Devv's 2015 - 16, Life is good!

Devv · Jun 3, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
No wonder your picking so much.

I have 27 tomato plants. They have all kinds of fancy names. Just like the chile's. I think I have Celebrity, Sweet100, Super Fantastic, San Marzano, Champion, Husky Cherry Red, and some mysteries. Don't know what happened to the labels. LoL. I usually always grow a grape, or a cherry of some sort. This year I got a variety. Enough about me, this is your Glog.

Your garden will start shifting gears in no time Scott. Glad your getting just enough rain and not to much. Wish I could say " My plant day is September 15th". Lol

Thanks for sharing Scott. The week is almost over.

Hey Chuck!

One day while LB and I were in Sam's she said we need tomatoes, "I hate canned tomatoes". We bought 12 gallons, and ran out, then bought more. Of course I replied "I can fix that, just don't hate me when harvest comes". Well we have about 35 quarts canned so far, and no end in sight. Early Girl is our go to mater. The take the heat, always produce in a short time, and as we;re finding out don't split from too much rain.

We had over 6"s in the last 5 days, just crazy! The peppers are standing still, waiting I guess.

bpiela said:
Scott,

Any thoughts on setting up an outdoors Surveillance cam? I am just imagining the cool videos you could post, catching the critters in action. Plus, you can use the cams to take stills. Or possibly setup a life feed so we can just go to a website and take a look at your garden... You are in IT. Get this going!

I really have considered this for sure. :shh:

Sanarda · Jun 4, 2016

Hey Scott! Things look great down there. How are you faring with the weather? Hope all the family is well with all that flooding. And last but not least, as I am sure your wife has said, a dirty man is a good man. ahahhahahaahaaa. God Bless!!!!

Devv · Jun 4, 2016

Sanarda said:
Hey Scott! Things look great down there. How are you faring with the weather? Hope all the family is well with all that flooding. And last but not least, as I am sure your wife has said, a dirty man is a good man. ahahhahahaahaaa. God Bless!!!!

Hi Pia! You have been missed!

We're 200 feet above town here so we're hangin' just fine. collected rain water I have

How's things up your way?

Sanarda · Jun 4, 2016

Devv said:
Hi Pia! You have been missed!

We're 200 feet above town here so we're hangin' just fine. collected rain water I have How's things up your way?

So glad to hear you are well. Your grow is gonna be awesome this year. I am good my friend. Huggs

Devv · Jun 7, 2016

Well I took some pics on Sunday, well I think so anyway

But have been tied up. Took my daughter and her husband, oh and that cute little Charlie out to dinner Saturday, been canning like crazy 22 or 23 quarts canned since Thursday. Thankfully we're having a break today. The rain has passed finally. Been 15 years since we had rains like this. I would just love it if the man upstairs would even things out a bit.

I took advantage of the cooler weather this weekend and did some more shredding.

Close to 3 yds I guess.

I learned something Sunday morning, DON't place anything on that little shelf below the warning sign.

My "Darth Vader" 3m respirator about 3 seconds after I started the shredder. :shh:

Somehow Saturday I remembered that several times. NOT Sunday... :banghead:

OK stop laughing at me! I'm smart enough to know I'm stupid... :rolleyes:

Finally some ripe peppers, ate one with my chicken quesadilla tonight

The sweets are doing well, and the MoA's, well slow to grow, but seem to be on a spurt.

"justa hab" sorry for the crappy pic, squatting seems to be a thing of the past lately :confused:

But its got pods!

MoA? I dunno, as I mentioned earlier on, all my labels went to the floor. Marli-dog ate them..LOL. I sound like a kid who didn't do his homework.
I sure hope it is, and not a cross. No matter it's alive and podding. I do have some properly labeled MoA's, but like 2"s tall. I hope they make it!

What's left of a row of 18-20 plants, they're all coming back. The thing is more than likely they won't bear fruit in the oncoming heat.

Wish I had better results to show, but oh well, that's how it rolls some years. Pics of the newbies soon, call me crazy, but I have them outside in full sun under windows screens. Nothing to lose at this stage of the game.

OCD Chilehead · Jun 7, 2016

Devv said:
Well I took some pics on Sunday, well I think so anyway But have been tied up. Took my daughter and her husband, oh and that cute little Charlie out to dinner Saturday, been canning like crazy 22 or 23 quarts canned since Thursday. Thankfully we're having a break today. The rain has passed finally. Been 15 years since we had rains like this. I would just love it if the man upstairs would even things out a bit.

I took advantage of the cooler weather this weekend and did some more shredding.

Close to 3 yds I guess.

