Devv's Dirt Grow-Almost done..

Weekend March 2-3:
I’ve been working on the garden for years; it was dormant for a few years (like 10) while I changed careers. The base soil if you want to call it that is sand. I added heavy black dirt to the upper 2/3 years ago; I’ve since added heavy red dirt (clay ) to half of the lower 1/3. For two years straight I’ve added 4”s of compost to the upper 2/3 and this year 4”s to the bottom 1/3. I clean horse pens for the free manure; kitchen waste is added to the compost. Our property is on a slope and heavy rains cause erosion problems. Above the garden the land is heavily terraced to divert water runoff.
Finished concreting the base of the fence, used 22 80lb bags, the Waskily Wabbits should be done, until they find another way in. They have been a real menace! I tried a hot wire system, it was not too effective and killed birds and squirrels; I didn’t like that.

Planted the Onions January 15th, Garlic was planted September 15th. They took a beating with the 30mph winds, 55 mph gusts last Monday.

Tilled and my wife planted corn, cukes, watermelons, bush beans and cantelope.

Bush Beans above

Cukes, and Melons behind the Rosemary above.

Corn below.

I started these the first week of January; I think I got carried away.

The Potatoes, planted February 15th are coming up. I planted then 8”s deep and I keep covering them up, and will do so until the ground is level where planted.

Never ending mulch pile.

Hmmm.. too many images...

 

[stc3248]

Sorry I got behind! That's what happens when I leave my laptop cord at the house for a week! Bad bug in the pic on the last page...looks like a stink bug. Definitely not a friendly...and your leaf curl could be several things...but probably a combo. If the plant is getting too much sun, it could be just them cupping to protect themselves. Other potential causes would be PH, Magnesium and Calcium. Check the PH first and if that is on try a foliar spray of 1 tbs per gallon of epsom salts and feeding with some bone meal...or go the spensive route and get some CalMag. I would be willing to bet it's the heat and sun more than anything though.
 
Ribs look Fantaculisious!!!

 

[Devv]

Great pkg from Annie ya got there!  A ton of awesome pods and the yellows are always really tasty! 

Thanks Matt!
 
Annie did me right for sure, the yellows have a whole different flavor for sure.
 

Nice package from Annie! And nice reviews too. I really like yellow pods but the fatalii i grew was the least favorite. The yel 7s and scorps i like much better. Could have been just the seeds i started, but it worked out that way for me. Made tasty powder though. Mixed with yel 7s and ghost and was delicious. I have a different fatalii going this season and haven't tried one yet. Almost turned off, but should give them a chance.
I pulled a few pods from the mystery plant that is a bonda. Looking forward to trying them. Cool Annie sent you one too!

 Thanks Jay!
 It's a very nice package! The really cool thing is I get to taste all these different varieties.
The Fatalii surprised me, I was expecting something along the MoA heat, good for powders for sure.
I have to go into town today and when I get back I have to try the Bonda, I had some Giant Yellow Brain in a taco this morning. Added a nice flavor, need to sample it straight up later. I'm thinking it will make killer sauces.
 

Great looking pods from Annie! Nice reviews. I can't say I enjoy fatalii myself, but the majority of people agree with your description of how it tastes and what it does. 

Thanks Stefan!
Annie did a great job raising those babies for sure!
Gotta at least taste them once

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Awesome package of yellows!!!  I am hoping to grow the yellow fatalii next season.  I would say the first three in the top row look like perfume to me.  If the list shows she sent you three of them, I would guess those are them.
 
When/if my peach bhuts get ripe, I can send ya some peppers to sample.  

 

[Devv]

Sorry I got behind! That's what happens when I leave my laptop cord at the house for a week! Bad bug in the pic on the last page...looks like a stink bug. Definitely not a friendly...and your leaf curl could be several things...but probably a combo. If the plant is getting too much sun, it could be just them cupping to protect themselves. Other potential causes would be PH, Magnesium and Calcium. Check the PH first and if that is on try a foliar spray of 1 tbs per gallon of epsom salts and feeding with some bone meal...or go the spensive route and get some CalMag. I would be willing to bet it's the heat and sun more than anything though.
 
