pepperhead212's 2021 garden

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pepperhead212
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pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#1

Post: # 44084Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:40 pm

This is usually my big day, when I start most of my peppers, plus the tomatoes and eggplants, but I did it different this year, starting the EP a little early, and the tomatoes a little later. Overnight, I soaked some of my pepper seeds in a saltpeter solution, and today I planted them in vermiculite, to sprout them. There's "only" 12, but 2 of them - Superchili and Jalafuego - I'm planting later, when I plant the tomatoes, since they grow faster, and I end up plucking the flower buds from them every year, before transplanting them. And my chinense varieties I started a while back, since they sprout and grow slower.
ImagePepper seeds, soaked in saltpeter solution, ready to plant. 4-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImagePepper seeds ready to cover and sprout in the vermiculite. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Imagechinense peppers on 4-1, started on 3-7 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

After planting the pepper seeds, I counted out all of the tomato seeds, to have them ready.
ImageTomato seeds, counted out and ready to soak Sunday night, and plant on 4-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr


Here's the list...so far! Most things here get started on 4-1, except the greens - I didn't even try to enter those here, as the list is too long! :o

TOMATOES

OLD Varieties

[s]Amish Gold #[/s]
Big Beef #
Marion
Mountaineer Pride
Sprite?
Sunsugar #

Boxcar Willie (gift, grew it long ago) #

NEW Varieties

Cherries and Grapes
42 day Tomato (red cherry)
Annie's Singapore Grape
Cherry Brownies
Chocolate Cherries
Honeycomb Gold Cherry
Kazachka Red Grape
Kustengold Grape
Pinky Blast Compact Cherry
Venus
Weetang Shebang Gold Cherry
WOW! Sungold F1

Larger Varieties
Esmerelda Golisina
Golden Buddha
June Pink - Early
Louisiana All Season - Medium Red
Matina #
Marizol Red? Gift #
Ruth's Perfect
Santiago

# = those grown for grafting

Tomatillos -Rio Grande Verde

PEPPERS

Old varieties
Aji Dulce
Chocolate Habanero
Gold Bullet
Hanoi Market
Jalafuego
Jyoti
Red Savina?
Superchili
Superthai - New seed
Superthai - Old seed
Thai Vesuvius

New varieties
Ancho Ranchere
Big Chili - Numex
Death Spiral - superhot
Giuzeppi - Numex
Hong Gochu - Korean
Hot Paper Lantern Habanero
Meteor
Portugal Fire
Thunder Mountain - Long decorative

EGGPLANTS

Hari # 8 also grown for grafting
Ichiban
Neon

BITTER MELON

Okinawan Pure White
Thai Long Green

WINTER SQUASH

Butterbush
Polaris
Tetsukabuto

HERBS

NEW:

Basils
Holy Basil, purple and green
Red Rubin
Sweet Chen Basil

Perennial Herbs - nothing new this year

OLD:

Basils
Gecofure Basil
Serata basil
Thai basil, Siam Queen

Hoja Santa (not new, but been a while for me) - unfortunately, none sprouted in a few weeks, so I'll have to try more. Seeds are like dust, but I remember they came up in about 2 weeks before.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

zendog
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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#2

Post: # 44088Unread post zendog
Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:57 pm

Are you using the Hari as rootstock for other eggplants or are they for tomatoes?

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#3

Post: # 44092Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:30 pm

zendog wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:57 pm Are you using the Hari as rootstock for other eggplants or are they for tomatoes?
I am using those for tomatoes, since they seem to be the strongest EP I have grown, and, it turns out, the seeds came up fastest!

I grafted them yesterday - only got 4 out of 8 grafted, as not all of the stalks were straight, and a couple were too thin. I couldn't really take photos of them very well - it was awkward, and I just about needed 3 hands! I'll post some of the finished plants, if it works.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#4

Post: # 44102Unread post zendog
Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:35 pm

Sounds good. I might try some tomatoes on my extra eggplants since I had trouble with some of my tomato rootstocks.