I learned something Sunday morning, DON't place anything on that little shelf below the warning sign.

My "Darth Vader" 3m respirator about 3 seconds after I started the shredder.
Somehow Saturday I remembered that several times. NOT Sunday...

OK stop laughing at me! I'm smart enough to know I'm stupid...

Finally some ripe peppers, ate one with my chicken quesadilla tonight

The sweets are doing well, and the MoA's, well slow to grow, but seem to be on a spurt.

"justa hab" sorry for the crappy pic, squatting seems to be a thing of the past lately But its got pods!

MoA? I dunno, as I mentioned earlier on, all my labels went to the floor. Marli-dog ate them..LOL. I sound like a kid who didn't do his homework.
I sure hope it is, and not a cross. No matter it's alive and podding. I do have some properly labeled MoA's, but like 2"s tall. I hope they make it!

What's left of a row of 18-20 plants, they're all coming back. The thing is more than likely they won't bear fruit in the oncoming heat.

Wish I had better results to show, but oh well, that's how it rolls some years. Pics of the newbies soon, call me crazy, but I have them outside in full sun under windows screens. Nothing to lose at this stage of the game.

Wow Scott! That shred looks good, even the Vader shred. LoL! I had to laugh. That machine doesn't mess around. Seriously, the composting looks amazing my friend. I have a long ways to go, but it's fun. The garden will catch up. Like you said cycles. Even gardens run in cycles with the weather. I'm behind as well. I think row covers for me next year. I'll plant right into the ground and not have to worry about transplant shock or hardening off. Plus I'll save a little on the electric bill.

Thanks for the update.

Chuck

tctenten · Jun 7, 2016

Keeping busy Scott. It is nice to see your pepper plants starting to rebound for you. If I get a nice tomato harvest, I may hit you up for some how to's on the canning process.

randyp · Jun 8, 2016

I got to get me a chipper Scott,I smoke lots of meat so I would have a dual use. :party:

stickman · Jun 8, 2016

Gee Scott... you've got it all... highs and lows, soup to nuts.

I guess both the good and bad fairies showed up for your party this year, but on the average you're doing pretty well. Keep up the great work.

PaulG · Jun 9, 2016

Dang, you've been through the wringer (shredder?) Scott!

Despite all, there are some nice results showing in the recent photos,
for sure - your green thumbs are showing!

Hope you have continued success forging ahead, brother!

Devv · Jun 9, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
Wow Scott! That shred looks good, even the Vader shred. LoL! I had to laugh. That machine doesn't mess around. Seriously, the composting looks amazing my friend. I have a long ways to go, but it's fun. The garden will catch up. Like you said cycles. Even gardens run in cycles with the weather. I'm behind as well. I think row covers for me next year. I'll plant right into the ground and not have to worry about transplant shock or hardening off. Plus I'll save a little on the electric bill.

Thanks for the update.

Chuck

Hi Chuck!

I had to laugh too when the shredder ate the vader mask, that shredder didn't even blink, but it did make a racket!

I started really getting into peppers 4 years ago, and this year I finally learned they need to hit the dirt 4 weeks after the maters, or they just sit there. During that time in pots they get so much larger, and just take off once in the dirt. Have a look at Rick's (Stickman) grow, he has it down for growing in the cooler climes.

tctenten said:
Keeping busy Scott. It is nice to see your pepper plants starting to rebound for you. If I get a nice tomato harvest, I may hit you up for some how to's on the canning process.

Thanks Terry!

The canning process is easy. LB and I team up. First thing is to fill the pot you intend on boiling the canning jars in, as this takes a while to heat up, we fill it with hot water to get going. We bought a "canning" pot for about 20 bucks in the grocery store, it holds 7 quart jars. Fill the sink with 2"s of water and add about 1 or 2 pounds of ice. Rinse the maters off. Boil water in a 4 quart pot and throw the maters in for 2 minutes in the boiling water, then remove them to the ice water in the sink. This loosens the skin for easy peeling. I do this, and as they collect LB starts skinning them and cutting them in half, inspecting them and removing the stem and any bad parts. You want to use the best looking really nice and ripe maters. While she's getting going on this I add the jars to the jar pot to bring them to a boil, the rings and lids go in a small fry pan. Three will fit in the one we use, bring to a slight boil to soften the rubber seals on the lids. I get a head of her and she's got half a pot filled with ready to heat maters, I put them on the stove and bring them to a slight boil, not too much or the maters "cook down". She's still processing and now placing the maters in a bowl and I continue to add them to the ones I have cooking. This is so once she's finished we have about 3 to 5 minutes before we can start the actual canning. Yeah we've been doing this since 1982, so we have it down

I then take one jar out of the now rapidly boiling water, drain it and she fills it, uses a kabob shaft to make sure the air is removed from the lower parts of the jar, add some juice to 1/2" of the top (head space) use a towel to make sure the threads and top are clean, snug the lid down. Next jar, same story. Place them back in the jar pot and let them boil for 20 minutes. We use 20 minutes to be extra safe, other use less I'm told.

