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Stickman's 2015 - That's All She Wrote...

Hi All! It's been an incredibly busy winter dealing with one thing and another, and it's only about half over here. :rolleyes:  Still, it's time to get on the stick and put my seeds in the dirt in preparation for plant-out in another 12 weeks or so. I have a Manzano over-wintering inside that's going on its third year. It's next to a sliding glass door with a great southern exposure but the light it gets here this time of year is pretty paltry... I expect it'll start to perk up sometime in March. I have a couple of MoA Scotch Bonnets over-wintering at a friend's house because there wasn't space in front of the sliding glass door for them and my wife's indoor plants... the deal is that if they both survive the winter, we'll split the plants. If not, he'll keep the one that lives. That seems fair since he did all the work. ;)
 
The rest of the list is looking like this...

Pubiscens Varieties
Total bust this year... nothing that germinated survived.

Baccatum:
Ditto

Frutascens:
Tabasco
Hawaiian Bird chile
 
Chacoense:
Ditto

Chinense:
7-pot Yellow Turned out to be a red "Not"
MoA Scotch Bonnet
Beni Highlands... Also turned out to be a "Not"... maybe a Mako Akokrosade cross?
Ja Hab
Trinidad Perfume
Zavory

Annuum:
Cabe Rawit (mouse turd pepper, in Singapore where the seeds were collected they're called Cili Padi)
Red Thai
Biggie Chile Anaheim

Poblano Gigantia
Jalapeno Ciclon
Jalapeno Tormenta
Serrano Tampiqueno
Hungarian Hot Wax
Almapaprika
Ethiopian Brown Berbere
 
I'll also be planting a sweet Criolla de Cucina plants and about 20 sweet Kurtovska Kapijas. The Kapijas have the longest growing and ripening times of any Annuum I know, but they're big, meaty sweet peppers that average around a half a pound apiece... just the thing for making that eastern european condiment called Ajvar.
 
Too tired to say more now, but will pick up later... Cheers!
 
SeanW said:
 
Thanks, going forward with mostly hydro for my peppers this year. Should be interesting. Extended forecast has us actually cracking into the 70s after next weekend, but we'll see what actually happens. My little guys aren't ready to go out anyway. This chill just won't go away, the Winter started pretty mild and then took a turn for the icy. Good call on the fencing around the blueberries, I have 2 plants that have done squat in the 2 years or so they've been in there due to regular rabbit maulings. I'm growing a few of the varieties I got off of you this year, I think my glog list is inaccurate (need to find my actual paper list in my garage..), but I've got some paprikas, the urfa biber, douglah and a few others that were from seeds you sent me. Here's hoping for another mild slide into fall so that our grow season is as long as possible.
 
S'right Sean... from your mouth to God's ear, eh? ;)
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Love the prep pictures! Looks like you got some greens coming up. How much does the plastic raise the ground temps?

Wondering if the pubensces ad goats weed call I more pests than others. Haven't seen aphids or notes on em but they sure have ladybugs.
 
I can say for sure that the aphids here like my Manzano more than they like my other pepper plants Adam. Good deal that you have the Ladybugs on duty where you are. :party:  According to the UNH professor that developed the plastic mulch I use, it can raise the soil temperature 6 degrees on average here in New England. It makes a huge difference for sure. http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/raw2/The%20Use%20of%20Different%20Colored%20Mulches%20for%20Yield%20and%20Earliness/The%20Use%20of%20Different%20Colored%20Mulches%20for%20Yield%20and%20Earliness.php?aid=8
Pulpiteer said:
Wow, I've been away from the site for awhile and just trying to catch up... you've got a lot going on!
It's that time of year though, isn't it?  Glad to see things moving along so nicely.  Our rhubarb is coming up too, which has me excited.  It's the first year for it to come back in this new location, so I'm encouraged.  I think our Lilacs are close to blooming too.  We're on similar schedules I think.
Anyway, things are looking great - enjoy the spring!
 
