Highalt's 2013 Grow - End of Season Wrap Up

highalt · Mar 23, 2013

Well, since they just germinated there isn't much to show. Here is the older of the two Oschenhorn sprouts.

Got one of the panels installed using three 2" pieces of velcro tape. The back side is white.

Here is a side view.

You can tell from the first shot, that it is working really well at containing the light that was escaping into the room before.

The second panel is on the floor just propped up against the leg of the table to help the plants that were banished to the area underneath the table.

Sanarda · Mar 23, 2013

Great setup Bonnie. Glad you got it worked out.

highalt · Mar 23, 2013

Pulpiteer said:
Hooray on the Scotch Bonnet!

Have you grown the Pink Hab before? I know nothing about it. I'm guessing it's pink(ish)? Sounds interesting.

Looking like things are coming along great for you Bonnie.

Hi Andy! Thanks for stopping by! I've enjoyed following your spicy maple syrup project.

Yeah, I am relieved to have at least one Scotch Bonnet.

I have never grown the Pink Habanero before. Pepperjam sent the seeds to me when he sent the Cheiro Roxa seeds, so I thought I'd give them a try. Only got one sprout, but hopefully that's enough to at least do a side by side comparison with the Peach and White varieties I'm growing this year. Maybe next year I should consider growing just the regular old orange kind?

Pulpiteer · Mar 23, 2013

There are so many cool and tasty varieties of habanero that I don't see myself growing the oranges again. They are the one thing I can get in a store around here. I'll be interested to see how your pink habaneros turn out as well. Some of my later additions were some habaneros - I decided to do chocolate habs and mustard habs (which had a great taste that surprised me last year).

Vegas_Chili · Mar 23, 2013

Looking awesome Bonnie. Can't wait to see all of them pod up. Like everyone said, those pink habs sound interesting.

BTW the El oro de Ecuador that I have is starting to bud up quick. I'm giving it some tea and it's getting greener. They seem to like it.

,Vegas

HillBilly Jeff · Mar 24, 2013

Nice looking set up

DocNrock · Mar 25, 2013

Nice score on the reflector! Funny, I had never heard of the Oschenhorn before, so I did a Google search. All it picked up were a few threads (yours included) here at THP!

highalt · Mar 25, 2013

Thanks guys!

WARNING: Non-pepper update ahead!!!

Finally ditched the plugs that haven't germinated yet, all except the Birgit's Locoto that is trying to sprout, and the Burkina Scotch Bonnets that were sown 3 weeks ago.

Replaced them with plugs of tomato seeds. After agonizing over the list for several days, here is what I ended up sowing:

Aunt Gertie's Gold
Amish Paste
Amazon Chocolate
Anna Russian
Black Cherry
Box Car Wilie
Earl's Faux
Galina's Yellow Cherry
Giant Belgium
Gold Currant
Gold Medal
Indian Stripe
Ludmilla's Pink Heart
Matt's Wild Cherry
Neves Azorean Red
Soldacki
Virginia Sweets

... and Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

I planted multiple seeds per plug, as some of the seeds were 3 - 5 years old, and I wanted to be sure to get some germination. I'll probably end up with way too many tomato plants, but that's okay. They are easy to give away come May.

GA Growhead · Mar 26, 2013

I wanted a yellow tomato this year. Got overwhelmed when started searching. Then stumbled upon hillbilly and yellow pear at a garden store, so bought them. Looks like you have a couple yellow ones on there i have never heard of.

I will be starting mine in week or two.

Chaosbites · Mar 26, 2013

Your babies are lookin' good! You have many interesting types. I'll watch and see what you do with them.

I'll follow your toms this year and see how the do. I've only tried them once in Colorado and they didn't do so well- for a number of reasons. I'm giving it a shot this year. I don't/can't eat them raw. But I do like them dried and got some seeds of some that are supposed to be tasty dried. The other folks in the house like them raw so I will grow some for them.

