pepperhead212's 2021 garden

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pepperhead212
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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#121

Post: # 55189Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:28 pm

It wasn't really great out there today - still humid, and mosquitoes all over wanting to land on me, but fortunately, I sprayed myself, before going to work. I was hoping this melting Styrofoam would sort of keep them away from the area, but it didn't.

I cut the floating cover for the 12 gal hydro system, and it fits great. I got it in place, and filled both tubs to capacity, then added about 2/3 of the nutrients. They test about where they should, but I'll let it stabilize overnight, and check again, then tweak it up to where I want it. Then start planting!
ImageJust cut the holes and the notches in the floating cover for the 12 gal hydro system, with this tool by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageBoth tubs filled up, and about 2/3 of the nutrients added. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#122

Post: # 55264Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:15 pm

I harvested a lot of capsaicin today! :o

I harvested my four chinense peppers today, the gold bullet and chocolate habaneros, that are determinate types, and I got a large amount of all at once, earlier in the season, then they flowered again, and are just now ripe. The death spiral and paper lantern are indeterminate types, and have been growing, and producing more all summer, the death spiral the latest to start ripening, but the most of any! You can see in the photos of the branches, showing just a few on each plant, not even ripe yet -many of the smallest won't ripen, before frost.
ImageChocolate Habaneros, Gold Bullets, and Paper Lanterns, all one plant each, 10-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageDeath Spirals, all from one plant, 10-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageJust one of many branches on the Death Spiral, showing the unripe peppers on it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageNot as visible on the Paper Lantern, but another closeup showing many of the unripe peppers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#123

Post: # 55317Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Oct 08, 2021 10:48 pm

I got a bunch of seeds planted in the hydro today - still a few more to go. Only thing I'm rooting from a cutting is the red epazote - the other things I usually root didn't do well late into the season, so I didn't start my cloner.

ImageSome of the seeds planted on 10-08 - lettuce, Mizuna, Serrata basil, Zaatar (2 sprouted seeds), two dills, baby bok choy, spearmint. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#124

Post: # 55905Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:00 pm

Today I trimmed my curry tree; after it had gotten very cool the last two nights, I had to get it smaller, to at least bring onto my back porch, when it does that again. I got 9 or 10 twigs from the cuttings, to try to root. Two nights ago I trimmed a small amount, to take to some friends, but the large amount I trimmed today I took to an Indian market, where the guy loves getting these, and gives me deals, as well as samples of things they make there. He couldn't believe I had 2 bags of them this time. He wanted to know again if I had grown any plants; I told him the seeds did not do well for me (though I'm trying again), and I told him about the rooting I'm trying, so I'd let him know. He said he'd buy them from me, if I ever get them growing!
ImageJust 3 branches I snipped off today, to take my friends some curry leaves. Hardly looks like I cut any! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageOver 5 gallons of curry tree trimmings. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageTwo bags of curry tree trimmings, ready to take to the Indian market, where they give me deals, in return by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageCurry tree, still needing a little trimming, to bring inside. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

These are the cuttings I'm going to try to root. Tomorrow I'll make a pot or two, to start the cuttings in. One video shows a guy whittling the bark off the lower 1½", then dipping it in some turmeric, as their rooting compound! I'll try that, and a couple of compounds I have, and see if anything is better.
ImageStems from the curry tree, which I will attempt to root. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#125

Post: # 55927Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:41 pm

Today I trimmed my two makrut/kaffir lime leaf trees. I wish I had a place to give them away, like I do with my curry leaves, and the Mexican things, but nothing like that around here. I also took two of the stems, and those ten from the curry tree, and am attempting to root those, not that I need any more! (rofl)

Those ten curry cuttings I'm starting, four are in turmeric, four in rooting powder, and four in gel. The two lime tree cuttings are in gel.


