MeatHead 2014

thirdcoasttx · Apr 17, 2014

Dang that jimmy nardelo is wicked looking! Rest of them look good as well!!

Devv · Apr 17, 2014

I don't have anywhere near here to fish, so I'm stuck with store bought, and not much selection. My favorite way to cook catfish (told ya not much selection) is on the pit fast and furious with cajon seasonings. Been looking for the Walleye, none to be found around these parts.

Plants look great Chris! And I wish peppers grew as nicely as the maters

MeatHead1313 · Apr 17, 2014

Ordered some more perlite and worm castings this afternoon so hopefully next week some time I'll be able to make enough mix to transplant a lot more plants into their final pots.
Couple quick pics of todays pot ups. Got an MoA Scotch bonnet in the 5 gallon root pouch, purple flash in the black pot at the back, have some Roman chamomile and a Veronica in the 2 green pots, and the small pots are a combination of TFM bonnets, Primo's, barrackpore, Bahamian goat, aji pineapple and bhut Indian carbon. Thinking of ditching the solo cups next year as the mix in them was still soaking wet a week after last being watered. The plants in them were stunted bad compared to the plants I had in 3.5 inch square nursery pots.

Chinese 5 colour was rootbound in the pot it was in so it got an upgrade as well, and my sangria in it's final pot.

thirdcoasttx said:
Dang that jimmy nardelo is wicked looking! Rest of them look good as well!!

Thanks thirdcoast. It's definitely got a weird shape to it. Can't wait for it to ripen so I can eat it lol. Nards are definitely one of my top favourites.

Devv said:
I don't have anywhere near here to fish, so I'm stuck with store bought, and not much selection. My favorite way to cook catfish (told ya not much selection) is on the pit fast and furious with cajon seasonings. Been looking for the Walleye, none to be found around these parts.

Plants look great Chris! And I wish peppers grew as nicely as the maters

I like me some catfish too. I've never tried fish on the pit, but you've got me thinking of trying it now, along with a couple of shrimp kabobs and a good steak.

Devv · Apr 18, 2014

You're gettin me hungry now, steak and crabs would do me just right. Tomorrow the wife has me cooking 2 beer can chickens, a ham, and ribs on the pit, we just now added a brisket to the menu. Yum!

MeatHead1313 · Apr 18, 2014

Devv said:
You're gettin me hungry now, steak and crabs would do me just right. Tomorrow the wife has me cooking 2 beer can chickens, a ham, and ribs on the pit, we just now added a brisket to the menu. Yum!

Sounds like a winner right there! I love beer can chicken, and the ribs and brisket would top it off great!
My wife picked up a Tristan strawberry while we were at Lowes yesterday. She even planted it herself while I was still at work today.

Looks like I need to put out some more slug and snail killer. One of my MoA's has been getting hit bad by them. Found a couple hiding in the pot when I transplanted yesterday

Blackberries forming fruit already. Definitely looks like I may get some before we move

My first danko tomato is growing quickly. My wife's impatiently waiting for it to ripen so she can try it lol

Purple flash ornamental pepper has flowers opening up. Need to get a pic in better light. I really love the purple flowers on some of these peppers

Redneck herb garden is growing great, though the basil is dying off for some reason

HillBilly Jeff · Apr 18, 2014

Wow, blackberries forming fruit already. We don't even have leaves on ours yet. Won't be picking until July.

Looking good.

Devv · Apr 19, 2014

Basil is hard, at least so far for us. It just seems to like to die. It can be looking great and then poof! Compost material, I'm just sayin'.

Everything has a learning curve, and Basil in pots is not my forte. In the dirt they do OK for us.

Glad the wife is getting into gardening, today I was planting what's close to the last of the plants I need to do something with. Couldn't find LB, I found her in the garden weeding, she weeded 2,500 square feet, in like 2 hours. She's a weed picking machine! She was also on the prowl for ripe Jals...LOL

MeatHead1313 · Apr 19, 2014

HillBilly Jeff said:
Wow, blackberries forming fruit already. We don't even have leaves on ours yet. Won't be picking until July.

Looking good.

Thanks Jeff. Louisiana's great in spring and fall, but miserable in summer. I'll be wishing for your temps soon enough lol.

Devv said:
Basil is hard, at least so far for us. It just seems to like to die. It can be looking great and then poof! Compost material, I'm just sayin'.

Everything has a learning curve, and Basil in pots is not my forte. In the dirt they do OK for us.

