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Stickman's 2014 Glog- That's all folks!

Hi All,
   I've got Manzanos sprouted and my Bhuts, Lotah Bih and Donne Sali seeds planted so it looks like time to leave 2103 behind and begin to concentrate on 2014. Last year I started some of my late-season varieties right after New Year's Day, but our season was too short to bring the pods to full ripeness so this year I started 2-3 weeks earlier.
 
Manzano seedlings...
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Fruts and Bhuts ;) ...
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There are many more varieties yet to plant in the proper turn, and I have 4 overwintered pepper plants from 2013 that I'll report on later. Have a great weekend all!
 
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stickman said:
Thanks for the idea Balázs, but I don't think it'll fly here. We only heat about 106 square meters of living space and there's not enough room for us, our other stuff and that many chiles upstairs. I could start 'em sure enough, but once they started to grow we'd run out of room fairly quickly.
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That is true, Rick. Every year when I am planning the number of my plants, I end up with more I could find place to. Like you said before, you can still order some plants, even from other THP members. I'm sure everybody knows that the perfect place of their plants would be in your garden! :P
 
Devv said:
It's hard to tell what the lights did to our electric bill this winter. We have a new HVAC unit and it's saving us a ton on electricity.
 
We're in a coop and the rates are pretty good here.
 
How much did the lights raise your bill?
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Sorry Scott, I'll have to get back to you on that... too busy this weekend. :)
 
HabaneroHead said:
That is true, Rick. Every year when I am planning the number of my plants, I end up with more I could find place to. Like you said before, you can still order some plants, even from other THP members. I'm sure everybody knows that the perfect place of their plants would be in your garden! :P
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Thanks for the vote of confidence Balázs! It'll all work out... ;)
 
PaulG said:
Great to see the Manzanos in the raised bed, Rick!
Nice to have the hoop house and cover.
 
Is your weather wildly variable this time of year, like ours?
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Yeah, it sure is Paul... yesterday was in the upper 70s with overnight lows in the upper 40s. Today was windy and cold... call it 57/39. Colder still tomorrow and Tuesday... then back up again. :crazy:
 
Jamison said:
Looking good Rick!  Glad you finally got to get your hands dirty.  Best of luck with hardening off and I'll try to send some this hot weather your way!!
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I appreciate that Jamison... just don't short yourself. Lol!
 
This weekend was a pretty productive one... I spread Tomato Tone ferts, Azomite, Jersey greensand and a sprinkling of wood ashes and spaded them all in. Raked the soil out smooth and level and hooked up the drip irrigation for the herb bed and raised garden where I have the Manzanos planted.
 
Got a couple of new fittings to add to the tap end of the business... an anti-siphon fitting and a flow restrictor to keep the pressure in the line down.
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I set up a loop with 1/4 inch tubing and in-line 1/2 gallon per hour drippers for the herb bed
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And a couple of terminal drippers for the Manzanos.
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It was windy enough today, and is supposed to be cold enough tonight that I dug out the sheet poly and snap clamps to attach it to the frame.
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I'm thinking I'll harden off the nightshades inside the low row cover while the IRT plastic mulch is warming up the soil over in Pepper Row. Have a great week all!
 
Everything is shaping up nicely Rick.
 
About the electric: I heat with electric so my electric bill isn't small on a good day. Years ago we decided to do the even billing plan so we didn't get hit with high bills in the winter. Every month the bill is the same. Works great and I don't hardly notice the dent the 7-800 watts I had going on down there all winter. Maybe annualizing the cost over the whole year would sway your significant other.
 
Yes, my average bill has gone up $20.00 a month or so, but I blame it on the kids... ;)
 
Love the setup Rick! Something to strive for in the future. I think I may be able to get away with the black plastic assuming I have time for a grow next year. Think it would work well in place of the black plastic mulch? 
 
OCD Chilehead said:
The drip line is looking good. I'm still trying to piece my system together.
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It's a great imvestment for a serious grower... it lets me relax at the end of the day, knowing that I don't have to go out there and water the garden... it's already taken care of. :) :)
 
Penny said:
Great updates Rick and those enchilada's look pretty darn tasty!! :dance:
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Thanks miz Penny. Has it finally thawed out in the great white north?
 
Jeff H said:
Everything is shaping up nicely Rick.
 