This will work for any acid based canning, including pickled goods. Sweet stuff like Peaches, I'm guessing a pressure cooker is needed.

So we hit the over 50 quart mark tonight, thinking 15-20 left..last year of this kind of madness. Only did it cuz last year was a zero canning year due to my "issues" last spring. We lost most everything to the birds or BER. But me, I'm still here!

randyp said:
I got to get me a chipper Scott,I smoke lots of meat so I would have a dual use.

Randy,

I love having one, it took only 20+ years before I could justify or afford one. They work great for leaves, small woody stuff and the free mulch I get. It really speeds up the breaking down process. Sad thing is the free goodies are now in short supply. Glad I hogged up 48 yards this fall

Next Monday I'm lined up for 6 yards, and will go back for more if they have any left.

stickman said:
Gee Scott... you've got it all... highs and lows, soup to nuts. I guess both the good and bad fairies showed up for your party this year, but on the average you're doing pretty well. Keep up the great work.

For sure Rick!

And thanks

This year has definitely been different than years past, but we must keep on moving forward. I feel the onset of the 15 year rains created a burst of wildlife that came to visit! Quail have been scarce and are now everywhere. One has to roll with the punches and adapt, and that I will :party:

PaulG said:
Dang, you've been through the wringer (shredder?) Scott!

Despite all, there are some nice results showing in the recent photos,
for sure - your green thumbs are showing!

Hope you have continued success forging ahead, brother!

Thanks Paul!

Mother nature threw it almost all she had at us, except hail. Now it's a grasshopper flood :tear:

But the maters are finally winding down, so in the morning I start removing the ones that are done. We're so ready for the coming break, but not done yet. And new pepper seedlings are in the wings for the late season crop. We WILL have a fall crop

Devv · Jun 11, 2016

I'll have some pics up on Monday. Tomorrow LB and I are taking the Beast to Eagle Pass to donate to the local Indian reservation, unless we're lucky of course

And that would be grand!

The peppers are coming along nicely, both the "in the dirt", which I've hit with a heavy dose of nutes due to all the rain which caused some leaching, and the babies. Lost a few due to damping off. It's really hard to get them going this time of year with the heat. Can't grow them indoors in the shop because the lights raise the temps way up, and that's where the meat freezer lives. So they're outside, and when real young I can't effectively bottom water the tiny ones. And they dry out really fast! So some loss is expected.

Finally, yes finally we're winding down from the mater onslaught. Don't think we're going there again at this level. I pulled a few and trimmed quite a few. I'm thinking one more week. Pulled half the secondary Garlic grow, just in case. I at least want seed stock for next year. But I think I'm OK, it's getting dry in the garden.

I shredded another yard of finished product this morning, I'm down to about 2 yards of mulch that's left from the original pile. Although I have 3 yards of rough stuff stocked up in the garden. 48 yards went fast! AND the county is about out. The old stuff is gone, I'm going Monday or Tuesday for some newly ground stuff they have.

"yall chill, it's Saturday night!

randyp · Jun 12, 2016

Scott it's Dog-Days for u buddy.Your set up will get you through.Have a good trip.

OCD Chilehead · Jun 12, 2016

That's a lot of work Scott.

I hope your seedlings take off. I really need to rethink my garden for next year. No real plan. I think I over did it on the tomatoes. We will see. I did plant tomatillo. If that works out, I'll grow more of them for salsa and green chile.

I was up late last night looking at different garlic varieties. Didn't know there was so many. I'm going to start prepping an area for them. I'll plant in the Fall. I seen you could soak them in nutrient solution and then sterilize with vodka. You do anything special when planting. Does the soil have to be really loose?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thanks

Devv · Jun 13, 2016

randyp said:
Scott it's Dog-Days for u buddy.Your set up will get you through.Have a good trip.

Thanks Randy!

Yeah, the heat is on! 90's and humid. I expect humidity for another week or so, until the rain results fade. We left at 6AM, back at 8, in the garden at 9, a bit late, worked until 1PM. Had to come a few times to cool off. Desk work is sucking the stamina out of me....

We actually got to bring home some reservation cash!

Usually we're just donors...LOL. We took the "Beast", it got better than 22 mpg, despite winding it up a few times.