Glad the wife is getting into gardening, today I was planting what's close to the last of the plants I need to do something with. Couldn't find LB, I found her in the garden weeding, she weeded 2,500 square feet, in like 2 hours. She's a weed picking machine! She was also on the prowl for ripe Jals...LOL

Thanks for the info with the basil Scott. Good to see it's not just me. May try another variety seeing as they're cheap, if that fails may have to try something else and research the basil a bit.
2500 square feet in 2 hours? Definitely a weed picking machine! That was one job I didn't like doing in my attempt using the communal raised bed here last year. Seems like the only things that grow well in it are weeds, mint and green onions. One advantage to doing all containers this year as my wife hated doing it more than me lol. So far she's only excited about the planting and potting up part of it, but I'm slowly working her into enjoying all of it. I've got a feeling once she starts getting good tomato crops she'll enjoy the picking part as well.
Not much of an update today. Work was super crazy due to the Easter holiday, and everyone seeming like they're ready to barbecue like crazy after Lent. Did get a good pick me up when I checked the plants after work though. Most plants are now either devoid of aphids, or have very few remaining. Still have a few plants that are covered, but the plants that have the most I've noticed nearly all the aphids jumping around which I've read is a good sign they've been injected with eggs from the aphidius colemani. Time will tell, but looks like things are on the upswing on that front.
Also noticed I have a couple more pods forming on some plants. I have my first pods forming on my black pearl, and also have yet another pod forming on what I think is a chocolate scorpion.
Black pearl (best pic I could get, I really need to work on my camera skills some more)-

Maybe choco scorp, complete with a couple aphids, which brings this one up to 4 pods on it now-

Devv · Apr 19, 2014

Well not to take anything from her effort this weekend, but she's in there every week. And we get little rain, and of course the mulch we added.

BUT, it's a lot easier to maintain than play catch up. I really appreciate her efforts, maybe in the near future I'll be helping, but so far not the case. I'm usually doing the more physical stuff, like turning the compst, spreading mulch etc.

But a team effort is where it's at, and that's no lie!

MeatHead1313 · Apr 19, 2014

Devv said:
Well not to take anything from her effort this weekend, but she's in there every week. And we get little rain, and of course the mulch we added.

BUT, it's a lot easier to maintain than play catch up. I really appreciate her efforts, maybe in the near future I'll be helping, but so far not the case. I'm usually doing the more physical stuff, like turning the compst, spreading mulch etc.

But a team effort is where it's at, and that's no lie!

Still a mighty effort. I agree on it being easier to maintain than catch up, my problem is I'm a procrastinator when it comes to the less enjoyable tasks haha.
A team effort is awesome too. Even just getting help transplanting has been great. Sharing the work is a bonus to spending time together for me.

MeatHead1313 · Apr 20, 2014

My sangria has decided to join the pod party. Noticed 2 small pods on it this evening

Loving the 10 day forecast as well

maximumcapsicum · Apr 20, 2014

Looks like you're really kicking into high gear Chris! Love the pod pics... Hoping I'll be right on your heels soon.

My guess is the basil is getting too warm or too moist. I had some problems with that when I crowded the plants. Thinning them out they performed much better... one or two basil plants kept me happy all season. You may also consider putting him somewhere with a couple hours of indirect light. I'm no expert, but basil was one of my gardening successes last year. A very tasty herb to have on hand too.

Slugs are the pits. I had tons of problems with slugs, snails, and earwigs last year... all kind of oddball pests. Earwigs I could only get under control by manually squishing them. Could have used diatomaceous earth, but was hesitant about how it wipes out your beneficial.

Your glog looks great! Keep it going! I'm hoping its a preview for what we'll look like in a couple weeks.

MeatHead1313 · Apr 20, 2014

maximumcapsicum said:
Looks like you're really kicking into high gear Chris! Love the pod pics... Hoping I'll be right on your heels soon.

My guess is the basil is getting too warm or too moist. I had some problems with that when I crowded the plants. Thinning them out they performed much better... one or two basil plants kept me happy all season. You may also consider putting him somewhere with a couple hours of indirect light. I'm no expert, but basil was one of my gardening successes last year. A very tasty herb to have on hand too.

Slugs are the pits. I had tons of problems with slugs, snails, and earwigs last year... all kind of oddball pests. Earwigs I could only get under control by manually squishing them. Could have used diatomaceous earth, but was hesitant about how it wipes out your beneficial.

Your glog looks great! Keep it going! I'm hoping its a preview for what we'll look like in a couple weeks.

Thanks Adam! I'm sure you'll be surpassing me soon.
I have no idea with the basil. It hasn't been getting over watered,and is already in partial shade so shouldn't be getting too hot. May try again, and if I have no luck stick something else in there and try basil somewhere else.
I haven't had earwigs yet, not even sure if I have to worry about them with containers. Slugs and snails are being a real menace this year, though when I have the bait out I don't see much damage on the plants so that definitely works for me. Just need to put some more out.
I'm hoping that little blast we got last week was the last of it now. Don't want any more of those winds coming through again.

maximumcapsicum · Apr 20, 2014

Thanks good to hear. I also used beer traps but to no great effect. Coffee grounds in the top of the soil seemed to help a little, but I haven't been doing that anymore because I think it spikes and tanks the nitrogen in the soil. Maybe composted fresh coffee grounds would do the trick. Thinking out loud here.

MeatHead1313 · Apr 20, 2014

maximumcapsicum said:
Thanks good to hear. I also used beer traps but to no great effect. Coffee grounds in the top of the soil seemed to help a little, but I haven't been doing that anymore because I think it spikes and tanks the nitrogen in the soil. Maybe composted fresh coffee grounds would do the trick. Thinking out loud here.