Ribs look Fantaculisious!!!

Thanks Shane!
Yeah I went back and found that guy, or his kin, squished...
That Bhut gets full sun until around 12:30-1PM, once it's overhead the sun shade helps. I moved the other one under an Oak that only allows morning sun, it's stopped the curling. I've been hitting them with Calmag, found it pretty cheap this spring. Also been hitting them with Epson salt. I'm sure the PH is high, our water is Alkaline, around 7.8. How can I test the PH in my soil?
 
 

Awesome package of yellows!!!  I am hoping to grow the yellow fatalii next season.  I would say the first three in the top row look like perfume to me.  If the list shows she sent you three of them, I would guess those are them.
 
When/if my peach bhuts get ripe, I can send ya some peppers to sample.  

Thanks Jeff!
 
It IS an awesome score for sure! Well I ate some on a taco this morning, very nice flavor, will sample a piece after we get back form the big city
Thanks for the offer! I have about 50 seeds from the 3 pods if you're interested..I can send some...
 
Have a great weekend!

 

[stc3248]

You can use litmus paper or a meter...the meters are pretty cheap if you can get to a "home store" Wally world sometimes carries them also. Meters are more accurate and can test more than just PH...I use one similar to this:
http://www.tomtop.com/3-in-1-soil-hydroponic-moisture-light-ph-tester-meter-h4035.html?aid=box&gclid=CPCNsJ-VqLkCFeqDQgodHE4A1Q

 

[WalkGood]

Just caught up ^_^ Awesome score Scott and great pictures!!! Hat’s off Annie \o_ dat's a beautiful package of pepper love muchacha
 
So here's to your pepper farming ... hahaha! Scott accidentally overturned his wagonload of peppers but Annie's peppers were safely inside. Meanwhile the pepper farmer who lived across da road heard the noise and yelled over to Scott, "Hey Scott, forget your troubles. Come in and visit with us, we've got loads of peppers and picante powdered racks of rib foodie ready to eat ... I'll help you get the wagon of peppers up later mon."
 
Scott replied "That's mighty nice of you, but I don't think LB would like me to."
 
"Aw come on Scott," the farmer insisted ... "Well okay," Scott finally agreed, and added, "But LB won't like it."
 
After a hearty dinner, Scott thanked his farmer neighbor host. "I feel a lot better now, but I know LB is going to be real upset..."
 
"Don't be foolish!" the neighbor farmer said with a smile. "By the way, where is she?"
 
"Under the wagon."
 

 

[Devv]

You can use litmus paper or a meter...the meters are pretty cheap if you can get to a "home store" Wally world sometimes carries them also. Meters are more accurate and can test more than just PH...I use one similar to this:
http://www.tomtop.com/3-in-1-soil-hydroponic-moisture-light-ph-tester-meter-h4035.html?aid=box&gclid=CPCNsJ-VqLkCFeqDQgodHE4A1Q

Thanks Shane,
 
Wish I had read this before going to San Antonio today....spent way too much $$$$$. Bought 16yds of heavy top soil, some lights, and just plain filled up the car.
 

Just caught up ^_^ Awesome score Scott and great pictures!!! Hat’s off Annie \o_ dat's a beautiful package of pepper love muchacha
 
So here's to your pepper farming ... hahaha! Scott accidentally overturned his wagonload of peppers but Annie's peppers were safely inside. Meanwhile the pepper farmer who lived across da road heard the noise and yelled over to Scott, "Hey Scott, forget your troubles. Come in and visit with us, we've got loads of peppers and picante powdered racks of rib foodie ready to eat ... I'll help you get the wagon of peppers up later mon."
 
Scott replied "That's mighty nice of you, but I don't think LB would like me to."
 
"Aw come on Scott," the farmer insisted ... "Well okay," Scott finally agreed, and added, "But LB won't like it."
 