Michelle

highalt · Mar 26, 2013

GA Growhead said:
I wanted a yellow tomato this year. Got overwhelmed when started searching. Then stumbled upon hillbilly and yellow pear at a garden store, so bought them. Looks like you have a couple yellow ones on there i have never heard of.
I will be starting mine in week or two.

Everyone's tastes are different, but I hope you really like those two. For the most part, I enjoy the yellow/orange beefsteak types. They tend to be mild flavored and not too acidic. I have tried to grow Hillbilly a couple of times, but the seed I had was old, and I never got any germination. The yellow pear, on the other hand, is probably my least favorite tomato as far as taste goes. Bland and mealy in my experience. The Gold Medal I'm growing this year, I have grown before and they are huge, and tasty! This is my first time to try the Virginia Sweets, and Aunt Gertie's Gold, so I'll have to get back to you on those two.

Chaosbites said:
Your babies are lookin' good! You have many interesting types. I'll watch and see what you do with them.

I'll follow your toms this year and see how the do. I've only tried them once in Colorado and they didn't do so well- for a number of reasons. I'm giving it a shot this year. I don't/can't eat them raw. But I do like them dried and got some seeds of some that are supposed to be tasty dried. The other folks in the house like them raw so I will grow some for them.

Michelle

Hi MIchelle! Nice to "see" another Coloradoan!

I've had mixed results on the tomatoes. Some year's were great, and other's have been a bust. Hoping for a good season this year.

Today's update:

Here's one of my youngest annuums, Peruvian Purple

The little engine that could, the Chocolate Cherry that was born without cotyledons

I don't think I've taken any pictures of this one yet, Piment Bec D' Oiseau Noir

One of the older boys, Bishop's Crown

Check out the side branching on this Barro do Robiero (or is it Ribiero? I've seen it spelled both ways, not sure which is correct)

White Habanero, starting to bush up a bit

... and finally, the latest picture of what I'm sure will be my most photographed plant this season, Birgit's Locoto

Guess that's it for today!

GA Growhead · Mar 26, 2013

Thanks for the info Bonnie! Well... atleast the yel pears will look nice. I will try them anyway, keep the number low. Going to see if i can search out the Gold Medals.

Any info on orange tomatoes? I did also get Cherokee purp and black krims. Never grown them before. I have a stock pile of some reds including hybrids, so wanted to supplement with some color/favors.

I wanted to also ask if you which white hab your were growing. I am assuming one of the smaller podded ones like Peruvian or Yucatan. I am looking foward to trying the couple i have started.
Nice color on that peruv purpl!

highalt · Mar 27, 2013

I have seed for the Gold Medal if you'd like some. It was harvested in 2010, so not super fresh, but if you sow extra, I'm sure you'd get at least a few to germinate. Just let me know if your interested.

The most popular orange tomato is probably Kellogg's Breakfast. I didn't have much luck with that variety, but it could have been the seed source. I may give it another try some day. Earl of Edgecombe is another one I've heard good things about. Most of the ones I have grown were more bicolor than solid yellow or orange. Striped German is another one that I liked a lot.

I love the flavor on the black/purple tomatoes! Cherokee Purple and Black Krim are both good varieties, so you did well there.

I don't know the variety on the white habanero. I received the seeds in a swap I hosted, and the packet just said White Habanero. It seems to be a much faster grower than the Peach, Pink, or Jam. Hot Chocolate ones I am growing, so I'm looking forward to seeing how productive it turns out to be.

highalt · Mar 27, 2013

Sorry, no pics today. :mope:

It was almost 60 degrees outside and sunny this afternoon, so I thought I would start cleaning up the perennials beds, which I neglected to do in the fall. I was too overwhelmed with the harvest, kids sports, and starting a part-time job! Anywho, about 5 minutes after I got out there the wind started picking up. Once the gusts reached 30 mph, I started to lose my motivation for working outside. Same thing happened yesterday. Unfortunately, I work in the mornings, and the afternoon is when the winds always kick up around here. I did manage to clean up the herb bed, one small island bed, and about 1/2 of the main perennial bed. There are also 2 walkway beds to be done, and the community garden plot, which I haven't even looked at in 6 months. There's probably a couple days of clean-up, and grass eradication still ahead, and then I need to locate some amendments. I used what little homemade compost I had on the vegetable bed here at the house. There are a couple folks at church that have livestock, so I am working on finding a source for some composted manure. When I was at the store yesterday, they had bags of mushroom compost out, but wanted $2.99/bag. I usually go though at least a dozen bags, which adds up pretty quick.