Those lime trees were almost as tall as me (78"!). As I was trimming them was when I thought of trying to root some, next to those curry cuttings.
ImageTwo makrut/kaffir lime trees, ready to be trimmed WAY back, to get ready to go indoors. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageHere are the lime trees trimmed back - still need trimmed a little better, but I got 95 percent of it off. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Some of those leaves on one of the lime trees got huge:
ImageThese lime leaves look huge next to my hand, and I have large hands! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The cuttings I just peeled the ends of with a vegetable peeler.
ImageCurry tree stem, peeled, ready to be rooted. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageCurry tree stem for rooting, coated with turmeric, to compare to the powder and gel compounds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageTen curry tree cuttings, and two kaffir lime tree cuttings, put in the soil mix on 10-20, attempting to root. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#126

Post: # 55960Unread post MissS
Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:30 pm

I am intrigued by these curry trees and their cuttings. I would love to grow one but just really don't have a place for one during the winter.
~ Patti ~

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#127

Post: # 55962Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:46 pm

@MissS Yes, those curries definitely have to come in for the winter, even longer where you are. They don't like it much below 50°. Those, the lime, and the bay laurel all sit in front of a large south facing window, once I bring them in, and they don't need any extra light. I have to trim them back often, even when not using them! It's too bad you don't have a place for them in the off season.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#128

Post: # 56123Unread post pepperhead212
Mon Oct 25, 2021 10:39 pm

Today I did as much as I could, before the rain came, and got a lot done! I pulled most of the tomato plants that were left - just 5 cherries left. I pulled all of the tomatoes, including green tomatoes, leaving the smaller ones, except those that are small when mature.
ImageSome of the last tomatoes of the year, 10-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageGreen tomatoes, from the plants I removed today. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I harvested some peppers today, before the sun got to that side of the house.
ImageA few peppers, harvested on 10-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I trimmed my marjoram and Syrian oregano, to get a lot to dry, plus to root a couple of each, as a safety net, in case they were killed by intense cold. Each spring, I give the spare plant to a friend, and they just get larger!
ImageMarjoram Left, and Syrian Oregano, harvested on 10-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A few beans, I have been getting every day, but most had stopped, except for the Thai long reds. Seems the cold would have stopped those first!
ImageJust a few beans at the end of the season, including the dry pod, of red Thai long beans. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the largest greens I have in SIPs, previously with tomatoes, and just a half tsp Epsom salts, and a tsp calcium nitrate, in the very beginning.
ImageRed Dragon cabbage, 4 plants in SIP, 10-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here's something that I have to harvest soon - lemongrass! This is larger than it has ever gotten for me.
Image4 lemongrass clusters, next to a large sage and rosemary plants. Ready to be harvested soon, 10-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#129

Post: # 56180Unread post MissS
Tue Oct 26, 2021 8:14 pm

@pepperhead212 how do you store your lemongrass?
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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#130

Post: # 56189Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:40 pm

@MissS I dig the clusters of lemongrass up, and hose the dirt off. I take one cluster over to a board on my picnic table, and using an 8" cleaver cut the top greens off, leaving about 12" of the bottom. I put the greens in a clean bucket, then I cut the roots off of all of the stalks, until I got to the parts of the stalks where I saw the circular parts of the stalk - past the solid root stalk - just like when cleaning storebought lemongrass. Not much needs trimmed - most I just peeled one layer from, since they are fresh, and don't need several dried layers peeled off. The stalks are about 8", the thinner ones about 6". I don't bother with the really thin stalks, but 3/16" or larger I use. The greens I also use, cutting to about 10" long. All these things I vacuum sealed, in large packs, as well as smaller packs of the larger stalks, for individual recipes. Those vacuum sealed packs are still good, after 4 years! I'll have to thaw those, and maybe grind them up, and use them as some sort of bug repellent, out in the garden. Same thing with the smallest stalks. The leaves, especially, flatten out considerably, when vacuum sealed.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#131

Post: # 56196Unread post MissS
Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:09 am

Thank you so very much @pepperhead212.
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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#132

Post: # 56231Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Oct 27, 2021 6:34 pm

