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

Time for the 2014 start...
 
Many of these plants were made possible by the generous people of the THP sending me seeds and pods Thanks!
 
I'm looking forward to warmer weather and dirt day!
 
I have a bunch of seeds started, and plants at all the stages.
 
Here's the grow bench, a T8 x4 on top and T5 x4 on the bottom, as you can see it's loaded.
 

 
Top rack:

 
Bottom rack:

 
I like starting the seeds in Jiffy Pellets, as soon as they stand up I trim the mesh off and plant them 1/2" proud in a pot, or in this case a cup.
 
Red Rocotto the lonely Pube..

 
A few plants living under the T5, I'm super impressed with this light!
 
Choc Hab
 

 
Bhut x Y7 x Choc Bhut Douglah-Spicegeist
 

 
 
Bhut x Y7 F2-Spicegeist

 
 
Yellow Cardi- Jamie

 
 
Choc Scorp-Ramon

 
Peach Bhut- Annie

 
 
 
Going to do some tilling will post more later

 

[OCD Chilehead]

That's my kind of food Scott. Well done. A couple roasted Serrano's and I would be in heaven.
Chutney looks good as well.

 

[Devv]

Food and pear pics are looking good.  Mighty tasty looking actually.  
 
Fruit prices here are crazy.  Red Haven peaches were 35 bucks a half bushel.  None of my trees bore fruit this year probably due to the long cold winter.  Great raspberries but no blackberries to speak of.  That's why they make a freezer.

 
Thanks Jeff,
 
Our fruit trees didn't do much this year either, the peaches are young but still gave us a few. No pears, and we should have gotten a bunch.

That's my kind of food Scott. Well done. A couple roasted Serrano's and I would be in heaven.
Chutney looks good as well.

 Thanks Chuck,
 
We used sweets for the wife, I cranked mine up a few notches
 
Finished the "middle" of the garden this morning. And picked, as I picked I dug up any plant that had no chance of making any more peppers before the cut off date, which is next weekend. I also dug up the monster white bhut and stuck it in a 20 gal bag, pics when it recovers from the transplant shock.
 
Here's today's pull, next weeks the finally, except for the ones I hold over in containers.
 

 
Thanks for reading!

 

[Sawyer]

Nice pull, Scott. And that chutney looks delicious.
 

Now that sucks! Do you have wild hogs? They rototilled my back yard 3 times in one winter a few years ago. Made 1 foot deep trenches and hills, glad I have the tractor.

No feral hogs here, thankfully.  They are in the next county over.  I've thought of trying to get some landowner's permission over there to hunt them.  Where they occur, they are a huge problem and have really decimated ground-nesting birds.  They'll smoke up real nice, though.
 

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Great pull Scott. Last year I had a bunch of green pods that didn't mature. Beerbreath said I could pickle the green ones. Just a thought, if you have a abundance of greenies.

 

[Devv]

Nice pull, Scott. And that chutney looks delicious.
 
No feral hogs here, thankfully.  They are in the next county over.  I've thought of trying to get some landowner's permission over there to hunt them.  Where they occur, they are a huge problem and have really decimated ground-nesting birds.  They'll smoke up real nice, though.
 

 
Thanks John,
 
The chutney came out really nice, we sampled with chips and it's a winner! Bringing some to work in the morning.
 
If you can score some hogs when it's cold out cleaning them shouldn't be so bad. If you get one when it's warm the fleas and ticks are enough for me to just let them lay.
 

Great pull Scott. Last year I had a bunch of green pods that didn't mature. Beerbreath said I could pickle the green ones. Just a thought, if you have a abundance of greenies.

 
 
Thanks Chuck,
 
Next weekend is the last pull, except for the ones I put in containers. Those I'll run until a frost. I need a break

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Nice looking table shot!!!!

 

[Pepper Ridge Farm]

Page 102 of your growlog and your pulling up plants at the end of August.  Plants may seem very tired this time of year but the cooler fall weather and the end of year they usually throw off an abundance of pods without much effort.  But if you already have your coffers filled with enough peppers for the winter then let the soil and body rest.  Congrats of your great garden this year Scott, can only image what you have planned for next. 

 

[Durham Bull]

great haul... look like you're set for a while.

 

[Sawyer]

If you can score some hogs when it's cold out cleaning them shouldn't be so bad. If you get one when it's warm the fleas and ticks are enough for me to just let them lay.

 
Yeah, hunting is pretty much a cool/cold weather activity for me.  Actually, just about anything involving getting out in the woods.  Too many ticks and chiggers in warm weather.  And then, too, I also need cold weather for processing a carcass.

