Devv's 2015 - 16, Life is good!

stickman · Aug 7, 2016

Wow... that's what I call deep preparation! Did you mix any biochar in with the compost before you backfilled Scott? I forget... are your winters warm enough to OW chiles outside? If not, I bet you could do it if you put down IRT plastic mulch, planted into it, and put up a low row cover over it. The nice thing about the IRT mulch is that you could still put it down first and plant into holes punched in it during the hot time of year and cover it with something reflective like shredded white paper to cool the soil until things cool down in the fall. Since you work at a school district, I bet you wouldn't have any problems getting ahold of shredded white paper...

Devv · Aug 7, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
I posted a comment back at the end of July. I guess in never went through. Sorry about that. Your plants look great Scott. I fired up the tiller today. Can't wait to hit the garden with it. Still a couple months out. LOL. I did the same thing. Till, dig, till. Damn, that make my back hurt talking about it. The plants grew a bunch in the past couple weeks. It'll be nice when you guys get some cooler temps. Glad you got a new camera. Will it be hard to figure out? The close up looks like it works good. You can get some nice blossom pics. Can't wait to follow your second half of the season grow. It's like Spring time all over again. LOL

Thanks for sharing, Scott. I hope you set away for some relaxation time.

Hi Chuck!

It's all good, for being almost 58, I feel I did really good. It wasn't the digging, but the dang humidity was high from the 3.5"s of rain last week, plus the August heat. I think I drank 5 12oz. waters before I peed the first time..LOL
Glad I can rest tomorrow at work!

The new camera is pretty nice. The old one is a professional grade, but obsolete. This one is an entry level SLR, but with all the progress in the last 13 years it's probably better. I went from 6mp to 24mp, the ISO from 1,000 to 24,000. All those numbers mean better low light pics with more data. It seems easy to use, but I need to get used to it

My son bought the D3200 2 years ago and I was impressed with the color that it captured.

Relaxing at the moment, and it's well deserved!

Devv · Aug 7, 2016

stickman said:
Wow... that's what I call deep preparation! Did you mix any biochar in with the compost before you backfilled Scott? I forget... are your winters warm enough to OW chiles outside? If not, I bet you could do it if you put down IRT plastic mulch, planted into it, and put up a low row cover over it. The nice thing about the IRT mulch is that you could still put it down first and plant into holes punched in it during the hot time of year and cover it with something reflective like shredded white paper to cool the soil until things cool down in the fall. Since you work at a school district, I bet you wouldn't have any problems getting ahold of shredded white paper...

Hi Rick!

This is my little Hugel bed experiment, I'm going to do a "real" hugel bed when it cools. I''ll have to lock the cattle from the pasture while I work on it. I intend to let my tractor do the hard work next time around

That soil already has 3-4"s of biochar tilled into it from like 5 years ago, although I'd like to add more. I need to find a local source. Funny you mentions shredded paper, I have 4 large bags in the shop. Now you have me thinking

Some winters allow an OW in the dirt. It just depends on how cold it gets. But the ones I have in pots are going to hit the shop if it gets cold. I have more that I want to put in the 7 gallon pots. Just not enough hours in a day. Or here lately, not enough hours before it gets into the mid 90's!

I finished the one wanna be hugel row, this was after LB and I washed her car and changed the water filters for the well. So it was already warming up outside. I managed to get 9 plants in the ground before my knees and the heat told me "enough stupid", it was almost 1, so Shiner time

It was well deserved.

Here's the new row. Each plant was set in a 3 gallon plus hole. I have read a lot about tomato tone, and for the first time I saw it at Wally World and it was on clearance, so I loaded up. I used a 80% mix, it's new to me, so I can add, one can't take it away. I mixed 1 gallon of garden soil, 1 gallon of potting mix, and 1 gallon of a used soil mix. It took all 3 gallons to surround the plants. I hope they do well :party:

Today the following hit the dirt:
MoA
White Hab
Padron
Billy Biker
Numex Jalamundo
Numex Jalamundo
Jalapeno Cross
Billy Biker
Tepin Lemon Drop

MoA

Kind of weird how the new plants are almost as tall as the spring plantings. Just goes to show, once the heat hits here, they stall.

The Esperanza's don't care about the heat, they got a rain :rolleyes:

stickman · Aug 7, 2016

Devv said:
Hi Rick!

