Guru's Garden - Traveling the World in Search of Peppers

Just starting this glog now so it's one less thing to do in a few months when I'm knee deep in compost and getting things in the ground.
 
Not much to report at the moment. Strains yet to be determined, but I'll probably end up growing too many like always...lol
 
 
Only thing that's going on right now is a clean back patio and the chickens doing their part turning over my compost pile on the daily. Intersted in seeing how the soil microbes appreciate the added chicken poop!
 

 

 
Hope everyone has had a decent winter so far and here's to happy germination!
 

 
 
 
EDIT UPDATE: This glog has turned into an ongoing overwintering, greenhouse and soil building how-to!

 

[Spicegeist]

 
And a shot of our new family member, Dingle Berry. 
 

 
 

He loves veggies. But he isn't old enough to venture out into the property on his own just yet. All hes comfortable with is following us around and using us as his tree. We're making him an outdoor staging area/cage. Eventually he will learn to be a real squirrel. 
 
 

 
 
A pet squirrel?  How did that happen?

 

[Pepper-Guru]

He walked up to a friend of mine while he was harvesting his rabbits. More than two males in a nest, and the parents kick them out or something. Anyway, he just thought we looked warm enough I guess and my wife's always wanted one so...ha

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Quick update:
 
Herb and Greens row
 

 
 
Pepper row #1 getting Jalapenos and Mole already
 

 
 
  Tomato row
 

 
 
Corn row
 

 
 
Flowers I'm growing up the fence corners
 
Heavenly Blue Morning Glory
 

 
Hawaiian Baby Woodrose
 

 
 
Aji Chuncho (Growdown entry in its own compost pile!)
 

 
 

A load of mulch is going on after I plant the last bit of peppers and my tobacco varieties. Still have to sow okra and all my bean varieties as well! 

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Another collards harvest and some deer thawing!
 

 

[chsy83]

Quick update:
 
Herb and Greens row
 

 
 
Pepper row #1 getting Jalapenos and Mole already
 

 
 
  Tomato row
 

 
 
Corn row
 

 
 
Flowers I'm growing up the fence corners
 
Heavenly Blue Morning Glory
 

 
Hawaiian Baby Woodrose
 

 
 
Aji Chuncho (Growdown entry in its own compost pile!)
 

 
 

A load of mulch is going on after I plant the last bit of peppers and my tobacco varieties. Still have to sow okra and all my bean varieties as well! 

Morning glory and Hawaiian baby woodrose? Interesting.
I wish i had thought of dressing up my garden.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Morning glory and Hawaiian baby woodrose? Interesting.
I wish i had thought of dressing up my garden.

Yes, very interesting flowers indeed. I figured since I have all the extra air pruning containers available, why not use them for some different things this summer. I also have some very interesting Thai plants that will get their chance at some air prunage this season 
 
 
And the award for "First Poddage of 2014" goes to.......
 
 
 
its a tie:
 
Jalapenos and Holy Moles
 

 
 
 

 

[sicman]

everything is atrting to look great. gald to see you got your garden pen done.

 

[Jamison]

Yea buddy!  How was the AT?

 

[Pepper-Guru]

everything is atrting to look great. gald to see you got your garden pen done.

 
Slowly but surely! I made sure to get a later start than usual this year, by about 3 weeks. Wanted to get passed all the hail and potential leaf spot weather! Im proud of the fence! It's pretty darn sturdy and straight as an arrow. I also found out a neat trick for last minute tightening with a pair of pliers. I just put a "z" in the strands that start to bow, go down the line and things tighten right up  

Yea buddy!  How was the AT?

Dude...it was AWESOME. I'll try and get a video or two up. One night, after our Roan Mnt decent, we climbed the side trail from Jane's Bald to Grassy Ridge. It was like being on the top of the world looking down. We camped out there for the night because it was sooooooo bad ass. Checked the weather and could see a mighty storm rolling in over Roan Mnt to the south west...scary stuff. We decided to stay anyway. Around 11pm a couple came into our camp and told us they were climbing down into the gap to the shelter on account of the storm rolling in. We stayed. When the storm hit, I almost sh*t my plants. Lightening in my face all night with NO THUNDER. We were literally, IN THE CLOUD with all the lightening, at the source. Guess what my shelter was....? A blue tarp...we got wet but had the time of our lives. 
Total hike section this time was around 120 miles from Erwin to Damascus. 