 

[Devv]

Nice looking table shot!!!!

 Thanks Jeff!
 

Page 102 of your growlog and your pulling up plants at the end of August.  Plants may seem very tired this time of year but the cooler fall weather and the end of year they usually throw off an abundance of pods without much effort.  But if you already have your coffers filled with enough peppers for the winter then let the soil and body rest.  Congrats of your great garden this year Scott, can only image what you have planned for next. 

 
Thanks!
 
I ran them until December last season, and they put out way more pods than in the spring. My freezer is full, I gave away probably 15 gallons worth, and I need a break. The garden has had only 90 days rest and I want it properly prepped for next season. The wife has some honey do's for me and I have 3 big trees that we lost to cut and split. Never enough hours in a day here!
 

great haul... look like you're set for a while.

 
Thanks Sy!
 
Peppers I have, going to cut the grow back next year, I planted way too many
 

 
Yeah, hunting is pretty much a cool/cold weather activity for me.  Actually, just about anything involving getting out in the woods.  Too many ticks and chiggers in warm weather.  And then, too, I also need cold weather for processing a carcass.

 
I used to live to hunt, but it got so expensive that 5 years ago I just started hunting my place and a rancher's who has way to many does. Now all it costs is a few rounds of ammo, the kids have left and moved away so 1 deer does the wife and me just fine. Chiggers and ticks...hate em!

 

[Durham Bull]

Yep, I did cut back with the supers this year. I was overwhelm last year with pods.
This year, a few supers and lots of SBs (MoA, Foodarama, SBJ7...)
got to  find that balance

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

I think at the end of harvest season a lot of us are cutting back next year, then some variety we want to try here, or that empty space there, or those extra plants......I too am going to try to cut back.  My two raised beds can easily do 22 pairs of plants.  Should be sufficient.....but that leaves a lot of empty garden space     

 

[Devv]

Yep, I did cut back with the supers this year. I was overwhelm last year with pods.
This year, a few supers and lots of SBs (MoA, Foodarama, SBJ7...)
got to  find that balance

 
Exactly, I want to gear towards more "eatable" peppers that we can use in dishes and the wife will eat. She's more and more getting in to heat, but I know she'll never eat the "burn your face off peppers".
 
I'll still grow supers, but not as many. Besides this year I had all those seeds to try
 

I think at the end of harvest season a lot of us are cutting back next year, then some variety we want to try here, or that empty space there, or those extra plants......I too am going to try to cut back.  My two raised beds can easily do 22 pairs of plants.  Should be sufficient.....but that leaves a lot of empty garden space     

 
 
You know my goal even way back, when I first carved out the garden was to only plant half. And the following season plant the other half, somehow that never happened. I've never gotten around to finishing the very bottom, it needs heavy soil. I have tilled in manure and applied RCW. Since fall of 2012 I've had something growing, and it's taking way too much of my time from March on. So we're planting the Garlic and cool weather crops in the raised beds this fall. That should make taking care of them much easier as they're right out the back door.
 
Today I ground up the 10-15 pepper plants I pulled Sunday, it amounted to about a gallon of mulch. The leaf pile seems to be never ending, I'm not even close to halfway through and I have 5 hours into shoveling the material into the shredder. That doesn't include stopping when I have around 50 gallons and spreading it out. With the time schedule it looks like I'll have enough time to get it all ground and spread out, but I wanted to add RCW too. If December is warm I can do this and get a second cover crop going. Comfrey is on the menu too...

 

[Barley-pop57]

Outside of time invovled--I would think to many peppers would be a good thing.  I can only say that as I do not have the room to grow so many. There are so many peppers and each year there are new ones....don't know how one could slow down...lol
 
Glad to read you had a great season !!!  The hog roast (smoked hog) sounds good....wild pig is better than regular pork imho but either way they are both good.  It'll be interesting on how many pages your glog gets to before your next glog.  Great job !!!!

 

[maximumcapsicum]

You sure do have some epic pulls Scott! Great job! Looks like it's time for pepper projects...

 

[JoeFish]

Ditto on the superhots.  This is my first year and I already know I didn't plant enough jalapenos and anaheims.  Those poor plants aint caught a break.
 
Cant wait to see the finale Devv!!  Looking good over there in Texas.  Kinna makes me want to move there.

