Devv's 2015 - 16, Life is good!

Devv · Oct 29, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
I've never grown garlic before. I wanted to ever since you shared your harvest this last Summer. I'll try a 1/2" under the soil in full sun. I the garlic back in August from a old farmer. I think they were called New York White. It tastes good. I eat garlic raw. Yeah, I know it's disgusting.

I could probably grow scapes in the window sill all year long. Or is that hardneck only? I think this is a soft neck. I'll have to go back and get a refresher in garlic 101.

I can't believe how fast these things grow. Day 5 in water.

You'll get hooked

We haven't purchased Garlic in quite a while.

I wanted to share some of my harvest this spring, but the constant rains left me with really poor specimens. I pulled them early and still lost 60%. I didn't want to send out sour smelling half rotted examples. One good thing was I over planted, so I was able to sort though the mess. I started with store bought Garlic, and have been growing that strain for several years now, replanting my harvest. I never had scapes from it, so a softneck. The Garlic I really wanted to share is a hardneck. My brother sent me 3 heads each of Romanian and Hungarian, which he purchased online. It produces scapes. I was able to salvage enough viable cloves to start a new grow this fall.

Once planted keep them wet until established. The ones I'm moving into full sun that are just breaking ground have 5" roots already. They don't need to be wet all the time, but don't let them dry out. They will survive your winter, you may want to cover them with mulch once it get really cold. My brother in Ohio does. Here I don't have to. Also, Garlic is typically a 9 month endeavor (here). In a normal year I pull the whole crop when 1/3 of the tops fall over. Planting 9-15, harvest around 6-15 (here).

Devv · Oct 29, 2016

Been super busy tearing down the old pool and deck for the last 5 weeks. The peppers are finally making me smile.

South row.

Pods are setting and some are ripening. Very thankful to have such a long growing season here.

Reaper loaded with flowers and doing a fine job of setting pods. This one is in a pot. In the background you can see the fence I'm building from 16 year old deck tear down materials. So far the 6' pieces yielded 40' across the North, and 20' coming back South long the East. My wind killer :rolleyes:

I'm going to test a Hugelkultur bed and see how it does. I hit sand at 13"s. Goal is 2' deep of material, sand will be hauled out. In a 5x20' bed that is level. This should be fun...not! But maybe so :rolleyes:

White JellyBean Hab, flowers and pods we got!

I know these will ripen

Lots of Tepin/ Lemon Drop pods.

Dang Tomato Horned Worms hit this JA Hab hard. 7-8 squished, I think that's it. But I check daily.

OCD Chilehead · Oct 29, 2016

Thanks for the garlic advice. It's all foreign to me. I see it becoming a compulsion. Peppers and Garlic. Doesn't get any better than that.

Nice looking fence Scott. That should change the climate in the garden a little bit. Picture perfect corking. I have one Chinese plant that I'm babying. It's healthy and has a ton of buds on her. The problem is that, I lost the label. I've been bringing her inside a couple nights a week. Still trying to hold on to my season. LOL

Damn Hornworms. To bad you don't have a portable black light.

Devv · Oct 30, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
Thanks for the garlic advice. It's all foreign to me. I see it becoming a compulsion. Peppers and Garlic. Doesn't get any better than that.

Nice looking fence Scott. That should change the climate in the garden a little bit. Picture perfect corking. I have one Chinese plant that I'm babying. It's healthy and has a ton of buds on her. The problem is that, I lost the label. I've been bringing her inside a couple nights a week. Still trying to hold on to my season. LOL

Damn Hornworms. To bad you don't have a portable black light.

Once you start growing Garlic, the next step is Onions :shh:

LB and I grow what we buy, well as much of it as we can.

My one worry about the fence is that it will trap yet more heat during the summer. But the fact that it will really help with the Rabbits, and hopefully the rodents, let alone the winds. It should be good. The only cost so far is the screws and my time

That's just one of the plants that they hit. Every time I stepped on one I though about the story John (Sawyer) told about the "goodies" squirting in to his mouth when he was a kid.

So today we had the crap scared out of us. Marli, one of our Blue Lacy dogs came up to the back porch to check the food dish. I had just walked out the back door checking the Fajitas I was cooking. I heard what sounded like an aluminum arrow hitting concrete. Marli backed off rather quickly. Me, wondering what was going on had a look:

Yeah, right outside the back door! LB had just went in and out, and I was in and out tending to the pit. So there I was in shorts and flip-flops. I had LB get the camera LOL and the pellet gun. No way to use more firepower with the concrete. Ricochet is NOT good! I think I shot that critter 9 times with the pellet gun, scope at 8 feet is not that accurate

So I shot lower. It slowed down and I put 3 coup de gras shots point blank into it's head. Then it was shovel time

Always perform the "off with it's head" as per the Queen of Hearts. As they can strike when dead. It was around 4', and the second in 2 weeks. The first being a really small one

Devv · Oct 30, 2016

I almost forgot. LB pulled while I was working the fence..

