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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:
 
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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:
 
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I tilled in over 24 yards of RCW and 10 yards of shredded leaves after pulling the plants in the fall.
 
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I then planted Crimson Clover and Rye as a cover crop, this pic is from 2 weeks ago..
 
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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 ;)
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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!
 
 
Click to expand...
Let me be the first to say "It is ON"!  I hope your wife likes your choices this season.
 
The RCW experiment will be very interesting, but even if it is a huge success, I can't see you abandoning your traditional methods. 
 
I'm liking the Jiffy markers.  Why didn't I think of that?  I'll bet you will like the heat mat.  Onward, Scot!!!
 
Nice Scott... I can see you're off to a rolling start! Green manure is looking great... 70 plants is easing off!?? ;)  Probably a good idea to have LB on board as much as possible too. After the holidaze my wife and I'll make our plans for the 2015 garden... she says she wants more input, and we've gotta keep the women happy, eh?
 
Roguejim said:
Let me be the first to say "It is ON"!  I hope your wife likes your choices this season.
 
The RCW experiment will be very interesting, but even if it is a huge success, I can't see you abandoning your traditional methods. 
 
I'm liking the Jiffy markers.  Why didn't I think of that?  I'll bet you will like the heat mat.  Onward, Scot!!!
Click to expand...
 Yeah it is!
 
I already have ground up 3 truck loads of leaves, which made less than a truckload of ground material. Once I return from Vaykay, I'll start getting more RCW, I plan on 24 yds. Run it through the chipper-shredder and use it as mulch after I plant. And I'll till it in again until I get the soil consistency I want. I added the heavy soil last year, and it was soooo heavy, a lot more so than I thought.
 
The Jiffy markers were LB's idea, she's a smart cookie ;)
 
stickman said:
Nice Scott... I can see you're off to a rolling start! Green manure is looking great... 70 plants is easing off!?? ;)  Probably a good idea to have LB on board as much as possible too. After the holidaze my wife and I'll make our plans for the 2015 garden... she says she wants more input, and we've gotta keep the women happy, eh?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Rick,
 
Yes 70 is easing off, last year it was 120-140, just too much work! And yes LB REALLY helps me! I have some old injuries, like torn rib cartilage that limits me. AND she's the weed queen, damn she can pull weeds. I don't know what I would do without her help. They say "hard work never hurt anyone" that's crap, I'm the proof..LOL.
 
So her input is very valued ;)
 
Merry Christmas to you too Scott!
 
You are a month or more closer to plant out than most of us, so time to get crackin' ;)
And you have with all that RWC, and TWO cover crops going in. That rye/clover was beautiful. I'll bet that's the prettiest patch a ground in Tejas. That's great color in a sand base.
Ever try any buckwheat? It'll make a good cover in just a month but won't take a lick of frost. I'm testing some diakon tilling radish this winter on one end where the clay is harder. It's suppose to go deep.
 
Can't wait to hear your review on the Lava. I bet it will melt rock.
Your comfrey has taken hold real well, big ol' leaves for young crowns.
Deer have found mine; I'm gonna have to  put a net on it.
 
That heat mat will do you justice.
Have fun!
 
Great start, Scott.
 
There'll be a package arriving shortly with a few temptations.   Sorry!
 
Nice work Scott, looks like a great start to another epic glog. Your Rye has really taken off since last you posted. Mine really hasnt done much still about 3-4" tall. Course we are alot colder than you are and I'm thinking that in the spring it will shoot up like a rocket, (hopefully). We did have a week or so of 60 degree weather so I saw it as an oprotunity to give it a good watering. Can't wait to get started this spring.
 
Your list looks great, nice selcetion you have and will be fun to watch you progress.
 
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 
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