I didn't have much luck with the beer traps last year either. Coffee grounds sprinkled on the cement around the pots could work for me though. May have to get the better half to start saving hers again.

gnslngr · Apr 21, 2014

Well I'll be.... Lafayette,La, I'm in New Iberia-not many people around here grow supers.Troy Primeaux, as in 7 Pot Primo lurks about this neck of the woods-which I had no idea until this year-I believe we'll see more of this pod before to long, something is afoot at USL, but I don't have many details.There is a guy out at Jeffery Island that grows em around various places at the Jungle Gardens... other wise its a rarity.

Consider yourself lucky to have the wife involved!
"Haha sounds like my wife. Every time I plant some she says "no more after this right?". I just say yeah and she rolls her eyes. She's learnt by now that I tend to go crazy with new hobbies then settle down later on. I think she believes next season might be more subdued. With all the varieties I'm yet to try and seeing as we'll have more room I'm not so sure"
Now thats funny, mine thought that about 12 years ago......but the "No more after this, right ?".is something I hear every year. She is babysitting the babies as I type this, sometimes thats a good thing, others,....not so much.

You summed up my thoughts on aphids.Those little bastidges seem to come out of everything down here.
Looks like you've got a great grow rollin along, I am hoping to get mine in the ground in the next 3 weeks-after I get a load of sugar cane bagasse enriched dirt from Live Oak Gardens.You might look into that stuff-it is some truly amazing stuff to plant in.

Have a good one-
DJ

MeatHead1313 · Apr 21, 2014

gnslngr said:
Well I'll be.... Lafayette,La, I'm in New Iberia-not many people around here grow supers.Troy Primeaux, as in 7 Pot Primo lurks about this neck of the woods-which I had no idea until this year-I believe we'll see more of this pod before to long, something is afoot at USL, but I don't have many details.There is a guy out at Jeffery Island that grows em around various places at the Jungle Gardens... other wise its a rarity.

Consider yourself lucky to have the wife involved!
"Haha sounds like my wife. Every time I plant some she says "no more after this right?". I just say yeah and she rolls her eyes. She's learnt by now that I tend to go crazy with new hobbies then settle down later on. I think she believes next season might be more subdued. With all the varieties I'm yet to try and seeing as we'll have more room I'm not so sure"
Now thats funny, mine thought that about 12 years ago......but the "No more after this, right ?".is something I hear every year. She is babysitting the babies as I type this, sometimes thats a good thing, others,....not so much.

You summed up my thoughts on aphids.Those little bastidges seem to come out of everything down here.
Looks like you've got a great grow rollin along, I am hoping to get mine in the ground in the next 3 weeks-after I get a load of sugar cane bagasse enriched dirt from Live Oak Gardens.You might look into that stuff-it is some truly amazing stuff to plant in.

Have a good one-
DJ

Thanks DJ! Always good to find local growers. I know what you mean about not many around here growing supers. I see quite a few houses with peppers growing while driving, but it's nearly always just cayennes, bells and jalapeno's.
Will definitely have to look into the sugar cane dirt once we finally move and get settled, unless it's good for pots too?
Thanks for stopping by!
Got a few more updates today. I've finally got my first pods ripening! Black Hungarian has a couple of pods starting to turn red. I've loved these peppers when I've had them immature, so really looking forward to trying them once fully ripe.

For comparison here's a couple of immature pods

Thought I'd post a pic of the mint and green onions in the communal raised bed. This bed was terrible for peppers and tomatoes last year, but the mint and onions grow like crazy in it.

I'm absolutely loving this lately, found yet another pod forming this afternoon! This one is another Jimmy Nardello-

I'd say I feel sorry for the aphids, but that would be a flat out lie. The few ladybugs have been jumping around the plants, which helps explain why most have few aphids left on them now. And the added bonus of these guys hanging around

Is this-ladybug larvae! Yet another little helper I've got now in the war on aphids

Final pic. Had to go to Petsmart this afternoon to get food for the dogs and cat. Wile we were out my wife decided she wanted to try something else instead of more basil. Stopped at Lowes and picked up some dill

Penny · Apr 22, 2014

Great pics and updates......nice looking peppers.

windchicken · Apr 22, 2014

Hey Chris! Very nice grow...You are a true chile head! I just walked through your whole glog...It's fun to see the plants and your photos improve so much from November until now...

I have to come see my new nephew in Duson soon....I've got some extra super hot plants I can bring down if you're interested....

gnslngr · Apr 22, 2014

+10 for pic with the feasting Ladybug larvae-good catch ,as the usual aphid pics just show the little demons at work.
The sugar cane dirt is good for pots when mixed with whatever potting soil you like, but its not on the cheap end ,compared to regular topsoil etc.
I've used it straight up on transplant w/no issues, I use it 50/50, 75/25(high side is cane soil) to alleviate the cost a bit, amazing stuff.