Highalt's 2012 Grow Log

stc3248 · Jul 12, 2012

More plants! I haven't been over here in a while??? I can't look at the pics from where I am so I'll check them out when I get home tomorrow...Great news that the fires are controlled!

Melissa77754 · Jul 12, 2012

Bonnie things are really picking up for you, glad to see you podding up! And that lemon basil is great huh? I have both the lemon and lime going, I like them both. I have cinnamon basil going as well but am not too impressed with the flavor so won't be growing it again next year. Keep up the great work, can't wait to see some of your jelly recipes. My parents have a peach tree and my mom has been making non stop batches of jam, I had her make me some chili/peach jam. Delicious!

highalt · Jul 13, 2012

RocketMan said:
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

You're welcome, Rocket Man! That Apple Bourbon Butter sounds delicious!!!

One of the jams I'd like to try this year is Peach Habanero Jam. I just read an article the other day, saying that the local peach crop is three weeks ahead of schedule, due to the hot, dry spring/summer. That means my habs will not be ready in time, but maybe I can pick some up at a farmer's market or something.

stickman said:
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

I think the one here at the house may have set one pod now, but the one at the community garden is just not thriving. If they don't start performing this one will not be on next year's grow list!

romy6 said:
Things are coming along nicley Bonnie.

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

The leaves on those things are huge, and I see tiny little buds starting to form, so I have hope that I can get a ripe one before the first frost.

stc3248 said:
More plants! I haven't been over here in a while??? I can't look at the pics from where I am so I'll check them out when I get home tomorrow...Great news that the fires are controlled!

Yeah, one of the new plants might not make it, but I think the others will survive. Not sure if they will produce much or not going in this late, but they were cheap, and you never know, they might surprise me.

Melissa77754 said:
Bonnie things are really picking up for you, glad to see you podding up! And that lemon basil is great huh? I have both the lemon and lime going, I like them both. I have cinnamon basil going as well but am not too impressed with the flavor so won't be growing it again next year. Keep up the great work, can't wait to see some of your jelly recipes. My parents have a peach tree and my mom has been making non stop batches of jam, I had her make me some chili/peach jam. Delicious!

I'm with you, Melissa, not crazy about the taste of the cinnamon basil, but the lemon basil makes a wonderful jelly, and a tasty pesto too! This year I hope to add some Aji Yellows or something to the jelly to kick it up a notch, and I'll be sure to post pictures and the recipe.

It's been another hectic week this week, and we another birthday in the family this weekend, so spent the morning making a carrot cake. Will be gone all day tomorrow and half of Sunday, so watered things well today, and may not have time to check on the garden until Sunday evening, but I'll try and post some updated pics by the first of the week.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

stc3248 · Jul 13, 2012

Finally got to check out the pics and you're right they're a motley looking crew! Your green thumbs will have them up and running in no time! I bought some sad ones a while back and all but one really took off once in some good soil. Really love your non pepper pics too...you need to start a landscaping company!

highalt · Jul 16, 2012

stc3248 said:
Finally got to check out the pics and you're right they're a motley looking crew! Your green thumbs will have them up and running in no time! I bought some sad ones a while back and all but one really took off once in some good soil. Really love your non pepper pics too...you need to start a landscaping company!

Thank you, Shane, but I don't know about a landscape company. Around here that means putting in and repairing sprinkler systems, and cutting grass, haha! They really should call themselves lawn care companies, but landscaper sounds so much more impressive, right?!

Speaking of sprinkler systems, the irrigation to my subdivision is shut down for a week to demoss the ditches and pipes, but we got lucky and had 1/10 of an inch of rain last night, and another 3/10" this evening. It was especially nice since I wasn't home to water anything this weekend. I'm sure there will be plenty of weeding to be done tomorrow.

