Gassy's 2012/2013 Glog thingy

Well, Spring has arrived here in the Land of Oz and it's all starting to happen. I thought I would quit being a lazy bones and start a glog this season. Even though I'm so far behind where I had planned to be at this point, things are running along smoothly enough. I released some Neoseiulus californicus predator mites about a month ago to take care of my broad mite problem and so far, they are being amazing. A month later and I have yet to see any new signs of broad mite activity. It is still early days though and time will tell just how effective the little buggers are. And of course, I still have to get on top of the fruit fly problem (not looking forward to that one). With Spring here and new pods forming, the little bastages can't be too far around the corner.

A few piccies to get the show on the road. Not gonna backtrack or anything now... just some random shots of some of what's going on.

Rooster Spur - putting out first pods:

Aji Amarillo x Yellow Trinidad Scorpion F2's:

Naga Jolokia Purple x Hot Summer F1:

Naga Jolokia Purple x Hot Summer F1:

No chemicals in use here anymore - ladybug and lacewing eggs:

Overwinters...

NOT Dorset Naga - coming into third year:

Trinidad Scorpion ButchT - coming into third year:

CGN 21500 - coming into second year:

CGN 21566 - coming into second year:

Pimenta da Neyde - coming into second year:

Thanks for looking!

 

[Portuge]

Very true, have to try every variety of peppers in each of their stages of colors..

 

[megamoo]

I'm envious of all your overwinter growth. Looking awesome! I'm having to start from scratch with seeds again this season and its behind schedule as well.

I noticed the grass growing up through your straw mulched bed. Is it growing from the bed below or is it from seeds in the straw? I mulched a vege bed with budget straw last year and the bloody stuff was full of seeds and turned the whole bed to grass! They don't tell you that when you buy it

 

[gasificada]

Thanks, moo.

The "grass" isn't actually grass. It was there in the bed before I dug it up. Dunno what it is but I just call it wild onion. They are tiny little onion things that smell like onions. I've been leaving them there as companion plants hoping they will do the same job as onions. I got a feeling they are from the same family anyway.

 

[gasificada]

A little update.

First Aji Amarillo x Yellow Trinidad Scorp F2 pod:

Finally getting around to catching up on some more starts:

Overwintered "Wasps" in need of a home in the ground somewhere:

Mystery volunteer:

Found it growing in one of my old pots so I dug it up and gave it it's own home. What's interesting is the black tips and black lining on some of the leaves. I don't remember any of my plants last season having colouring like that. Possibly a mystery cross?? I guess I'll find out!

Maybe not by me, but I tell ya, aphids are absolutely loved here.....

Ladybug zooming around in search of aphid lunch:

Aphid graveyard:

(I love parasitic wasps! )

Baby praying mantis. Found piles of these getting around this morning. In search of aphid feasts no doubt:

Curry leaf tree waking up from winter sleep:

Secret weapons I am trialing this season:

Micronised diatomaceous earth (for the soil) and potassium silicate (foliar). Silica strengthens cell walls and has many benefits.

Silca - The Hidden Cost of Chemicals

And lastly, a drawing from my niece:

My chillies.

Thanks for looking!

 

[meatfreak]

Nice update, gas. Freaking hate aphids as well, what's their use besides feeding a lot of insects... destroying our beloved chile plants

 

[gasificada]

Thanks, meatfreak! That IS all they're good for. Oddly enough though, they are probably the least destructive of all the pests I've had to deal with. Without all the hungry good guys around though, I'm sure they would be a much bigger problem....

 

[DocNrock]

Great update. Love the pic by your niece! I hate aphids only secondary to whiteflies...

Great shot of your curry leaf tree. I thought mine had died. It was in the sun all day in 100+ degree weather and all the leaves cooked. It dropped most of them but held onto some that had some normal leaf to them. I put it in shade, top dressed the soil with worm castings and bat guano, and gave it a mild to moderate watering. One week later it exploded with new stems and leaves!

Good karma to you on all those baby praying manti. Also curious to see what the volunteer turns out to be.

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Spicegeist]

Mystery is looking annuumish...

 

[gasificada]

Storm season has arrived...

Great update. Love the pic by your niece! I hate aphids only secondary to whiteflies...

Great shot of your curry leaf tree. I thought mine had died. It was in the sun all day in 100+ degree weather and all the leaves cooked. It dropped most of them but held onto some that had some normal leaf to them. I put it in shade, top dressed the soil with worm castings and bat guano, and gave it a mild to moderate watering. One week later it exploded with new stems and leaves!

Good karma to you on all those baby praying manti. Also curious to see what the volunteer turns out to be.

Keep 'em coming!

Thanks Doc!

Sounds like cooking your tree may have actually done more good than harm! (Don't you love it when stuff like that happens?) I was a bit worried about mine for a bit there. It took it's time to awaken this year. The spot I have it in, albeit not full sun, is still too sunny I think. I'm leaving it there though in hopes that it will adapt so I can put it in the ground.

Mystery is looking annuumish...

I'm thinking that too. But it sure is putting out a lot of growth from the main stem. Reminds me of the chacoense I grew last season... although the leaves don't look the same. It really is a mystery at this point! It doesn't look like anything I grew last season (or nothing that I can remember).

