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

Jamison · Jun 8, 2013

Damn I need to stop by more often! Awesome that you been harvesting peppers and superhots too!

coheed196 · Jun 8, 2013

Man that is one beautiful dragonfly.

Sanarda · Jun 8, 2013

Love the pod porn. Nice little harvest you have there

stc3248 · Jun 8, 2013

stickman said:
Cool pics Shane... especially the money shot. Your plants are so loaded with pods that you should have plenty of powder on hand when you deploy. Cheers!

Thanks Rick! Its IF I deploy still though...lets stay positive! Yes...there will be no shortage of powder when I hit the ship!!!

Pulpiteer said:
Beautiful pictures - especially that dragonfly shot, wow! If you've got that many ladybug larva cruising around, you must have some other things that will deal with those hornworms. You've got an awesome year going Shane!

I really do like those dragonflies...this particular type is an ambush predator, so they just lay in wait at the top of my plant stakes and pounce whenever a meal flies by. I do have some lizards and Mantis out there that will take on a small hornworm, but not enough to suit my taste! I am having fun this year for sure...can't wait for the first ripe painful super...the Yellow Cari Scorps and Yellow Billy Boys are hot and all...but I wanna get into a nice Moruga, Brain, Primo or maybe even a Reaper. The Moruga and Reaper have me nervous for sure.

MGOLD86 said:
Great update Shane, it looks like you are just crushing along nicely. Are you planning on isolating at all this season? I know you are taking a ton of seed stock, so I was wondering what your setup for that was going to be.

I will isolate some later on once I figure out which ones are worth the effort. Still have fairly low seed counts right now, so really not a good time to do it. Once I do I will just choose a branch with tons of buds and no open flowers and pull some pantyhose over it...I hadn't been too worried about the Belize City crossing because none of its immediate neighbors were flowering. Since it was the first to set pods I would bet that those first pods I saved from were pure...

DocNrock said:
Looking great, Shane. So many gorgeous plants and pumping out the pods. Congrats! Hope you don't end up getting deployed.

Thanks! I hope not either Brent...but if I do it'll be alright. I am blessed by my plants for sure. Some are looking a little under the weather, but I think that has to do with water excess and shortages. I really need another water station to separate the ones that get more afternoon shade from the ones that don't so I can adjust the amount of water accordingly. I have it real close...and that's about as good as I can get it for now.

highalt said:
Nice update!

How big do those Red Zebra's get? I prefer a meaty tomato to one with lots of the gel, so maybe I'll have to give that one a try.

Wow, that Poblano is amazing! I've never had much luck with them here. They spend the first half of the season attaining their impressive height, but then there is only enough time for them to produce 4 or 5 pods before the season ends. Starting earlier this year, I'm hoping to change that. I've already got a couple small pods going, so I am hopeful.

I am sorry to hear about your likely deployment. I know that's all part of the deal with your line of work, but it sure won't be the same around THP without your updates to look forward to - all of pics of the monster sized plants, the massive amounts of pods, the (green) pool, Porter, the foodie shots ...

Hey Bonnie! The Red Zebras don't get very big...a medium/small fruit. They're flavorful and meaty though! Fairly productive so far and the plant seems very resilient...but smallish as well. I am growing it in a 10# container so maybe the size of the pot is limiting plant size???

I will try to remember to dig up the seed packet for the poblanos I'm growing. They are some of the most productive I have ever grown. I am sure it has a lot to do with the soil and conditions here as well. I may have to go out there and play count the pods to not catch myself in a lie...but 30-40 pods on there would be my best guess...

I wouldn't say the deployment was likely, just the move back to the ship for now. We'll have to wait and see...

Silver_Surfer said:
Tremendously performing grow this season. Very nice.

Ever considered pressure compensating emitters? That would solve the watering problem you have at the end of a run.

Spray your plants with Spinosad before you leave and never have a horn worm worry. It won't harm your lady friends and lasts for several weeks.

I have used them in the past, but have trouble with them clogging up. I have installed a new filter so I may give them a go again. I was just about dialed in perfect and I had to meddle with them last weekend. I used soaker tube rings on a few plants at the start of the season and they were doing so much better than the other plants due to the more even water distribution that I decided to do all the large containers that way. I can never just leave well enough alone and have to learn lessons the hard way I suppose.

Devv said:
Shane great update!

Wonderful pics, love the dragonfly.

Yeah it's me that never really gets great Poblano production, mine are 4' tall and have a few small pods, certainly not producing like yours. Now Bell's crazy this year.

Congrats on the harvest, more and more are coming in now...you're gonna have your hands full!

Have a great weekend!

Thanks Scott! There were two of those dragonflies out there this morning...first time I noticed more than one buzzing about. I had great luck with Bells and Poblanos last season. Like mentioned above, I am not sure how much of that is the Socal weather and my choice in soil, and how much is due to the varieties??? The Bells last year were the biggest I have ever grown and they were from a color mix pack...not Cal Wonder or any "large" variety??? I didn't grow any Bells this season because I was trying to limit the # of plants :rofl:

...

3/5King said:
Man Shane, I was way too behind on your glog. So much going on, it's incredible. Your poddage is making me jelly. Awesome awesome pics too. Love the dragon fly and the lady buggers. All I get around here are Asian beetles....Cali's where it's at. I've decided after seeing your glog that my "don't have any time" is really "Im a lazy f&@$er" you've inspired me to change that.

I'll have to try and stay on top of all your wickedness. Keep it up!

I know...Hello my name is Shane and I am a compulsive updater...Hahaha, I can't help it. Things are moving so fast you can not only almost see them grow...heck you can hear them grow!!! My Birgits are growing an inch or more a day! They're reaching up like the corn and sunflowers...We get those beetles here too...nasty grubs they put down. I am lazier than you think...I just don't sleep much... :dance:

Jamison said:
Damn I need to stop by more often! Awesome that you been harvesting peppers and superhots too!

Yeah...I really don't expect anyone to keep up. This glog is kinda like a television series...you can catch a couple new episodes and be right back in the game! The order of ripening has been perfect! The yellows first to get my tolerance back in gear...and next will be the hell pods. Never really can be ready for those...kinda like eating a sub sandwich loaded with Habaneros... :rofl:

coheed196 said:
Man that is one beautiful dragonfly.

Thanks Vincent! They're cool critters...

@ Pia...Thanks! Yours are right around the corner lady!

So I took a trip to my local nursery to take a look at what they had for a fellow San Diego grower. This time last year they had a pretty good variety...this year was different. They had an amazing variety. The plants looked pretty healthy too! Last year they were looking kinda rough but the few I picked up still did well. So are y'all ready for some of the ones they had??? Chocolate Scorps, Morugas, Bhuts Red/Yellow/Chocolate and White, Fatalii, 7 Pot Red and Yellow, Douglah, King Naga, Naga Morich, Butch T, 7 Pot Jonah, Butch T/7 Jonah cross,...and many, many more along with Pequin, Tepin, Manzano, Scotch Bonnet, Black Cobra (Goat's Weed), Aji Amarillo and a ton more both run of the mill and kinda crazy. The Supers were $4.99 each...so I picked up one I really wanted to grow out, but didn't get seeds in time for....

Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion...Mama was none to happy when I came home with another plant, but I don't care!!! :party:

Let's see how long it takes this little guy to catch up to his siblings. Had to go into a 5# because that's what I am down to, but as long as I get some pods I am good. First frost usually isn't until December here...so I am good.

My two "extra" Birgits Locotos for the growdown are free spirited, and in spite of objections from their parents they decided to all move in together. Meet Chrissy, Jack and Janet...still trying to figure out which side of the bread Jack is buttered on...He's the one in back covered in Fruit and flowers...The sweet corn in the background is tasseled up and putting on some ears. The stalks on the left are nearly 8' tall!

This Tepin was struggling...I think it may have been inadvertently planted in the "Garden Soil" vice Potting Soil like a couple others. Took it out of the container and it was a soggy mess. I rinsed and repotted....bet it'll perk up quick.

I think it was Ramon who asked how I find Hornworm eggs...no secret, I just spot them. The generally lay them on the top side of the leaves and it is a very large egg for an insect. I went out looking for some today...but couldn't find any to post pics of so...here:http://davesgarden.com/guides/terms/showimage.php?did=4166&tid=3082#b

While looking I did find these:

On one of the Birgits...these are the good guys! If you see clusters like this on your plants leave them alone. Ladybug eggs...