Dang that thangs got muey grande huevos!

OCD Chilehead said:
That's a lot of work Scott.

I hope your seedlings take off. I really need to rethink my garden for next year. No real plan. I think I over did it on the tomatoes. We will see. I did plant tomatillo. If that works out, I'll grow more of them for salsa and green chile.

I was up late last night looking at different garlic varieties. Didn't know there was so many. I'm going to start prepping an area for them. I'll plant in the Fall. I seen you could soak them in nutrient solution and then sterilize with vodka. You do anything special when planting. Does the soil have to be really loose?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thanks

Hi Chuck!

I know I over did it mater wise for sure!

As for the garlic, I started out just planting cloves from store bought garlic. I'm in my 3rd or 4th year, reusing the largest heads. When I harvest I pull them and then tie 4 or so on one end of some nylon string and 4 or so on the other end and hang them outside in the shade. As shown in a pic back a page or 2. They have to be completely dry before storing, meaning no green on the stem when you cut it down, after it browns. I usually test 4 or 5 "s from the head to make sure it's dry.. We use a wicker basket, and last seasons harvest are still in really good condition. Do not lay them in the sun to dry, they hate it.

As for planting, as long as the soil is not hard as a rock they will do well, they don't like wet feet, but tolerate it some. I don't do anything to the cloves prior to planting. My crop of reused store bought stock was ready and pulled before the really wet 2 weeks hit. I pulled half of the crop I planted from my brothers seed early, some were damaged from the rains, half is still out there. I'll know when its been cured if they did OK. I plant the pointy side of the clove up and cover the top with 1/2" of soil, I set them out September 15th. My brother in Ohio plants in October and covers them with straw mulch when it's cold, they hang just fine.

I never did get out and take pics today. I spent the morning watering the peppers using the collected rain water, fixing up the silt filled irrigation trenches, and pulling spent tomato plants. Then I hauled the last of the mulch into the garden area to be accessible for next seasons prep. We then, once again, canned. I think we need more jars...LOL

OCD Chilehead · Jun 13, 2016

Devv said:
Thanks Randy!

Yeah, the heat is on! 90's and humid. I expect humidity for another week or so, until the rain results fade. We left at 6AM, back at 8, in the garden at 9, a bit late, worked until 1PM. Had to come a few times to cool off. Desk work is sucking the stamina out of me....

We actually got to bring home some reservation cash! Usually we're just donors...LOL. We took the "Beast", it got better than 22 mpg, despite winding it up a few times. Dang that thangs got muey grande huevos!

Hi Chuck!

I know I over did it mater wise for sure!

As for the garlic, I started out just planting cloves from store bought garlic. I'm in my 3rd or 4th year, reusing the largest heads. When I harvest I pull them and then tie 4 or so on one end of some nylon string and 4 or so on the other end and hang them outside in the shade. As shown in a pic back a page or 2. They have to be completely dry before storing, meaning no green on the stem when you cut it down, after it browns. I usually test 4 or 5 "s from the head to make sure it's dry.. We use a wicker basket, and last seasons harvest are still in really good condition. Do not lay them in the sun to dry, they hate it.

As for planting, as long as the soil is not hard as a rock they will do well, they don't like wet feet, but tolerate it some. I don't do anything to the cloves prior to planting. My crop of reused store bought stock was ready and pulled before the really wet 2 weeks hit. I pulled half of the crop I planted from my brothers seed early, some were damaged from the rains, half is still out there. I'll know when its been cured if they did OK. I plant the pointy side of the clove up and cover the top with 1/2" of soil, I set them out September 15th. My brother in Ohio plants in October and covers them with straw mulch when it's cold, they hang just fine.

I never did get out and take pics today. I spent the morning watering the peppers using the collected rain water, fixing up the silt filled irrigation trenches, and pulling spent tomato plants. Then I hauled the last of the mulch into the garden area to be accessible for next seasons prep. We then, once again, canned. I think we need more jars...LOL

Thanks for the info Scott. I'll mulch the garlic. It'll be covered in snow from Dec.-March.

Sounds like you've been getting it done. Time to take a break my friend.

I have a hole stock pile of jars. Didn't do much canning last year. Hopefully I use them all this year.

Thanks for sharing

Devv · Jun 17, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
Thanks for the info Scott. I'll mulch the garlic. It'll be covered in snow from Dec.-March.

Sounds like you've been getting it done. Time to take a break my friend.

I have a hole stock pile of jars. Didn't do much canning last year. Hopefully I use them all this year.

