Devv's 2014- Stick a fork in me, I'm done....

maximumcapsicum · Jun 14, 2014

Great update Scott! Looks like it's project time for you I'd say! Tons of great peppers there. You gonna get a pull like that every week?

I got to head down for some jals today and the first of my supers. Gonna look like a mere handful next to yours.

My MoA had some leaves like your raised bed plant. It also has ants on it, so maybe it is a bug problem though I can't find any trace of aphids or mites. So I dunno. I can't imagine flushing a bed would hurt though.

stickman · Jun 14, 2014

Jaysus Scott... you're really layin' it down brother! Everything's looking stellar, and if you've been pinching suckers and your 'maters still need pruning, I'd say you're in the sweet spot! All the pods I see coming along make me wonder how big your freezer is...

Keep up the good work!

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

cone9 said:
The garden look fantastic! You got thing down right.

Nice pod pulls - a lot of enjoyment there.

TrentL said:
Wow... just wow. Fantastic and I'm very jealous you are already making salsa. I have yet to see any color in my garden.

OCD Chilehead said:
Hooray! for Bonchi. Love that pick every time. Is it just me or has that garden shifted up another gear this week? Nice pics Scott. I really hope your knee gets better. Don't forget resting it is the biggest part of healing. Good luck and thanks for sharing. Have a good weekend.

Thanks for the kind words!

And yes the last week added a lot of pods, the weather has been a few degrees cooler and we're having rain this spring!

The knee has been good, swelling is down, and I'm behaving. It's really hard to not do anything though!

maximumcapsicum said:
Great update Scott! Looks like it's project time for you I'd say! Tons of great peppers there. You gonna get a pull like that every week?

I got to head down for some jals today and the first of my supers. Gonna look like a mere handful next to yours.

My MoA had some leaves like your raised bed plant. It also has ants on it, so maybe it is a bug problem though I can't find any trace of aphids or mites. So I dunno. I can't imagine flushing a bed would hurt though.

stickman said:
Jaysus Scott... you're really layin' it down brother! Everything's looking stellar, and if you've been pinching suckers and your 'maters still need pruning, I'd say you're in the sweet spot! All the pods I see coming along make me wonder how big your freezer is... Keep up the good work!

Thanks Rick!

I don't what we're going to do with all the peppers. I know some SFRB's will go out when I get more ripe supers. Right now all I have is the first dribbles

We have a lot of freezer space, but LB likes them full. Friends make jokes about coming here if there's a food shortage...
Thanks Adam!

With all the plants I have in the ground I expect the harvests to go up in size. LB is pulling 25-39 tom's a day, and I have a lot more than that out there that will be picked in the next few days.

My MoA's are stalled. But we have a long summer

Last year they went until December.

OCD Chilehead · Jun 14, 2014

Maybe you could dehydrate and ground or save split pod whole. That would save a lot of space. I think I read a pound of peppers to an ounce. I will buy some from you when you get to that road. Congrats on tomato pulls.

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

OCD Chilehead said:
Maybe you could dehydrate and ground or save split pod whole. That would save a lot of space. I think I read a pound of peppers to an ounce. I will buy some from you when you get to that road. Congrats on tomato pulls.

Thanks,

I have a shoe box of powder from last year

My main goal was to taste all the different varieties and have fun growing. We learned the Billy Biker Jals are prolific and hot! And the Kurt's and Nardello's are good eating peppers.

Don't worry about buying, I just send some

Sawyer · Jun 14, 2014

Scott, your grow is looking fantastic. What's been a blessing for you has led to a very slow start on peppers up here. Things are picking up now, though. I just hope we don't move too rapidly into the usual hot/dry summer pattern. On the other hand, this long, cool, wet period has given my spring-planted shallots and garlic a chance to do better than usual. (So, a blessing in disguise.) I think from now on I'm going to divide my allium planting stock into thirds, plant 1/3 in the fall, 1/3 mid-winter, and 1/3 early spring.

Sorry to hear about your knee problems. Have you tried an elastic knee brace? Thirty plus years ago I twisted my knee trail running and ever since it's been prone to twinge when running or backpacking. If I stop immediately at the first twinge, I'll be okay. If I keep going, I'll have a week or two of pain. Wearing a knee brace keeps it from twinging.

We're for sure on the same page with the utility of winter cover crops. I hope to get to the point where I don't have to use any supplements at all (except for corn and alliums, maybe). Someone on here, I can't remember who or I'd give credit as due, was talking about the sterile hybrid comfrey. I did some research and am convinced to give it a try. It's like seaweed for us landlocked folks. I've ordered some Bocking #4 and Bocking #14.

