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!
 

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Looks great Scott. That water definitely has some minerals. The plants probably love it, besides the PH, it should be great.

I bet your pretty relieved to be done with the toms.

When months do you harvest the Fall Super's?

Can't remember off hand.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Devv]

Looks great Scott. That water definitely has some minerals. The plants probably love it, besides the PH, it should be great.

I bet your pretty relieved to be done with the toms.

When months do you harvest the Fall Super's?

Can't remember off hand.

Thanks for sharing.

 Thanks Chuck!
 
I'm so relieved were almost through with the toms. We canned 5 quarts today, just a few more left!
 
The supers and all peppers will come in all the way into December. Actually until a freeze occurs, could be November or later. I should have some MoA bonnets, and some habs really soon
 
Definitely doing things earlier next year! I want wood on the peppers come dirt day!

 

[randyp]

  81 toms?Holy crap Scott.That's a full-time job right there.Stay cool my friend.

 

[Essegi]

So much stuff and all great!
Glad to see all is awesome!

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

Holy moly...how do you do it...which I had green thumbs like yours
That's a lot of soil...wish I had the space...sorry about the tag confusion ..always fin to see surprise .

 

[Devv]

  81 toms?Holy crap Scott.That's a full-time job right there.Stay cool my friend.

 Yeah it is!
 
But we're playing restock this year. Last years crop went to BER and the birds due to me being absent from the garden. After this year back to a maintenance program. So far 80+ quarts canned, and that's with the San Marzano's failing at 80%. 24+ plants! I say bad seeds, we've grown them before using different seeds and had success. the produce n most were akin to cherry maters. The main crop were Early Girls, always a top performer here in our climate . One more canning session and we're done!
 
Staying cool is hard here this time of year, but I do know my limits
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
 

So much stuff and all great!
Glad to see all is awesome!

 
Long time no see!
 
Thanks! I've been off and on the last year, had a health issue last spring, and still working on being 100%. Time seems to go by so fast, so much catching up to do. I'm getting there!
 
Thanks for swinging by!
 
 

Holy moly...how do you do it...which I had green thumbs like yours
That's a lot of soil...wish I had the space...sorry about the tag confusion ..always fin to see surprise .

 Hi Denniz!
 
I really don't know, except to go out there and do what I love to do. My job is rather stressful, and this is my release, well one of them. I can't wait until I can retire and do everything I want to, but somehow...I feel I will still need more time...LOL

 

[Devv]

Got a lot, I mean a lot done today. It was a bit cooler and I finally knocked (my first) summer cold. No more tomato plants in the garden, I pulled them all, filled most of the flood trenches with composted material. And scored about 4-5 yards of chipped mulch. The county is about out, so one more load next week...to finish them off. We processed over 100 quarts this season.
 
Peppers are doing really well, I'm looking forward to a nice fall harvest. I always do better pepper-wise in the fall anyways.
 
In the morning I'll finish spreading the mulch and do a 2" deep till, finish unloading the mulch from the trailer, up-pot the babies in the small pots, and put up the tomato cages...And I'm sure more needs to be done. Oh yeah, time permitting, start shredding the dried tomato plants that I have laid out to dry. Turn the compost pile...and....the list is never ending.
 
Enjoy Saturday night! ....not me you

 

[OCD Chilehead]

I bet your glad to be done with the tomatoes. You will probably be a little vengeful, while processing them through the shredder. LoL

Pace yourself, should be smooth sailing soon.

 

[PaulG]

Sounds like you are in control of your grow
in good shape, Scott. Maybe now even a little
bit of 'cruise control' time?

 

[Devv]

I bet your glad to be done with the tomatoes. You will probably be a little vengeful, while processing them through the shredder. LoL

Pace yourself, should be smooth sailing soon.

 Heck yeah we're done!
 
They will have to sit until we get from NY, going to see LB's parents, Dad is 86 now, Mom is 82. We're leaving Saturday until Wednesday, so a break here soon! My daughter and husband will take care of the place while we're gone.
 
 

Sounds like you are in control of your grow
in good shape, Scott. Maybe now even a little
bit of 'cruise control' time?

 Yes, finally some down time, I was so far behind at the start I just had to catch up.
 
 
I tried to post yesterday, but a small storm took out our Internet. Not actually our equipment but the providers.
 
So here's a few from yesterday.
 

 
Mostly cleaned up and Peppers are doing "OK", but nothing spectacular.
 

 
Fall crop in the wings...in full sun in the Tejas heat. I'm getting almost a week out of the bottom watering, hope they hang while we're gone next week. Maybe I'll move them out of the full sun.
 

