Devv's 2015 - 16, Life is good!

Well here we go again!
 
I just got finished planting seeds for 70 plants. Scaling back a bit this year; last year was a lot of work! That and I have to do more than garden this season
 
My apologies as I can't remember shit where I got all the seeds from. Some were harvested from pods some I saved, and some were sent to me. I can say this 99% originated from the most generous THP members!
 
Without further ado, here's the 2015 list:
 
Red 7 Pot Lava: Mikey
Black Thai        : Mikey
Yellow Jonah  : Mikey
Jack’s Choc Superhot: Mikey
Red Bhutlah   : Mikey
Tepin x Lemmon drop
Pimenta Lisa : Stefan
Brazilian Starfish
Bell
Poblano
Billy Biker
Jalapeno
Jimmy Nardello
Bishops Crown
Sweet Hungarian Paprika
Bahamian Goat
Urfa Biber
Jelly Bean White Hab
Jigsaw
Nagabrain F4
Numex Jalamundo
Cream Fatalii
Isabella Island Hab: Jim
Cherry Bomb: Jim
Moa
Kurt’s
JA Habs
White Bhut
Anaheim
Jigsaw
Burgundy
Ma Wiri wiri: Jim
Pepperdew: Jim
Pimenta De Padron: Jim
Wild tepin: Jim
Jigsaw
Six secrets from Stefan
Orange Primo: Mikey
Choc Bhutlah
Scotch Bonnet x Indian Red
Red Lava: Mikey
White Hab
Naga King: Rick
BOC: Rick
 
I leaned more towards peppers my wife can eat. After all she helped me quite a bit, I might as well grow some for her
 
Last season was a challenge regarding what was what. I eventually figured them out, but was not happy with the confusion. And yeah, I'm easily confused.
 
Here's a pic of the 70 starters:
 

 
Trying something different, the Jiffy's are numbered and will be entered into a spreadsheet. As they pop, they will go into the solo cups with permanent marker to label them.
 
This year I'm starting things in the converted hunting room (man cave?). LB wanted the extra bedroom back   The room is part of the shop; 24x8 and insulated. It's been rather nasty for the last 4 or 5 days, damp and temps below 52°, but it was 68° in there a few minutes ago. Also I'm trying a heating mat to help with germination, which was abysmal IMHO last year.
 
Anyone who knows how I fly, knows I like to grow in the dirt. I have a few in containers from last season, but they just don't do as well.
 
I put a ton (literally) of work into the soil since the start of last season.
 
I feel soil preparation is the key to success:
 

 

 
I tilled in over 24 yards of RCW and 10 yards of shredded leaves after pulling the plants in the fall.
 

 
I then planted Crimson Clover and Rye as a cover crop, this pic is from 2 weeks ago..
 

 
The area I planted the cover crop in is 2,300 to 2,500 square feet. Half is framed for sunshade. A must in the 100% summer sun the garden gets. There's some Comfrey of the left
 

 

 
Dec. 6th I tilled in the whole shootin' match. I waited too long. But I do like it when it darkens up. This is what it looks like after 2 2" deep passes. If you wait too long the roots form a sod, this makes for a bad day of tilling. I got this far and decided to call it. Shiner time!

Once I'm sure most is dead and wont come back when I water crop 2 goes in.
 

 
On 12-10

The grass on top has dried, and rain is forecast through Sunday (yeah right), so I tilled again. It brought up the grass from below and now the garden looks like last Sunday. I went a couple of notches deeper this time to break up more of the roots. I spread rye seed and watered for 45 minutes. It should come up quickly as the weather is warm for a week or more. 50's-70's.
 

 
This is the garden today, the second cover crop is just coming up. And I have to prep an area for onions, which hit the dirt January 15th. The rest gets tilled in at the end of the month.
 
I fly out of here tomorrow afternoon, and won't be back until a week from now. So I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
 

 

[twilliams386]

Once you find that patience you speak of, pass some my way. I'm curious to see what it's all about

 

[East Texas Heat]

Hey Scott, did you get any of this lovely winter Texas decided to have this week? when the weather forecast said 4 inches of snow I said no f*&#in way. Boy was I surprised when It actually happened.

 

[Devv]

Once you find that patience you speak of, pass some my way. I'm curious to see what it's all about

 
LOL, you know better than that. I'm hoping to get some work done Sunday when the weather warms. If so, right on schedule....
 
 

Hey Scott, did you get any of this lovely winter Texas decided to have this week? when the weather forecast said 4 inches of snow I said no f*&#in way. Boy was I surprised when It actually happened.

 
Well, we got the cold! One morning had a light frost that didn't seem to bother the Peach trees. I warmed for a day and now the wind is the "door ripping off" kind. After Saturday things look great. If the 10 day looks good I'm for a gamble
 
Well yesterday my Internet was down (again!).
 
