stc3248, 2013 Grow log, Season's Greetings and Season's End

koskorgul · Apr 8, 2013

Can only hope that if I get an infestation of aphids I have the good bugs around to combat them. Will be shopping around on the net for a ladybug supplier if I have to. This is my first year growing peppers so I will pull no punches and will probably over react LOL

compmodder26 · Apr 8, 2013

Man, I gotta stop leaving a month inbetween glog check ins. So much to take in. Your plants are doing marvelous Shane. But I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Keep at it my friend.

annie57 · Apr 8, 2013

I can't get past my thinking, "I know that's a bamboo pole but looks like a broom handle." Dang, Shane! Porter and the Geese. Adult Children of Pepper Grower's (ACPG) self-help book? I spewed coffee, dude!

WalkGood · Apr 8, 2013

Killer pods a coming, very nice drip system, dam I hate playing catch up, lol … doggie pics are great addition (Porter & Lacy) … What no skinny dipping pics in da pool, haha only kidding. Still be reading for some time but pics keep getting better … almost forgot, super nice flowers for mama on Easter

I do the prune/cropping of lower leaves, I do believe it does help in branching but could not tell you will 100% certainty of the outcomes, sometimes its not what I would like but I don’t like the low hanging lower leaves, I like mine up off da soil.

Funny bombing video, nice job! While I don’t use the apple apps, our son does those as well but with cars and it’s hilarious like yours, great job …

OMG that bug pic has me running for the coffee spray, you should try some of that on dem it doesn’t hurt the plants and I’ve still seen wasps eating away not long after spraying … eeeekkk!

RocketMan · Apr 8, 2013

Loved the video and yeah, I've often wondered the same thing when I see one of my dogs legs twitching like that.

Wont be long till your getting those bucket size harvest man! Gotta love it.

gnslngr · Apr 10, 2013

OH HELL. The bandwidth gods are being pussies tonight........
Nice grow "box" man, I did my on the road back of the FJ/Hotel room thing.I THINK I got some seeds out to you(lol)-crazy days before dropping into Ghana time.
Did you sell my Bieber wig? Damn it , that was just a loner!
DJ

stc3248 · Apr 13, 2013

megamoo said:
Nice pics. Plants are looking great!

Don't nuke the aphids. If the good bugs are there and you use no chemicals they will rise to the challenge. I was overrun with aphids, and did nothing. Two weeks later I was overrun with ladybirds. Now its all clean.

I am laying off the red button for now, but they sure are pissing me off! Thanks Mega!

DesertChris said:
OK..... I think one of my dogs was discussing pepper slaying techniques with Porter!

Tonight one of mine had a pepper seedling stomping party on my potting/seedling table out back.
It looked like one of Porter's pepper seeking missiles Impacted the area!
There were a few obvious fatalities (maybe a dozen), and hopefully the rest will recover.
But Dang, it was a big mess.....took an hour to perform the rescue operation....

Dang...you lost some peppers, how will you make a season of it with any less than 1200 plants??? :rofl:

Lol, hope they pull through brotha!

Pr0digal_son said:
Make sure you ID that slug,could be a lacewing larvae. If it is,watch it go to work,you will almost feel sorry for aphids....almost. They only eat them in the larval stage but it is a site to see. I've never had aphids bad,usually give them a squish when under leaves. Last year I had some early on and they were getting to the tips and young buds,hard to squish those ones.

Your plants are holding no prisoners! Even with the low night temps they are cruising along. I am doing a bunch of different greens also and adding to the list almost daily! Nice pic of the spoons,I have those and the red currants going. Seem to have similar looking fruit,butI notice the plant and leaf structure are a bit different.

That one was a bad one...I keep an eye out for friendlies! They are horrible here...nice weather year round has its draw backs. The wasps are starting to win the fight though along with some other friendlies! The plants are still looking ok...the bugs have them off colored a bit in the new growth, but it isn't slowing them down too much. Mine were labeled as spoons, and "worlds smallest" but they're a little bigger than advertised. Should have some ripe ones soon to show off.

koskorgul said:
Can only hope that if I get an infestation of aphids I have the good bugs around to combat them. Will be shopping around on the net for a ladybug supplier if I have to. This is my first year growing peppers so I will pull no punches and will probably over react LOL

I really so like watching the good bugs take down the aphids...almost too much sometimes! Most of the time if you let it work itself out the plants just get a case of the uglies for a bit the work through it.

compmodder26 said:
Man, I gotta stop leaving a month inbetween glog check ins. So much to take in. Your plants are doing marvelous Shane. But I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Keep at it my friend.

I know right??? I have been trying to slow down the posts and my work schedule has been helping, but I sure am a proud papa! Once some color starts pouring into the pods I will be out of control over here. I hope nobody feels obligated to read all of this crap!

annie57 said:
I can't get past my thinking, "I know that's a bamboo pole but looks like a broom handle." Dang, Shane! Porter and the Geese. Adult Children of Pepper Grower's (ACPG) self-help book? I spewed coffee, dude!

Porter has caused me to spill many things over the years...usually with his Marmaduke tail! He cracked me up this morning too...he sleeps in our room. Usually in his pet carrier, but this morning he was sprawled out on the floor at the food of the bed at 0414. I got up and said "Good morning Porter, its early huh?" He jumped right up, looked at me...and went in his house. Lol..."Eff you dad, its friggen Saturday!"

WalkGood said:
Killer pods a coming, very nice drip system, dam I hate playing catch up, lol … doggie pics are great addition (Porter & Lacy) … What no skinny dipping pics in da pool, haha only kidding. Still be reading for some time but pics keep getting better … almost forgot, super nice flowers for mama on Easter

I do the prune/cropping of lower leaves, I do believe it does help in branching but could not tell you will 100% certainty of the outcomes, sometimes its not what I would like but I don’t like the low hanging lower leaves, I like mine up off da soil.

Funny bombing video, nice job! While I don’t use the apple apps, our son does those as well but with cars and it’s hilarious like yours, great job … OMG that bug pic has me running for the coffee spray, you should try some of that on dem it doesn’t hurt the plants and I’ve still seen wasps eating away not long after spraying … eeeekkk!

Great to have you back on brother! My parents have all the skinny dip pics from when I was a kid...we used to go out to the ranch and swim in the pila (concrete water tank) with friends. Well it was the 70's!
The app I'm using has car scenes as well...funny stuff. I may try your coffee trick soon, but for now the aphids are already on the decline.

RocketMan said:
Loved the video and yeah, I've often wondered the same thing when I see one of my dogs legs twitching like that.

Wont be long till your getting those bucket size harvest man! Gotta love it.

I sure hope the buckets get a work out! They're standing by! With a little luck the first few harvests will fill some baggies with seeds and no virus worries! :pray:

gnslngr said:
OH HELL. The bandwidth gods are being pussies tonight........
Nice grow "box" man, I did my on the road back of the FJ/Hotel room thing.I THINK I got some seeds out to you(lol)-crazy days before dropping into Ghana time.
Did you sell my Bieber wig? Damn it , that was just a loner!
DJ

I like the mobile grow room concepts...tried it last year in my barracks, until it got shut down by the man. Crazy days now at work...ACs shut down and fans aren't even allowed. Wonder if the Admiral know we've got over 200 solar panels on our building and we are putting power back onto the grid??? Oh well...it ain't that hot yet, but when we fire up our 20ft long 1800 degree powder coat oven it will be. Ughhhh...

Crazy week, Santa Annas ripping along at triple digit levels inland had me worried about the plants. Called mama and she went out and checked on them and said the looked like they liked it..."Thank you ma nature may I have another?" Big fans 24/7 in the grow room paid off! Passed our inspection this week with high praise from the inspectors. They want to come back and film my teams to show other shops how it is supposed to be done! BAM!!! Super proud of my guys and gals...We build stuff that goes boom...so doing it right is more than just important. With that behind me...the next big thing is the Master Chief board...I haven't never sweat that stuff, just do your job and the promotions will come, but only 5 Master Chiefs in the Navy in my rating...and most years they don't even make any. This year there is a spot open in Charleston...fingers crossed for me folks!

Plants are still cruising along...the water is proving tricky to dial in with the different size and type pots I have some are getting a bit much and some not quite enough...but I think I have it going about as good as it can get for now...here's some pics from yesterday...

Ladybug! If you look closely you can see the reflection of me holding the camera in her shell...

Found this dude in the front yard on the sidewalk...and quickly relocated him! :party:

About 2 minutes later...

Bwaahahahahaha

I've done really good keeping the ???s off the labels this year, but this one sprouted from a pellet I had already thrown in the compost pile so...???

Yellow Cardi Scorpion...

7 Pot Congo Sr showing some battle wounds...

Goat's Weed...

Belize City looks like it will put out elongated 4 lobed pods...and LOTS of them!!!

Finally a non...Nasturtium. I planted these against the seed packet recommendation in very fertile soil expecting a large plant with few or no flowers... but I guess I was wrong!

Thanks for looking folks! Hope you're having a great weekend!
Shane

PIC 1 · Apr 13, 2013

Great closeup photography !

I like the "Roman Wrestling" with the aphid............no chance.

Although the Belize Bonnet doesn't follow the shape of the Jamaican Yellow Bonnet, most will have 3 or 4 lobes on the bottom and some will have saucer tops most won't be elongated. When you bust a ripe one open it will give you the scent, much different than a Habanero....and pleasent heat.

Devv · Apr 13, 2013

Glad you did well with your inspection, I have the same motto, do your job and do it well and you'll always stand out.

Here's to getting the next promotion! It's too early to raise a Shiner in cheers but I will later for ya!

As usual the plants are looking great, can't wait to see some pods in this neck of the woods.

Take care and have a great weekend!

STEVE954 · Apr 13, 2013

Those Belize City scotch bonnets are still in their "wonky stage". After the first reaping of pods, round 2 should be alot more consistant.

What counts is that sweet, smokey, hint of pineapple, scotch bonnet flavor!

Jamison · Apr 13, 2013

Absolutely always amazing Mr. Shane! Chili gods are shining down on you my friend!

stickman · Apr 13, 2013

Charleston will be a big move, but if it's what you want, go f'rit! Love the pic of the Ladybug larvae hunting... Go Team! Glad to hear you brought up your chiles right, so they can withstand asperity now. Cheers!

KiNGDeNNiZ · Apr 13, 2013

Looking
Good Shane as always. Glad to see the wasp have come to kill them aphids. I seen them on my plants as well. Inground already ?! Nice. Here's to hoping I can drop by to pick up that brain if it's still waiting for me

sicman · Apr 13, 2013

everything looks great :dance:

wasps are awesome!

WalkGood · Apr 13, 2013

Shane your photography is moving into the next level up, if I had to describe the macro shots in one word it would have to be “Epic!” Love the wicked beni bug shots ^_^

The peppers look great, even with a few holes or torn leaves (mine have the same even my baby MoAs) but yours still have that lush vibrant & productive look about them. Plus all dat pod explosion going on is awesome! You’ll soon be able to fill dat pool with pods, hehe. Keep the great work coming brethren and as always thanks for sharing da grow

Edit: BTW what did you end up doing with the kelp I twisted your arm to harvest, lol ...

STEVE954 · Apr 13, 2013

This is one of my MoA scotch bonnet going through its "wonky stage".

Pulpiteer · Apr 13, 2013

Been too long since I stopped by, flooded by work. Loved the Porter video, btw! You continue to find ways to kick up this glog another notch! Nice critter pics too. It's probably not right how I enjoy seeing aphids get eaten. Also, your glog has given me some good things to look forward to. I was wondering what the Belize Bonnets would be - so cool! And I've never done Nasturtiums, very pretty. Edible too, right?
Good luck on the promotion. I'd promote you. But only with a promise of you making me one of those fancy wood chests you do. Yeah, I haven't forgotten

highalt · Apr 13, 2013

That's a ladybug larvae? How have I never noticed those before???

Is that Goat Weed an overwinter? That thing is already huge, and cranking out pods. Craziness! Mine are growing painfully slow.

Love the nasturtium pic!!! I've tried to grow them quite a few times, but they don't seem happy here. Now California poppies, those I can grow, hahaha!

Congratulations on your inspection. I like your work ethic. :clap:

DocNrock · Apr 14, 2013

Man Shane, awesome update, bro! I've been totally slacking on reading the glogs of my friends, so I'm trying to get caught up. First off, congrats on the inspection! Awesome! And BEST of luck on the Master Chief billet. So much of all that is political, but you strike me as someone who can play that game well, so I have faith in you.

Love seeing all the pods on your plants! Remind me again, when did you start sowing? The nons look great, and so do the turnip greens...love those! We have two varieties of turnip we are going to plant. One is the standard turnip, but the other seed packet caught my eye. It apparently is a variety that was developed just for the greens. We'll see how they are once they grow.

Overall awesome job, man! It's glogs like yours that have given me the knowledge that I needed to grow my peppers! Keep it up!

annie57 · Apr 14, 2013

Okay, I was right: broom handles with love handles, not bamboo. JAZUZ, Shane! Hurt a girl, woncha! (And Steve, damnit, ya know how much I want some MoA's right? Like da seed . . . hmm? Ya make me settle for Carib Reds . . . sad, so sad

)

Shane, just gorgeous and stunning photography--good bugs! Any manzano shots? What's pepper in the first pic after the clearly broom/love handle, embattled shot? I read "Nuna" Naga??? I read with forked eyes

. . . absolutely YUM! Planted nasturium last week after overnight soak--then got cold but they tend to do okay in any soil--this glog's a really "babe," man!