The wind let up some later today, so I went out and started cleaning up some more things, and cleaned off a few more pepper plants. Then I noticed all that epazote that is still in the front bed, so I cut all of it out, and cut most of the flower heads from them, and put them in a bag, and took them up to the Mexican grocery in town. As usual, he was thrilled to get it. I gave him a few peppers, but mostly the epazote.
ImageThe last of the Oaxacan Red Epazote, harvested for the guy at the Mexican grocery. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have two plants started in the hydroponics, but only need the best of the two.
ImageOaxacan Red Epazote, in the hydroponics, 10-27. Will probably keep the top plant, which looks best. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A few more things started in the hydroponics:
ImageBok choy, 2 types of dill, basil, and seed spearmint, in hydroponics, 10-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Image2 lettuces, 3 basils, and mizuna in hydroponics, 10-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#133

Post: # 56272Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Oct 28, 2021 7:10 pm

I got my garlic planted today, in one of my raised beds, for the first time. 138 cloves in 6 rows, separated by some landscape fabric, which I cut into rolls, one 3 1/2" for the edges, and two 5 1/2" rolls (though only one of the 50 ft 5 1/2" rolls was needed). I "fluffed up" the soil, before putting the fabric in, then put the Music garlic in the 2 center rows, then the Metechi in one row, and 8 cloves in one outer row. Georgian Fire went in the row to the left of Music, and 15 in the other outer row. This left a total of 25 spaces for Estonian Red - my favorite, due to the huge cloves, often only 4 per head, and intense flavor. Unfortunately, not my best for storage, but I always use them first, saving the largest for planting, unless buying.
ImageCutting 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 inch rolls of landscape fabric, to put in raised bed, with garlic. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFinished rolls of landscape fabric. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Image10x4 bed, set up for the garlic, 10-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageSome of my largest Estonian Reds, ready to split up and put in the 25 empty spaces in the bed. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageEstonian Red, sitting in the rubbing alcohol, before planting, 10-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImagePlanting of the garlic bed finished, with 138 cloves, 10-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickering

After this, I put a thick layer of ground up leaves on top, to mulch (still had them from last season). Tomorrow's rain will pack it down some, and I'll have more leaves soon, for sure!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#134

Post: # 56534Unread post pepperhead212
Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:41 pm

Peppers, peppers, and more peppers! But then, I guess you knew that...

I harvested all the rest of my peppers today, since the temps are going down, and rain is coming tomorrow. I pulled all the greens, except for the smaller ones, and I'll have to sample them, to see if they are worth freezing or drying.

The Meteors - sort of a Thai type pepper - didn't produce until very late in the season, so this is all I'm getting from 2 plants. I wouldn't recommend them, for this reason.
ImageOver 4 cups of Meteor peppers, almost all that was harvested this year, 11-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Those Death Spirals are definitely the most productive super-hot, or any habanero, that I have ever grown. If I was in an area with a longer season, I would have had even more of these green ones turning ripe! Not as hot as the Reaper - more like the Bhut Jalokia and Trinidad scorpions - but much more productive, and my friend's plant grew taller than me (78")! All these are just one plant.
ImageOverflowing 6 qt bowl, with the 185 Death Spirals from the last harvest. Didn't even pick the small ones! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageOne of the many branches of the Death Spiral, showing the many peppers still growing. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The Paper Lantern was also very productive, and the first habanero to ripen. Not as hot as described in the catalog, but around 200k, and the flavor wasn't as intensely habanero - that sweet, fruity/floral aroma the best of them have so much of. It tastes more like the Scotch Bonnet, the one time I grew it, which was also about this heat, and this is good in Caribbean dishes calling for that, where the hotter and stronger habaneros can overpower it.
ImageFinal harvest from a Paper Lantern Habanero plant, just one branch, showing all of the peppers! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Image75 final harvest Paper Lanterns, full size, but mostly green. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The Thunder Mountain is just a weird, curly, decorative cayenne type pepper, only 20-30k, mostly decorative. But I got a lot of them, from 3 plants, by the end of the season.