Thanks for sharing

Garlic is one of the easiest to grow. One can't hardly mess it up. You'll do fine

Been a crazy busy week here, yeah, dang tomatoes. Thankfully we're almost done. Then the water softener went south. It's something we really need here or the whites turn cream colored..LOL. So last night was spent relearning that thang. I'm not one to call someone to do repairs, I feel I have it whipped, parts on order.

The peppers are really doing well, both in the garden and the sprouts. I'm way behind pic wise, but sometimes life gets in the way...

willow · Jun 17, 2016

Recently purchased a shredder that looks almost identical. Looking forward to putting it to good use in the coming months. In need of a few tonnes of compost and this is a quickfire way to get there. We have plenty of pine, mango and other leaf litter to get through.

OCD Chilehead · Jun 18, 2016

Devv said:
Garlic is one of the easiest to grow. One can't hardly mess it up. You'll do fine

Been a crazy busy week here, yeah, dang tomatoes. Thankfully we're almost done. Then the water softener went south. It's something we really need here or the whites turn cream colored..LOL. So last night was spent relearning that thang. I'm not one to call someone to do repairs, I feel I have it whipped, parts on order.
The peppers are really doing well, both in the garden and the sprouts. I'm way behind pic wise, but sometimes life gets in the way...

I'm a DIY kinda guy. I had someone come out a service my moms swamp cooler today. I kick myself in the butt. I could do that with my eyes closed. I got up on the roof and didn't feel safe. It has a steep pitch. Yes, I'm afraid of heights. I tried anyways, but it wasn't worth me taking a tumble. Still have a son and mom to take care of.

Glad you figured the softener out. Stupid question. Why does the whites turn cream colored?

Yeah, I don't have a whole lot of plant pics right now. I'll wait for them to get bigger and post more pics. The tom's are growing like weeds. I really enjoy growing them.

Enjoy your weekend my friend, and Happy Fathers Day.

Devv · Jun 19, 2016

willow said:
Recently purchased a shredder that looks almost identical. Looking forward to putting it to good use in the coming months. In need of a few tonnes of compost and this is a quickfire way to get there. We have plenty of pine, mango and other leaf litter to get through.

You will enjoy the rewards of having a chipper! Congrats on your purchase. Be careful though they're mean machines that like to eat stuff

OCD Chilehead said:
I'm a DIY kinda guy. I had someone come out a service my moms swamp cooler today. I kick myself in the butt. I could do that with my eyes closed. I got up on the roof and didn't feel safe. It has a steep pitch. Yes, I'm afraid of heights. I tried anyways, but it wasn't worth me taking a tumble. Still have a son and mom to take care of.

Glad you figured the softener out. Stupid question. Why does the whites turn cream colored?

Yeah, I don't have a whole lot of plant pics right now. I'll wait for them to get bigger and post more pics. The tom's are growing like weeds. I really enjoy growing them.

Enjoy your weekend my friend, and Happy Fathers Day.

Thanks Chuck!

And a Happy Fathers day to you!

I was never afraid of heights until one day high up in a tree (30+ feet), doing some trimming with a chainsaw in one hand, I looked down and say to myself "whoa, a bounce would really suck" that was it.

The whites turn because of the super high iron content in our water. I have 2 sediment filters, then an iron filter, then the water softener to condition the house water. I have some pics and will point out what the untreated water does if it presents itself.

I've been super busy, but the light is at the end of the tunnel! Never again will I plant 81 tomato plants...yeah I say that now...LOL just too much work!

Happy Fathers Day to all! We had both kids and the 5 g-kids over yesterday, it was a busy and fun time. I cooked the meat for the whole crew, LB did the rest..what a trooper

OKies...

Here you go Chuck, look at the wobbler sprinkler on the 4' high PVC. Our water at work....LOL

Spent the last few days pulling mater plants, the humidity has been through the roof, not a fun time, but needed to be done.

In the wings...my fall candidates. I want them 12"s tall before they hit the dirt. Some more heat, well a lot more than the original plan. I'm getting my heat tolerance back :onfire:

MoA, pods are looking more and more like they should

One of my faves!

Plenty of flowers out there, hope they all set. The heats on; we're in the mid 90's now :rolleyes:

It's the time of year where I don't really want to outside in the afternoon, can you say sweatball?

"Just-a-Hab" don't care if it's getting hot. I hope it does!

Mostly sweets, why did the "ratta's" eat all the warmer ones?

Red Manzano, this is the second round from the seeds Wendy at work gave to me. The first round dampened off during all the rain we had over a 3 week period.

That's it for now.

I hope everyone had a great Fathers Day! It only comes once a year :drunk: