Highalt 2011

[highalt]

Before I get in trouble for turning my thread on grow lights into a grow log thread, I thought I would start a new one in the proper place

So the temps have finally warmed up this week, but now we have red flag warnings, which just means windy + no moisture in the air = fire danger. The peppers have been outside 3X this week, but once the wind gusts reach the 20 - 25 mph level, which usually happens in mid to late afternoon, I have to bring them back inside.

Some of you may remember my pic on the other thread of my peppers in a crate outside. Well, now it takes two of them!

It will take three crates once these little guys get big enough to go outside ...

The problem I'm running into now is that the largest ones are too tall to fit under the growlight anymore. They've been hanging out on the windowsill in the evenings, but they reaaaallly want to be in the ground. The other issue now is that some fungus gnats have hitched a ride back inside. I try not to use any chemicals, but man I hate those little bugs!!!

Our last frost date is mid-May here, but I usually play it safe and wait close to Memorial day to plant out the peppers and tomatoes. Counting down the days ...

 

[SuperHot]

I hear ya, I have the same problem.

I have 550 plus superhots sitting on tables in front of south facing windows, just waiting for the frost nights to be behind me.

Nice pics!!

 

[SRBII]

Great looking plants

Best of luck to you

 

[highalt]

Thanks, Superhot and SSRBll!

Since this is a grow log, guess I should include a list of what I'm growing:

Aji Panca
Aji Yellow
Alma Paprika
Ancho Gigantia
Ancho San Luis
Chilhaucle Rojo
Chimayo
Cosa Arrugada
College 64
Czechoslovakian Black
El Oro De Ecuador
Frank's
Fresno
Georgia Flame
Giant Szegedi
Jalapeno M
Jimmy Nardello
Joe E. Parker
Kalocsai V2
Lemon Drop
Pasilla Bajio
Peppadew
Puya
Sandia
Santa Fe Grande
Serrano Tampiqueno

Rain Forest (sprouts appear to have stalled out)

 

[Jetchuka]

Your plants look great, and yep, most of those look ready enough to be in the ground. Interesting list too, there's a couple that aren't familiar to me.

I wouldn't worry about fungus gnats harming the plants this late in the game, but they are an annoyance. Strategically placed flypaper will mop up some of the adults, but if you have houseplants you're worried about then i would thoroughly soak them with mosquito dunk water. It uses a bacteria known as Bacillus Thuringiensis israelensis which slowly kills the larva, but is harmless to mammals and birds. You'll still see some adults flying around but within two weeks all of them will be dead since they have a short life span.

 

[logchief]

Hey Bonnie that's a nice grow list, you'll have plenty of variety come Aug/Sept,

 

[HawaiiAl]

Great looking plants be careful with the weather i can remember snow on memorial day three or four times in 12 years when i lived in Parker.

 

[wayright]

Really nice looking plants Bonnie!
I cant wait to see some of those different varieties grow up!

Kevin

 

[highalt]

HawaiiAl, I used to live on the front range, in Castle Rock, which is very close to Parker, but I'm closer to the western side of the state now. Our lows are a little lower in the winter, our highs a little higher in the summer. More of a high desert climate. We did get hail last year the first week of June, but snow that late would be rare here. A late freeze is certainly possible though ...

Thanks, Kevin! I will post some more photos once I start planting things out.

No fresh air for the plants today though. Currently having sustained winds of 43 mph, with gusts up to 47 mph. Sheesh! I had to bring in the recycle bins and garbage cans, or they would be in Kansas by now!

 

[Yaotzin]

Lots growing man i was thinking of growing some peppadews next year

 

[highalt]

All of the peppers were out for about 12 hours today. A bit longer than I planned, but it was overcast most of the day, so no harm done.

A house guest arrived today, and could be here for as long as a month. We're still at least a couple weeks from the last frost date! I told him he was going to have to share his sleeping quarters with the pepper plants, which he seems okay with, but I guess I will have to start getting serious about hardening those babies off. Maybe work towards at least leaving them outside overnight in the crates when the lows are at least in the mid-40's?

Honestly, I'm nervous he'll forget to close the door to the guest room, and the cat will get in there and eat my plants. After working so hard on them for the past two months, I am going to be pretty upset if something happens to them.

Would this freak you guys out too ... or am I just being an overprotective mom?

 

[wayright]

I have heard some kitty cat horror stories on here Bonnie!
But I have lots of pics of my kitty just hanging out in my pepper patch !
He sometimes "pets " himself against a plant, but it dont cause much harm!

Kevin

 

[highalt]

This cat is the whole reason that my plants are in the guest room in the first place ... he took a liking to my plants last year

 

[gasificada]

Looking good!

Yikes, another cat horror story! Once again I reminded of just how well behaved my flatmates cat actually is! The only trouble I've had with domesticated animals is dogs. Just the other day, my sister's dog was around and decided to dig up my one and only pubescens plant - the one plant I wanted to overwinter the most!

 

[Downriver]

Plants are looking great B.

Try not to put them out too soon. I think cold is the second worst thing peppers hate. If you transplant too soon, you could stunt their growth. I'd wait for 50-55 for a low, minimum, but that's just me.

Good luck to ya. Have a great growing season.

 

[RedtailForester]

Those are some bonnie plants there Bonnie!

 

[highalt]

Those are some bonnie plants there Bonnie!
[/quote]

 

[highalt]

Plants are looking great B.

Try not to put them out too soon. I think cold is the second worst thing peppers hate. If you transplant too soon, you could stunt their growth. I'd wait for 50-55 for a low, minimum, but that's just me.

Good luck to ya. Have a great growing season.

Because I live in a high desert climate, we really only have lows in the 50-55 degree range for 4 - 6 weeks, so I have to plant out while the lows are still in the 40's. I think being at a high altitude, with the higher intensity of sunlight, makes up somewhat for the cold nighttime temperatures.

Just to show that you CAN grow peppers where the nights are cool, here's a couple pictures from last year's happy peppers:

Black Hungarian

Soroksari

Chinese Giant (these were humongous!)

Alma Paprika

Sweet Pickle (this picture doesn't do justice, it was covered with probably over 30 peppers at a time)

Anaheim

They never do much for the first couple of weeks after I put them out, but I think that is more due to being transplanted than it is the nighttime temps.

So I'm guessing the # 1 thing peppers hate is too much water?

 

[Siliman]

Great pix from last year. Keep on keepin on!

I've got some friends in Norwood (eastern Colorado high alt also) that rely heavily on cold frames. Might be a good way to sneak in an extra week or two of pepper warmth.

Great list of plants! The Chimayo should work well for you since its genes are high altitude. I'm trying it this year just for the history so will be interested in how yours play out...

 

[highalt]

Well, it's already happened. Our house guest left the bedroom door open long enough to go to the restroom, and found the cat in there when he got back. This morning, I noticed a couple of plants had been chewed on. Not major damage, but enough for me to conclude that the plants may be safer on the porch than in the guest room ...