Found this guy while looking also...another cool little critter!

And finally a few gnarly ones...

Yellow Brain Strain...

Yellow Brain Strain

Yellow Brain Strain...

Freakin Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbons (Pr0digal_son)

Aren't they cute!!! Not too spikey yet...but when the first pods look like this you know the rest will be even more BA!

Aight it for now folks...Maybe another one tomorrow...maybe not. Think I am off on another hike with mama in the morning...so no telling. Happy Saturday Y'all!
Shane

MGOLD86 · Jun 8, 2013

Great photos man, and awesome score at the nursery! I wish our nurseries were like yours....NOPE!

newhoppyguy · Jun 9, 2013

I wish our nursery was like your too i was lucky to find a bhut :confused:

awesome pics tho

KingLeerUK · Jun 9, 2013

Awesome pod shots.

I wish nurseries around here carried super hots, but the most exotic that they tend to get are Habaneros or Scotch Bonnets.

DocNrock · Jun 9, 2013

Great update, bro! Awesome selection at the local nursery, and great choice for one to bring home! Funny, it seems everything they have is something available from Duffy's site...hmmm. No matter, most excellent.

Nice to see all the beneficials around!

I hear ya on the dripper system. I'm still getting mine dialed in, as well. Going to drop a few of them down from 2 gph drippers to 1 gph..and the 2 gallon pots are going from 1 gph to 0.5 gph. All of them are pressure-compensating drippers. Good thing my potting mix drains well!

sicman · Jun 9, 2013

have fun on that hike. wish i had places to hike instead of swamp. oh well you win some and you lose some. plants are looking beast.

KiNGDeNNiZ · Jun 10, 2013

stc3248 said:
So I took a trip to my local nursery to take a look at what they had for a fellow San Diego grower. This time last year they had a pretty good variety...this year was different. They had an amazing variety. The plants looked pretty healthy too! Last year they were looking kinda rough but the few I picked up still did well. So are y'all ready for some of the ones they had??? [background=#fff4e4] Chocolate Scorps, Morugas, Bhuts Red/Yellow/Chocolate and White, Fatalii, 7 Pot Red and Yellow, Douglah, King Naga, Naga Morich, Butch T, 7 Pot Jonah, Butch T/7 Jonah cross,...and many, many more along with Pequin, Tepin, Manzano, Scotch Bonnet, Black Cobra (Goat's Weed), Aji Amarillo and a ton more both run of the mill and kinda crazy. The Supers were $4.99 each...so I picked up one I really wanted to grow out, but didn't get seeds in time for....[/background]

Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion...Mama was none to happy when I came home with another plant, but I don't care!!! :party:

Let's see how long it takes this little guy to catch up to his siblings. Had to go into a 5# because that's what I am down to, but as long as I get some pods I am good. First frost usually isn't until December here...so I am good.

Aren't they cute!!! Not too spikey yet...but when the first pods look like this you know the rest will be even more BA!

Aight it for now folks...Maybe another one tomorrow...maybe not. Think I am off on another hike with mama in the morning...so no telling. Happy Saturday Y'all!
Shane

is this Walt andersons?? crazy!!!.. my sister is there for a week.. now im tempted to go
maybe you can pick up some for me ( and yourself) and ship em over. hahaha..easier than me driving to your work or there

RocketMan · Jun 10, 2013

Love the pod shots Shane. The kids are trying to grow some of those snacking peppers too. I saved seeds from all 3 colors and they at least sprouted.

That's one cool looking Dragon Fly, looks like you have lots of good protection going on this year and :shh:

no Virus.

Dshlogg · Jun 10, 2013

If that nursery were near me, I'd probably go broke! Very cool varieties they have. There's an avid Chile head in charge there no doubt. I Cant believe they had Jay's Peach. That's high on my grow list for next year.

Your garden is thriving! So many pods sooo early in the season. I hope you have an extra freezer brother. Your gonna need it.

Let me know when Shane's Chile Academy starts enrollment. I'll be first to submit my application!

windchicken · Jun 10, 2013

Really beautiful poddage Shane! I love how you named your Birgits family! They are some free-spirited plants for sure!

Devv · Jun 10, 2013

Wow, great selection at the nursery! Around here to find Habs is rare, in this was the first year I found them.

<So stupid question time:>

"Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion" This is a cross someone has released into the market?

</End of stupid questions>

Those yellow brains are looking gnarly as well as the "Freakin Bhut's"

What kind of corn seed did you use this year? Hopefullly it will produce some nice ears!

Have a good week!

koskorgul · Jun 10, 2013

Ditto on the nursery, I have seen only Pablano, Jalapenos this year they had some cayanne but have seen any yet this year.

Great looking pods and plants

WalkGood · Jun 10, 2013

Holy moly what a nursery variety … we have nothing like that around here. Great pictures of the good guys, sorry to hear you have the hornworm eggs like me :/ I can’t believe how many I’ve crushed, I keep thinking a few will get past me on some of the super bushy plants and I’ll have problems :/ I’m doing the same thing to find the eggs but gotta tell you I keep finding them here. It’s not good as I see them on top and below the leaves. I don’t have a handheld black light but I’m guessing these would glow in the dark, if you have one you should try a night sweep and if they do glow let me know and I’ll run out and buy one. I can see some bad dreams coming my way during sleep tonight, lolz.

Hope you get your drip system dialed in again, that said the plants sure don’t look like they’re lacking anything from the pictures and mon dem pods are out of dis world, homerun brethren!!!! Hope you have a great week!!!!

Almost forgot, that little mantis pic is awesome, wish I'd spot some here ...

romy6 · Jun 10, 2013

Nice score . You are lucky. all we have are bells and orange habs. You westerners are so much more diversified :rofl:

Pods are look macliscous. :fireball:

stc3248 · Jun 10, 2013

MGOLD86 said:
Great photos man, and awesome score at the nursery! I wish our nurseries were like yours....NOPE!

newhoppyguy said:
I wish our nursery was like your too i was lucky to find a bhut awesome pics tho

KingLeerUK said:
Awesome pod shots.

I wish nurseries around here carried super hots, but the most exotic that they tend to get are Habaneros or Scotch Bonnets.

Thanks! Lucky to have them for sure...they are an almost iconic San Diego nursery chain and I am luck to live less than a mile from them!

DocNrock said:
Great update, bro! Awesome selection at the local nursery, and great choice for one to bring home! Funny, it seems everything they have is something available from Duffy's site...hmmm. No matter, most excellent.

Nice to see all the beneficials around!

I hear ya on the dripper system. I'm still getting mine dialed in, as well. Going to drop a few of them down from 2 gph drippers to 1 gph..and the 2 gallon pots are going from 1 gph to 0.5 gph. All of them are pressure-compensating drippers. Good thing my potting mix drains well!

Thanks Brent! Duffy is almost certainly the "Man behind the curtain" which is fine by me. They're actually quite a bit cheaper at the nusery than he charges on his site...plus no shipping! The balance of good bugs and bad shifts one way...then back the other, but they're under control and I am not on some crazy spray schedule. I am convinced that no matter what you choose spraying is a losing battle. If you couple that with the list of pesticides not approved for food crops here in CA...you are in for trouble.

I started with the 2 gph drippers last year, but ended up with 1gph in all my containers by seasons end. I am pretty dialed in...some get a bit droopy at days end, but they perk up when the sun goes down and get a drink in the AM.

sicman said:
have fun on that hike. wish i had places to hike instead of swamp. oh well you win some and you lose some. plants are looking beast.

Thanks Sic! I spent a ton of time out and about when I was down in your neighborhood...most of it walking canals hunting for Snook, Tarpon, Peacock and Snakeheads...it's so cool when your side catches are 4 and 5 lb bass! Not the same though, so I feel ya.

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
is this Walt andersons?? crazy!!!.. my sister is there for a week.. now im tempted to go
maybe you can pick up some for me ( and yourself) and ship em over. hahaha..easier than me driving to your work or there

Yup...that's the place. I don't mind grabbing some for you, but would rather not ship them. I could get them as far as Seal Beach for you though! I think you should visit you sis anyway! :rofl:

RocketMan said:
Love the pod shots Shane. The kids are trying to grow some of those snacking peppers too. I saved seeds from all 3 colors and they at least sprouted.

That's one cool looking Dragon Fly, looks like you have lots of good protection going on this year and no Virus.

I got ground troops and an Airborne unit deployed conducting leaf to leaf clearance with air support. I started these snacking peppers from a pile of mixed seeds...then later took the time to separate them and start another batch which I ended up giving away??? So I have no idea which colors will show up! I am hoping for Red and Yellow so I can hide them in with a bunch of Fatalii or Bhuts and pick it out and chow down, then let someone else pick one out to sample :rofl:

. Nah...I would never do that! :rolleyes:

Dshlogg said:
If that nursery were near me, I'd probably go broke! Very cool varieties they have. There's an avid Chile head in charge there no doubt. I Cant believe they had Jay's Peach. That's high on my grow list for next year.

Your garden is thriving! So many pods sooo early in the season. I hope you have an extra freezer brother. Your gonna need it.

Let me know when Shane's Chile Academy starts enrollment. I'll be first to submit my application!

It's tough!!! I invited mama to go...and she stayed home, but then she gets mad??? She should be glad I only came home with one! I still have a couple spots that need plants...hmmmm I will set aside some seed for you brother!

I was just looking at the Vid I cut last year eating Jamie's Barrackpore and doing a garden tour on June 4th...Wow, I didn't realize how much bigger my plant were until I saw that vid. I bought a chest freezer at the beginning of the season, so I am preparred! Blessed for sure...I have a couple with issues I can't put a finger on, but it doesn't look virus related. I may be accepting apprentice applications to be live in caretakers from September through December if I get deployed!

windchicken said:
Really beautiful poddage Shane! I love how you named your Birgits family! They are some free-spirited plants for sure!

Haha...I knew that reference would take a few folks back, and make a few others wonder what the heck I was talking about! Nothing to do now but wait...I mulched them in with some newspaper and will add a nice layer of cow poo over that to keep the N way up there to promote more growth and less poddage...but I don't think there is any preventing these things from podding up!

Devv said:
Wow, great selection at the nursery! Around here to find Habs is rare, in this was the first year I found them.

<So stupid question time:>

"Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion" This is a cross someone has released into the market?

</End of stupid questions>

Those yellow brains are looking gnarly as well as the "Freakin Bhut's"

What kind of corn seed did you use this year? Hopefullly it will produce some nice ears!

Have a good week!

Finding more and better varieties every year...actually even the "Home" store has Numex varieties such as Big Jim and 6-4 along with some great Thai varieties and Caribbean Reds...all those at the other nursery on top of that!!! :party:

The Ghost Scorpion (Red and Peach they had both) are just what the name implies. A cross between a Trinidad Scorpion and a Bhut. Really crazy looking pods, extremely hot and gnarly, some with 3 tails on the same pod. The Peach variety is one of the few light colored pods that are just as hot as the reds with a sweeter/fruitier flavor. Should be good...gonna be a LONG wait for some poddage, but I will have plenty of pods to tide me over until they're ready. Those Yellow Brains are one of the few I am uncertain of the source...I think they came off a Seed Train??? I really like how they're looking. The pods are already huge and plentiful and still no sign of color...so bigger they'll get! Hope I come back to some coloring up, fingers crossed they're the right color, but thus far I have been pleasantly surprised that everything has turned the color it was supposed to!

I don't remember what type of sweet corn I planted??? It was a hybrid that is supposed to do well here and in small gardens...will have to check when I hit the casa on Friday.

@Koskorgul-Thanks! Lucky to have them for sure...and lucky to have a major superhot seed/plant distributor near by to supply them.

@WG-Yup...really cool find! I only found a few with the naked eye...I do have a blacklight I use to hunt the nasties, but it's a CFL that I use my adapter on with an extension cord. I haven't checked to see it they glow...but I bet they do! Some are gonna slip by...but that's just part of the game. I think the drip is good to go now...but the schedule will continue to change as the temps climb, but it keeps them alive until I can come home and give them some TLC.

