• Blog your pepper progress. The first image in your first post will be used to represent your Glog.

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.
 
Click to expand...
stc3248 said:
I see a ton of room along that fence for containers! A long row of Florida weave! He did some really nice work there!
Click to expand...

Thanks! He's definitely got some skills ... I think I'll keep him.

I'm already pushing my luck having container plants on the patio. A row of pepper plants in the backyard where the kids play, would be a great big target for a soccer ball, or some other airborne toy! I've just about got them trained not to dig or play in the flower and vegetable beds in the front yard, but I got to give them some place to play without worrying about damaging a plant, and making Mom angry.


stickman said:
Yeah, nice looking pergola. I like the way he used peeled logs for the corners. It kind of goes with the whole southwestern adobe theme.
Click to expand...

Thank you! The logs are my favorite part too! Last year, the grapevines made it to the top of the pergola. Eventually, that whole thing will be covered. Of course, that may be a problem for the container plants growing underneath it, but I'll deal with that issue when it gets here.
 
Thankfully(or not) my kids are old enough to know better...sure goes quick. Its the furry 4 legged kids that I have a hard time with. Was getting irritated with them breaking branches off the plants in the unprotected areas...until I figured out it always happened when I fed fish ferts. Couldn't blame them after I realized that. So now I have a comparison going between fish ferts in the protected spots vs standard plant food in the unprotected areas.
 
stc3248 said:
Thankfully(or not) my kids are old enough to know better...sure goes quick. Its the furry 4 legged kids that I have a hard time with. Was getting irritated with them breaking branches off the plants in the unprotected areas...until I figured out it always happened when I fed fish ferts. Couldn't blame them after I realized that. So now I have a comparison going between fish ferts in the protected spots vs standard plant food in the unprotected areas.
Click to expand...
That's a good tip! I don't have pets, but I do have skunks that come around nearly every day after dark looking for grubs. Mostly, they just leave little holes in the dirt about the size of a half dollar and an inch or two deep. They don't bother the plants but I bet that'd change if I used fish ferts...
 
Yeah, I use it in the summer, and something comes around the first night or two digging in the beds, looking for fish. Not usually a big problem, though they have dug up a small plant or two. Not sure if the culprit is a cat, a raccoon, or a skunk though.
 
Not a lot going on with my peppers lately. They're all growing, but most of them slowly. The plants aren't really yellow, it's just the way the light is hitting them.

Top view of annuums

Annuums4-28-12.jpg


Side view of annuums

Sideviewofannuums4-28-12.jpg


Top view of chinense and baccatums. I can't believe that some of the chinense varieties are STILL only a couple inches tall.

Chinenseandbaccatums.jpg


There is one plant that is growing much faster than the rest, not sure why. It's a Black Hungarian.

BlackHungarian4-28-12.jpg


Also noticed today that both of the Chimayo plants have buds on them. I'm guessing I should pinch those off?

Chimayobuds4-28-12.jpg


Spent several hours down at the community garden today. Measured and set about 20 T-posts for the peppers and tomatoes. I'll be trying Alabama Jack's idea of using the Florida weave support technique for the peppers this year.

T-postsandrowofonions.jpg


If you look on the far left, you'll see the row off Walla Walla onions I planted today.

The taller posts in the front are for the tomatoes. I still have about a half a dozen more of the tall ones to put up, but my right shoulder was DONE!!!

T-postsforFloridaweave.jpg


Can't really see it well in the picture, but this is the bean trellis. I used some CRW that I used to have around one of the apples trees here at the house.

Beantrellis.jpg


May not look like much work to you guys, but I'm an "almost old" lady, and I am wore out! I'm thinking a hot bath with a chaser of Tylenol is in order.
 
Excellent looking plot! I'll have to agree that swinging a sledgehammer to drive in the T-posts is harder when the posts are at or above eye level...
 
romy6 said:
Plants are looking great Bonnie. :dance:
When are you planning on putting those bad boys in the ground?
Click to expand...

The low tonight is supposed to be 31 degrees, so not yet. I'm thinking 3 to 4 more weeks. How soon should I start hardening them off? It's going to be kind of a pain dragging those trays in and out, so I don't want to start earlier than necessary.
 
romy6 said:
Not till the temps are stop dipping below 40 IMO :P . Wait I live in Florida what would I know :rofl:
Click to expand...

I meant just taking them out during the day to start getting some sunlight. I've got half a dozen pepper plants that I overwintered that I've been hauling in and out for over a month, but to add 5 trays of seedlings to that is going to take a much bigger time commitment. How do you know when the little guys are ready? I'm really more concerned with the wind snapping off their stems than I am about them getting too much sun. I've been trying to open the window for a few hours each day to get them used to some wind. Maybe I should give them a wind break of some sort. Like put the trays in a shallow box or something?
 
If you still have several weeks 'till plant out I would start really running a fan on them indoors, that'll help keep them from getting knocked over outside.

I had a couple that the cat knocked over that had a weak spot on the stem and I used bamboo kabob skewers as small stakes for them. Worked really well. I tied them loosely with really small zip ties so they can't fall, but they can still get a little wind workout. Might be something you can do with all of them for less than a $5 to keep them upright.
 
Thanks for those suggestions, Shane! I've actually got a package of the skewers already, since I slide them alongside the stem to deter cutworms when I put the plants in the ground. I'll just add them to the pots, and then transplant them with the seedlings later. We had a small fan that would have been perfect, but it just quit working recently. Maybe I can pick a cheap one up somewhere.

The other thing that I'm concerned about is how fast the little 3" pots will dry out outside. Even the gallon size can dry out in a day here, so I'll have to keep a real close eye on them out there. It's kind of like having children, you can't turn your back on them for even a minute!
 
Bonnie everything looks great and I am loving your pepper grow list! Some really great varieties you have going, can't wait to see your pics later this season. And the yard is beautiful! Wow! Talented hubby you have there! :) Everything looks so healthy, keep up the good work! I have to stop in here more often, best of luck to you this season!

Melissa ;)
 
Thanks for checking out my growlog, Melissa! Your's puts mine to shame, but my growlist gets bigger every year. I'm not brave enough to grow any supers yet though.

All of you Cali, and Florida growers keep posting pod pics, so I just had to post one too! This is on one of my overwintering pepper plants. I've been pulling the buds off for the past couple of months, but just decided to let a couple go on this Pasilla Bajio plant.

PasillaBajiopod4-29-12.jpg
 
Hi Bonnie
Started my first Chilacas this year, unfortunately, only one out of the three I planted came up. It's interesting that your pods haven't ripened yet and they're already black. Is that usual?
 
stickman said:
Hi Bonnie
Started my first Chilacas this year, unfortunately, only one out of the three I planted came up. It's interesting that your pods haven't ripened yet and they're already black. Is that usual?
Click to expand...


Not sure, it was just starting to bloom last year when we had our first frost and I had to cut it back and bring it in for the winter. These are my first pods, so I don't have anything to compare to.


stc3248 said:
You gotta try at least one super!
Click to expand...

It's too late for this season, but I may give in and try one next year. If you could only pick one for a newbie to grow, which one would you suggest?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top