After a hearty dinner, Scott thanked his farmer neighbor host. "I feel a lot better now, but I know LB is going to be real upset..."
 
"Don't be foolish!" the neighbor farmer said with a smile. "By the way, where is she?"
 
"Under the wagon."

Thanks Ramon, and that Annie loaded me up! The "yellers" are great!
 
LB came over and saw her name, how come I got a slap? LOL

 

[Stefan_W]

Holy crap, 16 yards of topsoil is a lot! 
 
I can relate to filling up the car though. My grow is a tiny fraction of the size of yours, and I still manage to fill my car now and again

 

[Devv]

Holy crap, 16 yards of topsoil is a lot! 
 
I can relate to filling up the car though. My grow is a tiny fraction of the size of yours, and I still manage to fill my car now and again

 And it's expensive as all heck, over $400!
 
It's being delivered Tuesday. in '90 we added 28 yards to the garden, I payed $160 for all of it, inflation? Uh yeah! Bad thing is the pool now sits on most of that original dirt. After the dirt's worked in I want to get mulch too, and that's almost twice per yard. And then I want more sun shade...LB's gonna kill me I'm sure...
 
But when you look at the big picture we save close to $1,000.00 a year in produce we don't have to buy. AND it's organic, and just good!

 

[GA Growhead]

Organic and good!
That makes it all worth it alone!

 

[Devv]

Organic and good!
That makes it all worth it alone!

You said it brotha!
 
And how many years go by where we just plant and harvest?
 
One good thing is the tractor is paid come next month, so I can spend a little

 

[Stefan_W]

 And it's expensive as all heck, over $400!
 
It's being delivered Tuesday. in '90 we added 28 yards to the garden, I payed $160 for all of it, inflation? Uh yeah! Bad thing is the pool now sits on most of that original dirt. After the dirt's worked in I want to get mulch too, and that's almost twice per yard. And then I want more sun shade...LB's gonna kill me I'm sure...
 
But when you look at the big picture we save close to $1,000.00 a year in produce we don't have to buy. AND it's organic, and just good!

 
I hear ya. Do you have lots of trees handy? For mulch you try renting a wood chipper, and just make your own from pruned branches if you have enough of them. If you include the leaves and top up with compost once in a while you can end up with a no-till garden, which is always pretty cool. 

 

[Devv]

 
I hear ya. Do you have lots of trees handy? For mulch you try renting a wood chipper, and just make your own from pruned branches if you have enough of them. If you include the leaves and top up with compost once in a while you can end up with a no-till garden, which is always pretty cool. 

Oh, trees I have, and I've even thought about buying one. I have a buddy that wants one too, maybe we can share one. But I need to see what they rent for..great idea! I have a huge tree lightning killed and some others that need to be dropped because they have died. I did stop burning the tops a few years ago, hoping to do something with them....all's I need in more hours in a day!

 

[Devv]

Time for an update, not much going on. The heats still here, but I know we're due for a break real soon.
 
Here's a group shot of the container plants, they really are looking a lot better. The heights are ranging from 32 to 36"s the JA Habs have taken off the most.

 
Got some pods on the Red Caribbean.

 
Orange Hab has a few and is flowering again.

 
A few helpers in the container grow.

 
Grasshopper hunter, glad these guys are around!

 
Out in the dirt things haven't changed much. Here's a Jal that just keeps on growing and producing, around 4' tall now....

 
Funky Reaper is 4' wide and tall, loaded up and showing some color

 
Tried another one of Annie's pods last night. These two aren't the same but are the same type..

 
First tried some with a breakfast taco yesterday, added a really nice flavor! I'm thinking this was the Yellow Brain.
You can see the pepper has a nice placenta loaded with seeds, definitely has the Chinense aroma.
When we got back from SA yesterday evening I cut a hunk from the shoulder and chewed it completely. Typical Yellow flavor, heat came on about the time I swallowed and ramped up fast. Really burned! tongue, mouth, and throat. LB was laughing at me because my face turned red and I kept having to blow my nose...first time this has happened. Burn lasted a good while, held the peak too. It also knocked my headache!
 
