glog Stettoman '23: Had ya wondering, didn't I?

Yep, I'm going to take a stab at resurging my passion. Only 40 starts this year, and that may be ambitious for the space I'm allotted, but compared to the TWO I grew last year? Way.

So this year I'm doing the GIP Serrano Magic Powder again. Some of the farmers in Pueblo are growing some limited numbers of Serrano, so I may be able to augment to the 7 plants I'm doing myself. I had great aspirations to ship out some of that to a number of you guys, but somehow I dumbthumbed my address lists out of existence on the PC. I apologize and intend to follow through this year. I'll have the Rocoto/chokecherry jelly coming out my ears again, though I've got batches stored from previous seasons and plenty Aji Oro and chokecherries frozen to make more now.

The current lineup: Note that all but the Serrano are Rocoto...

Serrano Tampiqueño (Sandia)--7
Manzano Orange (Sandia)--4
Rocoto Rojo (stettoseed)--4
Arequipeño (stettoseed)--5
Gelbe Riesen (stettoseed)--5
Ecuador Sweet (stettoseed)--5
De Seda Yellow (stettoseed)--5
Turbo Pube (stettoseed)--5

The "stettoseed" is merely my own saved seeds from 2-4 years ago, all of which originated as gifts and trades with members here. My Prevagen deficiency doesn't allow me to credit those members adequately...sorry.

There is an absence of a number of varieties I just don't have space for this year: Aji Amarillo, Allepo, Jimmy Nardello, etc., etc., etc...But it's a start. I'm going to visit the Pueblo folks this year and see if I can find a marketing partner for the jelly.

And I blah on...I've been away. Now I'm back, missed you guys!!

Another thrilling episode to come!!

 

[stettoman]

I WILL be damned. The Rocotos appear to be on the move already! I'll post an update pic in a week or so and we can compare...

And @MarcV, you are my nomination for the official THP Abbreviation Looker-Upper. Cool gig!

 

[PtMD989]

What the f*ck does WTF mean?

Whisky Tango Foxtrot

 

[stettoman]

Aw jeece, I promised a look at the Rocos, did'neye...

OK then, as is evident, though still mighty small, I have true leaves on all my Pubes (yah----don't go there). I'm having a snot of a time keeping temps at or below 75 degrees, but no one really looks to be suffering. The spindly looking one in the Solo front and to the right is a Sandia Orange Manzano, seems to be lagging the most...

...except for these two guys, the Aji Oros I planted to replace the overwinter I KILLED a couple weeks ago. These I neglected any soaking and still they popped in a week. I'm now of the mind that soaking may be overrated. Afterall, the seeds are from the 2019 harvest...

And of course, the obligatory Anuum shot. Still healthy, not yet hell-bent-for-leather, but I think that'll change with natural exposure and a bigger environment. Yep, that's one of the LO Thais up front and left that caused so much trouble a few posts back.

I dunno if I'm ahead of the Pueblo guys yet, I'm sure their starts are ahead of mine, but overall I'm fairly confident that I'm going to have good crops this year.

Wish I had more time, I need to get around the glogosphere more often, but I got contractors popping in and out (The Darlin' Bride isn't as happy with certain aspects of the house as she was on moving day). Kitchen people, bath people, landscape people (yup, she wants a waterfall ), and I gotta paint the garage before pegboard and tool stuff can be took care o'...

So bye

 

[stettoman]

Well hell, here I am back already, got a delayed contractor, thought I'd show y'all what I'm up against for my grow intentions...

This first pic is the lower part of the back yard, and the empty stretch is going to fill with chokecherry trees. They start producing in a season or two, I'm counting on some decent climate to get them off to a good start. Likely to plant at the end of March...I'm thinking 5 trees to start, and once they take hold they begin to sucker immediately.

A look up the steps to patio level, my goal being to yank the shrubbery on the left and create a raised bed system. It's sloped pretty good, so tiering may be the way...

I should establish orientation. The back yard is on the west side of the house. If not for the 2 storied monstrosities directly behind the house, we'd have a spectacular view of Pikes Peak, Cheyenne Mt, and a lot of geographical eye candy.

From the north looking southerly. The structure right at the front is already got the foundation for a raised (Rocoto?) bed, It would get the least direct sunlight besides positioning pots along the north side of the house itself, which may become necessary...

Which leaves me less than 6'X6' foot of area for a greenhouse, if I take out the Rubbermaid shedlette. I have little use for the thing, but I was hoping for more space and a larger unit. This brings up the afore mentioned raised bed area. I CAN remove it to make room, or even just cut it down a couple feet. I'll make that determination soon enough.

Yes, that's a hose bib right in the middle of everything, covered with foam for winter. Either mighty convenient or a potential pain in the ass...I guess I could put the greenhouse down below, but I guess I'll need some consulting before I get too deep.

Anyway, that's what I got. No acreage, just a small xeriscaped back yard that the wife just loves (but wants a waterfall) and little options.

I'll get back to you...

 

[PaulG]

Looking good, Eric!

I see lots of places for container plants!

 

[CaneDog]

Good to see what you have to work with and hear about your plans. Looking forward to seeing it full of plants later this year!

