JCW's 2015 Glog

D3monic · Apr 16, 2015

I have two of the tepin x lemon drops growing. Can't wait to try the pods.

jcw10tc · Apr 16, 2015

D3monic said:
I have two of the tepin x lemon drops growing. Can't wait to try the pods.

They are different, couldn't decide if I liked it or not. Nice thing was I can eat the pod straight up without it destroying my stomach so its not too hot. But it taste like nothing I ever had. I hope to get a bunch to make some powder or make a big batch of salsa with a bunch of them in it. Thats my true test to see how it flavors things. One thing I will say I never saw a pepper easier to scrape the seeds from, they practically fall out clean.

D3monic · Apr 16, 2015

Nice, Nigels review of them made me excited to grow them. Mine are f2 so im sure there's still a lot of variability to be found.

jcw10tc · Apr 17, 2015

Scorched said:
Everything is looking good. I've had to top some of my annums twice now as they were growing up into the lights. Found a 4 inch long Jimmy Nardello pod that I must've missed when pinching off flowers.

Nice group of adoptions. The Kraken is one of my top supers that I'm looking forward to this year

Awesome that you give some spares away. Sharing the chile love. Myself I can't stop adding. Ended up buying one of Jim Duffy's bare root plug specials off FB the other day. Hell what's ten more plants when you already have 400 lol.

Thanks. I don't have much flowering going on, some that were close I topped so no pods for me yet. That Kraken looks pretty brutal, hadn't really looked at it much, but definitely pleased with the acquisition. Probably be way more than I can handle, but it'll make some nice salsa, powder and sauce maybe. I bought one of Duffy's specials also. Got one about a week ago as it had some of the ones I want to try the most even though I had starts for them. Just did an inventory tonight, will be down to 202 exluding the ones spoken for. Delivering 28 more tomorrow to people. I probably cannot plant more than 180 max I hope, so after plantout will have another 20 or so to adopt out.

jcw10tc · Apr 17, 2015

Just Tomatoes and bells tonight. Looking healthier than anything I have for the most part.

KrakenPeppers · Apr 18, 2015

Nice job

jcw10tc · Apr 23, 2015

Plants still looking good and getting bigger. Been working getting the plots ready. Almost there now just need the weather to warm up and stay warm.

This is the main pepper plot. Will be mostly chinense peppers, Bigger area is 20 x 25' or so. Smaller strip is 4 x 20'

This is raised bed we have been using several years. Added the section on the right this year. Soil is finally getting pretty nice in the oldest areas. Will have tomatoes, annums baccatums, sweet peppers, broccoli, cauli, cabbage, onions and strawberries in here. Maybe a few other things as the year moves on. Its about 12' x 25'.

Been a while since I watered. Everything I though was looking good until I pulled this tray out and found these guys next to the wall.

After a drink and about an hour later they look like this.

Now if it would just hurry up and turn summer. Probably 20+ more days before plantout. Might start putting some in pots, can always pull those back in. Got a bbg7 chocolate in a 5 gallon pot now looking pretty happy.

coachspencerxc · Apr 23, 2015

Looking good!

D3monic · May 3, 2015

How's the weather been looking for you down there? I've been watching the extended forcast and it's beginning to look like it's safe to plant any time now (minus the expected thunderstorms) . I been trying to get the garden ready and eager to kick the kids out the basement. I put the ground cherries out a few days ago and they have been doing good. Haven't seen any updates here in a few days. Was wondering if you was in the same mind set of getting them in the ground soon.

jcw10tc · May 6, 2015

Not much going on, but some hardening off. Hopefully if forecast stays as is might start planting Mid next week. They are anxious, many getting too big for their 3.5 inch pots. A few picks of some of them below. Can't even keep track of where I keep putting all the flats. Have 13 full and in various locations in the yards. Looking like about 180 will be planted + about a dozen sweet peppers and a dozen or so tomatoes.

These tomatoes are the best plants I have I think, probably should go back to focusing on them again. The tallest ones are 16" and just turned 6 weeks old 2 days go. I don't remember ever having tomatoes grow that big that fast.

D3monic · May 6, 2015

Looking very good! I thought I had it rough dragging around 8 trays and a tub. Good lord that's a lot of plants. I went ahead and put my pineapple ground cherries into planters a few days ago and just put some herbs and tomatillo into the garden today. It's almost that time! Just wish we could get a accurate 30 day forecast.

coachspencerxc · May 6, 2015

jcw10tc said:
Not much going on, but some hardening off. Hopefully if forecast stays as is might start planting Mid next week. They are anxious, many getting too big for their 3.5 inch pots. A few picks of some of them below. Can't even keep track of where I keep putting all the flats. Have 13 full and in various locations in the yards. Looking like about 180 will be planted + about a dozen sweet peppers and a dozen or so tomatoes.

