MiLK_MaN's grow update

[MiLK_MaN]

OMG, they're like a freakin' hedge! The cat looks like he/she's seeking shade underneath them.

Hahah yeah, quite regularly I see the cat hiding in the shade under a plant or two, she's quite enjoying it. I think she uses them to stalk birds as well

those look like they have grown well for you this year MM...if yours do like mine did this past season, they will start producing like mad once your temps start to cool off a bit...

Dude, thats what I want to hear. I noticed they have just kept growing, they must have some internal trigger point where they just completely stop growing and just pour all attention into flowering and fruiting. I reckon thats whats probably happened with the Scotch Bonnets and Asian Birdseye, they dont seem to have grown at all compared to the other plants, and always seem loaded with pods. I also notice the Devils Tongue and Fatalii plants are starting to get decent amount of pods finally.

Be interesting to see how the change in ferts work for the selected plants as well.

I've also got plans to possibly rip the grass up in my front yard, since its pretty much dead and its too hard to maintain with the water restrictions we have. If we rip the grass up, I'll probably put bark or pebbles down, means I can have more chilli plants next year

 

[PrairieChilihead]

Hi MiLK MaN -- Seeing your picture made me think of a question that passes through my mind from time to time. I notice that you have all your plants in pots. Do you ever actually grow them directly in the ground? What are the pros and cons to growing them in pots vs growing them in the ground? I'm trying to decide if I should make some changes in my garden this Spring.

Great looking pics. Those peppers are gorgeous, man! (And I don't use that word every day!)

 

[MiLK_MaN]

Hi MiLK MaN -- Seeing your picture made me think of a question that passes through my mind from time to time. I notice that you have all your plants in pots. Do you ever actually grow them directly in the ground? What are the pros and cons to growing them in pots vs growing them in the ground? I'm trying to decide if I should make some changes in my garden this Spring.

Great looking pics. Those peppers are gorgeous, man! (And I don't use that word every day!)

This is only the 2nd year I've ever grown chillies, and I know no other way than growing in pots.

I live in a fairly small block, 550m2, with the house taking up 4/5 of it I reckon. With the direction the house faces, the back yard doesnt get anywhere near as much sunshine as the front, so I thought I'd make a hedge of chilli plants.

Growing in the ground would most likely be preferred, but with limited land space, I did the best with what I had available. I'm trying the same thing that AlabamaJack did, with putting some pots on the grass with holes in the bottom, hoping the roots go into the ground. I suppose it becomes a bit like a mini raised bed on a per pot level.

 

[JungleRain]

Nutrisoil

Getting close to the end of summer, plants have grown real well, but havent been able to harvest a whole lot of pods.

Im experimenting with a new fertiliser that I stumbled across on google, its called Nutrisoil (http://www.nutrisoil.com.au). I'm going to use it on 5 selected plants and see if there's any difference. I only started this today, so will see how it goes.

Hi Milkman
I'm from near your neck of the woods, please keep us updated on your results of the Nutrisoil, I'd be interested to see the results
Grant

 

[kylestl]

you got some huge plants man they look great

 

[patrick]

I just want to pull up a lawn chair, pop a cold one and just stare. MiLK_MaN you have a beautiful thing going on. Thanks for the pics.

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I have a constant supply of neighbours that pop past and say hello to me from time to time.

In fact, one lady looks to have been growing a Turbo Pube in her backyard, and gave me a fully ripened pod. Awesome, now to dry the seeds out and plant one for myself!

 

[caroltlw]

I have a constant supply of neighbours that pop past and say hello to me from time to time.

It doesn't take long to find out who the other pepper growers and pepper eaters are in the neighborhood, eh? My garden is up front this year so I figure I'll attract even more new friends.

 

[Pam]

It doesn't take long to find out who the other pepper growers and pepper eaters are in the neighborhood, eh? My garden is up front this year so I figure I'll attract even more new friends.

My next door neighbor says she doesn't need to grow peppers or tomatoes with me next door, so they focus on greens, sweet potatoes, and melons in their garden.

 

[caroltlw]

My next door neighbor says she doesn't need to grow peppers or tomatoes with me next door, so they focus on greens, sweet potatoes, and melons in their garden.

What's the jalapeno/melon trade ratio this year? And are we talking watermelons or canteloupes? I traded for some sweet corn last year that never produced.

 

[Pam]

Well, I don't grow jalapenos, so I don't know. I got a cantaloupe about every other week for a while this summer, plus a couple of cute little watermelons, and a big bag of sweet potatoes in the fall. There were cabbage looper problems with the collards, but that's ok, I'm not too fond of collards.

It's really not so much a trade as a share. When I have extra I pass on stuff for her to take to her work, too. There's an older gentleman two degrees removed from me, the father of my neighbor's co-worker, who gets a mess of Lemon Drop peppers for pickling every summer, and is absolutely delighted. I've never met the man, but, you know, when you can make someone that happy for such a small effort on my part, it's well worth it.

 

[Josh]

There's an older gentleman two degrees removed from me, the father of my neighbor's co-worker, who gets a mess of Lemon Drop peppers for pickling every summer, and is absolutely delighted. I've never met the man, but, you know, when you can make someone that happy for such a small effort on my part, it's well worth it.

I agree Pam. Last season my mom asked me for habaneros for a woman that works in the office next to her. I guess they talk during lunch or whatever. But anyway, I gave her 8 or 10 the first time because I was unsure of her heat tolerence. Well, a few days later my mom asked her how she liked them. She had used them all up already. From then on I had my mom surprise her from time to time with a bag full of them. The lady was so happy about it. She kept telling my mom, "do you know how much it costs me to buy these in the store". I never met her either but it did feel nice seeing someone enjoy the fruits of my labor.