 

[Spicegeist]

Getting nice and bushy, you'll have fruit on that in no time...

 

[Pr0digal_son]

That plant does look like a chacoense or tepin...it is healthy as,whatever it is! Do you use any artificial lighting at all,or just natural sunlight. For raising the youngins that is.

 

[Datil]

Nice start Gas, overwinters look great!
Kill the aphids with no mercy

Good luck

Datil

 

[gasificada]

Getting nice and bushy, you'll have fruit on that in no time...

I'm hoping! I'm itching to find out what it is!

That plant does look like a chacoense or tepin...it is healthy as,whatever it is! Do you use any artificial lighting at all,or just natural sunlight. For raising the youngins that is.

I use a combo of both artificial light and natural sunlight. Out for the day and then under the light at night (for that extra boost). Usually after first pot up, it's just natural sunlight.

Nice start Gas, overwinters look great! Kill the aphids with no mercy Good luck Datil

Thanks Datil! Thankfully, it appears ladybugs and parasitic wasps (and probably praying mantis babies and lacewings which have been hanging around) have taken care of the aphids for me! Sadly though, none of them seem to want a bar of the thrips which have appeared this year.

 

[Spicegeist]

I hope it tastes good, I grew a pepper this year picked on the galapagos islands (not C. galapagoense)... it tasted like a dirty old rag :-( (yes, I eat those all the time too)

 

[gasificada]

I hope it tastes good, I grew a pepper this year picked on the galapagos islands (not C. galapagoense)... it tasted like a dirty old rag :-( (yes, I eat those all the time too)

It's funny how something that is generally sooo good can sometimes be sooo bad!

 

[gasificada]

Some poddage shots.

Rocoto Aji Largo.

Holland Hot Fingers. Can't judge a book by it's cover, I know, but these things look damn tasty!

Naga Morich Spanish. The plant has been dropping flowers like crazy, but thankfully one managed to stick!

Biker Billy.

Pritavit Sweet.

Snow White.

Datil x Limon overwinter. This thing pumped pods last season but sadly I lost most of 'em to fruit fly.

Aji Amarillo x Yellow T Scorp F1.

Aji Amarillo x Yellow T Scorp F2. Plant with baccatum marked flowers.

 

[gasificada]

A few more random piccies....

Rooster Spur. Love this plant! Hard to see but loaded with small pods (and some big 'uns hiding behind the growth).

Spanish Naga.

Volunteers coming up all through the patch.

Tabasco overwinter. Grew very poorly last season but now looks like it's ready to do something. Gonna pot up into some fresh soil soon and see if that doesn't give it even more of a boost.

CGN 16941. Hard to see again but loaded with pods.

Most of my overwintered chinenses are loaded with flowers but sadly most of them are dropping.

Every season I seem to end up with a new pest... and this season is no exception. Got damn thrips causing some real damage.

While all the other badies seem to be taken care of by the loads of good guys that have arrived, nobody seems to want a bar of the thrips. Californicus mites, ladybugs, praying mantis, lacewings, parasitic wasps, spiders... not one of 'em! Maybe I just have to wait for the good guys to grow in numbers.

Pasilla Bajio pods that literally just sat on the plant and did nothing over winter. 3+ months I waited for these to ripen! Longest I've ever had to wait for pods to ripen.

Group shot of this seasons plants (so far).

Thanks for looking!

 

[megamoo]

You got a nice collection of plants gas. How many are overwinters and how many new season sowings?

 

[Trippa]

Well gas so far so good for your season. I have had minor issues with thrips, aphids and whitefly already this season as well. I have given up caring too much as I figure the this climate and area is just pest ridden and you really just have to concentrate on getting your babies the best conditions and let nature cull the weak plants and leave the strong behind. Will be following with interest bro.

 

[gasificada]

You got a nice collection of plants gas. How many are overwinters and how many new season sowings?

Thanks moo. Uh, don't make me go count my plants! I got roughly 40/40 going. Some of the new starts are little babies still in their jiffy's though. Then on top of that, I have about another 20 varieties I've just sown (and that's it!!!). So much for a small season, eh?

I'm not expecting much from some of my overwinters though. There's only a handful I'm going to pot up into fresh soil and the rest will just stay in the pots/soil they are in. If they do well, great, if not, oh well.

EDIT:

You just reminded me moo.... will have to get a grow list up!

Well gas so far so good for your season. I have had minor issues with thrips, aphids and whitefly already this season as well. I have given up caring too much as I figure the this climate and area is just pest ridden and you really just have to concentrate on getting your babies the best conditions and let nature cull the weak plants and leave the strong behind. Will be following with interest bro.

Thanks Trips! I think you're right about the climate too. And about nature and the way it works.

Funny thing regarding nature also, I spent so much time, effort and money on trying to control pests using pesticides, etc, only to get nowhere. Now that I've stopped using pesticides (safe, chemical, or otherwise--and killing every insect in sight, even the good guys), nature is doing a great job on it's own keeping the balance without any interaction on my part (well, OK, with the introduction of the Californicus mites). And sure, the thrips are a problem now, but with the steadily increasing amount of good guys making it back into the garden, it'll be interesting to see what happens in the near future.

Sometimes you just gotta learn things the hard way, I guess!

Apart from the pests, how's your season going so far?