These tomatoes are the best plants I have I think, probably should go back to focusing on them again. The tallest ones are 16" and just turned 6 weeks old 2 days go. I don't remember ever having tomatoes grow that big that fast.

Funny how well we can relate to what other people are doing through pictures... but I see hydro, aerogarden, LED... & think, "Hmm... interesting, but that's not what mine looks like. These pictures, on the other hand are EXACTLY what mine looked like about a month ago. I could've taken those pictures at my house. Now, the ones I still have in those same pots are falling over, begging to get out... but then the ones that are out are begging to get back inside. We've had a snap of several days in the 80s that have been kinda rough on the outdoor plants.

Looking good!

jcw10tc · May 6, 2015

D3monic said:
Looking very good! I thought I had it rough dragging around 8 trays and a tub. Good lord that's a lot of plants. I went ahead and put my pineapple ground cherries into planters a few days ago and just put some herbs and tomatillo into the garden today. It's almost that time! Just wish we could get a accurate 30 day forecast.

I learned this year, I didn't start the ground cherries early enough. I have on in there with the tomatoes, but its still pretty small. Started it same time as tomatoes, next year probably start it with the peppers if I grow again.

coachspencerxc said:
Funny how well we can relate to what other people are doing through pictures... but I see hydro, aerogarden, LED... & think, "Hmm... interesting, but that's not what mine looks like. These pictures, on the other hand are EXACTLY what mine looked like about a month ago. I could've taken those pictures at my house. Now, the ones I still have in those same pots are falling over, begging to get out... but then the ones that are out are begging to get back inside. We've had a snap of several days in the 80s that have been kinda rough on the outdoor plants.

Looking good!

Yeah, I am pretty low tech compared to most on here. I try not to get caught up in all the feedings, etc. I prefer to get mix with everything in it so I don't have to worry about it as much. I have plain shop lights for the starting, no reflective foil or heated grow room, just lights sitting on old bar in the basement. I did get some sunburn on some of these. Its really unusually warm here for early may, mid 80s all week. Getting a little cool on Tuesday/Wednesday next week then hopefully if forecast is good will start putting in the ground after that.

jcw10tc · May 11, 2015

Got everyone out for a full afternoon of direct sun and wind. 2 cold nights coming up then plantout hopefully will start Wednesday for the Peppers. Tomatoes are all planted along with everything else, only peppers left to go.

Heres the broccoli, califlower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, stawberries, onions, tomatoes and a few square feet left for something else maybe.

One of the enemy spies trying to get some advance information on locations of the peppers so they can start their digging and walnut burying operation.

D3monic · May 11, 2015

Looking good, damn squirrels. Luckily we don't have them by my house yet. not enough trees to support them.

Ozzy2001 · May 12, 2015

Lol that squirrel is funny looking. I have a whole colony with all the trees we have.

D3monic · May 12, 2015

I'm pretty sure my ground cherries are small as well and almost max size. Maybe next year I will plant a half dozen.

Trident chilli · May 12, 2015

Justin great squirrel shot ... are they your garden vandal digging in and around your peppers or do they actually damage/eat the plants ... we have too many cats around where I live and they keep the squirrels moving ...

Scorched · May 12, 2015

Plants are looking fantastic!

jcw10tc · May 12, 2015

D3monic said:
Looking good, damn squirrels. Luckily we don't have them by my house yet. not enough trees to support them.

Lucky you, maybe I can bring some up for you.

Ozzy2001 said:
Lol that squirrel is funny looking. I have a whole colony with all the trees we have.

He was licking the screen for some reason. I have walnut trees behind me, pin oaks in the front yard and about 400 acres of woods directly west of my property. I will never be rid of the squirrels. I have about every wild animal that lives in IL on my property throughout the year.

Trident chilli said:
Justin great squirrel shot ... are they your garden vandal digging in and around your peppers or do they actually damage/eat the plants ... we have too many cats around where I live and they keep the squirrels moving ...

Yes, they like to dig. They don't eat the plants, but they dig right at the base of them, sometimes cutting off the roots of an entire side of the plant. Sometimes they drop a walnut in there, find walnut trees growing right next to my plants sometimes. I know they are not there when I plant since I dig out a good sized hole and fill with some peat and manure/top soil mix.

Scorched said:
Plants are looking fantastic!

Thanks. A few weeks back I was worried. A bunch of the topped/pruned ones were not coming back very fast. Was a bit worried. Just not patient enought, they are growing great now. After first hardening off sessions they got a lot of burn and leaf curl, but most have bounced back nicely.