I did manage to get down to the community garden this evening, right before the rain started, and was amazed at all of the growth this week. There were new pods on the Chile de Arbol, Chilhuacle Amarillo, Sandia, Chile Hidalgo, Serrano Huasteco, Hawaiian Sweet Hot, and several others too. Didn't remember the camera this time, but I'll get some pics in the next couple of days. This is the first year that the plants down at the comm. garden actually are producing better than the ones here at the house. I guess all those bags of compost, alfalfa pellets, bone meal, peat moss, etc., that I've added over the last 4 years, have finally paid off! There are some bug issues down there, but overall I am pleased, and I am loving the soaker hose set-up, and the Florida weave support system this year too!

SocalChilehead · Jul 16, 2012

Plants look amazing pods are starting to load up that is great. Belize Sweet does look amazing that is interesting that the purple is only kept on the plants stem and does not bleed over to the flower or leaves.

highalt · Jul 16, 2012

Thanks, Socal! Can't wait to see what the pods look like on that Belize Sweet!

We've had overcast skies off and on this morning, so I got quite a few shots of the peppers here at the house. So thankful for the early monsoon season bringing moisture our way. There's a chance of showers again today! Yippee!!!

I'll start with the container plants first. Check out the latest pod on the Melrose plant.

Eventually it will start bending over like this one. Weird, huh?

Patio Red Marconi. Quite a few pods on this one, and they are getting pretty large.

Alma Paprika pods. They are about the size of an apricot right now.

A close up with a baby pod in the background.

Cosa Arrugada finally starting to set a few pods.

Guajillo in an Earthbox. This plant has got to be close to 3' now.

First pod on the Jaloro here at the house (Earthbox).

Biker Billy stopped dropping blooms and has a couple of small pods on it now.

As soon as someone gives me a bump I'll post some pics of the ones in the veggie bed here at the house.

Pulpiteer · Jul 16, 2012

Looking great!

stickman · Jul 16, 2012

Have a bump Bonnie... Nice looking pods so far. I'll bet it's all the more appreciated to get pods after the kind of summer you've had!

highalt · Jul 16, 2012

Thanks, Andy and Rick! Things have definitely improved in the past couple of weeks. I'm sure we'll get some more days in the triple digit range, but I'm enjoying these 85 - 95 degree days, and the afternoon showers too!

These first two are of the overwintered Chilhuacle Rojo in a container. Wanted to compare this one to the one in the garden.

This is the one in the veggie bed. both the plant and the pods are way bigger than the container plant.

One more pod on the in ground plant ...

Sandia. This is kind of a good news/bad news report. The good news is it's loaded down with some pretty good sized pods. The bad news is that a couple of the lower branches were wilted and the leaves were turning brown this morning. I should have gotten a picture to get some help identifying the problem, but I was so freaked out, I cut them off as fast as I could in hopes it wouldn't spread to the rest of the plant.

Black Hungarian. The pod on the left is the same one that's been on there for two or three weeks, not doing much of anything. The pod on the right will hopefully pass it up in size soon.

Big Jim pods

Joe's Long (aka Whippet's Tail)

... and finally for you, Rick, my first Chimayo pod!

Maybe I can get some pics at the community garden later today, or tomorrow. Taking my younger son to camp for the first time tomorrow, so may not have time to get over there.

Thanks for checking out my grow!!!

capsidadburn · Jul 16, 2012

Great looking plant pics Bonnie. Poddage overload in you future I think!

Mike

romy6 · Jul 16, 2012

Wow Bonnie . :party:

Your plants are starting to thicken up nicely. :drooling:

Very nice indeed :dance:

highalt · Jul 17, 2012

Thank you for stopping by, Mike and Jamie! Can't wait until I can start posting harvest pics everyday like you guys!!!

So today I took a butt load of pictures down at the community garden. Not sure I want to post them all, but did it mainly so that I would have a record of what each plant down there looked like at this point in the season.

I think I'll start with a couple of views of the whole plot. The first is taken from the northeast corner, and the second one from the northwest corner.

