• Blog your pepper progress. The first image in your first post will be used to represent your Glog.

Spicy Chickona's MMXIII Grow Log

Hello everyone.

Wasn't going to do a grow log this year, but then thought maybe someone could learn from my mistakes. ;o(

So here we go. last year I started my plants mid January and paid the price with mr frost, it was difficult watching everyone starting their plants.

Start off with the building of the new grow light boxes and maybe will get some germination going by tomorrow.

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Thanks for stopping in! Cheers - Jeff
 
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Wow! How did i miss this from Feb until now? i just went from page one to page 9 and great job IMO the best grow log i have ever seen on this site. Thanks for all the pictures! :dance:
 
stickman said:
Real instructive set of pics Jeff, Thanks for posting! Glad to see your grow this year wasn't a total washout. What type of plastic mulch do you use for your peppers? I'm using black plastic "solar mulch", and swear by it this far north. Cheers!
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So I looked up solar mulch and can't really say what the difference is between that and what I use which very well could be the same but my brand does not call it that. what I use is just 1mil biodegradable black plastic mulch, and you are absolutely correct as far as the benefits this far north. After I'm finished here, going to your grow log and check it out; a rare moment of little spare time. woohoo
 
Thanks stickman!
Jeff H said:
When you say "stripped", I'm assuming you are talking about the ones that received hail damage? If so, that wasn't a set back at all. 
 
Looks great. 
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Hi Jeff.
 
No not from the hail, the hail was devastating to say the least but the stripping takes place much earlier, jump back a few pages and you will see how I take scissors and strip the plant of all foliage. thanks Cheers - Jeff  
 
Hello everyone, apologize for the absence, I have been in Russia for a few months for work and was unable to post there, the few days this summer I spent here at home -as you could imagine were very busy just trying to catch up with house, yard and bedroom maintenance ;o)  -now back for at least the winter. WooHoo
 
As you can see from the 1st pic we have had frost already, almost a month ago but it wasn't a total killer, gardens are now picked and empty with a harvest about 20% of a normal year, which really sucks!! ;o(
 
I hope that everyone had a wonderful growing season and when snow flies I will have the time to check things out here and see what Ive missed. :o)
 
My wife didn't take a lot of pics, but what she did I will try and post soon. we are in drying mode now which should be complete in about a week.
 
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Not a lot of peps this year but what there was seem to be bigger.
 
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This pics below were taken about a week ago or so, I managed to install a couple of auction buy doors in the upper half of the pepper shack and seal it all off. As I type there is 142 trays drying. the aroma is quite something, installed a pellet stove for heat and the dehumidifier never seams to shut off. lol
 
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Thank you all for stopping by and will try to post some more pics soon. ;o)
 
Cheers, Jeff
 
Glad to have you back Jeff! Those sure are nice looking pods! I always wondered how someone would dry chiles in bulk this far north... now  I know... ;)  Cheers bro'
 
Hey SC, over the top drying shed, my friend!
 
I just had to stop in here and see what a real grow looks like.
 
Good luck getting everything dried and packaged/prepped.
 
 
I was really bummed for you when I read about the hail storm,
but your remaining grow is just beautiful - I think I said this last 
year, but your landscaping of the pepper grow is an art form!
 
RocketMan said:
Man Jeff, those are some beautiful pods there brother. I love the shelf containers, bet you got a good price on them too :)
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Thanks Bill,  surface material is getting expensive. even cheap plywood isn't so cheap anymore, gotta save were you can!! lol this is a cutthroat business. ;o)
 
 
stc3248 said:
Haha...A sauna style dehydrator! Always something crazy at Jeff's place! Welcome home brother!
Shane
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Cheers, Shane - It's good - no it's great to be home and it's good to be crazy, that way folks won't mess with you so much :rofl:
 
stickman said:
Glad to have you back Jeff! Those sure are nice looking pods! I always wondered how someone would dry chiles in bulk this far north... now  I know... ;)  Cheers bro'
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Thanks Rick, I sure miss this place!! There was really heavy frost this morning - thank god for heaters. Not sure if it's the right way to dry chili's or the most efficient but it'll get the job done until something better comes along. :think:  
 
capsidadburn said:
Always impressive display of operation Jeff! Thanks for continuing to show us, and inspire us with your grow and production each year.
Have a great winter.
Mike
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Thanks for the kind words Mike, not sure how to respond to that because I still feel the chalkboard is in front of me and not behind.  :rolleyes: still learning every year. :cheers: 
 
Spicegeist said:
Holy cow!  Are those yellow bhuts?
 
:onfire:
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Charles, I believe them to be fatalli's, my Y-Bhut's were just a little smaller and smother. over all, a really weird year for shapes, textures and sizes. :shocked:
 
 
PaulG said:
Hey SC, over the top drying shed, my friend!
 
I just had to stop in here and see what a real grow looks like.
 
Good luck getting everything dried and packaged/prepped.
 
 
I was really bummed for you when I read about the hail storm,
but your remaining grow is just beautiful - I think I said this last 
year, but your landscaping of the pepper grow is an art form!
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Paul - buddy ;o) your aren't making fun of me are you? " what a real grow looks like" lol seriously tho -- can't imagine there are not 100's of growers on here that did way better then I this year, it's really sad that I don't know that for a fact because of no time to look, even though I want to. My wife and I decided that this years grow was our last, but I am not so sure. Hate to go out on such a bad note, will have to make up our minds soon cause seed starting is in just a couple months.
 
Selling pods, powders and snacks is a consumers novelistic purchase and not a necessity so the economy has a direct impact on sales, point being - sometimes the reward is not worth the effort. I will really hate to give it up but a ball and chain it is for sure. :violin: 
 
Thanks for the kind words!!
 
sicman said:
word up!    you are a pimp my man. everything is just so neat,clean and sexy! i love it.
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Papa Sic, If you love it, I must surmise that your operation is also neat, clean and sexy. :dance:  would love to see it!!
 
Devv said:
Very nice harvest!
 
Sorry about the earlier losses..
I like the UPS boxes, fantastic idea!
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Thanks Devv, the boxes actually work better than the metal or plastic tray because they absorb the moisture and it evaporates faster.
 
 
Cheers, everyone and thanks again for stopping by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Some of you may have remembered seeing the tractor I purchased for working and tilling the pepper patch, well in some spare time this spring and the return trips back to Wisconsin i restored old yeller and thought maybe you might like to see what she looks like today.
 
 
 
 
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Just in time for the Fall color tour hay rides, peak colors are day after tomorrow. WooHoo
 
Hope you liked - Cheers, Jeff
 
Your tractor restoration is top notch, Jeff!  Just beautiful, and you have
added a lot of value to it!  I can see that you are indeed, a master craftsman
and a true artist.  I understand your feelings about the massive grows you
have undertaken.  It is a LOT of work.  I have a devil enough of a time caring
for 35 or 40 plants!  I am probably being selfish, but I hope you continue to
grow. Your spread and facility are an inspiration, and set the bar pretty darn
high, my friend!  Your place looks like a park.
 
:cheers:  Here's to a bright future and an easy grow next season!
 
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