Stupid Jerk's stupid grow log for jerks

Trippa · May 18, 2013

That second to last pic looks to me a lot like a Prik Luang (a thai orange variety) or indeeed a Serrano

DocNrock · May 18, 2013

Carson, it all looks fantastic. Gotta love the So Cal sun, no? Hopefully those Green Lacewings will do the deed for you!

Devv · May 18, 2013

Everything looks great. Gotta hand it to you!

StupidJerk · May 18, 2013

Thanks guys! I guess I worry too much about things. I'm really shocked at how little water my plants need now. Some weeks I don't water on my own at all, just let the auto watering sprinklers that go off once a week do the work.

On another note, my cucumber/sunflower shading system is starting to take shape. The sunflowers are now about 7 feet tall and dapple the late afternoon sun. Rather well. Now that I notice, the plants doing the best and without the yellow are the ones shaded on the west by the sunflowers and cucumbers.

JJJessee · May 19, 2013

I hope shane is right about the sunburn thing. Woodchips or too fresh of sawdust/carbon source mixed in soil can cause stunned yellow growth. I got some of that prob in my hot bed.

StupidJerk · May 19, 2013

JJJessee said:
I hope shane is right about the sunburn thing. Woodchips or too fresh of sawdust/carbon source mixed in soil can cause stunned yellow growth. I got some of that prob in my hot bed.

Sorry to hear about that. I need to catch up on your growlog. Did yours get yellow on the top, but not the lower branches as well? I don't have that many wood chips in the soil, and the ones that are have been in there for at least a year. I'm going to start giving it a small dose of fish ferts every week. I hope the combination of the fish ferts and the manure/compost I mixed in initially will keep enough nitrogen available.

One thing of note is that my other plants aren't experiencing the yellow at all. My tomato plants are all dark green and 4-6' tall.

I also need to make some compost tea. My worms have made a pretty decent amount of castings, so it's almost time to put that to stuff to work.

JJJessee · May 19, 2013

Yeah it is top mainly, doesn't sound like enough volume or fresh enough to be the problem, but suspicious if that's the only ground that it's happening on. (could even be a ph prob.?) Tomatoes are more resilient for me.

windchicken · May 19, 2013

Very nice work Carson!

+1 Everything Shane said...

FWIW, I don't believe those annuums in the penultimate pik are Serranos...The leaves normally exhibit some pubescence and the pods a blunt blossom end...Really pretty plant and pods, tho...

StupidJerk · May 19, 2013

Devv said:
Everything looks great. Gotta hand it to you!

Thanks! I'm really happy I've had no problems. I think the best thing I did to prepare, considering I've never grown anything in my life before this year, was starting some seeds in September. I learned a lot in the months leading up to when my grow really started, and I killed/stunted a lot of seedlings. I've still got a lot to learn, so it's great seeing the different grow logs with methods from you guys who have been growing vegetables for years.

DocNrock said:
Carson, it all looks fantastic. Gotta love the So Cal sun, no? Hopefully those Green Lacewings will do the deed for you!

I love the sun, and my farmer's tan shows it. I love lacewings. The fact that they like to lay eggs on my balcony is the thing that has saved me time and time again. Those guys are the best. I release 1000 in my 400 sq ft garden, which is supposed to be enough for 2000 sq feet. My neighbors better thank me.

windchicken said:
Very nice work Carson!

+1 Everything Shane said...

Thanks, good to hear it's probably a sun thing. That makes sense. My plant that is getting blocked on the east and west by tomatoes doesn't really have the issue, and still even has a few big artificial light leaves on it:

Trippa said:
That second to last pic looks to me a lot like a Prik Luang (a thai orange variety) or indeeed a Serrano

stc3248 said:
Second to last pic looks to be a thick cayenne variety or maybe a Jimmy Nardello.

windchicken said:
FWIW, I don't believe those annuums in the penultimate pik are Serranos...The leaves normally exhibit some pubescence and the pods a blunt blossom end...Really pretty plant and pods, tho...

Who knows what I'm growing there. I didn't attempt to germinate anything like these at all other than the Fresno and Biker Billy, and both of those plants are accounted for. I'm glad I'm growing it, looks like it's going to be a nice addition and very prolific.

stc3248 · May 19, 2013

I hear ya...some of my mysteries have been my favorite plants! Did you order any ebay seeds??? Very common for folks to order supers off ebay and end up with cayenne plants...

