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!
 

 

[cone9]

Glad you're on the mend, Scott.
 
The garden looks great.  You do a nice job with the pics.  

 

[bpwilly]

Wow Scott,
 
The garden sure is looking good this year.  I thought my Comfrey was doing well this year and really getting a jump on the season until I saw yours!  nice job.   Love the pineapple shots.  Going to have to watch these this year!
 
Beautiful new guitar(s).  They should help to keep your mind off the healing.  That and a good dark beer for the soul!
 
Nice glog this year!
 
Bill

 

[Noah Yates]

Very nice!!!!   Enjoy that strat!!!  It is beautiful!!  What sort of amp are you running with it... any effects?

 

[Sawyer]

Looking good, Scott.  I'll be interested to see how well your tomatillo does.  I think I read somewhere it takes two to tango.  I had a single volunteer last year and didn't have very many flowers set at all. 
 
Are all those onions in that picture the walking onions?  I would expect the plants to do better than the bulblets, but maybe not that much better.  If those with the "blooms" starting are walking onions, those topsets are real tasty at that young and tender stage. 
 
My comfrey is struggling to grow with the rabbits eating them about as fast as they grow.  The #14 is doing somewhat better than the #4, but whether that's due to a taste preference on the part of the rabbits or location or strain vigor, I don't know. 
 
I hope the bamboo takes root.  I'm surprised it isn't showing life already.

 

[Trippa]

Sorry it's been so long since I stopped in Scott. But the bonus to that is I get to see an amazing progress all at once . Sorry to hear of your health issues and all the best for a speedy and full recovery!

 

[PaulG]

Everything looks great Scott.  
Just watch out for those 60 hour work sessions!
 
I saw walking onions in the Territorial Seed Co. catalogue this season
and almost got some, but chickened out in the end  

 

[Pulpiteer]

Glad to see you are on the mend!
 
Your garden space looks so awesome - just a very cool set up.  And things look like they are really coming along there.

 

[Jeff H]

Garden looks well taken care of. You and LB are doing a great job. Strat looks great too. Glad you got an American one. Those are nice guitars. I won't get rid of mine, that is for sure.

 

[PaulS]

Garden looks awesome
I agree with everyone on the pineapple pics, they look awesome.
I was watching a history of gardening show the other day and they were talking about pineapples. They were so hard to get/grow over here that they became a symbol of weath, people decorated there houses and gardens with statues and pictures of them!

 

[Sawyer]

I saw walking onions in the Territorial Seed Co. catalogue this season
and almost got some, but chickened out in the end  

 
Hey Paul, let me know if you want some and I can send you some plants.  I'm pretty sure the ones I have are the Catawissa walking onion, but I'm not certain.  They don't make a large underground bulb; they're more like a bunching onion in that regard.  But they are hands-down the hardiest onion I've every grown. 

 

[Ozzy2001]

Looking good, Scott.  I'll be interested to see how well your tomatillo does.  I think I read somewhere it takes two to tango.  I had a single volunteer last year and didn't have very many flowers set at all. 
 
Are all those onions in that picture the walking onions?  I would expect the plants to do better than the bulblets, but maybe not that much better.  If those with the "blooms" starting are walking onions, those topsets are real tasty at that young and tender stage. 
 
My comfrey is struggling to grow with the rabbits eating them about as fast as they grow.  The #14 is doing somewhat better than the #4, but whether that's due to a taste preference on the part of the rabbits or location or strain vigor, I don't know. 
 
I hope the bamboo takes root.  I'm surprised it isn't showing life already.

The package of seeds I had for tomatillos said you need more than one for pollination. This is the first year I've grown them so I put 4 close together.

 

[Devv]

Everything looks great Scott. Glad to hear you are starting to regain your strength. Really like those pineapple shots.

 Thanks Terry!
 
LB is Mas excited about her Pineapples!

Glad you're on the mend, Scott.
 
The garden looks great.  You do a nice job with the pics.  

 
Thanks Dave!
 
Feeling better every day!
 

Wow Scott,
 
The garden sure is looking good this year.  I thought my Comfrey was doing well this year and really getting a jump on the season until I saw yours!  nice job.   Love the pineapple shots.  Going to have to watch these this year!
 
Beautiful new guitar(s).  They should help to keep your mind off the healing.  That and a good dark beer for the soul!
 
Nice glog this year!
 
Bill

 
Thanks Bill!
 
When I planted the Comfrey I dug up enough soil to fill a 5 gal bucket; then put in about 4-6"s of store bought cow poo. Next 2-3"s of soil and then the plant. They say they love the Nitrogen
 
I've been wanting a guitar for 30 years plus, So far still working on mastering basic skills. It's very relaxing, wish I could bring one to work
 

Very nice!!!!   Enjoy that strat!!!  It is beautiful!!  What sort of amp are you running with it... any effects?