This is my little Hugel bed experiment, I'm going to do a "real" hugel bed when it cools. I''ll have to lock the cattle from the pasture while I work on it. I intend to let my tractor do the hard work next time around That soil already has 3-4"s of biochar tilled into it from like 5 years ago, although I'd like to add more. I need to find a local source. Funny you mentions shredded paper, I have 4 large bags in the shop. Now you have me thinking

Good luck with the little Hugel bed experiment... I'll be following along to see how it works out for you. I mention the shredded paper because a couple years ago I tried to mulch some squash with it at the start of planting season, and it just stalled out. When I peeled back the paper mulch and felt the soil, it was at least 10 degrees cooler than the soil around it, so I removed the paper mulch and it started to grow immediately.

Some winters allow an OW in the dirt. It just depends on how cold it gets. But the ones I have in pots are going to hit the shop if it gets cold. I have more that I want to put in the 7 gallon pots. Just not enough hours in a day. Or here lately, not enough hours before it gets into the mid 90's!

I finished the one wanna be hugel row, this was after LB and I washed her car and changed the water filters for the well. So it was already warming up outside. I managed to get 9 plants in the ground before my knees and the heat told me "enough stupid", it was almost 1, so Shiner time It was well deserved.

S'right brother... here too.

Here's the new row. Each plant was set in a 3 gallon plus hole. I have read a lot about tomato tone, and for the first time I saw it at Wally World and it was on clearance, so I loaded up. I used a 80% mix, it's new to me, so I can add, one can't take it away. I mixed 1 gallon of garden soil, 1 gallon of potting mix, and 1 gallon of a used soil mix. It took all 3 gallons to surround the plants. I hope they do well

I've had good experiences with the Tomato Tone ferts for the last 3 years Scott... it's mild enough that you don't have to worry about burning the roots, it's all organic, and helps produce large and healthy plants.

Kind of weird how the new plants are almost as tall as the spring plantings. Just goes to show, once the heat hits here, they stall.

OCD Chilehead · Aug 7, 2016

Looks great Scott. Justin (JCW) gave me advice on adding soil and ferts when I planted. He has the same clay soil. I've been using Garden Tone for years. I stock up this time of year too. I think I paid $5-7 for a 4lb bag. I get a five gallon bucket with lid. I mix Garden tone, iron tone, and bone meal in the bucket. Jobes makes some good stuff as well. I throw a 1cup in the hole and mix with my recycled soil. I topped dressed with the stuff a month later. It seemed to work good. Can't wait to use the bio char next year. Glad you got the plants in the ground.

Are you going to put up the shade cloth?

moruga welder · Aug 7, 2016

fingers crossed ! hope all goes well for you . :onfire:

Devv · Aug 8, 2016

stickman said:
Hi Rick!

This is my little Hugel bed experiment, I'm going to do a "real" hugel bed when it cools. I''ll have to lock the cattle from the pasture while I work on it. I intend to let my tractor do the hard work next time around That soil already has 3-4"s of biochar tilled into it from like 5 years ago, although I'd like to add more. I need to find a local source. Funny you mentions shredded paper, I have 4 large bags in the shop. Now you have me thinking

Good luck with the little Hugel bed experiment... I'll be following along to see how it works out for you. I mention the shredded paper because a couple years ago I tried to mulch some squash with it at the start of planting season, and it just stalled out. When I peeled back the paper mulch and felt the soil, it was at least 10 degrees cooler than the soil around it, so I removed the paper mulch and it started to grow immediately.

Some winters allow an OW in the dirt. It just depends on how cold it gets. But the ones I have in pots are going to hit the shop if it gets cold. I have more that I want to put in the 7 gallon pots. Just not enough hours in a day. Or here lately, not enough hours before it gets into the mid 90's!

I finished the one wanna be hugel row, this was after LB and I washed her car and changed the water filters for the well. So it was already warming up outside. I managed to get 9 plants in the ground before my knees and the heat told me "enough stupid", it was almost 1, so Shiner time It was well deserved.

S'right brother... here too.

Here's the new row. Each plant was set in a 3 gallon plus hole. I have read a lot about tomato tone, and for the first time I saw it at Wally World and it was on clearance, so I loaded up. I used a 80% mix, it's new to me, so I can add, one can't take it away. I mixed 1 gallon of garden soil, 1 gallon of potting mix, and 1 gallon of a used soil mix. It took all 3 gallons to surround the plants. I hope they do well

I've had good experiences with the Tomato Tone ferts for the last 3 years Scott... it's mild enough that you don't have to worry about burning the roots, it's all organic, and helps produce large and healthy plants.

Kind of weird how the new plants are almost as tall as the spring plantings. Just goes to show, once the heat hits here, they stall.

Click to expand...

I would imagine the paper does impact year one; I mainly scarfed it to lay down and wet, then add the rough mulch on the areas I don't plant. But now I may add some to the planned hugel bed. I'm not going to get crazy with it and go large scale. It's kinda along the same thing Gary (windchicken) does. My main goal is something to help store the water. Speaking of, I soaked everything really well yesterday, and glad I checked this afternoon. Wilting everywhere. But I saw an immediate perk up even before I left the garden. The way I did things is the roots of the transplants are about 1-2"s above the Hugel matter, and the soil mix is all around them. I figure let the roots decide where they choose to go.

And I picked up the Tomato Tone based on the amount of users year saying how they liked it. I'm sure it will work just fine.

OCD Chilehead said:
Looks great Scott. Justin (JCW) gave me advice on adding soil and ferts when I planted. He has the same clay soil. I've been using Garden Tone for years. I stock up this time of year too. I think I paid $5-7 for a 4lb bag. I get a five gallon bucket with lid. I mix Garden tone, iron tone, and bone meal in the bucket. Jobes makes some good stuff as well. I throw a 1cup in the hole and mix with my recycled soil. I topped dressed with the stuff a month later. It seemed to work good. Can't wait to use the bio char next year. Glad you got the plants in the ground.

Are you going to put up the shade cloth?

Thanks Chuck!

I paid $7 per 6lb bag, so I bought 6 of them

They were getting $12 (not from me). I'm still looking for local Bio Char, I may have to fire up the Frankenstein and make my own again :rolleyes:

moruga welder said:
fingers crossed ! hope all goes well for you .

Thanks!

If they survive the next 4-5 weeks we're home free!

Devv · Aug 12, 2016

After 6 weeks of 100's, (except for 3 days) I think we may be getting a break. But September 15th is the day it sticks. I'm sure 100's will be back again :shh:

tctenten · Aug 12, 2016

Whoa. Dislike. I do not think I could ever get used to that weather.

Devv · Aug 12, 2016

tctenten said:
Whoa. Dislike. I do not think I could ever get used to that weather.

Hah! I was raised in New York, Long Island. Moved here in 1978. I was 20. It took a year or so to get used to it, but here's the deal. I have 90 days of hell, you know 100's, but the other 9 months are sweet! I just hit the outdoors during the hot months at sun-up and work until noon. But I have no real winter to speak of, yeah it could hit 26° one morning a year, highs of 40° that same day. So for me the warmer weather offsets the cooler weather up north. Although you guys up there just kill it come pepper season. No way I compete with yall's pod setting...

tctenten · Aug 12, 2016

We are on our third or fourth day of 90+ temps and people are getting angry.

randyp · Aug 13, 2016

Devv said:
After 6 weeks of 100's, (except for 3 days) I think we may be getting a break. But September 15th is the day it sticks. I'm sure 100's will be back again

I Randy P,promise to never ever complain about my Iowa weather again.Unless it snows 4ft.

Devv · Aug 13, 2016

tctenten said:
We are on our third or fourth day of 90+ temps and people are getting angry.

Yeah, August was always the month I hated growing up. No AC, no fans, just laid there in bed and sweat. I can see why peeps are getting angry, they're certainly out of their comfort zone.

randyp said:
I Randy P,promise to never ever complain about my Iowa weather again.Unless it snows 4ft.

LOL, I wouldn't mind if it snowed maybe once a year, and then melted after I threw a few snowballs at the wife

Well today was a freaky cool day for August, most of the day it was below 80°, got a few sprinkles here and there.

I have a few pics...

A mix of sweets, Hab's, Thai's, and Reapers we cooked down into a puree.

It came out pretty warm, but had a Moruga type flavor. Not sure if I like it yet. I guess I'll see once I use it

Naga Brain forking really well!

Scotch Bonnet/Indian Red from Stephan ready to bust out some flowers. I really hope they set first time around!

Yet more forking going on

And some flowers on the way!

