SV's 2010 Garden List

[SV1000]

Howdy!

I went to get the welded wire mesh and decided the wire gauge was too thin and didn't like the idea of cleaning rust off my arms every time I reached for a tomato. I stopped by Tractor Supply and found 16' cattle panels that are 50" tall with 4ga wire, it's thicker than 3/16" and was a pain to bend into a cylinder but I am finished with that project. They are 33" in diameter, 50" tall and I welded the seam so they will stay together.

I have two extra pieces that I will use for cucumbers and possibly squash. I will probably frame the vertical piece in the center bed with 2X lumber tomorrow. I think the dirt place is closed tomorrow but I dug out that purple flowered weed out of two beds and will finish the middle bed later.

So what about peppers, right????????

I picked up a heating pad at Walmart and 3 oz Dixie cups and plan to plant tonight or tomorrow morning. I was going to plant in 16 oz Dixie cups and realized I would not be able to keep them heated. The peat pellets are cool but I think I damaged some plants last year removing the mesh.

I need to cut the PVC and assemble the FL light stand but that can wait a few days if I don't have time this weekend. I will probably post more pic's tonight.

 

[SV1000]

I put the PVC pipe rack together a few minutes ago and hung the lights. These have 4 -32w T8 bulbs and 128w more light than my seedlings had last year. I will put the lights on a timer and turn the heating pad on 24/7. If anyone has suggestions on the correct type of thermometer to use to verify that pad temperature it would be appreciated. The french doors face south so that will be additional light throughout the day.

 

[millworkman]

Can you not grow outdoors year round?

 

[SV1000]

My neighbors do grow all year, but the wife is home and gardening every few days protecting the plants from the heat in the summer and from the cold of winter. March is decent, April thru the first week of July are god and then the Texas heat is bad until October.

If you are asking because of the light setup, it is for first 30-40, are last frost is around spring break but every few years we get stung with a freeze. They were in the window sill West of the french doors and became real tall spindly. My TAM Jalapenos, Big Boy and Better Boy tomatoes did pretty good from seed last year but the Habanero's not so good.

 

[SV1000]

I planted last Sunday evening using Jiffy seed starter and three ounce Dixie paper cups. I put all the cups on a cookie sheet and placed that on the Wally World heating pad and covered it with a cardboard box. I had it on high but it felt a little warm so I turned it down to 4 yesterday, (Settings are Low, 1-5, High) I turned it up to 5 today. I put a tablespoon of water in each cup every other day or so. I read somewhere on Thehotpepper that seeds need water, warmth and oxygen to germinate so I may need to add a hole or two to the cardboard box.

Four cups each, 2-3 seeds per cup:

bjs2006

Lumbre from Hatch

 

[SV1000]

Just some progress photos, planted last Sunday and the early risers were Lumbre, Aji Cereza, Billy Biker and Jalapeno M. Moved them off the heating pad and under the lights. Planted eight Cherry Hybrid and eight Better Boy Hybrid this afternoon. I picked up two yards of wet, musty compost yesterday and parked the trailer at the farthest edge of the the drive from the backyard, I guess it was a good thirty five yards from the trailer to the raised beds. Since my oldest daughter found herself in some trouble at school I found an opportunity for her to work it off. I could use another 1/2 yard to level the beds but I am going to have her turn it over once a week for the next month.

 

[SV1000]

I went home for lunch and could not resist peeking under the cardboard box, two Bhut's are poking their heads through the soil. I moved them straight over to the lights as suggested on the forum.

I also received Tabasco seeds from Judy, thanks again!

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Good looking raised beds and a nice variety you have started. Best of luck to you and your garden this year.

 

[SV1000]

I added a yard of topsoil to the raised beds and turned it over along with the mushroom mulch. I will turn it over a few more times before planting.

Planted so far:

Lumbre from Hatch
Aji Cereza
Billy Biker
Bhut Jolokia
Yellow 7 Pod
Red Savina
Jalapeno M
Tabasco

Planted these tonight....

Fatali
Jalapeno Purple
Scotch Bonnet Orange

A few update shots. They are all mixed up and what may appear as an empty cup actually has a little gem down in the soil.

 

[SV1000]

I looked at Weather Underground and it looked like last night was the last of the sub-50 degree low temps for my county so I planted my seeds and seedlings.

I have these seedlings planted in the garden:

Orange Habanero (from local nursery, nice plants) - 6X
Orange Scotch Bonnet - 2X
Billy Biker Jalapeno – 3X
Jalapeno M – 3X
Hot Cherry – 3X
Lumbre – 2X
Tabasco – 3X
Yellow 7 Pod – 2X

These ranged from four leaves and 1” tall to 8 leaves and 4” tall.

I bought the Orange Hab’s from the nursery to supplement what I have grown from seed and hopefully I will end up with some super-hot’s. I also planted a few extra of the peppers above, maybe 10 total in 1-3 lb plastic coffee containers for backup.