I have to do some outside work before it gets too hot...
 
Have a great Sunday!

 

[stc3248]

$90 a day here in cali to rent one...and $700 to buy (a cheap) one. An expensive decision...how much do you spend on mulch per year, how much would upkeep cost you...another alternative out here are "free" mulch sites. Our local landfills offer free drop off of yard waste and pick up of mulch. Only problem is you don't know what all is in there. They have row after row aging and the stuff you pick up has already started to break down...so trustworthy enough I suppose. After Christmas they set up tree disposal sites and mulch them right there. You can drop off your tree and load up with pine mulch in one stop. Most of my mulch is from small branches I don't haul off. I run over them with an old mower I got for free (wouldn't start...cleaned the carb and fresh gas and now it won't die) I don't care about breaking. I layer it with lawn clippings each time I add to it and stir it every couple months...works great the following season but I never have quite enough.

Great update! Your plants look way better than mine do! Yellow Brains are HOT...that color lulls you into a false sense of "I can handle this."

 

[annie57]

I received this in the mail today from Annie!
 

 
Sorry, Scott for late reply. Having either freshmen-plague or too many probiotics at once.  While it sounds like you have it figured out: My responses in blue.
I was expecting seeds not these beautiful pods...as best as I can ID them based on the sheet inside the box...
 
Top left moving right: 3 Trinidad Scorp Perfume 3 Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blend, 3 Giant Yellow Brains, Giant Yellow 7's

Middle row 1 Harold St. Barts, these two chocs, one's a Choc Hab, the other a JA Hot Choc, 2 Douglah, 3 inca Red Drop

Below Inca Red's: 2 Trinidad Scorp Moruga Blend Yellow
Bottom: 2 Bonda Ma Jacques, 3 Yellow fatalii, Giant Yellow 7's, The 6 on the right are Aji Limon and Yellow Bouquet. And they look so similar I have to taste the tip to tell difference.

AND on the far right some Peach Bhut seeds.
 
Any corrections would be greatly appreciated
 
I can't get over the generosity here on the THP.
 
Thanks again Annie!
 
I will put them to good use and save the seeds for the Oct. planting, gotta have bigger plants next year before they hit the dirt next season. And I have to add the pods in the top row are larger than a golf ball, so they really came out nice and healthy!
 
You're so welcome Scott and so sorry not got back to you sooner but sounds like you got'er done. (Brutal first week back: admin worse than students. But what's new on that account?)
 
I love the fatalii yellow. HSB is a decent tasting yellow hab and prolific, very prolific. The brains, looks like you . . . found out! I'm just gonna enjoy your explorations but the top are Scorp Perfumes, as Bodeen pointed out. Peace, Annie
 
 

 
Your grows look immense. Those funky reapers are producing! "How many suns must a Caribbean Red see/before the dang things decide to turn . . . " They look nice! Unlike mine, as mine are more round. (Watch my seed been a Red Hot Cherry or something .)  S'okay. Ramon's JA Habs are the only red habs I intend to plant again.

 

[Stefan_W]

Aside from the cost of a chipper there is also the quality of the mulch. You don't alway know what you are getting when you buy it, but you know what is in it when you chip your own.
 
Great update! I still can't get over how huge those plants are. very tall and 4' wide is impressive. 

 

[annie57]

Aside from the cost of a chipper there is also the quality of the mulch. You don't alway know what you are getting when you buy it, but you know what is in it when you chip your own.
 
Great update! I still can't get over how huge those plants are. very tall and 4' wide is impressive. 

 
True that, Stefan (and Shane)! We have a lot of horrendous walnut trees around here. The nut itself is worthless. And the bark, the roots--every part of that tree is toxic to most living things--so people cut them. If a city/township, whatever, picks up some  walnut that has been limbed, then somebody down street has pulled some dried--it never dies--have to burn it--honeysuckle--they process all of that into "mulch." Now, they keep track of trash wood and shrub stuff/weeds that they personally don't want to use, but they sell it back or just "let ya have it." Used to, they burned that stuff but now . . . but if know folks, generally they'll be honest.

