Highalt's 2012 Grow Log

highalt · Jul 5, 2012

Thanks, Jamie! I've been jonesing for more of that Hot Salt you sent me last time. Popcorn just isn't the same without it! Found some jalapeno flavored popcorn seasoning at the grocery store, and thought maybe it would be a good substitute until I had enough peppers to try and make a batch of my own. Can you say lame-O? No heat whatsoever. My kids thought it was tasty, but if they can eat it, you know there was no heat there!

highalt · Jul 5, 2012

It's raining!!! It's raining!!! Okay, it's only .05". No, not 1/2 an inch, we are talking 5/100 of an inch here. But still, I can't remember the last time we had measurable precipitation, so I'm pretty stoked. Bet everything will be all lush and green around here tomorrow! :dance:

stickman · Jul 5, 2012

highalt said:
It's raining!!! It's raining!!! Okay, it's only .05". No, not 1/2 an inch, we are talking 5/100 of an inch here. But still, I can't remember the last time we had measurable precipitation, so I'm pretty stoked. Bet everything will be all lush and green around here tomorrow!

Excellent! If nothing else it'll wash the air clean of smoke, but hopefully it'll dampen things enough to make your chiles glad and help put out the fires. For the amount of rain you've gotten up 'til now your garden looks really nice. It looks as if it may be a race for the blueberries between my Mom and the grey squirrels... When we were visiting her yesterday we saw some of the little perishers climbing up the bushes and stripping the berries. She's been growing them for fifteen years and we've never seen them do that before.

MGOLD86 · Jul 5, 2012

Woohoo for the rain!! The garden is gonna love it!

You really have a great GLog Bonnie, there is so many different varieties and type of plants that your updates never cease to amaze me!

I love the flowers on the walk up, I need to give that a shot, the wife would love me forever!

Keep up the good work and can't wait to see your garden explode after the 5/100th inches of rain!

highalt · Jul 6, 2012

stickman said:
Excellent! If nothing else it'll wash the air clean of smoke, but hopefully it'll dampen things enough to make your chiles glad and help put out the fires. For the amount of rain you've gotten up 'til now your garden looks really nice. It looks as if it may be a race for the blueberries between my Mom and the grey squirrels... When we were visiting her yesterday we saw some of the little perishers climbing up the bushes and stripping the berries. She's been growing them for fifteen years and we've never seen them do that before.

My brother lives back east and has blueberry bushes, but I think the birds and squirrels get most of his. He uses netting, but they still manage to get to them. He's one of the reasons I made the blueberry jam. I know he'll appreciate it!

MGOLD86 said:
Woohoo for the rain!! The garden is gonna love it!

You really have a great GLog Bonnie, there is so many different varieties and type of plants that your updates never cease to amaze me!

I love the flowers on the walk up, I need to give that a shot, the wife would love me forever!

Keep up the good work and can't wait to see your garden explode after the 5/100th inches of rain!

Thank you, Matt! I don't have near the podage you've got going yet, but hopefully I'll get there soon!

By the time the rain was done, we had a whopping .11 of an inch. I'll take it!

We bought this house new, and it had a dirt yard. We hired someone to put in the sprinkler system, sod, and the fence, but I designed the beds, and spent hours researching what would grow here before buying the plants. That's what turned me into a gardener. It's a good thing I started with flowers though. If I would have started with the peppers first, my front yard would probably look a whole lot different!

Here's a shot of the whole veggie bed this morning. Doesn't everything look happy?

Some shots of individual plants:

Chimayo. The first round of blooms didn't set, but it's loading up again!

Same thing with this one, Chilhuacle Rojo.

Rain Forest. I think the one at the community garden is actually growing faster, and may have set its first pod. I'll double check that when I go down there today.

Aji Picante is finally starting to bloom.

Cachucha. Very bushy, but no blooms yet. Same thing with the one at the C.G.

This Fresno is in an Earthbox, and has quite a few pods on it.

Thought I'd show the bad with the good today. This is one of my worst looking plants. Can't find anything wrong with it, it's just not taking off like the rest. It's Aci Sivri.

This last picture is for Stickman. You recommended I grow some Summer Savory, and look what I found growing in the garlic.

I had some in a container on the porch last year. Not sure how it got all the way over here, but it's a happy surprise.

I'll post a couple more pics after someone else posts.

stickman · Jul 6, 2012

highalt said:
Hi Bonnie

My brother lives back east and has blueberry bushes, but I think the birds and squirrels get most of his. He uses netting, but they still manage to get to them. He's one of the reasons I made the blueberry jam. I know he'll appreciate it!

