Rairdog's glog 2015 First smoke!

I will start of with the starting chamber I made.  It is basically a window box that is inside my deck greenhouse.  I also have aquaponic growbeds in the GH.  The fish tank is in the basement to keep fish through the winter.   I wanted to utilize the sun light and solar heat that the GH generates.  I can typically get a 50 deg increase on p. cloudy days and up to 70 deg increase on sunny days.  It is to cold to grow in for 18 hrs a day without heating.
 
Here is the chamber.  It has dropped to 45 with sub zero temps but usually stays between 55-60 at night and up to 90 on sunny days.

 
This makes it very easy to pull the plants out for some play time when GH is warm.

 
Here are the peppers.  They get morning and afternoon light from the T8 and sun the rest of the day for a total of 16 hrs. 
 
All plants were started in Optisorb DE.  I have very lightly fertilized with buffalo loam, maxicrop with iron, compost tea and shultz'.
 
View from inside the house.

 
Here is the heat mat for germinating and keeping the peppers warm since the chamber can drop to 55.  It is flexwatt tape and jumpstart thermostat.  I have 2 ft and 4 ft sections.

 
There is a fan in the window that kicks on at 75 in the GH to exchange air with the house.  It also keeps chamber from overheating and strenghtens plants.

 
Other veggies in DE

 

[Rairdog]

Last years cherries.  I have a much better crop and plan.   The deck rail is 14 ft.  I like picking cherries from the deck. 
 

 
I can't emphasize the importance of crop rotation.  This is 10 ft of pole beans that was a disappointment.   There is a cherry at both ends before they got to the top rail.  The beans have outlived their home.  Wait until you see their new home.

Calvin like his shade...so it is up to me to grow 15 ft
Patiently waiting

 

[Rairdog]

Dang heat, then rain and now cool.  I don't think I will ever get planted out.  I am about 3/4 done with toms and sweets.
 
The strawbale hugelkultur is coming along.  I still need to fill the back half with compost/topsoil.  The mushrooms have take over some of the bales.

 
Flipped that same bale over and got a 1/2 dozen fat crawlers to go fishing and stock up the AP tank.  Gotta love them bull males.  Nature at it's finest.  Shrooms decomposing from the top/sides and worms eating up from the bottom.  Fish guts buried into the bed. 

 
My Iris' are in full bloom.  These 2 colors were from a landscape redo for one of my customers.  I left the rhizomes in a wheel barrow for a few months.  It filled up with water and I dumped them in my driveway for a few months.  I finally threw them in the rock garden before fall.  They did not blossom at all last year.  I could not believe the color this year.  I blows my old neighborhood Iris' away.  Can't hardly kill them and they grow on top of rocks.


 
More to come!
 

 

[Rairdog]

I have mentioned my bees and thought I might share some pics of my Top Bar Hive.  The hive was built from scratch and pretty much free except for 120 bucks for a package of bees.  I built it last May and installed a package of bees.  It was a late July start and they barely made it through winter.  They are off to a good start this year and if all goes well I will have fresh honey this fall.    Mike (Capsidadburn) has given me some ideas to make some hot honey sauces.  They are part of my gardening master plan and will offer a lot of compliments to cooking and pollinating crops.  Between the fish I raise for AP and the bees it really makes you think about what you put into your garden to help mother nature instead of trying defeat her.
 
Here is the hive.  I just looked at some plans on the net and built it with scraps I had on hand.  Even if you don't have scraps these can be built very cheap.

 
Here it is in the beginning of my bee garden last year.  The perennial plants were collected for free by separating from neighbors and family.  Including: Anise Hyssop and other Augustache , 3 types of Monarda, 2 Aster, Sedum, a few Echinacea, Rubeckia, Catmint, Salvias, Currants, Lemonbalm, Coreopsis, Shasta Daisys, Poppies, Mums and a few others.

A little further along.  The weeds were the only things that grew here.  It was layer with newspaper, grass clippings and straw.

 
I have added herbs this year including:  Sage, Fennel, Cilantro, Thyme, Basil and a few others.  Here are some shots of an inspection I did a couple days ago.  I'm just learning so hopefully I get these descriptions right.
 
Capped worker brood.  These are future girls that collect the nectar, pollen and keep things clean.

 
Capped drone brood.  These are males and only used to breed new queens.  Notice the bullet shape that sticks out further.  They are larger than the workers and need more room.

 
Freshly built new comb.  It is so white and pure.  It means they need more room to lay babies or store honey.

 
Random shots



I wear plain sweats and a hunting headnet when I go in deep and inspect every bar.  I have opened up the hive many times with only shorts and a t-shirt.  I have only been stung once and that is when you bang something or smash them with your hands.  I don't have a smoker and only use a water spray bottle to get them back down to put the bars back in place without smashing them.  The TBH is a very gentle way to raise bees and can be done by anyone for very little money and some carpentry skills.   I looked it up on the net and got started. 

 

[capsidadburn]

Very nice updates Jim! Looks fascinating. I look forward to seeing more.

 

[fiogga]

Just gorgeous blog and top bar hive, love all the photos. My neighbor and I have been collecting quite a number of bee swarms. We are full up with new hives, if you are looking for more bees let me know. Thanks for a great post!

 

[Ozzy2001]

Very cool. I love seeing the bee hive project.

 

[Rairdog]

What a day.  I had been working in the yard all day.  I took a break to watch the bee's hitting some honeysuckle, salvia, cat-mint and others I have planted.   I look to the neighbor lady's and see some bees flying around here old garden.  There is nothing left but old dead roses.  I'm thinking, "why are there bees around these old roses, there is nothing for them to feed on".  I look down and oh shit.....there are my bees in a swarm.  I have no clue.  So I build another TBH in about 30 min with scraps I have on hand,  I took 5 empty bars from behind the follower board, a bar of brood and a bar of nectar.  Next....I take a cardboard box and attempt to scrape the bees off this post.   I got stung about 10 times and it took 3 hours to get them in a cardboard box and into a new hive after many trips.   I don't know if I got the queen.  They were fanning their butts at the entrance which is a good sign.....from what I've read. 
 
Here is a shot of the post.  They were tucked up into the pockets of the old split rail fence. 

Very cool. I love seeing the bee hive project.

It is well worth the effort.  It totally changes your perspective on gardening and they draw you in.
 

Just gorgeous blog and top bar hive, love all the photos. My neighbor and I have been collecting quite a number of bee swarms. We are full up with new hives, if you are looking for more bees let me know. Thanks for a great post!

I really need a mentor and try to figure this out.  I went to a couple meetings and felt shunned for trying to keep a TBH.  I just started last year and have never treated for pests.  I had a marked queen from the package and she was superseded.  They just barely made it though winter and now are exploding.  Any tips would help.
 

Very nice updates Jim! Looks fascinating. I look forward to seeing more.

This spring has been fascinating.  I'm not really that good at this.  I  read and apply.  The hots just kinda went into suspended animation after the DE media and transplant.  I was scared to water them because I read they don't like wet feet and like to dry out and droop.  Finally, I gave them a good drench after only a tickle of bottom watering.  I wanted them to draw roots to the bottom and I kept them dry.  They exploded!   Not like Dec/Jan plants but I think they are gonna be good.  I hope for a good honey harvest....you will be the the sole beneficiary.  I can't thank you enough for getting me started.   

 

[fiogga]

Your first swarm, pretty exciting stuff. I'll p.m. you a phone number for Tim, he's a guy in our bee group who just has top bar hives. You are doing everything right, amazing how they will all follow the queen once she's in there. I'm certainly no expert on bees but I have gotten a number of swarms and you gotta move fast before they relocate. They put their butts in the air to fan those queen pheromones to signal the others to come in. Your bees are really doing great, it's natural for them to swarm if all's well. That looked like a nice sized swarm. Better start building some more hives they are thriving!!! I'll get Tim's number to you later if you have any questions. 

 

[Rairdog]

I finished the pole bean tunnel.  It is and experiment with some re-purposed lumber from a storage barn removal. If it works I can wrap it in plastic with some additional bracing and have a hot house.  My lady loves picking and snapping pole beans so this was made so she can pick them easily.  The right outside was trenched, sod removed and planted with 45 Blue Lake.  The left side was drilled with a hole saw, sod plug pulled out and planted with 45 Kentucky Wonder. 
 

 

 

[D3monic]

Wow that's a lot of bees and soon to be beans. I'm allergic so those images scare me a little but still kinda cool. 

 

[Ozzy2001]

Not the best picture because I didn't want to get any closer. Here's a swarm that built a hive right outside one of our apartments. The inspector called a guy and he brought a box out with some pheromones in it to hopefully get the queen.

Love the trellis. I wanted to do something like that for my beans. Ran out of time though so I'm just doing poles for now.

 

[Rairdog]

Wow that's a lot of bees and soon to be beans. I'm allergic so those images scare me a little but still kinda cool. 

I have been stinging myself to build up tolerance.  It actually helped with arthritis and tendonitis.  Swinging a hammer for 35+ years has taken it's toll.
 

Not the best picture because I didn't want to get any closer. Here's a swarm that built a hive right outside one of our apartments. The inspector called a guy and he brought a box out with some pheromones in it to hopefully get the queen.
Love the trellis. I wanted to do something like that for my beans. Ran out of time though so I'm just doing poles for now.

They're pretty docile when swarming until I started scraping them off the post in about 10 trips.  That is 150 bucks worth of bees.
 
 
Weather still sucks with 3 or 4 days in the low 40's.  I'm glad I held off planting the supers.  I found the first set of green aphids.  They were ONE super closest to the door.  I smeared them could not find any sign of them in the rest of the GH.  I check for them religiously since there is nothing to keep them in check in the GH.  Here are the 63 supers.  I barley got them to size for outdoors.  They're a little pale from the GH/shadecloth.  I had started to harden them off but never finished due to the cold streak.



 
The 4 on the left are lime basil

 
Some chard, kale and kohlrabi in the AP beds


 
My new baby....Dwarf Cavendish with a pup.  Hopefully it with fruit but it's still cool to look at if not.

 

[Rairdog]

Stopped by the Alpaca farm down the road.  10 bucks for a large yard.  I got the 3-5 year old pile.  There were up to 100 wigglers in some of the big chunks.

 
I finally filled up the back half of the raised strawbale hugelkutur bed.   8 in thick on top of the wood/leaves/grass mix.  I mixed in some DE granules and pine fines.

 
The new bed is keeping pace with my other gardens.  If it can do this the first year it will surely out perform the other gardens when the lasagna/hugelkultur breaks down. 
 
The toms and peppers placed directly in the grass were in the lead until the rain.  They were under water for a couple days.  Hopefully they pull through.  All of them were extra plants anyway and it was free space without any effort.  As you can see....stuff grows here like crazy.  Too much water is more of a problem.

 
Meanwhile the bee garden is kicking arse.  This cat mint was planted last year.  There are always 3 to 4 honey bees and 3 to 4 bumble/carpenter bees on it.

 
The May Night slavia keeps the bees just as well.  There is flowering sage back left, a few Augastache's ready to bloom, Coreopsis, Aster,  Peonies, Cone flowers, Thyme and Basil to name a few. 

 
After this last cold spell I plan to plant out the super hots.  They will be mixed in amongst my different gardens.  The new straw/huge will hold the favs.  I am kinda worried about crossbreeding and may actually try some in pots.  I don't do pots much because they never compare to the flavor of my beds.  I don't have to worry about watering and nutes once they leave the GH.    
 

 

[coachspencerxc]

beautiful

 

[D3monic]

Looking great and beautiful quality of pics. Salvia is one my favorite garden plants. 

 

[Rairdog]

beautiful

Thanks!
 

Looking great and beautiful quality of pics. Salvia is one my favorite garden plants. 

If I could only find it in red or orange.  I'm tired of blue and purple but that was bees like. 
 
Planted out some of the supers finally.

 
Panoramic from above.  I love this new garden and walking on the deck looking down.   I think I can squeeze some moar in!

 

[Rairdog]

On guard.....!

 
To take out the jew bugs

They are on the Lilacs and will spread. None of it is kosher. 

 

[Rairdog]

The onion/marigold barrier ye bugs shan't pass.  Still have room for supers in this garden.  Cukes are starting to kick.


 
Radish for seeds to cover crop in the fall.  More room for supers coming up.

 
More oninons and room for shade plants.  Hallway to the bee garden.

 
 
Just some maters....Ima pod slacker!
 
Lots of Romas.  These are by far the sturdiest, fat thick leaves....bomb proof romas.  I let them sprawl.
 



 
Wall of cherries...thinned and trained for the reverse Florida weave.  I'm going for 16 ft this year.




 
Some Cherokee's planted straight in the grass



 
The new raised strawbale hugelkultur.  Top dog the first year for bushy tomato's and all around growth.  I can't keep up with thinning for breathing.  Lots of sweet peppers, Habs, Serrano, Diakon, Onions and others mixed in.  



 
 
 

 

[Rairdog]

Annuums are coming on.  This was what was left after picking almost a quart off the one plant of pepperocini's. 

 
The others plants aren't near as full and filled the rest of the jar.  Packed for fermenting with a little kraut starter.  Hopefully I did it right as it's my first go.

 
Some bells...I can't quit picking them for cooking.  The hidden ones might make it to color up.


 
Corno di toro's are packed.  There are 3 to 5 plants with 4 to 6 each of this size.

 
Serrano's are coming on strong.  I thinks there are 5 or 6 like this one.


 
I'm just starting to pod on the supers and bac's
Some of the Pimenta Lisa...my only purple and fav for the foilage.


 
Aji Limon

 
Inca red

 
And some nice cherokee toms taking on color

 
Pepper jungle

 
Shot of the straw bale raised hugelkultur bed.  Not bad considering this was old asphalt this spring and I got 40 bucks in the whole bed.

 
Backup super's on a shelf with no home.  I don't want to spend the money on filling pots and watering when the first string is pulling their weight.  Trying to quit the pot habit and cotton mouth plants that need babied.
 

 
And the banana looking down.

 
Peace out

 
 
 

 

[Rairdog]

The good, bad and ugly
 
 
The good.....The cone flowers are coming on.
Red

 
White

 
And Purple

 
Wisconsin picklers cage 1....good leaves for the rain we had.  Male flowers have just started.

 
Cage 2

 
Marketmore 76 cuc's

 
Martino roma jungle

Reds have been on pizza all week

 
Onion row....bonus clover for the bee's....and sweet grass for bum.

 
IS potato leaf toms coming on

 
The bad....all the peppers dirsectly planted in straw bales have barely survived.  Strawberries and onions did ok but did not meet other gardens ouput.

 
The ugly...Toms and peppers in the common area were under a foot of water for 4 days.  I got back ups for toms, but I had a few new varieties that I lost.

Tom and a pepper to the upper left

 
East end of pole beans were under water for 3 days