...
 

 
Hoping for some black seeded pods
 

 
Trippaul Threat White is making some pods. The Purple plants produce more fruit.

 

[Devv]

 
Those Poblano peppers are for Chili Relleno
 

 
Best I can tell is this is an Ox Beetle. They are decomposers, AKA good bugs..they dig down about 10-12"s and come up this time of the year. The holes they make are slightly larger than a US quarter.

 

[Mr.joe]

That's a big Beatle. I haven't seen one if those before. Lots of great looking peppers in every color.

 

[HeatMiser]

Nice haul Devv! Those are some good-looking peppers...
 
How's the hydro lettuce coming along?

 

[Devv]

Nice haul Devv! Those are some good-looking peppers...
 
How's the hydro lettuce coming along?

Thanks HM,
 
The Lettuce is close, LB has an itchy trigger finger.   I thought about a pic as I was uploading. I moved to the T5 early on hoping it would help production, but moved back to the T8 light.
The T5 @ 12"s was burning the tips of the plants. I also started more, trying to get a rotation going

 

[Devv]

That's a big Beatle. I haven't seen one if those before. Lots of great looking peppers in every color.

Thanks Joe,
 
I never saw them until I started adding the wood chips to the garden, they like the dead wood I guess

 

[Devv]

 
Been getting some nice P. Dreadie pods. Sauce time!

 

[tsurrie]

Nice harvest Scott. A nice palette of everything.
 
edit: and that P. Dreadie looks delicious!

 

[HeatMiser]

Thanks HM,
 
The Lettuce is close, LB has an itchy trigger finger.   I thought about a pic as I was uploading. I moved to the T5 early on hoping it would help production, but moved back to the T8 light.
The T5 @ 12"s was burning the tips of the plants. I also started more, trying to get a rotation going

 
Nice!
 
It's good to get that rotation going. Hard to go back to store-bought lettuce. In my case, my 2ft T5HO fixture hosting 4 bulbs was 13" above the net cups and held there until harvest. I don't know if this might be dependent on the variety being grown, but that was the sweet spot. You probably weren't that far off at 12" - would be interesting to see what you think about the T8s.