StupidJerk · May 19, 2013

Nah, I ordered initially from Pepper Joe, though the only ones from that order that I'm still growing are the Hot Cherries that were supposed to be Yatsafusa, the bhut jolokia, the reapers. I also ordered Purple Jalapeno and Black Pearl from some company I don't remember, those are both true. I ordered Douglahs and Chocolate bhuts from Refining Fire Chilies. No pods yet, but those are my strongest and biggest plants. I think that's because they were the ones I planted when I started to figure out what I was doing. I got a few seeds from giveaways by AjiJoe and another guy I can't remember. The rest of my seeds came from smokemaster, Denniz, and Fernando.

stc3248 · May 20, 2013

Oh well...like you said it looks prolific and I'll bet its a great salsa or flaking pepper. I love this site...I have given and received more seeds than I will ever order. Not just peppers either, some cool heirloom tomatoes, squash, beans, corn...even some perdies! Your plot is setup for a big move with the warmer nights we've been having, you'll have more pods than you can handle!

Quick question, how much does it cost you for your community plot? I have a couple guys at work that are growing on their balcony, and I was thinking of helping them find a community garden near them...

StupidJerk · May 20, 2013

stc3248 said:
Oh well...like you said it looks prolific and I'll bet its a great salsa or flaking pepper. I love this site...I have given and received more seeds than I will ever order. Not just peppers either, some cool heirloom tomatoes, squash, beans, corn...even some perdies! Your plot is setup for a big move with the warmer nights we've been having, you'll have more pods than you can handle!

Quick question, how much does it cost you for your community plot? I have a couple guys at work that are growing on their balcony, and I was thinking of helping them find a community garden near them...

I know, joining this site was quite a blessing. I also got a bunch of basil seeds and some other veggies from members. I'll make sure to save a bunch of seeds to give away to new and old members next year.

The community garden is $120 per year for a 10x20 plot. I have two of those, so I pay $240 a year. Quite a steal when you consider water is included. I also got the wood chip mulch from a pile that they left out for gardeners.

It's really a great thing, but I guess fruits and veges get stolen once in a while. That's why most of us build fences and put padlocks on them.

Anyway, even with the possibility of theft it has been a great thing for me. I would recommend it to any apartment dweller who can find a plot.

WalkGood · May 20, 2013

Wow that is a great deal ... wish we had once close by me at those prices I agree it's a steal. Sad to read about the theft mon, I hate [SIZE=12pt]teif mon (thief).[/SIZE]

Devv · May 20, 2013

Never really heard about a community garden until I started coming here. I'm glad they're available.

Growing is great and I'm glad you have a place to do it..

DesertChris · May 21, 2013

Plants are looking awesome!!

You are making me jealous with all that podding up happening!!

StupidJerk · May 22, 2013

I got a hand sprayer and did a foliar feed on my balcony plants with some seaweed extract last night. I can not believe how well they responded. I had a sort of yellow looking plant that colored up so much today that I am shocked. I can't wait to try it out at the garden tomorrow.

I also noticed lacewing eggs all over the plants, and a couple larva. Kind of funny considering I just purchased eggs to get them going and they haven't hatched yet. I'm not too upset, because the vast majority I put out at the garden. I'm just glad they are back this year. I took a video of one running around a hibiscus flower, but it was moving too fast for me to get a focus. I really love those little beasts.

WalkGood said:
Wow that is a great deal ... wish we had once close by me at those prices I agree it's a steal. Sad to read about the theft mon, I hate teif mon (thief).

I'll feel sorry for anyone who steals a Butch T or a Reaper and doesn't know what it is.

Devv said:
Never really heard about a community garden until I started coming here. I'm glad they're available.

Growing is great and I'm glad you have a place to do it..

It has changed my outlook on life.

DesertChris said:
Plants are looking awesome!!

You are making me jealous with all that podding up happening!!

Thanks, I can't wait to get my first fresh superhot pod. Ate the cherries the other day in some stuffed peppers and on some tacos. Those are delicious peppers. Not too hot, but taste so good.

DesertChris · May 23, 2013

I can't remember, but didn't you say the cherry peppers were supposed to be something else?
Seeds you had ordered from pepperjoe, that must have been mislabled or something?
I only remember thinking I had also gotten whatever variety it was, from him too.

From your description, I won't be unhappy if I end up with some of those

StupidJerk · May 23, 2013

Yeah, they were supposed to be yatzy/yatsafusa. What I think happened is they stuck a yatzy sticker on my cherry, since I didn't get one labeled cherry in my order. I forgot I ordered cherries initially and gave my second yatzy pack away thinking he sent 2 accidentally, but it was probably the actual yatzy

DesertChris · May 23, 2013

Oh dang....that's a bummer...I ordered yatzy's too, and am actually hoping they grow true...
But if they turn out to be cherries, well...i'll eat them....lol

My gal brought a "serrano" home from the local garden show.... it is small, but set a pod...
Doesn't look like any serrano I have ever seen...hahaha... it actually looks like a habanero shape of pod forming....
Makes me wonder what it is.