The Lone Ranger, A large orange thai, an OW from last years grow down. The other 2 lost their mojo in the extremes this summer :mope:

I'm still trying to figure out the new camera, its depth of view/field is rather short with the settings so far. But anywho, I did finish the planting in the hugel bed. I added a White Bhut, JA Hab, and a White Jelly Bean Hab to the row.

This White Bhut in a pot is branching out nicely

A view from the East side.

Started another hugel row. Planted a Giant Yellow, White Bhut, and a Naga Brain there.

I still have 10 or so to pot or put in the dirt.

I hit my 10.

Happy Saturday!

jcw10tc · Aug 13, 2016

Those are all looking really good now. Will you have time to get ripe pods. I assume you should have a good month more than me before you have to worry about frost. Would think if you get some set in next few weeks should get some. Good luck with them. I'll try to check back see how they are going, but time is so limited these days, really try to get to more glogs, but just miss a lot trying to keep my own stuff updated and keep up with my jungle.

tctenten · Aug 13, 2016

That Scotch Bonnet/Indian red picture is a beauty. Hopefully they all set for you.

Devv · Aug 14, 2016

jcw10tc said:
Those are all looking really good now. Will you have time to get ripe pods. I assume you should have a good month more than me before you have to worry about frost. Would think if you get some set in next few weeks should get some. Good luck with them. I'll try to check back see how they are going, but time is so limited these days, really try to get to more glogs, but just miss a lot trying to keep my own stuff updated and keep up with my jungle.

Thanks!

And Oh yeah!

If, and I mean If we get a frost around Thanksgiving, I would be surprised. So plenty of time here. That's why I started these when I did. I had to, the spring crop was a total bust. I think the fall is better for peppers here. Tomatoes do really well in the spring. The peppers just get going and bam! It's 100°. If I could set them out when I do the tomatoes all would be good. But that 1 month I have to wait is just too long. Next season potted peppers in the spring and less of them!

I hear ya about time. I used to leave the house at 6AM and get home at 7PM. And I used to hunt all the time. Bow hunting Deer used to be a major addiction. Now I get up at 4AM, home from work before 3PM. Check or water garden. Practice guitar for 1-2 hours. Eat. Process any garden goodies. Play on the Internet. In bed by 8PM, back up again at 4AM. Gotta get the 8 hours sleep..LOL
On the weekends I'm out there at first light, usually done by 1-2PM in the hot months, cuz it gets way too hot :rolleyes:

The days of running around like a nut have passed. I'm in GrandPa mode now. Kids are in their 30's, it's just me and LB now. 3 more years and I won't care what day of the week it is...

tctenten said:
That Scotch Bonnet/Indian red picture is a beauty. Hopefully they all set for you.

I'm hoping!

We have some cooler weather for a few days. Pods I need :party:

If not now in 2-4 weeks; I have a nice long fall. Usually they can set and grow until Christmas, unless things get crazy. And they might, an El Nino year usually means a cold winter.

Most of today has looked like this, but so far the rain is skirting around us. Good thing is we had a high of 85°, now it's 76°. Good weather for pod setting.

Lone Reaper is still chugging along. It got new shoes yesterday. Kinda blurry pic. It started to drizzle, camera's hate wet, so I went inside. The other 2 damped off :tear:

MoA. Talk to me! I need some bonnets!

It's not supposed to get above 90° here until Wednesday. I'll believe it when I see it.

tsurrie · Aug 14, 2016

Peppers seem happier with some cooler weather you're getting.

Looking good. I'm rooting for them. And you.

And yeah... nice looking puree!

stickman · Aug 14, 2016

Those Hugel beds are sure a lot of work... I hope they do well for ya Scott! Did you see the stuff Gary (Windchicken) posted about RCW on his glog? I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I wonder if it's something similar. Nice that you have blossoms on your Bonnets... think you'd like a jar or two of my Bonnet puree to tide you over until yours come in?

OCD Chilehead · Aug 14, 2016

Purée looks good. Give it some time for the flavors to mingle. Hope it turns out good.

The garden looks great. First roots, then shoots. Hope the MOAs grow true. All the ones I grew last year, not one was true. They did keep the great MOA flavor though.

FreeportBum · Aug 15, 2016

Plants are looking really nice, keep up the good work. Do you find any one or two particular varieties do better in the heat down there then others?

Cheers