You're right, everything looks happier now. Good on yer! In a way, it's too bad Bodeen and I don't live closer to my Mom's... I bet we could take care of the squirrel problem between us!

This last picture is for Stickman. You recommended I grow some Summer Savory, and look what I found growing in the garlic.
I had some in a container on the porch last year. Not sure how it got all the way over here, but it's a happy surprise.

Cool! Your savory looks bushier than mine... I had ants carry off the first round of seed and I had to replant. Did you recycle the container growing soil in the garden where the garlic is? I suspect you have some volunteers...

highalt · Jul 6, 2012

Thanks for the bump, Rick!

No, I didn't dump the potting mix in that bed, but it's east of the porch, so the wind probably carried the seeds over there.

Here's another bushy plant, Pimenta Barro do Robiero. One of the few not blooming yet.

This is my Big Jim plant. It's really grown and filled out the past week or two, and is finally blooming.

NuMex Espanola Improved

Aji Yellow. The one at the C.G. looks about the same. Lots of big leaves, but no flowers yet. It was one of the last to bloom last year too. Note to self, start that one earlier next year ...

Here's another late bloomer, Japone.

Another pod on the Melrose in the Earthbox. It's weird how they start upright like this, and then curve downward.

And a parting non-pepper shot, Mrs. Burn's Lemon basil. Going to use this along with some Aji Yellows, or similar type pod, to make some Hot Lemon Jelly later in the season.

I'm bringing the camera with me to the garden later, so maybe I'll have more pictures this evening. Thanks for stopping by!

stc3248 · Jul 6, 2012

Glad to see they're moving right along! Flowers and pods a plenty!

highalt · Jul 6, 2012

These pics are from down at the community garden this afternoon.

I'll start with the non-bloomers. Here's Long Pod Chocolate Habanero.

The largest of the four Peach Habaneros. Also, no blooms yet.

First bud forming on the Aji Yellow, so it's a hair further along than the one at the house.

Belize Sweet bloom. Love the purple stems on this one!

Chilhuacle Amarillo. This thing is like a miniature tree. First picture is the top of the canopy, 2nd one is a sideview. Lots of blooms, but no pods yet.

Bulgarian Carrot loaded with pods.

Aji Chinchi Amarillo also loaded with pods.

Long shots of the pepper rows.

Still have a few more, so could use a bump to finish up.

Thanks!

ColoradoRonin · Jul 6, 2012

Bumped.
I wish my chocolate hab looked as good as yours.
Hopefully we'll both get some rain today.

highalt · Jul 6, 2012

Thanks, ColoradoRonin!

I've had a couple people from around here tell me our season isn't long enough to get ripe habaneros, but I'm hoping I started them early enough to prove them wrong!

Inca Red Drop. Sorry the pics kind of blurry. The sun came out as I was taking it, and I couldn't see the image on the screen.

Chile de Arbol, very bushy and lots of blooms

His neighbor, Hawaiian Sweet Hot is trying to give him a run for his money though.

I lost one plant at the community garden. It was an Ancho Gigantia that I had overwintered, that never really took off. The only other one I think I'm going to rip out is this one. It's a Melrose. The one at home in the Earthbox is doing great with several pods. This things has had those curled leaves from the very first set of true leaves. I ignored them at first, because it was still growing, but now it's stalled out and is dropping all its buds.

Soooo, I ran over to the local organic nursery to see if they had any peppers left to replace them with, and I came back with this sad bunch of leftovers.

Their stuff usually looks really good, but it's getting late in the season, so things are pretty picked over. This six pack includes a Czechoslovakian Black, Cherry Bomb, Diablo Grande, Super Hungarian Hot, and a couple of sweets - Marconi, and Antohi Romanian. Once I nurse them back to health a bit, I'll squeeze the extras in down at the community garden where I left too much space between some of the tomatoes. Would you guys recommend cutting off all the pods on these plants?

Oh, I almost forgot the non-pepper pic.

Lavender in bloom

Tried to get a close up of this little guy, but he wouldn't stay in one place long enough.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

PIC 1 · Jul 6, 2012

Bonnie,

Your plants look great! It's nice to see more people growing the Sweet Hot. There's so many uses for that chili. You have a well planned garden layout , very organized and clean

Greg

highalt · Jul 6, 2012

Thanks, Greg! "[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]well planned garden layout , very [/background]organized[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)] and[/background] clean" I think this was a nice way to say that I'm suffering from a case of OCD! :rofl:

Seriously though, putting in those soaker hoses and timer this year has freed up a lot more of my time to keep the weeds under control. In the past, I've spent 30 min.a day, hauling the hose around and hand watering everything, and that was just at the community garden.