Thanks Andy... and right back atcha! :)
 
gnslngr said:
Piri Piri....."copy....paste"...love that stuff. I have a similar recipe, just uses more chilis and lemon juice.mmmmmmm
 
Good luck on the raised rows , I think you'll like them.
 
oh man, that Piri Piri shot made me hungry!
 
Thanks for the good vibe and dropping by Dave! I'm lovin' the Piri Piri sauce and putting it on everything until I work through the last batch. How is your garden doing in absentia?
 
Jeff H said:
Looking good Rick. Can't wait for Summer.
 
Me too Jeff, but things have finally warmed up enough overnight that I'm planting my peppers outside this weekend.
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I got my Habaneros and supers planted in the raised bed out back this afternoon
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... and covered it with 4 mil clear plastic to keep it warm at night.
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Here's the OW Manzano
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Naga King plant
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two JA Red Habaneros like this one
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an Orange 7-Pot
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and six MoA Scotch Bonnets like this one.
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I laid down the solar mulch on pepper row in preparation for planting the balance of the peppers and tomatoes tomorrow.
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I also prepped this bed for planting Cukes and Squash. That'll happen around Memorial Day when I put in the Beans.
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Supper tonight is shredded chicken burritos and cold beer before falling asleep early... ;)
 
meatfreak said:
Looks like your on track, Rick. Garden plots look really good, you've been busy :)
 
Yup, and I'm paying for it too, lol! Back is stiff and sore so I'll have my wife beat me later and rub in some arnica ointment. ;)   I got the rest of my peppers and tomatoes planted today and the low row cover erected over them. When we get consistent overnight lows in the 50s  (over 10 degrees C) I'll remove the row cover and stake them up. Sadly, I lost about a third of my seedlings because it was so cold down in my basement this winter and the rest are nowhere near as big as I'd like, but if most of them do well from here I should have plenty of heat added to what's left over from last year.
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Yeah, know what you mean about back problems ;) Takes me 2 days to recover if I've worked the garden. Wow, your night temps are a lot higher then here, it has been pretty cold so far. Last week we hit 36-37F but it looks like its changing finally towards 50F to. I wouldn't worry to much, they might be small now but they got age and I believe it makes them stronger :) Good luck!
 
Looking good Rick. Plants look nice and healthy. Take care of your self, the season has just begun. LOL . That Arnica works wonders. Thanks for that tip last year. It's the only thing that got me through that 6 month pipeline job. Hope you have a great week.
 
Nice work getting them in the ground! And that hoop house is looking good!  Do you have to watch it so it doesn't get too hot during the day?
 
  I covered mine also Rick.To much work getting them started to lose them this week to sun and storms while I am at work.Next week I will set them free and move over to the other row I will be planting out this saturday.
 
Looking good Rick. I put some plants outdoors yesterday to start the hardening off process. Still dang cold here, 36 this morning. All,the best to you and yours
 
meatfreak said:
Yeah, know what you mean about back problems ;) Takes me 2 days to recover if I've worked the garden. Wow, your night temps are a lot higher then here, it has been pretty cold so far. Last week we hit 36-37F but it looks like its changing finally towards 50F to. I wouldn't worry to much, they might be small now but they got age and I believe it makes them stronger :) Good luck!
 
I'm surprised to hear your overnight low temperatures have been so low Stefan... hopefully they're turning around for you now. Thanks for the good vibe!
 
OCD Chilehead said:
Looking good Rick. Plants look nice and healthy. Take care of your self, the season has just begun. LOL . That Arnica works wonders. Thanks for that tip last year. It's the only thing that got me through that 6 month pipeline job. Hope you have a great week.
 
Cheers Chuck! Glad the Arnica helped you last year. I've sworn by it for over 20 years.
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Plasticulture looks amazing Rick! Can't wait to see em take off.
 
Some of the peppers still look very small and yellowish, so we're not out of the woods yet, but I hope getting them out into the warmth and sunlight will perk them up. I know the soil has adequate Potassium in the garden because I tested it, so I don't think I'll need to add any Epsom salts around them to green them up. Thanks for the good vibe!
 