The supers are just around the corner if the weather holds

OCD Chilehead · Oct 30, 2016

You startled me with the snake pic. LOL

I hate rattlers. Grew up with them in Southern California. Hatem I tell ya. The sound of that rattle followed by a shotgun blast go together nicely. Hatband!

Nice pull today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather.

tctenten · Oct 31, 2016

Looks like you are keeping busy there. Snakes are one thing we do nit encounter much up here....thankfully. Your plants and peppers look luke are ready to reward you for all of your hard work. I planted a softneck and a hardneck variety of garlic this year. They are sprouting nicely and I will be mulching them with leaves for the winter.

PaulG · Oct 31, 2016

Looking most excellent, Scott!

Looks like the Fall is being good to your grow.
I hope that continues for you, buddy!

That rattlesnake looks deadly. Probably wasn't too happy
about being disturbed in a foreign environment.

Devv · Oct 31, 2016

OCD Chilehead said:
You startled me with the snake pic. LOL

I hate rattlers. Grew up with them in Southern California. Hatem I tell ya. The sound of that rattle followed by a shotgun blast go together nicely. Hatband!

Nice pull today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather.

I'm right there with ya on the hatem thang. Just why did the good Lord create a creature that can kill a Man for just walking out of his house? I feel blessed non of us were struck, even my 3 dogs respected it, and they're normally all over anything that's out of place.

Devv · Oct 31, 2016

tctenten said:
Looks like you are keeping busy there. Snakes are one thing we do nit encounter much up here....thankfully. Your plants and peppers look luke are ready to reward you for all of your hard work. I planted a softneck and a hardneck variety of garlic this year. They are sprouting nicely and I will be mulching them with leaves for the winter.

I grew up in New York, and never had a fear of anything. Here everything either stings, bites, or scratches a person. Starting with ants, you just need to watch, so now even more careful leaving the house.

Good luck with the Garlic, it will serve you well! I can't remember the last time we bought any. Onions are next. I have young ones growing and they hit the dirt January 15th, which is my date for planting them in the dirt here. Right now in starter boxes. The cool thing is they come together at harvest.

Yeah hoping the weather hangs in there for a nice harvest; I feel like I grew two seasons this year. Come to think of it, I did

Devv · Oct 31, 2016

PaulG said:
Looking most excellent, Scott!

Looks like the Fall is being good to your grow.
I hope that continues for you, buddy!

That rattlesnake looks deadly. Probably wasn't too happy
about being disturbed in a foreign environment.

Thanks Paul!

Yeah, that snake, comes over here and has an attitude. Had I a way of safely catching it and transporting it I would have. I need to work on that. But where it was, and what I had that day to work with made for a bad day for the snake. They just scare the heck out of me. I must confess, I had a few rum drinks after that...LOL

Trident chilli · Nov 1, 2016

Devv said:
I'm right there with ya on the hatem thang. Just why did the good Lord create a creature that can kill a Man for just walking out of his house? I feel blessed non of us were struck, even my 3 dogs respected it, and they're normally all over anything that's out of place.

Scott I know it's slightly off topic but had the snake bitten you do you have to get to hospital within a certain time or do you have nearby an anti venom in the local community

Devv · Nov 2, 2016

I would have to go to San Antonio, about 40-50 miles to the hospital that best handles snake bites. I spoke with the daughter ( we work at the same school district) of the gentleman that is the local snake expert today. He provides the venom they use to make the serum out of for the area. She said most first bites are non venomous, as a warning. So many hospital visits turn up as a non venous bite (good news), but she said always go. As far as the time involved, a leg bite, as long as it doesn't involve a vein or artery is not life threatening if a tourniquet is applied to stop the up-flow of the venom into your heart and lungs. Also, the venom starts a digestive process, that damages tissue and bones. It will dissolve small bones, like in your hand. So medical attention, as fast as possible is a must!

Really scary animal!

Trident chilli · Nov 3, 2016

Devv said:
I would have to go to San Antonio, about 40-50 miles to the hospital that best handles snake bites. I spoke with the daughter ( we work at the same school district) of the gentleman that is the local snake expert today. He provides the venom they use to make the serum out of for the area. She said most first bites are non venomous, as a warning. So many hospital visits turn up as a non venous bite (good news), but she said always go. As far as the time involved, a leg bite, as long as it doesn't involve a vein or artery is not life threatening if a tourniquet is applied to stop the up-flow of the venom into your heart and lungs. Also, the venom starts a digestive process, that damages tissue and bones. It will dissolve small bones, like in your hand. So medical attention, as fast as possible is a must!

Really scary animal!

Scott ... thanks it's unbelievable what a lot of you in the States have to deal with in your yards. Growing chillies should have a health warning ... I have read Racoons squirrel deer rats snakes ... very intresting thanks

randyp · Nov 5, 2016

Devv said:
Once you start growing Garlic, the next step is Onions LB and I grow what we buy, well as much of it as we can.

My one worry about the fence is that it will trap yet more heat during the summer. But the fact that it will really help with the Rabbits, and hopefully the rodents, let alone the winds. It should be good. The only cost so far is the screws and my time

That's just one of the plants that they hit. Every time I stepped on one I though about the story John (Sawyer) told about the "goodies" squirting in to his mouth when he was a kid.

So today we had the crap scared out of us. Marli, one of our Blue Lacy dogs came up to the back porch to check the food dish. I had just walked out the back door checking the Fajitas I was cooking. I heard what sounded like an aluminum arrow hitting concrete. Marli backed off rather quickly. Me, wondering what was going on had a look:

Yeah, right outside the back door! LB had just went in and out, and I was in and out tending to the pit. So there I was in shorts and flip-flops. I had LB get the camera LOL and the pellet gun. No way to use more firepower with the concrete. Ricochet is NOT good! I think I shot that critter 9 times with the pellet gun, scope at 8 feet is not that accurate So I shot lower. It slowed down and I put 3 coup de gras shots point blank into it's head. Then it was shovel time

Always perform the "off with it's head" as per the Queen of Hearts. As they can strike when dead. It was around 4', and the second in 2 weeks. The first being a really small one

This is where we part ways on the "brother hood "between pepper growers Scott.The most danger I have tending my garden is if the ice melts from my drink.

Using a pellet gun was wise.About 30 years ago"My stupid years",a friends mom needed holes put in a 55 gal burn barrel so it could drain rain water.I had an old piece of crap stub nosed 38.Stuck the gun in close to the bottom to blow holes in it.First shot ricochet back up out past my head which was in the barrel.There is a show on cable tv called "thousand ways to die".I have personally cheated death on several of the items that have killed many others. :shh:

Devv · Nov 5, 2016

randyp said:
This is where we part ways on the "brother hood "between pepper growers Scott.The most danger I have tending my garden is if the ice melts from my drink.

That's about what my brother said, he lives in Ohio. I grew up in New York, on Long Island, same there, no evil critters. I'm good though, the cost of living and the temps suit me. The main thing with snakes is the rat population is up this year. Must have been the 18 months of rain. The dogs have killed 4 just this week!

Using a pellet gun was wise.About 30 years ago"My stupid years",a friends mom needed holes put in a 55 gal burn barrel so it could drain rain water.I had an old piece of crap stub nosed 38.Stuck the gun in close to the bottom to blow holes in it.First shot ricochet back up out past my head which was in the barrel.There is a show on cable tv called "thousand ways to die".I have personally cheated death on several of the items that have killed many others.

Believe me buddy, I've been there with the doing stuff when younger, that should have ended me. One was swimming over a 6' fence in the flooded parking lot at the beach during a hurricane in the dark to see how far the tide had come in. We like to never got home with all the trees that fell down while we were there. Only the blessed survive their younger years

So all week I've been digging my hugel bed. I stopped at 4x10x2' deep. I had hit clay at 22"s. I had to change gears and do something different to let my old-ass self recoup some. I'll start on phase 2 next weekend.

I filled it so the wood was 3"s proud of the top. I scored a truck load of Hackberry that filled in the rest, that wood shown is Mesquite. Pics of the finished product tomorrow, as I ran out of gas around 2PM...LOL

These are for you Rick, you can see the homemade biochar

I'll make some more and run it through the chipper to get it finer.

Devv · Nov 6, 2016

Phase 1 of the Hugel bed complete, and I feel my age...LOL

About 5"s of RCW on top of the wood with a fine layer of soil. I added some cheap fertilizer on top to get things going in the digestive process.

Stefan's Scotch Bonnet/Indian Red looking happy!

Hmmm, this was supposed to be a Reaper. No stupidity this season in mislabeling, like I normally do. I'll see what it does. Kinda has a JA Hab look to it.

JA Hab's coming a round and showing some color.

Tepin/Lemon Drop loaded.

Garden worker

MoA's looking proper.

I guess one of the MoA's crossed. Looks like a small B Goat.

I know most of you are through, or close to it. Finally I'm getting there....LOL

tsurrie · Nov 8, 2016

Looking good. Nice peppers, you're getting quite a lot of them finally.
I'm curious how the wood in that bed will work for you. Folks around here are using wood under their raised beds for years and are getting good results.
They build it kinda like that (from bottom to top)
- thick layer of branches
- bad dirt mixed with leaves, grass, cardboard
- dirt and not fully mature manure mixed
- good dirt and mature manure (planting layer)
Also they often put the netting under the whole thing to prevent mole access.

Wish you pick a lot more of them peppers and stay safe, watch for the snakes. They're scary indeed.

Devv · Nov 9, 2016

Thanks,

I know the technology originated from Europe (from what I've read), I'm hoping for help in my semi desert environment. It has until March to mature, I still need to add layers, but we now have rain

This weekend raw manure and good soil on top. No mole issues here, but I need to make sure the pack rats have no access. Will try to do that this weekend too. And Phase 2, the right side needs to happen.

As usual, not enough hours in a day!

moruga welder · Nov 9, 2016

great to see the pottage , SCOTT !