Saturday afternoon I should be able to put the plants back outside to finish hardening off.
 
Took a couple of pics of the crowded spaces....
 

 
Tom's and a few peppers spilling out. The Tom's are ready for dirt! Mental note: start Tom's January 15th next year.
 

 
Not enough room under these lights either. Next season I'll have another tall area. Don't mind the floor

 

[Sawyer]

Man, those tomatoes are raring to go.  I need to start mine soon, but I've got one more flat of peppers first, then a couple of flats of brassicas and some other things.  The temperature here is headed to the low to mid teens tonight, then gradually warming up to mid thirties by Saturday.  Next week is looking better so far.

 

[tctenten]

Plants are all looking great Scott, hopefully you get the good weather you are anticipating.

 

[maximumcapsicum]

That's beautiful Scott. Do you rotate those larger plants out? I am going to try to do a window rotation this year to save space under the lights, but am afraid to take the babies out from under those sweet lumens. Your plants always seem to do fine in the rotations, but I guess they spend some time outdoors as well?

 

[Teurf]

Wow welcome to the jungle man!
 
Nice grow, can't wait to see this year's grow. Good luck!! as if you needed it...
 
Teurf

 

[Roguejim]

 
LOL, you know better than that. I'm hoping to get some work done Sunday when the weather warms. If so, right on schedule....
 
 
 
Well, we got the cold! One morning had a light frost that didn't seem to bother the Peach trees. I warmed for a day and now the wind is the "door ripping off" kind. After Saturday things look great. If the 10 day looks good I'm for a gamble
 
Well yesterday my Internet was down (again!).
 
Saturday afternoon I should be able to put the plants back outside to finish hardening off.
 
Took a couple of pics of the crowded spaces....
 

 
Tom's and a few peppers spilling out. The Tom's are ready for dirt! Mental note: start Tom's January 15th next year.
 

 
Not enough room under these lights either. Next season I'll have another tall area. Don't mind the floor

Scott, have you planted all the pepper seeds you intend to plant?  Do you grow heirloom tomatoes?  THP member, DownRiver, sent me some heirloom seeds for Old Brooks, and Brimmer tomatoes.  Any experience with these?

 

[ronniedeb]

Great looking plants Devv. I envy you being able to put plants out in 10 days, even if it is a gamble. It's a year round gamble in terms of cold winds here on the West Coast of Ireland!!

 

[Jeff H]

 
 
 

 
Tom's and a few peppers spilling out. The Tom's are ready for dirt! Mental note: start Tom's January 15th next year.
 

 
 
LOLOL Been there, done that. 
I won't even start my tomatoes until this weekend because of how fast they grow. Lesson learned from last year when they were 3' tall at plant out in May. 

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

     It's so hard to keep up with your glog, but it's SOOOO worth it! Your plants look absolutely fake. (That's a good thing!) THP has the best gardeners in the world, no doubt. And, man, you're right at the apex!

 

[Noah Yates]

Awesome grow!!

 

[stickman]

Nice pic of the plant jungle Scott! Have you been getting decent rain this winter? Really looking forward to you getting your plants in the dirt... C'mon Spring, get out there and boogie, eh!

 

[Devv]

Man, those tomatoes are raring to go.  I need to start mine soon, but I've got one more flat of peppers first, then a couple of flats of brassicas and some other things.  The temperature here is headed to the low to mid teens tonight, then gradually warming up to mid thirties by Saturday.  Next week is looking better so far.

 
Normally...They would hit the dirt this weekend, but Thursday and Friday show lows of 30°. I turned off the lights that the tom's are under, the plants are getting scorched. At least they can go outside tomorrow for a couple of days...
 

Plants are all looking great Scott, hopefully you get the good weather you are anticipating.

 
Thanks Terry!
 
Both the plants and me are ready for dirt day, now I have to wait until next weekend at least to see how the 10 day forecast looks.
 

That's beautiful Scott. Do you rotate those larger plants out? I am going to try to do a window rotation this year to save space under the lights, but am afraid to take the babies out from under those sweet lumens. Your plants always seem to do fine in the rotations, but I guess they spend some time outdoors as well?

 
Thanks Adam!
 
Yes, I move them around and when nights are 50° or above they go outside.
 

Scott, have you planted all the pepper seeds you intend to plant?  Do you grow heirloom tomatoes?  THP member, DownRiver, sent me some heirloom seeds for Old Brooks, and Brimmer tomatoes.  Any experience with these?

 
Hi Jim,
 
I had a lot of seeds that didn't germinate, even after a replant, or I would have 20-25 more. It's too late to plant anything else until the second season. Which I'm going to give a whirl this year.
 
We haven't had much luck with heirlooms production wise here. We plant San Marzano and Early Girl, they do well in the heat. The problem we deal with is 30-45 days into the dirt-grow season the weather gets in the 90's. I did grow Abe Lincoln 2 seasons ago, they struggled. I guess the only way to find out is to give them a try if you have the space...
 

Great looking plants Devv. I envy you being able to put plants out in 10 days, even if it is a gamble. It's a year round gamble in terms of cold winds here on the West Coast of Ireland!!

 
Thanks Ronan!
 
I sure don't envy anyone who lives where it gets really cold. We have had more cold days this winter than any other I can remember. The last 2 days have been around 37° as a high, and drizzle. For us here that's pretty nasty weather, as we're acclimated now. It should be 70° out now...Both LB and I were born in New York, and moved here in 1978. I'm sitting here with 3 shirts on and a baseball cap, the fireplace is cranked up, and we're both cold...I guess it's the dampness.
 

 
 
LOLOL Been there, done that. 
I won't even start my tomatoes until this weekend because of how fast they grow. Lesson learned from last year when they were 3' tall at plant out in May. 

 
I guess it's like planting too many peppers, I seem to do it every year.
 

     It's so hard to keep up with your glog, but it's SOOOO worth it! Your plants look absolutely fake. (That's a good thing!) THP has the best gardeners in the world, no doubt. And, man, you're right at the apex!

 
 Thanks HM01!
 
I really don't do much to them anymore, except water them when they need it. Sometimes I wait a tad too long... I've learned to back off and let them be plants. Believe me I've killed my share early on...LOL
 

Awesome grow!!

 
Thanks Noah!
 
Still waiting on Mother Nature!
 

Nice pic of the plant jungle Scott! Have you been getting decent rain this winter? Really looking forward to you getting your plants in the dirt... C'mon Spring, get out there and boogie, eh!

 
Thanks Rick!
 
We've been getting a lot more rain lately as compared to the last 10 years, we still need more, but the cattle people have to be happy this year. They haven't had to irrigate the winter grasses.
 
If this trend continues, you'll read about flooding down here soon. As the Stevie Ray Vaughan song goes...

 

[Pinoy83]

 
LOL, you know better than that. I'm hoping to get some work done Sunday when the weather warms. If so, right on schedule....
 
 
 
Well, we got the cold! One morning had a light frost that didn't seem to bother the Peach trees. I warmed for a day and now the wind is the "door ripping off" kind. After Saturday things look great. If the 10 day looks good I'm for a gamble
 
Well yesterday my Internet was down (again!).
 
Saturday afternoon I should be able to put the plants back outside to finish hardening off.
 
Took a couple of pics of the crowded spaces....
 

 
Tom's and a few peppers spilling out. The Tom's are ready for dirt! Mental note: start Tom's January 15th next year.
 

 
Not enough room under these lights either. Next season I'll have another tall area. Don't mind the floor

babies gone wildddddddd....thats lots of materssssss......weres the avocado tree.....fresh guacamole is the best ....  

 

[juanitos]

i got the same weather as you man, them maters looking a lil too healthy lol.

 

[capsidadburn]

Scott, your plants and your Green machine appear to be at the starting line with lots of energy! Will be watching the story unfold!
 
Best of luck with your season!

 

[PaulS]

Looking really good dude, a proper jungle!

 

[Pulpiteer]

Yep, love the tomato jungle! I'm holding off on mine for a bit yet. But then again there's still a bunch of snow here

 

[Devv]

babies gone wildddddddd....thats lots of materssssss......weres the avocado tree.....fresh guacamole is the best ....  

 
Oh those maters all get eaten, most get canned for the red sauce. Some get used for salsa. I'd love an Avocado tree, never seen one for sale and no luck trying to grow from seeds. Maybe some day
 

i got the same weather as you man, them maters looking a lil too healthy lol.

 
Yeah, today was supposed to be 70°, so far 47° is the high. The weather needs to respect the weatherman...LOL
 
The Maters have gotten out of control. I did raise the light this morning, hopefully I can plant them next weekend...
 

Scott, your plants and your Green machine appear to be at the starting line with lots of energy! Will be watching the story unfold!
 
Best of luck with your season!

 
Thanks Mike!
 
The plants are on schedule for a normal year, but so far we're not having that. I can't get in the garden either, it's too wet. Hoping this all pans out real soon!
 

Looking really good dude, a proper jungle!

 
Thank Paul!
 
 

Yep, love the tomato jungle! I'm holding off on mine for a bit yet. But then again there's still a bunch of snow here

 
Thanks Andy!
 
Next year I shave 15 days off the grow time. My fault, and I know better