How are the local reservoirs responding to the increased rain? I remember you were saying some were down to 4%. Have you had enough rain for them to start filling up?

jedisushi06 · Jun 14, 2014

Yeah those nardellos are so good in a canned salsa with bell peppers and jalapenos. I'm kinda sad that i'm not growing them this year. They taste so good!

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

Sawyer said:
Scott, your grow is looking fantastic. What's been a blessing for you has led to a very slow start on peppers up here. Things are picking up now, though. I just hope we don't move too rapidly into the usual hot/dry summer pattern. On the other hand, this long, cool, wet period has given my spring-planted shallots and garlic a chance to do better than usual. (So, a blessing in disguise.) I think from now on I'm going to divide my allium planting stock into thirds, plant 1/3 in the fall, 1/3 mid-winter, and 1/3 early spring.

Thanks John,
Sorry to read about your slow start. I was really worried early on as this was a cooler than normal spring. Not cold, just cooler. They just sat there for a full 30 days before kicking in. This is the first summer that we haven't ramped into the mid to high 90's in May. In fact it's been 88 to 92°, which I surmise is the reason I'm getting a better early on pod set. Keep me informed how the alliums do. I'd love to be able to get 2 crops.

Sorry to hear about your knee problems. Have you tried an elastic knee brace? Thirty plus years ago I twisted my knee trail running and ever since it's been prone to twinge when running or backpacking. If I stop immediately at the first twinge, I'll be okay. If I keep going, I'll have a week or two of pain. Wearing a knee brace keeps it from twinging.

I never injured my knees, and what I mean by that is no traumatic injuries. I think it's wear and tear. I worked on cars until 41 and that involved a lot of squatting, I still squat versus stooping over. Well before this happened The weird thing is the swelling is where the quads attach above the knee joint. I've been trying to stay off it as much as possible. We're getting ready to go into SA, and while there pick one up.

We're for sure on the same page with the utility of winter cover crops. I hope to get to the point where I don't have to use any supplements at all (except for corn and alliums, maybe). Someone on here, I can't remember who or I'd give credit as due, was talking about the sterile hybrid comfrey. I did some research and am convinced to give it a try. It's like seaweed for us landlocked folks. I've ordered some Bocking #4 and Bocking #14.

I believe it was Jeff H, I know he and JJJ are growing Comfrey. Thanks for the links, I'd like to try it, but was concerned about the invasive part.

How are the local reservoirs responding to the increased rain? I remember you were saying some were down to 4%. Have you had enough rain for them to start filling up?

The Edwards aquifer went up a few feet, but it's still way low. The rains have been great for the farmers and ranchers, but haven't been heavy enough to replenish. Sadly what we need are floods, they will come again one day. This region has always been feast or famine as far as rain is concerned.

OCD Chilehead · Jun 14, 2014

Devv said:
Thanks,

I have a shoe box of powder from last year My main goal was to taste all the different varieties and have fun growing. We learned the Billy Biker Jals are prolific and hot! And the Kurt's and Nardello's are good eating peppers.

Don't worry about buying, I just send some

That is a good goal to have. I eat a SuperHot pod or powder in my dinner every night. It might be in my head. But if I don't eat them at night it seems my knees hurt the next day. Probably endorphins or something. Thanks for the info on the BB Jals, Kurt's, and Nardello's. Just seen a review on Nardello's. Was curious about the Biker's and Kurt's.

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

OCD Chilehead said:
That is a good goal to have. I eat a SuperHot pod or powder in my dinner every night. It might be in my head. But if I don't eat them at night it seems my knees hurt the next day. Probably endorphins or something. Thanks for the info on the BB Jals, Kurt's, and Nardello's. Just seen a review on Nardello's. Was curious about the Biker's and Kurt's.

This could be true, they certainly will help the release of endorphins. Your tolerance is way higher then mine!

With all the injuries I've sustained working on cars for 25 years, I move slow in the morning. I tried glucosamine with chondroitin, no real help. Google Barlean Fish Oil. I can tell when I don't take it. No nasty burps with this stuff either. A doctor at the local emergency clinic told me to try it. I was in there for extreme shoulder pain caused from a disc in my neck. He said his neck is trashed from flying fighter jets in the Air Force and it really helps. He's correct

OCD Chilehead · Jun 14, 2014

I may give it a try considering the cost. Unfortunately I do not have health insurance. I do what I can to stay healthy. Lost 70lbs in the past year or so and quit smoking 2 years ago this month. Losing the weight helped my knees the most. I should probably cut back on the peppers. I guess to much of anything isn't good for you. Thanks Scott

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

I barely have health insurance, the way pricing is nowadays is ridiculous! We have 3 tiers, we went from 2 to 3, this saves us $5,000 a year. That money goes in an account to cover the higher deductibles. We're fortunate, neither of us has any issues.