LA 2 the Bay said:
Nice looking plants
 
Cheers Marlon, and welcome to the zoo!
Pulpiteer said:
Nice work getting them in the ground! And that hoop house is looking good!  Do you have to watch it so it doesn't get too hot during the day?
 
I do Andy... I open up the ends on sunny days to let out excess heat and button them up again a little before sundown. You'd be amazed at how warm it gets inside with the IRT mulch on the ground.
 
randyp said:
  I covered mine also Rick.To much work getting them started to lose them this week to sun and storms while I am at work.Next week I will set them free and move over to the other row I will be planting out this saturday.
 
I hear that Randy! Good luck with your plant-out. :dance:
FreeportBum said:
Looking good Rick. I put some plants outdoors yesterday to start the hardening off process. Still dang cold here, 36 this morning. All,the best to you and yours
 
Thanks Guy! You've got some great-looking plants so I can understand your caution. I think we've hit the turnaround point weatherwise, and I'm sure it won't be long before your chiles are outside. Good luck to you too!
 
FreeportBum said:
Thanks Rick, I took another round of pube clones yesterday. This time from a red rocoto #2 from the Lima market that Nigel picked up over there I was told. Once they root I will pack one up and send it your way buddy.
 
Thanks so much for your very generous offer Devan! If you'd like to do it, I'm sure up for it... would you like a couple of bottles of my Blueberry/smoked Douglah sauce in exchange?
 
 
KiNGDeNNiZ said:
Hows the plant out ?
I love the poly tunnel
 
The plants that survived the initial shock of transplanting are doing very well DeNNiZ... it's been so cold for so long here that it was a major stress on the plants when it got hot and dry over the last couple of weeks. We've got red-flag warnings out until it rains enough to make fires unlikely, and it's anybody's guess when that'll be.
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I lost most of my Thai and Mexican Annuums. so I'll have to buy replacements to scratch that itch, and of the Frutascens varieties, the only one to make it was the Hawaiian Bird chiles. The C. Chacoense is small yet, but still surviving. The best-looking Annuums are the Hungarians and Kapijas. With overnight lows rapidly getting into the 50s I'll be planting the Kapijas in the "hill and ditch" garden this weekend.
 
The Chinense varieties are another story... I'm glad I farmed out the starting of those to my friends that own a contract farm. They gave me beautiful plants that just keep looking better! My half a dozen MoA Bonnets have huge leaves yet. I imagine that when they really start to take off they'll grow smaller ones and the stems will begin to elongate. Right now they all look like this in my first "Dawn Patrol" photos of the year...
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The King Naga is half the size of the Bonnets but healthy looking too, and the plant's forked.
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The real beast is gonna be the Orange 7-Pot... it already has 6 branches and is beginning to put out flower buds.
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Have a great rest of the week all!
 
Looking great Rick! Sorry to hear about the annuums ... But sounds like you have a plan to compensate ... Great stuff ... I hope you get some rain to bring the fire warning level down ... and make your watering job a little easier... On you grow! Cheers!
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Love the giant leaves on those guys. They look like they've been nicely hardened too. Maybe the plant will hold on to them as they start to grow taller.
 
Maybe, but it hasn't happened before Adam. I think the warmer microclimate above the plastic mulch would dry the plants out too much, so they ditch 'em for leaves with less surface area to conserve water.
 
Trippa said:
Looking great Rick! Sorry to hear about the annuums ... But sounds like you have a plan to compensate ... Great stuff ... I hope you get some rain to bring the fire warning level down ... and make your watering job a little easier... On you grow! Cheers!
 
I'll second that emotion Tristan! We could really use a good rain about now. I plugged the holes in the pepper lineup from a local nursery... Anaheims, Poblanos, Jalapenos, Serranos, a couple of Italian Eggplants and a couple of the long, skinny Asian eggplants. If I can find a  couple of Caribbean Seasoning peppers I'll be content to let it stop there.
 
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