Highalt's 2012 Grow Log

I haven't made it to the super hot level yet, so not sure how interesting you guys will find this, but I like having one place to post all of my pictures throughout the season, so here goes.

2012 Preliminary Grow List:

Aji Yellow
Alma Paprika
Ancho Gigantia
Ancho San Luis
Barker (NuMex)
Big Jim (NuMex)
Black Hungarian
Chile de Arbol
Chile Hidalgo (don't actually have seeds for this one yet)
Chilhaucle Rojo
Chimayo
Cosa Arrugada
Costeno Amarillo
Fish
Fresno
Georgia Flame
Giant Szegedi
Habanero Chocolate
Habanero Peach
Hawaiian Sweet Hot
Inca Red Drop
Jalapeno 'Biker Billy' (The only hybrid on the list)
Jaloro
Japone
Jimmy Nardello
Lemon Drop
Melrose
NuMex Espanola Improved
NuMex Pinata (don't have seeds for this one yet either)
Patio Red Marconi
Piment 'd Espelette
Rain Forest
Rocotillo
Sante Fe Grande
Serrano Tampiqueno
Tollie's Sweet Italian

*Disclaimer - this list is subject to change ... hourly

I host an annual group pepper seed swap on another site, so I'm sure I'll probably add to this list once that gets going, but this is the bulk of what I plan to grow anyway. The problem with adding to this list isn't where to plant them, it's finding enough cat-free space indoors to start them all!

If you check out my post on early season Serrano substitutes you'll see I'm still looking for information on a few of the peppers I"m thinking of growing. It's so much better hearing from someone that has actually grown a variety, rather than going by a description on a seed vendor's website!

The habaneros may get started in the next couple of weeks, but I'll probably wait until February to start the rest. I'll be back with pictures once the seeds are in the dirt.

 

[highalt]

Thanks, guys! Yes, it is a big relief to have everything in the ground now.

Went by the garden just a few minutes ago and everything looked good. I bought a timer for the soaker hoses, and had it with me yesterday, but forgot the batteries, doh! I ran it for 10 minutes to make sure I had it placed right, but set the timer to run for an hour. I really have no clue how long to run it. How much water does a soaker hose put out?

 

[stickman]

Thanks, guys! Yes, it is a big relief to have everything in the ground now.

Went by the garden just a few minutes ago and everything looked good. I bought a timer for the soaker hoses, and had it with me yesterday, but forgot the batteries, doh! I ran it for 10 minutes to make sure I had it placed right, but set the timer to run for an hour. I really have no clue how long to run it. How much water does a soaker hose put out?

You might want to check out the manufacturer's website... The people who made it should have some idea what their product does. Cheers

 

[highalt]

Aha! I knew there was a reason I didn't throw away the tag! It says 50 min. = 1/4", 100 min = 1/2 etc., so given our lack of precipitation or humidity around here, how much water will be enough?

 

[stickman]

Aha! I knew there was a reason I didn't throw away the tag! It says 50 min. = 1/4", 100 min = 1/2 etc., so given our lack of precipitation or humidity around here, how much water will be enough?

I think most vegetables need at least an inch of water a week. I'd start from there and add more as needed. Now that you have a soaker hose you could put it under the mulch and it wouldn't evaporate away as quick. Cheers

 

[capsidadburn]

Congratulations on your plant out effort!

 

[MGOLD86]

Wow Bonnie, you got a great plot there! I wouldn't worry too much about the spacing, it may help if you ever get some rough winds. I know that AJ (Ronnie) likes to put his pots close together to help strengthen them in the wind.

Now that you got everything in the ground, it is only a matter of time before they really take off!

 

[highalt]

I think most vegetables need at least an inch of water a week. I'd start from there and add more as needed. Now that you have a soaker hose you could put it under the mulch and it wouldn't evaporate away as quick. Cheers

I did get half the hose buried, on the side where the peppers are planted, but ran out of time. When I go by there today, I'll try and get the rest done. Maybe it's a good thing part of it is above ground though, since I'll be able to see how much water it put out in an hour.

Congratulations on your plant out effort!

Thanks for checking out my grow, Capsidadburn!

Wow Bonnie, you got a great plot there! I wouldn't worry too much about the spacing, it may help if you ever get some rough winds. I know that AJ (Ronnie) likes to put his pots close together to help strengthen them in the wind.

Now that you got everything in the ground, it is only a matter of time before they really take off!

This is my fourth year there, and I've finally gotten most of the rocks removed, and ammended the soil enough to hopefully get a decent harvest this year. It was like concrete the first year!

I hope you are right about the spacing helping with wind protection. We certainly get plenty of that around here!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

[hooda]

The plot looks great! You did a lot better job than I did at keeping the rows straight. Looking forward to seeing your plants take off.

 

[highalt]

Spent some time down at the community garden today. Ran the first line in my Florida weave support system. Only went all the way across on one row. The other two, I only did one or two sections, because the rest of the plants weren't tall enough yet. Glad I got this done today, since the winds are kickin' back up tomorrow!

Got a couple more rows of soaker hose buried, but I've still got tomatillos and ground cherries to plant on the far side of the plot, so I'll finish burying the hose after that. Decided to dial back the timer for the soaker hoses to 45 minutes. If you look closely you can see my two little peeps playing in the distance : )

Found more blooms today. This one's Aji Chinchi Amarillo.

Costeno Amarillo also had a bloom on it, but it was not photogenic today.

Bulgarian Carrot loaded with buds.

Inca Red Drop's getting ready to bloom too.

Rain Forest

I took a few pictures of some non pepper stuff while I was there, but I'll post those on my Growing Other glog.

Back at the house, I found a bloom on the Black Hungarian. This was the plant that was so crazy tall when I had them indoors.