Here is a shot of Sandia, which finally set its first pod. The one at the house is already loaded with pods, but this plant is probably bushier, so it may start pumping out pods pretty soon!

Okay, normally I just don't post the blurry pics, but this Jimmy Nardello is so loaded down with pods that I hope you'll excuse the bad pic. I'll try not to let it happen again .... :oops:

These are my tallest plants, both are Costeno Amarillo. I'd guess they are at least 3' tall now.

Piment d' Espelette pods

These aren't far behind in height. They are Chilhuacle Amarillo. The pod shot doesn't do it justice, there are quite a few good sized ones on there.

Don't have a plant shot of this one, but it's a Chimayo. Poor thing probably isn't 12" tall, and has dropped a ton of blooms, but finally set one!

Here is a shot of a Chile de Arbol pod. These things are super skinny, probably about as thick as a wooden skewer. The plant is covered in blooms though, so looks like I'll have a ton of them soon!

Okay, I'll need a bump and then I'll be back with more ...

Pinoy83 · Jul 17, 2012

bumppppppp, nice podsss keep em cominggg :dance:

highalt · Jul 17, 2012

Thanks, Pinoy!

These first two pics are for you! Hawaiian Sweet Hot plants and a pod shot. It's weird how the leaves are so different on these two plants. Both are just now setting pods, so I'll be curious to see how they compare once ripe.

Guajillo plant and pod shot.

Here's my fuzzy Chile Hidalgo plant and a pod shot.

Two Aji Chinchi Amarillo plants, and a pod shot. These babiles are seriously loaded down!

Jaloro plant and first pod.

Okay, I'm at the limit again. Have a few more I can post ...

Pinoy83 · Jul 18, 2012

bumpy bumppppppppp

highalt said:
Thanks, Pinoy!

These first two pics are for you! Hawaiian Sweet Hot plants and a pod shot. It's weird how the leaves are so different on these two plants. Both are just now setting pods, so I'll be curious to see how they compare once ripe.

prolly the other one is hawaiian chile only and the other one is sweet

highalt · Jul 18, 2012

Hmmm ... they came from the same seed pack from Peppermania. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

Bulgarian Carrot plant, and a closer shot. The plant is very compact, and has a lot more pods than the picture shows.

Aji Angelo. This pod set real early, then the plant dropped blooms for a while, and is just now setting pods again. This one should start to show some color soon.

Okay, the rest are just plant shots, no pods on them yet.

Aji Rojo

Aji Yellow

Aji de la Tierra, top view

Buds on one of the Habanero, Chocolate Long Pod plants.

Top view of the plant.

Serrano Huasteco plants. They actually have pods on them, but the close ups didn't turn out.

This last picture is a Big Jim plant that I overwintered. It is finally starting to put on some growth, and is blooming now. It's way behind the first year plant that is in the veggie bed here at the house though.

Whew! That was a lot of pics! Guess you're all caught up now.

I did take some non-pepper pics while I was there too, but I'll post those on my Growing Other glog.

PaulG · Jul 18, 2012

Wow Bonnie, catching up on your glog has been great. I am impressed
by your ability to create a beautiful landscape and garden in rugged
conditions - you go, girl! I don't remember where I started, but the CG
pics showed these little plants; now look at 'em! They have grown so nicely.
You have lots of success stories to share - The pods you have are awesome.
I'm glad to see how your hard work and tenacity have paid off!

You mock the weather with your greenness

stickman · Jul 18, 2012

You go Bonnie! Glad to see things are picking up for you. Looking forward to seeing what you make from all your pods. Cheers

PIC 1 · Jul 18, 2012

,
Hi Bonnie,

Your gardens really filling in and the plants are getting tall. I can appreciate looking at other folks plants, especially plants that I don't have. You have a unique variety that will bring flavor to the kitchen table...........your garden "Cooks!"

Greg