About the electric: I heat with electric so my electric bill isn't small on a good day. Years ago we decided to do the even billing plan so we didn't get hit with high bills in the winter. Every month the bill is the same. Works great and I don't hardly notice the dent the 7-800 watts I had going on down there all winter. Maybe annualizing the cost over the whole year would sway your significant other.
 
Yes, my average bill has gone up $20.00 a month or so, but I blame it on the kids... ;)
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Thanks for the idea Jeff... I'll have to look into that. We don't use electricity to heat with though... it's a blend of solar gain and a small gas space heater instead.
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Love the setup Rick! Something to strive for in the future. I think I may be able to get away with the black plastic assuming I have time for a grow next year. Think it would work well in place of the black plastic mulch? 
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The solar mulch I get from Johnny's Seeds is an Infra-red transparent film that blocks red and blue wavelengths. It warms the soil a few degrees more than plain black poly, but that's all. I can get it in 4x50 foot lengths or it would probably be too expensive for me to afford. Black poly is cheaper per foot, but usually comes in 2-4 thousand foot rolls, which prices me out for that one. Here's a paper from the western MA extension about plastic film mulches... http://nevegetable.org/cultural-practices/plastic-mulch-films
Cheers all!
 
stickman said:
 
Not long... 20 minutes at 6am and another 20 minutes at 6pm. That seemed to take care of the peppers in the raised bed out back and the overflow peppers in airpots last year. :)
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Just to add to the 1/2 GPH dripper conversation, I ran mine about 1/2 hour a day around 8PM. Worked fine for the 5-10 gallon pots I had last year. I had to supplement a bit in Aug when it was really hot, but other than that, it was fine.
 
Jeff H said:
 
Just to add to the 1/2 GPH dripper conversation, I ran mine about 1/2 hour a day around 8PM. Worked fine for the 5-10 gallon pots I had last year. I had to supplement a bit in Aug when it was really hot, but other than that, it was fine.
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Great minds think (nearly) alike, eh Jeff? ;)
 
Still working on last year's harvest... in honor of Cinco de Mayo I made some tamales with chicken and mole' poblano for the filling, and more mole' to spoon over the top.
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JJJessee said:
Those tamales look great!
How'd you learn to make them?
 
Yeah, we're got a little extra heat outside right now. I hope some is headed your way.
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They're not hard at all... it just takes a little practice and a source of corn husks to wrap the dough in. Out of season, you can buy bundles of dried, sterilized husks, but when you're picking corn you can use the green leaves or husks. The corn leaves give the tamales a bit of flavor too. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Red-Chili-Tamales
   There's an awful lot of fat in traditional tamales... a cup of lard to 3 cups of masa harina... so I just used the same amount of masa, 2 tsp of vegetable oil, tsp of salt, 1.5 tsp paprika and enough of the chicken broth left over from poaching the chicken to make a spreadable dough.
 
Thanks JJJ, we could sure use some warmth! Last night it got down into the low 30s, and it looks like it will tonight as well, but after that it should warm up into the 50s overnight. :dance:
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Tamales look great Rick. I respect the effort they take.
I did a lame attempt of fish tacos and cheese quesadillas and plenty of beer for May 5th. I was unmotivated this year. Next year 'll do better.

Got a bag of corn husks in the pantry. One of these days I'll get around to it.
 
Jeff H said:
 
Just to add to the 1/2 GPH dripper conversation, I ran mine about 1/2 hour a day around 8PM. Worked fine for the 5-10 gallon pots I had last year. I had to supplement a bit in Aug when it was really hot, but other than that, it was fine.
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stickman said:
 
Not long... 20 minutes at 6am and another 20 minutes at 6pm. That seemed to take care of the peppers in the raised bed out back and the overflow peppers in airpots last year. :)
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How many emitters would you put in an 18 gallon pot?
 
PaulG said:
 
How many emitters would you put in an 18 gallon pot?
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I don't know Paul... I haven't used anything bigger than a 5 gal. pot yet. You might want to ask Shane. I seem to remember he had some pots about the size of yours on a drip irrigation setup. Let us know when you get it dialed in, would you? :)
 
I'm in the process of researching the best way to rig a drip irrigation system for my 21x23 foot vegetable garden. It has 2 double rows of peppers on one side, but the rest is divided up into 4x4 foot blocks separated by plank walkways. First I need to figure out how many zones I need to set up, and then how best to deliver the water to the plants. I'll post pics when I get it set up.
 
Have a great Tuesday all!
 
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