 

[Ratatouille]

This looks lovely! The deck is very charming. And I see lots of options for growing.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Once you get the undergrowth out of the way you'll be amazed how much more space you have.
Where's the waterfall going?

 

[Tinkerbelle]

In my head when you say waterfall, I see something like this

 

[stettoman]

Dear diary: My rookie mistake of 2023...

I guess nothing need said here, just wasn't paying attention. Kept to a schedule instead of checking moisture content.

They'll recover, of course. But as soon as I'm done knocking my head against the wall I'm going to have a Come to Jesus meeting with myself.

 

[CaneDog]

It's our "rookie" mistakes that keep it an adventure!

Looks like it got off to a solid start and any recent conditions haven't slowed it down much.

I hate the appearance of edema, but that guy sure looks like it will bounce back fast.

 

[stettoman]

Well @CaneDog , I've always prided myself on my attention to my specimens, this is really unforgivable to. It took me a season or two to lighten up on the micromanagement, now I'm finding myself guilty of inattentiveness to a fault. I don't want to have to restart my Serranos. But I'll get over it. Thanks for the peptalk!

 

[PtMD989]

What don’t kill’em will only toughen them up.

 

[stettoman]

Darn. time flies.

First day in the sun. And suddenly, the wind. Had to resoil a few of 'em.

My darlin' Pubes...

And the sacred Serranos, with a cute little pair of LARGE. ORANGE. THAIS. I thought it important to spell it out, if only once

Really strange and unexpected kind of Spring here this year. Colder, windier, oh, and WINDIER. Gettin' mighty tired of it. If I had a greenhouse up by now I'm sure it would be somewhere in Wyoming today. We've had fires here the last couple days, that wind does NOT help matters. And come to find out that there's something in that smoke I'm allergic to...

Continueing to abide, Dude out...

 

[ahayastani]

Really strange and unexpected kind of Spring here this year. Colder, windier, oh, and WINDIER. Gettin' mighty tired of it. If I had a greenhouse up by now I'm sure it would be somewhere in Wyoming today. We've had fires here the last couple days, that wind does NOT help matters. And come to find out that there's something in that smoke I'm allergic to...

I know that feeling, except that it's hotter here instead of colder. Lots of HOT wind, and the municipal landfill caught fire two weeks ago. They exstinguished the fire on the surface, but they can't get the subsurface fires under control. So, occasionally, whiffs of smoke from stuff granny trashed last century arrive, and god I really don't want to know what's in there... I think I'll have my lungs sneezed out soon.

 

[MarcV]

And tacred Serranos, with a cute little pair of LARGE. ORANGE. THAIS. I thought it important to spell it out, if only once

Why is that?

 

[stettoman]

Awww, ain't she cute?! After all the sprouts popped I kinda forgot one of my pots in a dark, unheated corner. It was a fluke that I even glanced at it this afternoon, and LOOK!

Surprise baby Aji Oro, only a few weeks behind everyone else!! My little miracle pepperlette!!

And this is why we do it, people, for the sweet and joyous nurturing of the dainty....

Oh hell no it's not. Don't let me lie, folks. And that WAS a lie. I. Want. PEPPERS!!!!!!!

 

[stettoman]

So...Colorado. Am I wrong? It was 83° just two days ago.

The Serranos must be nervous this morning, eh-yuh...

The Pubescens can't see so well through the drape, so they're no worse for not knowing.

And this small attempt at bonsai is now THREE YEARS OLD!!

He kept growing full size leaves till now, maybe we're getting with a program this year...

Last year we got around 10 inches of snow in May, so I know anything is possible @ 6800 ft., I just don't have to like it...

 

[stettoman]

Alas! And forsooth!! An update!!

CO Springs, or at least my corner of it, just experienced 3.79 inches of rain in the last 48 hours. To think I was considering planting out last weekend...

In any case the kids are chomping at the bit to play in the big dirt, so Mother's Day seems fitting, no?

Some of the precocious little fiends insist on getting ahead of themselves, such as this Serrano:

So this is one of two raised beds I've purchased in kit form from Lowes. Yes, it looks like an upside-down casket lid. No, I am not of caring. Dimensions are approx. 70" X 30" X 28" high, and my Serranos and LO Thais will find this a happy happy place compared to the 3" X 3" X 3" digs they occupy currently. As stated earlier, the Rocotos will be bag-bound...

The casket came with a canvas liner which I refuse to install before Dirt Day. You got no idea the wind here. Like in MN, we've chosen a veritable wind tunnel in which to reside...More on dirt day!!


...Oh, and those of you who were hanging your hopes and prayers upon the band Social Insanity becoming the next national thing, they'll be doing it without the Stettoman. We have reached an amiable parting of the ways. But my rap & roll band Alien High is scheduling gigs and continuing. Not to mention I'm in negotiations with a couple heavy hitters here in town to assemble a classic rock power trio. More on that too...

TTFN!!

 

[CaneDog]

Those caskets look like they'll do great for your serranos, Stetto. Looking forward to seeing them filled out with soil and peppers.

Go power trio!