 

[Devv]

Outside of time invovled--I would think to many peppers would be a good thing.  I can only say that as I do not have the room to grow so many. There are so many peppers and each year there are new ones....don't know how one could slow down...lol
 
Glad to read you had a great season !!!  The hog roast (smoked hog) sounds good....wild pig is better than regular pork imho but either way they are both good.  It'll be interesting on how many pages your glog gets to before your next glog.  Great job !!!!

 Well I had around 130 pepper plants this season, at first being able to wait between 4-5 days between waterings was a bonus. But once it got hot and I had to water every two days, it kinda gets old. Pod wise, I think we picked around 50-60 gallons, and that's just a guess. I had to give most away, I'm thinking around 50 plants next year will be a bit more manageable, and probably still too much.
 
Thanks for the kudos!
 

You sure do have some epic pulls Scott! Great job! Looks like it's time for pepper projects...

 
That will start soon my friend, I want to perfect a MoA sauce really bad
 

Ditto on the superhots.  This is my first year and I already know I didn't plant enough jalapenos and anaheims.  Those poor plants aint caught a break.
 
Cant wait to see the finale Devv!!  Looking good over there in Texas.  Kinna makes me want to move there.

 Thanks Joe,
 
I love it here, yeah it gets hot, and I whine about it. But when compared to places that have 4 seasons it can't be beat. We have 3 months of hot weather that I object to, June 15th through September 15th, that's where the 100's are. I've lived here, NY. and Va., 6 months of it's too cold outside to do anything, unless you're a kid into snow forts
 
But even when it's hot out I can hit the garden at daylight and get 3-4 hours of real work in before the temps run me inside

 

[Bigwelshprop]

Funny that you mention seasons etc. This is one of my worries about next year. We had quite a hot spell this year (by British standards anyway), meaning that my first year of growing chillis has done quite well. I have learned a hell of a lot ready for next year, but I am a bit worried that if we get the typical British summer, any chillis I grow next year will be way behind and might not even put out pods.

Reading about acres of space, lengthy hot summers and having wild hogs coming up to your property ready for shooting does make me very jealous!

 

[PIC 1]

Nice table shot of the peppers and.....................where the heck did the season go ....lol.....?
 
I realize your grow is one continual cycle.....I don't know how you do it.....and still working ?
 
I have a good month and a half before I wind the season down.
Its difficult to even think about next yrs start. I have to walk past my indoor grow area with blinders on...ha
When my seasons over I like to take a break from it for a month or two.....then the cycle starts all over.
And...to answer my wife's question..before she asks it.....yes, I will not have less plants next year.......  
 
Enjoy your weekend !

 

[Devv]

Funny that you mention seasons etc. This is one of my worries about next year. We had quite a hot spell this year (by British standards anyway), meaning that my first year of growing chillis has done quite well. I have learned a hell of a lot ready for next year, but I am a bit worried that if we get the typical British summer, any chillis I grow next year will be way behind and might not even put out pods.

Reading about acres of space, lengthy hot summers and having wild hogs coming up to your property ready for shooting does make me very jealous!

 
I guess the only way to combat the cooler seasons is to plant larger plants. I started mine from seeds in November this season and planted outside in mid March. Pic 1 is in Chicago and always has a magnificent grow.
 
 

Nice table shot of the peppers and.....................where the heck did the season go ....lol.....?
 
Thanks Greg, it sure went fast didn't it. I'm just itching for cooler weather!
 
I realize your grow is one continual cycle.....I don't know how you do it.....and still working ?
 
Pretty much, but pulling the plants tomorrow, but will still have some in containers.  Yeah 5 years until I can retire; I put in an hour a day or so during the week. On the weekends I try to get out at sunup and work until it gets hot. Sometimes I can go to noon, sometimes 1:30-2. It depends on how I feel that day. I'm hoping to get a lot done this 3 day weekend. So I can take a break!
 
I have a good month and a half before I wind the season down.
Its difficult to even think about next yrs start. I have to walk past my indoor grow area with blinders on...ha
 
I'm with ya there, I moved the indoor area to the shop. I have a 8x24 room to work in that used to be the "Academy" room. It's 90% ready.
 
When my seasons over I like to take a break from it for a month or two.....then the cycle starts all over.
And...to answer my wife's question..before she asks it.....yes, I will not have less plants next year.......  
 
That's one of my reasons for mostly shutting it down now, I need a break, and I want to finish the kitchen. I have the wood roughed out for the "change order" LB came up with and need to finish the drawers and doors.
 
I'll definitely have less plants, but still probably have too many
 
Enjoy your weekend !
 
You too!