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.
 

 
 
 

 

[Devv]

Geez, Scott, I hope that two week bug wasn’t Covid-19!
 
Nice batch of pods. Season rolling on in spite of you
wanting it to slow down? Good problem to have, my friend!

I don't know what it was, and they want $$$ for a test. I know I lost 10 pounds, and was nervous about the weight loss. That, and feel better one day, do a little, down the next. If it was that virus, we got off easy.
 
And yes, it's been really good this year garden wise. Those plants on the East fence just keep on producing

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Wow man, glad you’re feeling better 

 

[podz]

Glad you're feeling better, man. I had swine flu back in 2009 and I lost 7kg (15 lbs) in one week. From sweating and not eating.

 

[lespaulde]

Yeah, glad to hear you recovered nicely Scott, that does not sound like any fun at all!

Looks like your garden will get more and more organic material, hopefully your pH thing will really be a thing of the past after all your efforts!

Have you ever tried rock salt? That way you don't have to waste beer, even if it's bad beer

Lol, Rock salt I guess is a good way to "dispose" of them after luring them in, eh? I do agree though, it's bad use of beer, even when said beer is hardly drinkable... Weirdly enough, the slugs have calmed down for now and I haven't really seen any down by the plants, so let's see what happens.

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[Devv]

Thank you all very much!
 
COVID is here in our town now, we have 3 cases, plus I was told a family that we know just tested positive. I'm sure the numbers will go up.
I'm all for opening things back up, or go broke/crazy. And I see a lot of crazy on the news...biting my tongue, I will behave.
But this needs to be done correctly by the people, all the people.
 
I took some pics but they came out crappy, that and they're tomato pics..LOL
 

 

 

 
That made 6 quarts, we're at 62 or so now. Stopping @ 80 and donating the rest.
 
We went flying this morning and saw this:
 

 
I did a screenshot of a video my wife took. This little critter is the size of a small rabbit. First time for me seeing a day old, or a few days old fawn.

 

[Mr.joe]

I've only picked a few tomatoes so far, you are way ahead of me. I've never seen a deer that small

 

[Devv]

We went nuts, planted before all the lock downs, the 1st of March.
 
80 plants, mainly to can for making the Italian Red Gravy. But now the Grandkids aren't coming over and demolishing the sauce. There's another 30-35 quarts out there and then there will be a ton of green maters.
I'll have maters and Onions for the food pantry. I'm afraid to bring them peppers...lol

 

[skullbiker]

We went nuts, planted before all the lock downs, the 1st of March.
 
80 plants, mainly to can for making the Italian Red Gravy. But now the Grandkids aren't coming over and demolishing the sauce. There's another 30-35 quarts out there and then there will be a ton of green maters.
I'll have maters and Onions for the food pantry. I'm afraid to bring them peppers...lol

When I donated up in MN I gave them mostly sweet or bell peppers and jalapenos. They took hotter ones a couple of times, they said they knew which families they could give them to.

 

[Mr.joe]

I could imagine super hots getting into the wrong hands. Anyone can use a bell pepper

 

[PtMD989]

How did the kumatos produce for ya?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Devv]

When I donated up in MN I gave them mostly sweet or bell peppers and jalapenos. They took hotter ones a couple of times, they said they knew which families they could give them to.

The really hot stuff I bring to the custodians at the school district I used to work for. 99% are from Mexico, great people, and they are know how to process the heat. It always irritated me that all the produce went to the Central Office or the campus offices.
Me, being from a blue collar background wanted the backbone workers to get their fair share. They responded by saving me the containers the floor wax and stripper came in. I have like 80 5 gallon buckets and 100 2.5 gallon jugs.
One hand washes the other. I even made them puree made from hots and sweet peppers, they loved them
 
 

I could imagine super hots getting into the wrong hands. Anyone can use a bell pepper

Oh, I have some stories about hot pepper tasting at the old work place. Some never came back..LOL
Mind you we never suckered anyone
 

How did the kumatos produce for ya?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They are killing it! Lb made a hot sauce with them. I think we have 4 in the garden, they make handball sized fruit, and plenty per plant!
I need to take a pic.
 
Thanks again for the seeds!
 

 
An unusual late June harvest, I can't believe we're still going..
 

 
This has been our private nightmare..LOL
 
We have a ton to pick and nowhere to put them..
 
See those Kumato's Bryan?

 

[PaulG]

Nice money shots, Devv!

 

[Mr.joe]

I hear ya, I brought a few varieties to work last year for taste testing. Usually just a small slice. Some guys will not try again. I've already started preparing them for this season.

I May invent a game with spin the wheel to see what you get. I have mild stuff I can mix in... maybe

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

Dang man, that’s a lot of red. As for CoV ya just gotta do your part and at least not be contributing to increased cases. Down here they’re getting slick, coworker got it and tested positive twice so they counted it as 2 separate cases so I don’t trust the numbers 100% myself 

 

[Siv]

Wow, you're killing it Devv. Congrats!

 

[CaneDog]

Awesome!

 

[Bookers]

That's a beautiful sight!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[PtMD989]

Yes I do[emoji16]. Right in the middle of your farmer’s market [emoji16][emoji1787][emoji106].


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Devv]

Nice money shots, Devv!

Thanks Paul!
Best year since 2014? We are officially in give away mode
 
 

I hear ya, I brought a few varieties to work last year for taste testing. Usually just a small slice. Some guys will not try again. I've already started preparing them for this season.

I May invent a game with spin the wheel to see what you get. I have mild stuff I can mix in... maybe

Once bitten twice shy Hopefully you can hook a few into growing..
 

Dang man, that’s a lot of red. As for CoV ya just gotta do your part and at least not be contributing to increased cases. Down here they’re getting slick, coworker got it and tested positive twice so they counted it as 2 separate cases so I don’t trust the numbers 100% myself 

You should see today's haul, we're out of the 1 quart jars. We do have some 16oz though. I have an email out to the food bank. I picked 12 maters off of one plant the other day, just a crazy year here. Then again...maybe all the soil work helped?
COVID is here in our town, an idea of the town, we have 2,000 students in the schools. 18 church members (so far), school employees, and a student on the football team. We're hanging low and tight for sure!
 
 

Wow, you're killing it Devv. Congrats!

Thanks Siv! A good year for sure! Pantries are full!
 
@Canedog and @ Bookers: Thanks!
 
We are so ready to be done!

 

[HeatMiser]

That's a great haul Devv!! 
 
Take care with the whole virus thing...