 
Thanks Noah!
 
I'm using a Fender Super Champ X2. It's a really nice amp with plenty of effects for home use, 15 watts is all I need.
 

 
 

Looking good, Scott.  I'll be interested to see how well your tomatillo does.  I think I read somewhere it takes two to tango.  I had a single volunteer last year and didn't have very many flowers set at all. 
 
Are all those onions in that picture the walking onions?  I would expect the plants to do better than the bulblets, but maybe not that much better.  If those with the "blooms" starting are walking onions, those topsets are real tasty at that young and tender stage. 
 
My comfrey is struggling to grow with the rabbits eating them about as fast as they grow.  The #14 is doing somewhat better than the #4, but whether that's due to a taste preference on the part of the rabbits or location or strain vigor, I don't know. 
 
I hope the bamboo takes root.  I'm surprised it isn't showing life already.

 
The smaller one in the foreground are the ones you sent. The others are overgrown multiplying onions.
 
One of the Bamboo have sprouted. I'm sure the rest will too.
 
Well only one Tomatillo seed germed, I've never grown them before. And it does seem to require a dance partner
 

Sorry it's been so long since I stopped in Scott. But the bonus to that is I get to see an amazing progress all at once . Sorry to hear of your health issues and all the best for a speedy and full recovery!

 
Thanks!
 
Without the wife's help it would be a disaster!
 

Everything looks great Scott.  
Just watch out for those 60 hour work sessions!
 
I saw walking onions in the Territorial Seed Co. catalogue this season
and almost got some, but chickened out in the end  

 
Thanks Paul!
 
I've been taking it slow   For real
 

Glad to see you are on the mend!
 
Your garden space looks so awesome - just a very cool set up.  And things look like they are really coming along there.

 
Thanks Andy!
 
We had 2 rains in the last 5 days; about 3/4 to 7/8" each time. I expect an explosive burst of weeds.
 
2 more weeks and I can do what I want again, I'm ready!
 

Garden looks well taken care of. You and LB are doing a great job. Strat looks great too. Glad you got an American one. Those are nice guitars. I won't get rid of mine, that is for sure.

 
Thanks Jeff!
 
The Strat is a fantastic piece of equipment. Nice low action and a great feel.
 
The posting PO-PO's wouldn't let me answer everybody...

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

Everything is looking awesome! Love to see you growing pineapple, sauce time!

 

[Devv]

Everything is looking awesome! Love to see you growing pineapple, sauce time!

 
Thanks Chris!
 
 

Garden looks awesome
I agree with everyone on the pineapple pics, they look awesome.
I was watching a history of gardening show the other day and they were talking about pineapples. They were so hard to get/grow over here that they became a symbol of weath, people decorated there houses and gardens with statues and pictures of them!

 
Thanks Paul!
 
LB has like 10 plants, every time she  buys one she roots it
 

The package of seeds I had for tomatillos said you need more than one for pollination. This is the first year I've grown them so I put 4 close together.

 
I guess I'll be looking for a mate after work tomorrow
 
So today I went for my regular physical, I passed with flying colors. BP was 116 over 78, they took it twice to make sure. Not bad for a geezer   In the hospital they were perplexed with my low white cell count. And because I consume alcohol it just had to be my liver. Well the counts normal and the liver enzymes are back in the normal range now that the infection has been knocked back.
 
Did you know they (doctors) consider you an alcoholic if you have just one drink a day on a regular basis. That means most everyone I know, save a few are alkies.
 
Tommrow is the pulmonologist appointment. Just one more hurdle to go...

 

[Pulpiteer]

That amp looks like a nice little piece of equipment - a tube amp, nonetheless.

 

[Sawyer]

Did you know they (doctors) consider you an alcoholic if you have just one drink a day on a regular basis. That means most everyone I know, save a few are alkies.

 
I thought they'd determined that was healthier than abstinence. 

 

[Jeff H]

 
 
 
Did you know they (doctors) consider you an alcoholic if you have just one drink a day on a regular basis. That means most everyone I know, save a few are alkies.
 
 

 
Oh well, I guess that isn't the worst thing I have been called.
 
Bottoms up.

 

[grantmichaels]

 
I thought they'd determined that was healthier than abstinence. 

 
a beer or wine for a woman, and 2-3 for a man ... yup.

 

[OCD Chilehead]

I'm glad to see your doing much better. I'm a recovering alcoholic. I laugh when they say two or three beers a day makes you a alcoholic. In my case try 12-15 beers and a pint of whiskey every night. The world is a better place now that I don't drink.LOL.
I hope those weeds aren't to bad when you get back out there.

 

[bpwilly]

Now we just be Pepperholics instead!  Now I only trash my face, tongue and insides!