 

[Jamison]

Damn!  Sounds like it was intense!!  Glad you made it back safe and sound.  Really glad you had an awesome time!!!  Like I said before,  it's always been a dream of mine to hike the AT.  One of these days man,  one of these days.  

 

[Devv]

Glad to see the poddage and hear you made it out of the lightning storm safely.
 
Lightning scares the crap out of me. I've seen what it does to a 24" diameter tree when it takes a direct hit, dang thing literally exploded.

 

[JJJessee]

 
Slowly but surely! I made sure to get a later start than usual this year, by about 3 weeks. Wanted to get passed all the hail and potential leaf spot weather! Im proud of the fence! It's pretty darn sturdy and straight as an arrow. I also found out a neat trick for last minute tightening with a pair of pliers. I just put a "z" in the strands that start to bow, go down the line and things tighten right up
Dude...it was AWESOME. I'll try and get a video or two up. One night, after our Roan Mnt decent, we climbed the side trail from Jane's Bald to Grassy Ridge. It was like being on the top of the world looking down. We camped out there for the night because it was sooooooo bad ass. Checked the weather and could see a mighty storm rolling in over Roan Mnt to the south west...scary stuff. We decided to stay anyway. Around 11pm a couple came into our camp and told us they were climbing down into the gap to the shelter on account of the storm rolling in. We stayed. When the storm hit, I almost sh*t my plants. Lightening in my face all night with NO THUNDER. We were literally, IN THE CLOUD with all the lightening, at the source. Guess what my shelter was....? A blue tarp...we got wet but had the time of our lives. 

Total hike section this time was around 120 miles from Erwin to Damascus. 

Yeah I like to stay out of the lightning if it's possible, especially when it's going sideways. Grassy Ridge is a big and beautiful place though.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Check out some of these beautiful volunteers! 
 

 
 

 
 

 

[JJJessee]

Those do look nice. You gonna let'em ride?

 

[Nulle]

Peppers and flowers are nice but more Dingle Berry please

 

[Cayennemist]

"Heavenly Blue Morning Glory"
 
In High School one of my friends "heard" that the seeds had psychedelic effects, We grew them gorilla style all over town. Then we'd go out on our BMX and skateboards and harvest the seed pods.
 
We had some nice placebo highs... lol  at least the town had nice flowers all over.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

"Heavenly Blue Morning Glory"
 
In High School one of my friends "heard" that the seeds had psychedelic effects, We grew them gorilla style all over town. Then we'd go out on our BMX and skateboards and harvest the seed pods.
 
We had some nice placebo highs... lol  at least the town had nice flowers all over.

they are beautiful! But make no mistake, the seeds are extremely active. I've had a very difficult and rewarding experience with them. Profound to say the least. LSA is quite the compound!

 

[JoeFish]

How you cook them collards PG?

 

[Pepper-Guru]

How you cook them collards PG?

Usually, I make sure I've got a nice piece of meat/leg/shoulder/bone thawed, chop onions, a little dash of vinegar, sugar and spice and everything nice with water. Boil to simmer for....ever...then wait some more. When my stomach begins to eat itself from the aroma permeating the house, it's flame out and let sit until the table is ready
 
 
 
 
UPDATE TIME
 
So, things are starting to take off now. I can tell my root zones are happy cities of diverse, nutrient uptake specialists. When the main stems start bulking rapidly, to the point of no longer being round, but instead start taking on the shapes of channels with valleys, you know its happening. Especially when the new growth stems are still round and when you observe the convergence of it and the main stem, and the difference is quite notable. Almost like two differently colored rivers converging...Or like a nice cold black and tan 
 
Any how, I'll start with the 2014 grow down contestants. Aji Chuncho. These peppers are like miniature, Peruvian bird peppers with the taste of a Bhut and the heat of a Tabasco. Frutescens. Last year my plant in the #45 air pruning container got huge and PUMPED out the pods. Hoping for an even better result this year!
 
Last year...
 

 

 
 
 
 
Here are the two I'm growing this year. First, is the one in the garden plot. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Second, is the one in its own compost pile This is the one that the stem is making me all 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
Check out the branching on the young White Hot Habs (which, i think, are just relabeled White Bullets)
 

 
 

 
 
 
Here are some wee seedlings, still waiting to come of age in order to be let out into the garden
 
Yellow Bhut
 

 
 
 
 
Calusa Indian Mound
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Birgit Locoto
 

 
 
 
 
 
...continued after bump

 

[compmodder26]

Bump!!