Losing the weight is a major plus for many reasons. It will most definitely help with the hips and knees. I lost 40 pounds 15 years ago and have kept it off. It's a lifestyle change to lose it and keep it off. And you can do so much more! I average around 195 on a 6.3" frame. They call me "flaco" hah!

Smoking is another thing, we never quit, but many years ago tapered to 4 packs a week between the 2 of us. Glad you quit!

OK, this is a 10lb tom batch. We're picking 8-10lbs of tom's a day, and they look to go past the usual July 1st die back day this year. So salsa is the plan!

thirdcoasttx · Jun 14, 2014

Holy crap 8-10 lbs a day!!! Im still waiting for the 4 I have to ripen! That salsa looks amazing I would go throw a whole bag of chips on that stuff!!!

Devv · Jun 14, 2014

thirdcoasttx said:
Holy crap 8-10 lbs a day!!! Im still waiting for the 4 I have to ripen! That salsa looks amazing I would go throw a whole bag of chips on that stuff!!!

This year is way different than years past. Last year we had 70 some odd plants, and now around 25-30 are out performing them. BER was a major problem, we chunked like 30 a day. Weekly foliar treatments of calmag and seaweed extract cured that. We've had just 1 to date that had BER this season.

I start the tom's from seed in Jan., yeah they get leggy and all. But when I plant them around the first week of March I dig a trench and bury them sideways in the flood ditch, trimming all the leaves leaving just the crown exposed. All that buried stem turns to roots. And from there they go nuts.

Oh, that batch is a 10 bag of chips batch

OCD Chilehead · Jun 14, 2014

Nice looking salsa. I have to get something cooking soon. I'm going through withdrawals. That's great you can have fresh salsa whenever you want.

Sawyer · Jun 15, 2014

Awesome looking salsa, Scott. I'm looking forward to having enough production to make some of my own. And all this talk about the Nardello pepper has me thinking of starting a late crop of those. Don't know if they'd have time to make, but it might be worth a shot.

Devv said:
It's a lifestyle change to lose it and keep it off.

But I like beer!

I was worried about the invasiveness of comfrey, as well, but it seems like the sterile hybrids should minimize that potential.

Devv · Jun 15, 2014

OCD Chilehead said:
Nice looking salsa. I have to get something cooking soon. I'm going through withdrawals. That's great you can have fresh salsa whenever you want.

Thanks Chuck!

I'm sure you're getting close

Sawyer said:
Awesome looking salsa, Scott. I'm looking forward to having enough production to make some of my own. And all this talk about the Nardello pepper has me thinking of starting a late crop of those. Don't know if they'd have time to make, but it might be worth a shot.

Thanks John! The Nardello is an Annnuum, I'm sure it will jump in and run!

But I like beer!

Who said I gave up beer? I just gave up sweets, cut way back on fried foods and eat smaller portions. I gained the weight when I moved to a desk job.

I was worried about the invasiveness of comfrey, as well, but it seems like the sterile hybrids should minimize that potential.

When I through traveling this summer I'm going to plant some in the north end of the garden and see how it does. I did the reading, sounds great and should do well here.

Gave the garden a double watering, and hit the smaller plants with some nutes.

Took a few pics as well

OW JA Hab is kicking into high gear!

OW Primo is loading up with flowers and having a growth spurt.

OW Funky Reaper is loading up.

Brown 7 Pot, It has a few pods under the canopy. Someone can't get that low....

John's Funky Reaper

Stefan's Scotch Bonnet Indian Red

Jason's Datil, starting to pod up nicely.

Gary's Naga Brain, this one is just starting to set.

NG pod

Not Moruga OW starting to set a few.

Bump please?

Beerswimmer · Jun 15, 2014

Bump!

Devv · Jun 15, 2014

Beerswimmer said:
Bump!

Thanks!

Devils Tongue

Sepia Serpent

Green Hornet from Jamie

TS Moruga Bhut from Charles

Yellow Brain from Jamison

And I hope all the Dads out there are having a great Fathers Day!

Kick back and have a cold one it's your day!

Mine's about to get better :cheers:

Devv · Jun 15, 2014

Shiners are goin' down gooood!

Pulls are getting better:

Just lit the small grill, wings are on the menu!