Isn't she pretty?

Thanks for visiting!

 

[stc3248]

Looking real pro Bonnie...Excited that you and Paul are finally planted out! We got the map covered from FL to WA and from MA to CA...and all points in between including CO!!!

 

[romy6]

That is great news Bonnie. Just shows how much patience you have and it is really paying off!

 

[highalt]

Looking real pro Bonnie...Excited that you and Paul are finally planted out! We got the map covered from FL to WA and from MA to CA...and all points in between including CO!!!

I'm not a big country music fan, but for some reason when I read your post, it made me want to start singing the Lee Greenwood song "God Bless the USA"

That is great news Bonnie. Just shows how much patience you have and it is really paying off!

Living here will teach you patience ... kind of like having kids will! It's really not my strong suit though. Perseverance, and determination, yes! Patience, not so much.

 

[PaulG]

Great garden plot, Bonnie! You worked your tail off this weekend!
Glad you were able to manage the weather hijinks and come through smiling!
Can't wait to see some Rocky Mountain High pod shots with snow capped
peaks in the background! I also noticed your wall-o-waters. How long will
you leave them on?

You go, girl

 

[Pinoy83]

nice pretty looking purple flower

 

[Melissa77754]

Everything is looking great Bonnie, you are full speed ahead now! Love the flower on the black hungarian!!

 

[gnslngr]

You said:Thanks, Jamie and Pinoypride! I was afraid you guys would think I'm too much of a girly girl for posting flower pics. Maybe I need to post a pic of me playing electric guitar or something, to help toughen up my image.

Not with those badass steel garden posts! I'm still kicking myself for not starting some more Paisillas-mine fell victim to battling cats.Now my Jack Russell is the pepper guardian-when she saw how pissed I was, she NEVER lets the cats get in the pepper garden!

Keep the pics coming-gettin em in the ground is such a relief isn't it?

 

[highalt]

Great garden plot, Bonnie! You worked your tail off this weekend!
Glad you were able to manage the weather hijinks and come through smiling!
Can't wait to see some Rocky Mountain High pod shots with snow capped
peaks in the background! I also noticed your wall-o-waters. How long will
you leave them on?

You go, girl

Hi, Paul! I only left the wall-o-waters up for a couple of days after the freeze warning. The Black Hungarian bloom is on one of the plants that was in them.

Unfortunately, you won't see any snow capped mountain pictures this summer. The snowfall was way below normal, and the spring was so warm and dry, that my view is already snowless! I think the firefighters will be very busy in this part of the country this summer.

 

[PaulG]

Great garden plot, Bonnie! You worked your tail off this weekend!
Glad you were able to manage the weather hijinks and come through smiling!
Can't wait to see some Rocky Mountain High pod shots with snow capped
peaks in the background! I also noticed your wall-o-waters. How long will
you leave them on?

You go, girl

Hi, Paul! I only left the wall-o-waters up for a couple of days after the freeze warning. The Black Hungarian bloom is on one of the plants that was in them.

Unfortunately, you won't see any snow capped mountain pictures this summer. The snowfall was way below normal, and the spring was so warm and dry, that my view is already snowless! I think the firefighters will be very busy in this part of the country this summer.

I hate to hear that. We've had some nasty fire seasons up here in
PacNW as well, and have lost some firefighters over the past several
summers. Fought forest fires working through college. I don't envy
them a bit. I'm hoping for a better year this year, as we've had a decent
moisture year. So much depends on spring temps and runoff.

Back to more pleasantries. Your Black Hungarian looks like it enjoyed its
stay in the water tent! Your community garden space is going to blow
everyone away if they haven't even got started yet!

If you need some snow views, I'll send some pics of the Cascades : ) Mt.
Hood still has quite a bit of snow. By August/September it looks pretty ugly. It will
really suck when all the glaciers and year around snow fields are gone.
How much fun is it to backpack in high altitude with no snow? That is snow
in my profile pic

 

[highalt]

I hate to admit this, but I actually did more hiking when I lived in Tennessee, than I currently do here in Colorado. Mostly because I was childless then. I'm not talking about the Smokies, that was 7 hours away, but in the Ozarks, which was 2 - 3 hours from the western side of the state. So I'm used to hiking without snow. The last couple of years I've been in that frustrating stage, where my youngest was too big to carry in a pack, but too small to hike any distance. Hoping to build her endurance this summer though.

Speaking of the community garden, I gave away some of my leftover peppers and tomatoes to the woman that has the plot next to mine, the one with the wall'o-waters. It will be interesting to see how hers do compared to mine. I'm concerned that the guy that manages the garden hasn't put anything in yet. If he loses interest in it, I'm wondering if the town will continue it. I guess if it comes to that, I can always volunteer to run it myself.

 

[PaulG]

I hate to admit this, but I actually did more hiking when I lived in Tennessee, than I currently do here in Colorado. Mostly because I was childless then. I'm not talking about the Smokies, that was 7 hours away, but in the Ozarks, which was 2 - 3 hours from the western side of the state. So I'm used to hiking without snow. The last couple of years I've been in that frustrating stage, where my youngest was too big to carry in a pack, but too small to hike any distance. Hoping to build her endurance this summer though.

Speaking of the community garden, I gave away some of my leftover peppers and tomatoes to the woman that has the plot next to mine, the one with the wall'o-waters. It will be interesting to see how hers do compared to mine. I'm concerned that the guy that manages the garden hasn't put anything in yet. If he loses interest in it, I'm wondering if the town will continue it. I guess if it comes to that, I can always volunteer to run it myself.

Hope your daughter takes to the trails soon. She will have a lot
of fun, even if getting there is a bit of a chore!

Okay, one more job: community garden director! Really though,
I hope he comes around so you don't have to do it!