Will you be growing tinda gourds again this year? I bought some seeds to give them a try after seeing you grow them last year.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#5

Post: # 44105Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:46 pm

[mention]zendog[/mention] No more tinda gourds, as I didn't really get that many of them, and eventually the plants succumbed to a disease. Reminded me of when I tried some sort of "fuzzy melon" years ago. The bottle gourds don't seem to come down with anything.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#6

Post: # 44295Unread post pepperhead212
Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:13 pm

My tomato seeds are all planted now (plus those last two peppers that grow fastest - superchili and jalafuego) - the latest I ever planted them, but the last time o seasons they grew too fast indoors - I lucked out in 2019, when I put them out earlier than ever, but last season there was a cold first week in May, which messed up a few of my plants. I didn't even do a few to put in Wall-o-waters - I'm waiting to see if that "42 day tomato" is really what it says! That will be early enough for me. This way, everything isn't done on the same day, which also makes it easier.

First pepper seed sprouted today, in just 4 days - a Thunder Mountain. Tomorrow I should be able to plant it, after it opens up.
ImageThunder mountain 4-5 First pepper sprouted from 4-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#7

Post: # 44299Unread post pepperhead212
Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:54 pm

Here is how the chinense peppers are growing - the largest the chocolate habs. The smallest is the Paper Lantern, which I also only got 1 of 5 sprouted.
Imagechinense peppers, started on 3-7 in petri dishes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The earliest eggplants:
ImageHari eggplants 4-5, started in petri dishes on 2-25 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#8

Post: # 44328Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:09 am

That Thunder Mountain is all the way up today, and the only other seed coming up in the entire tray is another one of the same. Those things are fast!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

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Post: # 44431Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:59 pm

Today I got another Thunder Mountain, 2 Hong Gochu, and one Giuzeppi Numex, all transferred to the pots under the lights. Several others, as well, have shown, but haven't popped all the way up yet. Still no tomatoes showing in 2 days.

Today, outside, I uncovered 9 of my bucket SIPs, that go on the N side of my garden, with the smaller tomato plants, and 2 tomatillos. These I could do myself, due to the smaller tarps - the very larger tarps over others I'll need a friend's help with.

I also put out my electronic rain guage base today; unfortunately, the plastic was getting brittle - I don't know why, as I bring it in every year to the basement, before freezing temps. So I mixed some 5 minute epoxy, and dripped it on each end, to hold the broken plastic together, and made a thick layer on top, and drilled another hole on each side, to screw it down.

ImageEpoxied rain guage, fixing the cracking plastic. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Doesn't show too well, but the epoxy worked great! That hole is through about 3/16" of epoxy, on the brittle plastic.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#10

Post: # 44451Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:09 pm

More peppers this morning - some of the same, plus Superthai and Hanoi Market. So far 9 still left to sprout, and 10 that I have at least one of them potted (including the 5 early chinense peppers). Still no tomatoes, but they should start today.

Radishes are popping up outside lately, but not one section - must have been old seeds, though I'll have to check, by trying to sprout a few inside. Maybe just a varietal problem, and they like it warmer; though it has been well above average, my hands are still quite chilled when digging around out there!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#11

Post: # 44474Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:20 pm

First tomato popped up today - the Honeycomb. This was in the section that got soaked in a saltpeter solution - the other half using hydrogen peroxide. I'll see if it makes any difference.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#12

Post: # 44498Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:05 am

Four more varieties of tomatoes came up overnight - Kustengold, Golden Buddha, LA All Season, and Marizol. Seems there is always something that doesn't come up, with all these varieties of peppers and tomatoes I have, and I just fill those with other seedlings - just haven't decided what I want more of yet!

No more new peppers this morning - just the same ones, and all but the Hanoi Market (need one more) have their pots filled - the rest are extras, unless something dies. They seem to be strong, and one even has true leaves starting, which is fast, for peppers.

Yesterday I uncovered most of my SIPs (6 Earthboxes, 4 more bucket SIPs, and 11 homemade from tubs), and put them in their places. Still have to top them off, plus replace the plastic on a number of them. I mowed the lawn for the first time, because of the clusters of certain weeds flowering - it's been so dry, I noticed a lot of browning in the lawn. Doesn't bother me! :lol: I did put some grass seed down in that large area I had most of the SIPs covered up in - something I always have to do, and the reason I wanted to get that done was the rain forecast this weekend.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#13

Post: # 44647Unread post pepperhead212
Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:40 pm

I got a lot done outside today, mostly related to getting the SIPs set up, finishing up and filling a new one. Also cut the shelf for another one on my bandsaw - something I didn't want to be doing late at night.

Here's that finished SIP, slightly smaller (14 gal) than the 18 gal ones I have a lot of, and have another of in the making. Usually, the ones I have of the Rubbermaid tubs (like this one) have lasted a long time, with very few cracks in 7 or 8 years, but another like this got brittle. However, the insides were fine, so I just cleaned those, and used them in a relatively new tub, which hopefully will last.
ImageFinished SIP, using shelf from an old one, and a new tup. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageShelf from the SIP - the 2 pvc with the caps are the wicking chambers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFilled SIP, mounded about 2 inches above the rims. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFinished SIP, ready for plants, after the slits in the plastic. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also re-potted my bay laurel plant - another one showing signs of getting rootbound, as it would dry out very fast, and not absorb water as quickly. It was also dropping a few leaves, though not as badly as the curry tree. Amazingly, that re-potted curry tree has not dropped a single leaf, since re-potting!
ImageRe-potted bay laurel, in 5 gal fabric pot. 4-10 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#14

Post: # 44709Unread post pepperhead212
Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:03 pm

I finished another SIP today - rained much of the day, so I cleaned the house some today (something I always neglect at this time of year :roll:), then went to the workshop. I wasn't sure if I could make the shelf out of this 3 dimensional lid, but it worked! Made a cardboard pattern (I always do this, in case I make another of the same brand), and traced it on the raised portions, and just cut straight to the next raised portion. Only took a few tweaks on the bandsaw to shave some sections, to get it to drop on those pvc "racks". The pvc racks I also cut on the bandsaw, cutting the two for the wicking chambers about 3/32" shorter, as the cap sticks out about that far. I trace the spots for the racks, and number them, so the holes for the zip ties are in the right spots, and those holes I mark in red, so I also drill a hole opposite, and just above them, on the pvc. Once all was marked, it only took about 1 1/2 hours to drill all of the holes, including the pvc. The pvc was better drilled with regular drill bits, but the lid was better drilled with a brad point - the regular bit grabbed the soft plastic once through, but the brad point didn't. And a forstner bit drilled the large hole for the chimney well - just shaved it away, until a disk dropped through.
ImageSIP shelf marked for drilling, red spots are where the zip ties will connect the pvc to the shelf. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageAll of the holes drilled in the shelf. Only two in the very center were out of reach of the drill press, so it went fairly quickly - about 75 minutes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImagePVC racks zip tied to the bottom of the shelf, and the hole drilled for the chimney. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFinished SIP, with screen on the bottom. This one has just over 14 gal capacity above the shelf. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#15

Post: # 44723Unread post pepperhead212
Sun Apr 11, 2021 9:39 pm

Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#16

Post: # 44811Unread post pepperhead212
Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:45 am

All but one of my tomato varieties (the Amish Gold Slicer) has come up, and yesterday I filled up the few empty pots of those, and a few others, with some of the extra seedlings, trying to fill them with similar varieties. I made sure that I re-labeled them to avoid any future confusion! :lol: If I do eventually get a seed or two of the Amish Gold sprouted, I'll make up a couple of new pots.


All but one of my peppers - Portugal Fire - has had at least one sprout, though a couple had just one or two, so far. Most of the pots have a seedling, but I filled most of the empty pots with some extra seedlings - if those original peppers finally sprout, I'll pull these, and put the original ones in.

The early peppers are doing great (a few stragglers, as always), and will definitely have to be re-potted, since it's just over a month, when they usually go out.
ImageEarly peppers, next to a few planted on 4-1 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Garlic is doing great! But still only one shallot up (the bare area at the end of the garlic), even after all that rain, so I assume they are dead. Maybe I'll plant a few now, just to see what happens, when planted now, instead of the fall. First I'll carefully dig up a few, to see if they rotted, or are still alive.
ImageGarlic, 4-10 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#17

Post: # 44819Unread post mama_lor
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:33 am

pepperhead212 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:30 pm I am using those for tomatoes, since they seem to be the strongest EP I have grown, and, it turns out, the seeds came up fastest!

I grafted them yesterday - only got 4 out of 8 grafted, as not all of the stalks were straight, and a couple were too thin. I couldn't really take photos of them very well - it was awkward, and I just about needed 3 hands! I'll post some of the finished plants, if it works.
How did that go? Literature seems to be mostly negative towards grafting tomato on eggplant (not due to success but plant growth). But since those eggplants like your soil so much, I'm curious how it turns out.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#18

Post: # 44822Unread post rdback
Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:19 am

Plants are looking good!

Nice job on the SIPs. It will be interesting how the rigid plastic tote with the waffle lid holds up to the elements.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#19

Post: # 44882Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:11 am

mama_lor wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:33 am
pepperhead212 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:30 pm I am using those for tomatoes, since they seem to be the strongest EP I have grown, and, it turns out, the seeds came up fastest!

I grafted them yesterday - only got 4 out of 8 grafted, as not all of the stalks were straight, and a couple were too thin. I couldn't really take photos of them very well - it was awkward, and I just about needed 3 hands! I'll post some of the finished plants, if it works.
How did that go? Literature seems to be mostly negative towards grafting tomato on eggplant (not due to success but plant growth). But since those eggplants like your soil so much, I'm curious how it turns out.
It didn't turn out well - I should have started the EP seeds earlier, since even though they grew faster than most EP, the tomatoes were much too large, which made it difficult, plus it was done when I was starting all my regular seeds. I have learned more about grafting since, from a few videos, and with this trial and error.



After taking a brief nap today, after that dental work I had early on, I went outside (gorgeous day today!) and made up a bunch of the mix, for filling the SIPs, and filled and covered the two new ones. I put black plastic on the smaller one, which will have peppers in it, and silver coated film in the larger one, for tomatoes.
ImageThe smaller SIP, filled and covered. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageThe larger SIP, filled and covered with silver film. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomatoes and peppers are doing great (though still no Amish gold, or Portugal Fire) and I finally got two sprouts on Ichiban seeds - the other eggplants up already have their true leaves, so this is way behind, but I still put them in pots, to see if I can get them up finally.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2021 garden

#20

Post: # 44919Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:58 pm

I went to the Korean market yesterday, since that is right down the street from the orthodontist I went to. I didn't get much - really not short on anything in the condiment section, and I don't want to get anything that goes in the freezer! But I always go to the produce section - Asian stores have things I just don't see anywhere else! One thing I saw that I didn't really need, but I got some, anyway - lemongrass. I got it for rooting - 6 stalks, which is double what I need to grow about 5 years worth! I still have a bunch from 2017 Foodsavered in the freezer, many in small batches, and two large batches. I'll do that again, in the fall, and put the old stuff in a bag and label it as such - maybe I'll make a bug spray with all of it!

I cut the bottoms of the stalks off, then peel the brownish layers from them, then put them to soak, for rooting, which takes about 3 weeks, which will be just about right, for putting them out. I change the solution every 3 or 4 days. Since I only need 3 of them, I tried something known as scarification with 3 of these, that I also do with basil stems - just take a sharp paring knife and cut slightly into the stems in several places. These I just cut them a few times lengthwise in the woody section. I'll see if the roots come out those scratched areas better than the other areas.
ImageTrimmed lemongrass stalks, ready to be soaked, for rooting. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageLemongrass stalks, soaking in water, with a few drops of Dyna-Gro KLN, to help the rooting. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

With the trimmings, I made a glass of what I calllemongrassaide. It wasn't quite as good as that I've made with the dark greens of the large plants, but I didn't want to waste it!
ImageLemongrass trimmings, in VM to make some lemongrasaide. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageLemongrass trimmings, blended 30 seconds, with some water, a small bit of sugar, and a packet of stevia. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageLemongrass fiber, strained out of the blended liquid. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFinished lemongrasaide. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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