It was nice to see the perennials starting to poke their little heads out of the ground! Could have done without seeing all the piles of deer poo all over my yard, and hoof prints through the flower beds though ...

KiNGDeNNiZ · Mar 27, 2013

Nice list of tomatoes Bonnie. If ever my OSU maters grow true. I'll send you some seeds.

I had zero germ in the black berry lily. Will try again. Had them in moist container I fridge for weeks with no luck. Good luck with the rest.

Chaosbites · Mar 28, 2013

Bonnie,
Have you checked Craigslist for amendments? I was looking under free or the garden areas last summer when I was looking and planning for this year & I saw several postings. I couldn't take any of since I don't have anywhere to put it. But then again we have bunnies that sneak into our yard at night and fertilize <grin> In a month or so I be looking some more. Hopefully, I will find some aged crap. There is a mushroom farm not too far from here. I wonder what they do with their stuff.

Yep, it's always good to "see" another Coloradan.

Michelle

highalt · Mar 28, 2013

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
Nice list of tomatoes Bonnie. If ever my OSU maters grow true. I'll send you some seeds.

I had zero germ in the black berry lily. Will try again. Had them in moist container I fridge for weeks with no luck. Good luck with the rest.

Thanks, King! I am sorry to hear the you didn't have any luck with the Blackberry Lily. I guess I'm spoiled when it comes to cold stratification. I just stick some dirt in a container, throw the seeds in, and stick it outside in the middle of winter. In the spring when the snow melts and the temps warm up, they just sprout on their own.

Chaosbites said:
Bonnie,
Have you checked Craigslist for amendments? I was looking under free or the garden areas last summer when I was looking and planning for this year & I saw several postings. I couldn't take any of since I don't have anywhere to put it. But then again we have bunnies that sneak into our yard at night and fertilize <grin> In a month or so I be looking some more. Hopefully, I will find some aged crap. There is a mushroom farm not too far from here. I wonder what they do with their stuff.

Yep, it's always good to "see" another Coloradan.

Michelle

I haven't checked Craigslist recently, so I'll give that a try, but it's a lot less active on this side of the state, since the population is so much smaller here.

Today's update:

It's mostly good news today.

Came home from work this afternoon to find a box on the porch. Wow, there was a serious amount of duct tape put to use inside that box! It took like 10 minutes to extract the plant, but it was worth the effort.

Here is my new Fatalii plant, courtesy of Shane:

A couple of leaves were damaged in shipping, but the rest of the foliage casualties were my own fault, not being careful enough removing the plant from the package.

Almost embarrassed to show his monster Fatalii next to my little puny annuums, but it seems happy in the window.

Then when I went to the mailbox I had an envelope from DocNrock with these inside:

Okay, so maybe you're wondering what the bad news is today? When I opened the door to the guest room/pepper grow room, I discovered that the reflector panel had fallen, and almost took out a couple of sprouts on the way down. They look like they will recover, but I will need to come up with a plan B on holding that thing in place.

Sawyer · Mar 28, 2013

"Liked" (except for that last bit)

stickman · Mar 28, 2013

Excellent score Bonnie! Shane and Doc are definitely good people! Did Shane use the "Special" packaging material for your parcel?

Minor damage is to be expected when we have to keep our plants indoors for so long until we can plant out... I like a happy ending though, and glad to hear there weren't any fatalities. Cheers!

stc3248 · Mar 28, 2013

Glad it made it in one...umm well glad it made it! I knew it would get beat up being that big, but the loss of leaves will make it a nice shrub later on. My pleasure to send it to a good home. I know it will be well taken care of! Andy (Pulpiteer) gets credit for the seed.