And the last of the 2 Big Chili Numex and 2 Superchilis, harvested from all season.
ImageLast few Numex harvested 10-31, Big Chili best producer. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFinal harvest from 2 Superchili plants, first to harvest, and always good to the end. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#135

Post: # 56535Unread post goodloe
Tue Nov 02, 2021 5:16 am

I know next to nothing about growing garlic, but will attempt this winter. Seed from a friend in PA. What's the purpose of the rubbing alcohol?
I have 2 seasons: Tomato and pepper season, and BAMA Football season!

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#136

Post: # 56580Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:35 pm

@goodloe The rubbing alcohol is a form of sterilization, to kill any fungus or whatever may be on the garlic, before planting. @Paquebot said they used vodka in a commercial garlic place to sterilize them! And I've seen things online recommending H2O2 as the liquid.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#137

Post: # 56729Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Nov 05, 2021 8:51 pm

The greens are starting to grow quickly in the hydro - I might start planting some bok choy every 2 or 3 weeks, like a succession planting. They are sort of "cut-and-come-again", but not for as long as the leaf lettuce and mizuna.
ImageBok choy, 11-5, about 4 weeks after planting seeds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageA reddish leaf lettuce, 11-5, from saved seeds - an unknown variety that is very heat resistant. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageNew (to me) leaf lettuce, 11-5, from a free seed pack of mesclun mix. About 4 weeks after planting seeds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageMizuna, 11-5, about 4 weeks after planting seeds. Always one of the best producers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The herbs are slower, as always, but they take off, eventually. Of the epazote rootings, one has much smaller leaves, so I'll be pulling that one, and keeping the regular looking one.
ImageEpazote, 11-5, less than 4 weeks after rooting cuttings. Small plant I'll soon remove. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#138

Post: # 58237Unread post pepperhead212
Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:22 pm

I still have a lot of greens out there, as well as inside! The cabbage is largest because the others were attacked by some varmints, shortly after planting the seedlings in early September, and they all had to grow back! (From now on, they will all be covered!) I wasn't even sure they would do it, but almost all of them did. I've actually harvested a generous number of leaves of the two komatsuna and the misome. One of the komatsuna is Summer Fest, the most heat resistant I have found, and the other is Pinetree Gardens generic komatsuna, so I figured I'd compare them for cold resistance, and compare them to the hybrids, as well.
ImageRed Dragon Cabbage in SIP, needed watering on 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageKomatsuna, 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageMore komatsuna, 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageMisome - komatsuna x tatsoi - 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageSenposai - Komatsuna x cabbage - 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Image3 Red Merlot napas, and one last outside bok choy, 11-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Back to eating these greens, to make up for the last few days! :lol:
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#139

Post: # 58514Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Dec 02, 2021 10:40 pm

I have been ignoring these things in the hydroponics, due to the holidays, and that dill got out of control! Too bad I don't know more people that even know what it is, when I ask them if they want some! (rofl)

Here's all the dill I just trimmed from 4 hydroponics plants. One very overgrown new variety - Tetra - I might pull out entirely, as it got some really immense roots on it! I wouldn't recommend it again for this, or container planting, but will plant in in the ground next year, and see how it resists bolting - Dukat is usually the best then, too. The roots were barely noticeable on the dukat, yet I still got a lot from 2 plants there, too.
ImageDill trimmed from the hydroponics, Tetra in the bag, Dukat out of it. 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageHydroponics basket of tetra dill, showing huge amounts of roots, 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the other one that was shading out all the others - the epazote. Only one of those plants. I'll take these to the guy at the Mexican market tomorrow.
ImageRed Epazote, trimmed in the hydroponics, 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's some other things finally exposed, after trimming all that stuff. I also cut the mizuna down to about an inch - I still have that growing outside.
ImageHydroponics herbs, exposed after dill and Epazote trimmed away, 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageBok choy, in hydroponics, 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageMizuna in hydroponics, before trimming, 12-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The only basil that didn't do well was the Mammolo, though it was shaded, so I'll give it a chance.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#140

Post: # 58549Unread post bower
Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:16 pm

Good to know there's no danger of you going hungry in the winter there, Pepperhead! :D
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