This is my first year to grow the Haw. Sweet Hot. How do you usually use your?

PIC 1 · Jul 6, 2012

highalt said:
Thanks, Greg! "[background=rgb(255,244,228)]well planned garden layout , very [/background]organized[background=rgb(255,244,228)] and[/background] clean" I think this was a nice way to say that I'm suffering from a case of OCD! Seriously though, putting in those soaker hoses and timer this year has freed up a lot more of my time to keep the weeds under control. In the past, I've spent 30 min.a day, hauling the hose around and hand watering everything, and that was just at the community garden.

This is my first year to grow the Haw. Sweet Hot. How do you usually use your?

As far as the Sweet/Hot's......I've pickled them while they were still unripe and green. .... to use them as the "Chicago Sport" pepper which is a common condiment on a hot dog or sausage sndwich.
Also sliced and stir fried... they have a unique flavor compared to the standard thai.
Ripened red chili's can be used in the "Hawaiian Water" condiment ( vinegar, ginger, garlic, chili's, salt and water) a 10oz shaker bottle works well. But probably the best end of season use would be to sun dry, on the plant or dehydrate and grind to a powder. That's what I like the best. Flesh only no seeds, gives you a nice red powder that kicks up any dish

Greg

highalt · Jul 7, 2012

Okay, I know I said I would nurse those plants back to health before planting them out, but there was a good chance of rain this afternoon, and you know how often that happens around here! So I cut all the pods off, and went to the comm. garden. About an hour after I got back, it started raining. It was only .07" but that should be enough to help the plants get settled into their new homes. By Tuesday the temps are going back up, and the moisture will have moved out, so I figured this was a window of opportunity I shouldn't pass up. If some of them don't make it, it's not a big loss. I only spent $4 on the six plants.

PIC 1 said:
As far as the Sweet/Hot's......I've pickled them while they were still unripe and green. .... to use them as the "Chicago Sport" pepper which is a common condiment on a hot dog or sausage sndwich.
Also sliced and stir fried... they have a unique flavor compared to the standard thai.
Ripened red chili's can be used in the "Hawaiian Water" condiment ( vinegar, ginger, garlic, chili's, salt and water) a 10oz shaker bottle works well. But probably the best end of season use would be to sun dry, on the plant or dehydrate and grind to a powder. That's what I like the best. Flesh only no seeds, gives you a nice red powder that kicks up any dish

Greg

Thanks for those suggestions! Not familiar with the Hawaiian water condiment, but I've had the "Sport" peppers at a friends hot dog stand, and they're pretty tasty. If you order the "Hot Brat." with them, it's a good amount of heat between the two! I make lots of powders, even bought myself a new burr grinder to use this season, so I'll be sure to make a batch out of them.

KiNGDeNNiZ · Jul 7, 2012

highalt said:
Their stuff usually looks really good, but it's getting late in the season, so things are pretty picked over. This six pack includes a Czechoslovakian Black, Cherry Bomb, Diablo Grande, Super Hungarian Hot, and a couple of sweets - Marconi, and Antohi Romanian. Once I nurse them back to health a bit, I'll squeeze the extras in down at the community garden where I left too much space between some of the tomatoes. Would you guys recommend cutting off all the pods on these plants?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

always nice to adopt a few more plants...... keep up the grow.. and hope things are well there.. dont watch TV.. hows the fires/>

highalt · Jul 7, 2012

Yeah, I hadn't planned on getting any more, but you know how that goes. I couldn't stand to see empty spaces in the garden, LOL!

I'm relieved to say that all of the big fires in Colorado have been contained now, thanks to the moisture this past few days.

RocketMan · Jul 9, 2012

Bonnie, I have to let you know that you inspired my Throwdown entry this month. After seeing all of your jams, jellies and such I just had to take the Apples and Bourbon and make a Bourbon Apple Butter with them. I used to live in Washington State and we were never without fresh Apple Butter in the Fridge so thanks for bringing that back to my mind.

The garden is really looking good. I know your ready to see some pods on over there.

Have a great week.
Bill

stickman · Jul 12, 2012

Hi Bonnie, how are your Chimayo chiles doing? I went out to check on them last night and found that mine are beginning to ripen. One was completely red and most of the others are beginning to blush. Cheers

romy6 · Jul 12, 2012

Things are coming along nicley Bonnie. :onfire:

I am anxious to see how the choco hab long turn out :party: