DMF 2020,21,22,23 - What's the definition of insanity?

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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#21

Post: # 20246Unread post DMF
Mon May 18, 2020 11:06 am

QAGUY wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 2:30 am You don't need to dump the old soil. Add some new organic material and some fertilizer and you should be jus' fine. I used to dump the old soil when I grew in containers, but that got expensive. Started adding organics and fertilizer and there were no problems.
Normally I wouldn't dump the soil. I've reused potting mix for years. But this was in response to some apparently soil-borne disease that was killing my plants. Expensive remedy, but something had to be done.
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#22

Post: # 20949Unread post DMF
Thu May 28, 2020 10:20 pm

Here's most of the plants moved up to 6" pots on May 18 at 3:30 pm with the sun creeping in for a little while.
May 18 2020 C1.JPG
Surprising how quickly these guys grow even in bright shade. New mix probably helps. I now have most types of peppers and toms ripening. More pics soon.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#23

Post: # 22350Unread post DMF
Fri Jun 12, 2020 7:10 pm

One of my Alma Paprikas is definitely not an Alma Paprika. Looks more like a Goathorn. Something there is that does not love my paprikas.

To save space and dirt I've been planting some of the ones I have multiple of in the same large pot. And planting deep due to the wind. One actually broke off - fortunately below the crown - and I restarted it. So everybody deep.

On a more interesting note, I've set out some of the multi-plants-per-pot pots down on the lawn across from my place that gets good sun. So far no molestation! And the plants love the sun. Triple Shattahs, double Jay's Peach Thingie, double Summer Gold tom.
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#24

Post: # 23284Unread post DMF
Tue Jun 23, 2020 5:37 pm

The Shattahs were so happy in the sun that they set pods - upright as expected - and looked so good that the landscaping crew stole it.
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#25

Post: # 30084Unread post DMF
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:58 pm

The balcony is getting good sun now, so I pulled in the downstairs pots. The Uluru Ochre tom has been producing well (even without sun) but the other toms are a dead loss. Rarely even a flower. So I've decided to pull them and move peppers into their big pots. Elbow room is at a premium.
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#26

Post: # 30794Unread post DMF
Thu Sep 17, 2020 5:08 pm

Yesterday was a day to get ruthless. One double pot of Sleeping Lady heard my threats and suddenly put on bloomage. The others have been cut down, as has an unknown pepper and a couple of Scotch Bonnets - I just have so many! Fatalii and Mako consolidated. Jay's about to be, and the little Almas I suppose. Not too sure what to do about the Grenada Seasonings. They're supposed to be 15" plants but are more like 36" plants at the moment. If I have enough mix I guess I'll consolidate them too. The dang Shattah's are trying to take the place over! They share a pot and one is trying to overtop the rest while the other cascades through the railing. Lots of pods set, though overall yield so far hasn't been good.

I think shielding the black pots from direct sun with cardboard has helped. They are still water pigs (hand carried) but I think that the roots are the better for it.
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#27

Post: # 50195Unread post DMF
Fri Jul 09, 2021 11:53 pm

Updating in 2021. Why? Because I'm growing the same plants as I did in 2020. Trimmed them back hard, and left them outside, except for that 10 day super freeze we had when I brought them in. They were slow getting started until the temps got up to 90 or so. Lost the twin fataliis (have restarted with a very interesting new technique) and a couple other singles, but the rest are going great guns, even without sun! (I get none at the summer equinox.)
So far I'm ahead of last year in terms of a crop. We'll see how it goes when I get the sun back.

When they started to leaf back out, spider mites moved in. First time I've had serious spider mites in Dallas. I used insecticidal soap until the predators started to show up. I think the tremendous cold hit the predators hard.
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#28

Post: # 57395Unread post DMF
Mon Nov 15, 2021 2:54 pm

Update.
Some plants have regrown foliage nicely, but are under-producing compared to last year. Notable exceptions are the paprikas, shattahs, and the Mammoth Japaleno, which isn't producing the mammoth pods of the past, but has a lot of reasonable-sized ones hanging. Unfortunately, my labels have faded so it's hard to tell the chinense apart. Scotch Bonnets and Jay's Peach: low and late production. I tend to under-fertilize so maybe I should re-examine my practices.
The mako akakoserades, never very robust, have set a lot small pods. But now late in the season they are setting pods of reasonable size. I expect to try the new technique on their seeds for replacements.
The new fataliis (I think I up-potted 9 of them) are gratifying, producing pods the equal of the best of the past. Just few of them overall. I can see several factors: late start, low sun exposure, re-used mix with my low feeding.
I will cut down a couple of wastes of space, thin the fataliis, and maybe try some different over-wintering techniques (ironically, the plant I left the most foliage on - the Charleston Hot, I think - has had the worst production). Overall, though, it's been an enjoyable year. I have more peppers than I can use (since my intake is down for reasons) and my experiments have proven most enlightening.
Merry Christmas to y'all.
Last edited by DMF on Mon Nov 15, 2021 4:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#29

Post: # 57396Unread post DMF
Mon Nov 15, 2021 4:27 pm

As for the new starting technique that I used on the fataliis. I have 72 count starter cell trays and lights, but I didn't use them. Nor did I use the towel-in-baggie method. Instead, I replaced them both with rectangular 5x6" plastic trays.
  1. For germinating, the transparent ones with snap-on lids, such as you get containing lunch meats. Transparent lids are preferred (Kroger).
  2. For the first soil bed, I use the black ones that contained ramen noodles because they're a good bit deeper and a transparent lunch meat lid will roughly fit. But anything with near-two inch depth that you can fashion a lid for will work. Fill it a little more than half way with damp starter mix. Fashion a cover from a lunchmeat lid (or whatever fits) and duck tape for a hinge. It doesn't have to close very well. No drainage holes.
Then:
  • Select many more seeds than you think you'll need if you have a enough. Since you are planting a relatively large number, you don't have to be so critical in selection. (Do reject ones with darkened germs - those are hosts for mold.)
  • Soak the seeds overnight in a dilute H2O2 solution.
  • Then spread on a moist paper towel in the lunchmeat tray. Snap on the lid. (Extra water will pool in the depressions around the edges so no need to skimp on the water. I fold the towel over the top of the seeds but others don't.) You should be able to see the progress of germination through the lid so checking is easy. For long germinations such as C.chinense, mold may form in the towel. Remove the obvious victims, move the others away from the mold, and add a few drops of H2O2 to the towel, especially near the mold. If necessary, move the seeds to a new tray.
  • As they pop, tweeze the guys with the little tails into into 3/8" to 1/2" holes in the dirt tray. If a rootlet attaches to the towel, snip around it and leave the paper attached. At this point, crowding isn't an issue, but try to space roughly evenly. Cover.
  • Monitor the moisture in the soil. With the makeshift lid it shouldn't require additional water. When the seedlings start to emerge, they will tell you if they're too dry.
Now it gets interesting. I planted nearly 30 germinates in the 30 sq. in. dirt tray. Some were stronger than others right from the beginning, but I tried not to select yet.
  • After several emerged, I moved the "covered" tray outside, into the wind and sun, trying to minimize but not eliminate sun exposure. Eventually, they got so tall I had to take off the lid and leave them to wave about, gradually increasing sun exposure. They loved it! No "hardening off" as required of indoor-raised plants. Be careful, at this point, to watch for wilting as the moisture will leave the soil much more quickly than before. (Once or twice I was confronted with a tray full of tiny plants laying on their sides and gasping for water, but with gentle watering they popped right back up.) But be careful not to overwater as there is no drainage; misting might be best.
  • When the third set of true leave began to appear, it was time for the first up-potting into 3" pots.
  • Working carefully, tease the contents of the tray apart and select the ones you want to keep. Be generous. A few of my best performers didn't look like it at this stage. Instead of tools, I use my fingers to grasp the little stems and maybe a fork or a mini-shovel to get them apart.
  • Lay aside and move onto the next candidate as you work. A few lost rootlets are okay.
  • Then transfer into the 3" pots prepared with potting mix (re-used, in my case), covering a fair bit of the stem.
  • Water in (the pots are now drained) with maybe a little ferts for re-used dirt, and
  • put them right back outside.
Grow as normal.

The only easier method I could imagine is to plant the seeds directly into the little dirt flat. But for me, it's important to monitor germination.
One thing I enjoyed was working with a single variety at a time. I'd previously grouped as many as eight low count batches in a single baggie. Then in the starter tray each cell had to be labeled. This way germination happens in its own time and few labels are needed.
Happy gardening!
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
- Will Rogers

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Re: DMF 2020 - What's the definition of insanity?

#30

Post: # 96587Unread post DMF
Mon May 01, 2023 3:05 pm

2023 and I'm in a new apartment. Same plants, making this the fourth? year for some of them. This balcony is also south-facing, and it looks like I won't have the total no-sun issue of the last N years, but there are buildings on either side so I don't get the full course of the great Sun Chariot - about 6 hours. That should be enough if the overhang hangs back.

When it started to warm up they started to leaf out. Although Jalapeno look pretty scraggly, flowers and pods have started. The triple Scotch Bonnet that produced exactly ono small pod last year seems to continue its strike. The remaining shattahs (one multi-plant pot died) shed badly but are now leafy and covered in flowers. The blessed paprikas never de-leafed and produced pods all winter. If you can get these guys started, they're a wonderful investment. Makos have tiny leaves. I think they're exhausted. When I get around to it, I'll restart some; they are some of my favorite peps.

The fataliis are a longer story. Two were just up-potted 10" and one was especially strong. At the end of the annual cold snap I set him outside in the sun because the forecast low was above freezing and I'm on the second floor where it's always a bit warmer than ground level anyway. (Fortunately I was too lazy to put out the rest.) Of course, it hit 29F and his uppers froze off. His lowers didn't seem to mind and he's now bushy like last year, though short. Peppers are tough! The two fataliis left in 6" pots for 3? years have been up-potted and look good. So I have four remaining. We'll see what they do.

On the subject of trusting the forecast, all the plants were out before the cold snap. Forecast was for a low of 33F, as it had been for several days. All was well. As I'm getting into bed I looked at my phone and it said the ambient was 31F! Dress, haul plants in, curse the weather app. I'm not sure where Apple is getting its data, but in the future I'm sticking to Weather Underground. wunderground.com
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
- Will Rogers

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