If these peppers take off I will move them into five gallon buckets that I am collecting from work when they are available. A coworker gave me some 20 gallon molasses tubs today that should hold three plants easily.

New sprouts in Dixie cups that I put outside at lunch:

Black Cobra – 1X
Bulgarian Carrot – 1X
Orange Manzano – 1X

The following seeds were put on wet paper towels in ziplock bags on 3/10. I cannot tell if they are cracking or not so I decided I would put them in Burpee coconut based pellets and let them go a week or two longer. I have germinated my seeds in Dixie cups, on a cookie sheet on a heating pad and covered by a cardboard box. I started to think maybe the heat and humidity are not high enough so I put a cookie sheet over the cups and then covered it with the box last night.

Still trying to germinate the following:

Peach Habanero - X3
Yellow Habanero - X3
Chocolate Habanero - X3
Naga Morich - X3
Bhut Jolokia - X3

I also planted my veggies:

Cucumbers – along a 4’ wide trellis 6’ tall.
Romaine
Purple Onion
Radishes
Spinach
Butternut Squash
Cherry Tomatoes and Better Boy tomatoes I grew from seed and a tomato cultivar from Lowe’s that was labeled suitable for hot climates.

My youngest planted her strawberries and my oldest planted her herbs.

 

[millworkman]

Where are the pictures?

 

[SV1000]

Apparently I deleted my other photos to save space on Flickr but here are updated photos:

The DIY tomato cages and cucumber trellis.

Orange Hab's from the nursery.

Back row: Hot Cherry, Lumbre, Hot Cherry

Front row: Tabasco X3

Back Row: Orange Scotch Bonnet, Yellow 7 Pot (Pod?), Fatali

Front Row: Orange Scotch Bonnet, Yellow 7 Pot (Pod?), Fatali

 

[SV1000]

My daughters strawberries, herbs, two Cherry Tomato's and two Better Boy's.

Tomato's for friends and family, a couple of Jap M's and ?

BHN 444, put these heat tolerant tomato's in the new cages.

Lumbre and BB Jap

 

[SV1000]

Cherry Hot, Orange Scotch Bonnet and Jap M

Back Row: Lumbre that turned almost completely yellow and following recommendations at THP, I stopped using tap water that has a PH of 8+ and using lake water. I have also fertilized with 1/2 strength Miracle Grow and they are greening up nicely.

Front Row: Black Cobra, Bulgarian Carrot, ??? Lumbre

I will transplant these seedlings when I find more pots. I checked the recycle bin at work and we are out of the coffee containers. I did get another five gallon bucket and I do have the 20 gallon molasses tubs but I need to pick up soil tomorrow.

 

[SV1000]

Changes that I will make next year will be to start earlier, mid-December to early January for super-hots, and moving them outside for real sun earlier, building a small greenhouse or adding two more 48" FL's.

I picked up a transfer pump from Harbor Freight and it would work for watering the garden but is not sufficient to run a sprinkler in the backyard and the front yard is another 150' from the garden. I plan to take it back and just spend the cash on a real irrigation pump and hopefully for this coming summer. Now that I think about it, the most beautiful, lush green yards on the lake have an irrigation pump at the waterline. The PH level of the city water must be detrimental to my lawn too.

 

[millworkman]

Nice SV. Looking awesome man. How tall is the cuke trellis?

 

[jjs7741]

Those raised beds look awesome! I just love the cuke trellis. Very professional looking. I am looking forward to more progress pics.

jacob

 

[madhatter]

Hey SV, plants looking good man. I'm also jeoalous that your allready planting in the ground.
And damn you drink a lot of coffee!!!!

 

[SV1000]

millworkman,

The trellis is 6' tall, the cages and trellis are made from 4'x18' galvanized 4ga cattle panels.

jacob, madhatter,

Thanks...I drink very little coffee, the containers get recycled at work and I robbed the bin.

 

[SV1000]

I thought I should update my grow log rather than open a new thread, I believe that is everyone’s preference anyhow.

The raised bed plants just exploded with the heat and the addition of soaker hoses in lieu of irrigating. My spinach crop was outstanding and I plan to cut back both spinach and lettuce to ¼ of the space I used this year.

I have planted some of the last chance mystery peppers where I had spinach and I am not sure if they will thrive or not being shaded by established peppers, the sun will be intense for the next few months I guess I will find out.

Overall shot with bed #1 closest has 6 Orange Hab’s with a lot of fruit, the spot that had lettuce and a tomato with lots of fruit. Bed #2 has Lumbre, Hot Cherry and a Tobasco, I am not sure about a couple of other plants and there are about 9 mystery peppers where the spinach was planted. Be #3 has a few of my super hot’s but now I have no idea what I planted, I planted some yellow’s so Fatali and Yellow 7 Pot, there may be a Bhut in there too but I have not seen a fruit.

Can anyone ID this plant? It looks nothing like any of my other plants.

A Tobasco, my first and it is looking pretty good.

Orange Scotch Bonnet