 
Picked a few (very few) but I have some ripe ones   First time ever to have some grapes, the bird netting really works!
 

 
A few Jals working...
 

 
Plenty of Jimmy Nardello's, the ratta left them be..
 

 
MoA's trying to look true, I think they will later on. Late start, and I'm happy I have some It and the "justa hab" next to it are loaded.
 

 
A Tepin cross with a few pods set. Here's one.
 

 
A store bought Orange Hab, looking more like a bonnet. I'll be interested to see what the results show...
 
I have a few more and need a bump please (first bump request all year!)

 

[tctenten]

Looking nice and neat Scott. Enjoy your trip up to NY.

 

[Devv]

Looking nice and neat Scott. Enjoy your trip up to NY.

Thanks!
 
Looking forward to a break from work and here..LOL.
 
I have a few more...non's and mulch..
 

 
Some Basil going on...
 

 
possibly the last haul of free mulch, someone got it all
 

Shredded mulch composting nicely
 

 
A few grapes this year!
 

 
 
Tomato plants drying and next seasons mulch in the wings.

 

[randyp]

 I just love yer chip pile pics Scott.Orange Hab I picked up at a Mexican Store by my sons in Omaha was the first pod I ever saved seeds from and grew out 4 years ago.lol

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Mulch is looking good Scott. Garden is vacant. I'm thinking your plants will be fine. I like the pic of the peppers and grapes. Enjoy your trip.

Leave early to the airport. Suppose to be busy.

You and LB, enjoy your much needed rest and relaxation.

 

[Roguejim]

Scott, you're a workaholic!  By the way, what does one do with a skunk once they have it trapped?

 

[GhostPepperz]

Nice pics how much land do you have down there in TX?

 

[PaulG]

Hope you and your honey have a good time visiting the
parents in NY!

 

[Devv]

 I just love yer chip pile pics Scott.Orange Hab I picked up at a Mexican Store by my sons in Omaha was the first pod I ever saved seeds from and grew out 4 years ago.lol

Hi Randy!
 
The ground mulch up has really made a huge difference the last few years. I feel next season will be even better as I've added quite a bit this spring. It just turns into soil over the winter as the cover crop grows and keeps the soil moist. However, I'm afraid the resource is a bout dried up. If you can swing a chipper shredder go for it. I can see myself scarfing stuff the chip in the future...LOL
 
 

Mulch is looking good Scott. Garden is vacant. I'm thinking your plants will be fine. I like the pic of the peppers and grapes. Enjoy your trip.

Leave early to the airport. Suppose to be busy.

You and LB, enjoy your much needed rest and relaxation.

 Thanks Chuck!
 
Garden is mostly vacant, our season has ended until September. The goal is to keep the peppers alive until then. I have my daughter and her husband staying here to take care of the place while we're gone. Hope they don't find the prime cut prime rib steaks we have stashed in the freezer!
 
We have TSA Pre status, so we go to the front of the line. Been getting this more and more lately. Most likely due to our age and the same destinations with the same airline. But we still give ourselves the 2 hours just in case.
 
The days off will be great
 
Hope work doesn't call me!
 

Scott, you're a workaholic!  By the way, what does one do with a skunk once they have it trapped?

 
LOL Jim,
 
I just like to stay busy
 
Well If a skunk gets in a trap it first gets "lead poisoning" via a 22 rifle. As soon as I pull the trigger I bolt on out of there, as they lay down the "fog" if you get my drift. I come back and drag the skunk, trap a few hundred yards away and remove it from the trap, without touching the nasty critter. No fun for sure!
 

Nice pics how much land do you have down there in TX?

 We have 20 acres. The really cool thing is we have a ton of open land around our place. We bought it in 1989 for next to nothing (63k with the house). Paid it off in 1999. With today's land prices versus earnings, I say we could not afford it. I will say I put a ton of work into the place and $$$$ but it was all cash as it came along.
 
Thanks for stopping by
 
 

Hope you and your honey have a good time visiting the
parents in NY!

 Thanks Paul!
 
A much needed break! And they say the weather is going to be spectacular! Normally this time of year, hot and humid there. We fly in the morning, leaving my work cell phone at the house...LOL

 

[jcw10tc]

Good to see your getting some pods.  Still love that garden setup with the posts and shade cloth.  Saw you have 20 acres, do you own some of that beyond the mulch piles.  I wish I had that much space, could do everything I would like and more with that and still have a lot of unused space left over.  I will never be able to afford 20 usable acres up here, most of the time if that much land is offered and is tillable, goes for a fortune to the farmers.   

 

[randyp]

    Happy 4rth to you and your Scott.You have any problems in New York let me know.My cousin is on the NYPD in internal affairs.