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Karoo 2018/19 Glog African Adventure

Hi everybody.
Starting early this year . i just can't help myself, first frost hits and all i can think about is germinating a few seeds.
 
Germination:
In small pots with coco coir/compost 50/50.
In insulated container with heat mat .
Temp 28-30 C.
 
Seedlings:
Will stay in small pots , fits in trays , easy to move . For about 3 months.
I have a small , wooden grow box/cabinat with cfl lights.
 
Grow area:
two areas under 40% shadenet/birdproofing .
Biggest area, two one meter high raised beds , filled with 90% pure compost 
Second area , large containers partially buried in the ground to keep them cool.
 
Soil:
germination , 50/50 , cococoir/compost
after that 90% compost with added  ash , spent coffee grounds , fine eggshells etc.
Compost is my own , from garden cuttings , leaves and branches , just left in a hole in the ground for at least 2 years.
 
No added nutes . The year I am going to experiment with sheep droppings from my Brother-in-law'sfarm. Real 2-5 year old droppings from the shaving shed.
 
 
Stay tuned , pics will follow.
 
 
 
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Severely neglected Glog , time for update 
 
Growing edibles for the family and general kitchen use:
- Brown Bell peppers
- Jimmy Nardello
- Pimiento de padron
- Jalapenos
- Biker Billy Jalapenos
 
Baccatums because I love them as snacks:
- Aji Amarillo
- Aji Colorado
- Sugar rush peach round
- Bubba
- Malawi Piquant
- Aji Cito
 
And then some for drying and sauces
- Guajillo
- Large red Yhai
- Peach Bhut Jolokia
- Madagascar Pili Pili , Peri Peri  or African Birds Eye , Very small type
 
The Aji Amarillo is getting BIG.
Raised beds.
  
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What kind of temps are normal for you Karoo when winter eventually rears its head in SA?? You are obviously on the other end of that right now but was just curious how you folks in SA make out as well how long of a growing season on average is expected?
 
And everything looks fantastic btw very jelly!!
 
D3monic said:
Plants look good and healthy, especially the sunken containers
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Thank you.
Sunken containers have been very successful. Big enough, keeps water longer than just in soil, keeps roots cool and under shade net.

From L T R. New Aji Cito growdown, overwintered Aji Colorado, Sugar Rush peach round and Bubba.

Sent from my FIG-LX1 using Tapatalk
 
CDNmatt said:
What kind of temps are normal for you Karoo when winter eventually rears its head in SA?? You are obviously on the other end of that right now but was just curious how you folks in SA make out as well how long of a growing season on average is expected?
 
And everything looks fantastic btw very jelly!!
Click to expand...
SA is quite big and diverse.
From semi tropical rainy areas with sugarcane and pineapples to deserts and semi deserts.
A large coastal area, but about half the country on an inland plato that is above 1800m above sea level.

Where I live, semi desert, with 4 months of brutal summers and about 3 months of mild winter with frosty mornings and mild sunny days.

Season till mid May. This past winter, we had a lot of frost, but no hard freeze, so my plants under netting that I just left to die, survived.

Now I call them Overwintered, as if I did anything. [emoji16]

Sent from my FIG-LX1 using Tapatalk
 
I started to experiment on my plants about two months ago with my own sheep droppings and compost tea. The Aji Amarillo really took off. At the moment they are 120 cm high and about 50 cm wide each , with huge leaves and strong thick stems , BUT just 2 pods on the 4 plants and no flowers or new pods .
 
Good example of Nitrogen overload! But still impressive growth.
 
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Guajillo , seeds a friend brought from Mexico , my favourite pepper for drying whole .
 
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Pimiento de Padron, just a good everyday eating pepper.
 
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Looks like you have some great plants coming along, Jacques!
Watch out for the Aji Amarillo - they are monster plants! 
 
PaulG said:
Looks like you have some great plants coming along, Jacques!
Watch out for the Aji Amarillo - they are monster plants! 
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The Aji Amarillo's  have been fantastic . I have 4 plants and all are huge ! The biggest plant for age , stems , flowers or leaves I've ever seen. They flowered early on and set four pods in total under lights inside , but have not flowered since moving outside , just crazy vegetative growth.
 
 
Devv said:
Well done buddy!
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Thank you , season off to a good start . Enough old favourites and some new peppers to look forward to.
 
skullbiker said:
Looking good there. I see you have your bird protection in place. I can keep an eye on your grow while I wait out my off season.
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40% shade net . Bird protection and sun protection.
We have birds that can finish a Trinidad Scorpion on it's own and they come in big flocks.
I've lost a whole harvest in one day. 
 
Mousebirds
download.jpg
 
karoo said:
 
 
40% shade net . Bird protection and sun protection.
We have birds that can finish a Trinidad Scorpion on it's own and they come in big flocks.
I've lost a whole harvest in one day. 
 
Mousebirds
download.jpg
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Those are devils dressed in feathers!
We hate them here too. Peaches, chillies, tomatoes etc. Everything can disappear in a morning before sunrise...
 
karoo said:
Just a garden update.
Both covered areas , raised beds and sunken containers.
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I remember when you built those raised beds, Jacques.
It looks like they have worked very well for you, buddy!
 
lespaulde said:
That looks so nice, you're really well set up! Plants are looking super happy too, wonderful to see while frost is settling in up here in the North ;)

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
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PaulG said:
I remember when you built those raised beds, Jacques.
It looks like they have worked very well for you, buddy!
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Thank you ,
I still remember the planning and building , but it is worth the trouble ten times over.
Good shade in the mid summer heat . Not one pepper lost to birds , where I lost whole plants to birds before . But most of all , very low need for watering . Our average rainfall 250 mm per year , last year 51 mm.
 
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