You have a good week too bro!

@Romy...Diversified is nowhere in any of the dozens of words I would use to describe the typical CA person. :rofl:

I can't wait to get back down South when I retire! Not bad out here...but not that bad is the same thing as not that good right?

Big weekend, we got that hike under our belts and even through a little running in there. Aside from the nursery plant I also picked up some more soil and another fert injector for my other drip circuit. Spent about 4 hours doing nothing but dead-heading mamas perdies and weeding on Sunday along with getting some brush piles consolidated. I really miss the days of sitting in a lawn chair with a 12 pack feeding the brush pile into a burn barrel...no such luck out here. Dump runs are expensive out here and almost pushed me to purchase a chipper/shredder but I am now looking at renting one before things are anymore out of control! Plus if I shred it now I could have some good mulch for next year...anyway, some new color out there along with a few other developments.

First off...my daughter brought home a reusable bag from a local restaurant...I know some of you have already tested them as grow bags so...

I am giving it a whirl...It took 5 of those 5# containers of soil to get it almost full before I ran out of soil. I am thinking around 20 actual gallons...since the 5# nursery containers really only hold 3.9 gallons. Couple the size with some air-pruning and this plant should go nuts...good genetics on the plant too and one I haven't spent to much time updating thus far, Brainstrain from Jamie (Romy6) This is the smaller of the two Romy6 Brain plants...the other is quite a bit larger and podding up in a 15" pot. Let the games begin! I have a couple Brains from Vincent (Coheed) also. Gonna be a HOT summer. I got about a pound of powder off my one sick Brain plant last year so this should be really good!

Here is the other Jaimie Brain plant podding up...

Here is some new color!!! This is on the Jamaican Scotch Bonnet from Greg (Pic1) I think this seed stock was from back in 2007! I really like the looks of these pods.

The 7 Pot Rennie is podding up nicely...

Same plant...many more on there including...

This freaking bad boy!!! :woohoo:

Should be done cooking when I get home on friday...and I will be cooking shortly after that! Maybe I should try the Scotch Bonnet first so I still have a sense of taste when I tackle this one! 7 Pot Rennie!!!

Here's my little pull...Yellow Cardi, Yellow 7, Yellow Billy Boy, Goat's Weeds (the two green ones were a tragic picking accident :rolleyes:

) far left is a group of Explosive Embers and far right are Numex Centennials. A gaggle of different tomatoes and 4 immature Romy6 mysteries two off each pheno.

Spoons are looking spoonier!!! Some are larger, but they seem to be scaling back and ripening smaller now that there are more fruits on the plant.

OK, ok...now to these things that I could wait no longer to sample. Unmistakably Annuum in growth habit, but undeniable Chinense flavor in there too. Although they were immature (I chose 4 that were close, but not the closest to ripening) these pods are blistering hot. In no way are they even close to the craziness of a super...but they had a burn that rivaled any orange hab in the bin at the grocery store. I ate two of them with dinner last night. Seedy with with tough outer flesh...but not leathery like most tough podded plants. They were just kind of hard and very crunchy. The burn lasted through dinner and into the evening...crazy long. I took a shower a few hours later before bed and still had a good lip burn going. These things will make a great candidate for salsas, pickling, sauce and were tailor made for powdering. C'mon ripen already!!!

Parting shot is from our hike...Lake Ramona from the Damn. We had to climb around 2k feet up the trail to get here...

Have a great week folks! Is it Friday yet???

Shane

WalkGood · Jun 11, 2013

07 Scotch Bonnet pod from Greg’s JA seed looks great, it should be super tasty ... did I smell Jerk Chicken \o/

Great harvest, love dem little maters & peppers in my eggs ...

Dam dem pod pics are awesome bro! Bet da wait will be worth it, have a great week ^_^

stickman · Jun 11, 2013

stc3248 said:
I got ground troops and an Airborne unit deployed conducting leaf to leaf clearance with air support.

That's funny! Glad you have near-total coverage with a combined-arms force. Now if they would only come up with something like a predatory microbe that would take out things like wilts and MMV...
Fantastic that you're having Chinense pods coloring up, your grow is just sick Shane!