 

[Devv]

$90 a day here in cali to rent one...and $700 to buy (a cheap) one. An expensive decision...how much do you spend on mulch per year, how much would upkeep cost you...another alternative out here are "free" mulch sites. Our local landfills offer free drop off of yard waste and pick up of mulch. Only problem is you don't know what all is in there. They have row after row aging and the stuff you pick up has already started to break down...so trustworthy enough I suppose. After Christmas they set up tree disposal sites and mulch them right there. You can drop off your tree and load up with pine mulch in one stop. Most of my mulch is from small branches I don't haul off. I run over them with an old mower I got for free (wouldn't start...cleaned the carb and fresh gas and now it won't die) I don't care about breaking. I layer it with lawn clippings each time I add to it and stir it every couple months...works great the following season but I never have quite enough.

Great update! Your plants look way better than mine do! Yellow Brains are HOT...that color lulls you into a false sense of "I can handle this."
 

Thanks Shane!
Can't wait until they set! Remember early on you said they may not do anything till fall? I keep looking at the calendar..LOL
 
I've collected about 3 yds of mulch from the free county site, nice partially decomposed Mesquite. Tomorrow we're going to go for the last load..
I like the lawnmower trick, but like you said there's never enough. I'll come up with something, there was no way of escaping the dirt charges though. I should be able to put close to 3" down over 2/3's of the garden.
 

 
Your grows look immense. Those funky reapers are producing! "How many suns must a Caribbean Red see/before the dang things decide to turn . . . " They look nice! Unlike mine, as mine are more round. (Watch my seed been a Red Hot Cherry or something .)  S'okay. Ramon's JA Habs are the only red habs I intend to plant again.

Thank Annie!
 
I'm going with the JA's too next year. This was my first year, and all the pod sharing gave me some great insight as to what I'll plant next year. Thanks again for the pods and the ID's!
 

Aside from the cost of a chipper there is also the quality of the mulch. You don't alway know what you are getting when you buy it, but you know what is in it when you chip your own.
 
Great update! I still can't get over how huge those plants are. very tall and 4' wide is impressive. 

Thanks Stefan!
I agree with the knowing what you're getting mulch wise, and Shane mentioned that as well. Gonna have to figure something out....but the good thing is I've turned in a bunch of compost the last two years. I would guess 24 yds give or take a few...
 

 
True that, Stefan (and Shane)! We have a lot of horrendous walnut trees around here. The nut itself is worthless. And the bark, the roots--every part of that tree is toxic to most living things--so people cut them. If a city/township, whatever, picks up some  walnut that has been limbed, then somebody down street has pulled some dried--it never dies--have to burn it--honeysuckle--they process all of that into "mulch." Now, they keep track of trash wood and shrub stuff/weeds that they personally don't want to use, but they sell it back or just "let ya have it." Used to, they burned that stuff but now . . . but if know folks, generally they'll be honest.

Didn't know that about Walnut, glad we don't have any here Mainly there's Live Oak, Mesquite, and Hackberry. Could be some Maple and Elm in there.
Here's one of the JA girls, she really shot up since she got her new shoes. About 32" high, starting to flower.

 
Reaper.

 
Moruga, hasn't even tried to flower yet.

 
Primo, behind it a Red Bhut..

 
Really hoping this guy turns red and has no bug damage. The last 3 did...

 
I've never seen a 4' tall Cayenne, normally rather bushy. Loaded with flowers. I picked until I was tired of picking from it yesterday..please ignore the weeds...

 
Pobs, now 6' tall, loaded but small pods

 
Thanks for stopping by!

 

[Devv]

I was finally able to catch one, really don't see too many of these guys...but more now than before.

 
And then I went in a little closer..uh too close. My Cannon would have frozen the action...

 
Bluuurrrr...