Overwintering a chili pepper. 11.29.14

Red Portugal Chili Pepper.  11.29.14

This is a chili pepper plant I started from seed late December 2013.  I kept it on the front deck.  Others of the same variety, at the same time, went into a raised bed.  They bore well, but the container plant bore better.

As an experiment, I moved it into the sunroom for the winter.  It's been there for about one month.  Most of the chilis are ripe and can be used now, fresh chilis in November.

It looks a bit puny.  Some hobbyists grow their peppers into big shrubs, and keep them year round.  They may get peppers earlier, and later, than in-ground plants.

Peppers are normally grown as annuals, but I think they are tropical shrubs, that happen to bear in their first season.  So if they can be kept alive through the winter, they will be larger and more productive.

The negatives, this one at least looks kind of sad, except for the bright colorful fruits.  They are also aphid magnets.  No aphids on this one yet, possibly due to the fact it never went into the ground.

Garden Harvest. Bud Grafts. 8.23.14

Garden Harvest 8.23.14

Not much chance to garden this weekend.  All work via internet.

But here are the items Ning picked in the kitchen garden, raised beds.

Really nice.  We have a bunch of zucchini already.  I like the yellow supper squash better.

I did remove polyethylene tape from a few of the 3 weeks old bud grafts.  They look pretty good in general.  On some, the buds are hard to see, on others the buds are large and plump.  A couple might not have taken, but most are promising.  Also on the lilac that I budded.

Grass Clipping Mulch. 6.21.14

Creative Grass Mowing.  6.21.14

 Yesterday I mowed around the raised beds, and other areas of the second acre.  Most people in this area have tightly trimmed, golf course - like yards.  Some are more like pastures.  This area is on a 30 foot wide  easement that we anticipate will be paved soon, by a neighbor with attitude.  We don't know how much of the 30 feet will be paved, or when.  Meanwhile it's grass, organic, no chemicals added.  As a result, used for mulch, the clippings are coarse and dry to a nice straw-like consistency. dont mat down too much or turn sour.  The golf course-like lawns in the neighborhood get fertilizer, water, chemicals, the grass is green and lush, then they collect clippings and burn them.  The smoke is nasty.  Seems insane.

I cut "crop circles" in an attempt to be whimsical.  There is a lot of clover in the grass, now, for nitrogen and bees.

Peppers in raised bed with grass clipping mulch.  6.21.14

I had newspaper and food package cardboard mulch for the squashes, just compost for the peppers.  Now that is covered with an approx 4 inch thick layer of grass clipping mulch.  Will keep them weed free and not as dry for summer.  Like any organic mulch, they will break down to add orgsnic content and life to the soil.

Potato "well" with grass clipping mulch.  6.21.14

The potato planters also got a thick layer of grass clipping.  About 6 inckes thick.  That is on top of a few inches of aged maple leaf mulch.

Mulch also went into some flower borders and around shrubs.  I view cutting the grass more as a harvest of quality organic mulch, than as grooming.

Sunchokes.  6.21.14

 The sunchokes already had a generous mulch of weeds, pulled from raised beds.  I topped that with grass clipping for a cleaner appearance and better weed control.

We recovered these sunchokes from Ning's meadow.  He planted them there last year when I was in surgery.  They didn't do so well there.  I found 3 of the plants.  We ate chokes from one, and I moved the others to this location.  With some added organic nitrogen, and lots of mulch, they are flourishing.  The shorter plant is shorter due to local herbivores.  The taller had a screen.  The herbivores seem to ignore them now.  Although they like to surprise me.

Kitchen Garden. 6.8.14

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In the kitchen garden.

A basket of ripe strawberries.  Photo not very good.  via ipad.

A Portugal Red chili pepper.  This is from the battleground raised bed.  Some of the other varieties have fruits beginning to form.

Zucchinis and other squashes have a growth spurt.  They got a dose of organic nitrogen boost today.

Potatoes are nice and green.  Ditto on the nitrogen, last time and not much.  They also got some slug pellets, organic type. 

Yesterday I cleared out the herbs and weeds around 2 caged fruit trees, both plums.  Then a layer of waste paper - food packaging and newspaper.  On top of that, grass clippings, to hold down the paper and hide it.  That will last until fall, I think.

Tomatoes are blooming.

Lots of snowpeas.

Red Portugal Chili Pepper. 5.31.14

 The first chili peppers from my seedlings.  This is Red Portugal.   I'm happy with the result.  The container is kept on the deck now in full sun.

Red Portugal Chili Pepper.  5.31.14

Puttering. 5.17.14

Early bloom on wildflowers

Early bloom on wildflowers

Tomato seedlings planted.

 Ning's wildflower meadows are starting to bloom.  He seeded these in March.  The mix is from outsidepride.com, NW wildflower mix.  Plus I added in some agastache  for bees and domesticated California poppies to be different.  There may be some snapdragons in there too.  The wild type poppies are blooming but not the domesticated ones yet.

This mix contains annuals for the first year, and perennials for subsequent years.  The annuals may also self seed.

The flowers are minimal now, but they are just beginning.

The seedling tomatoes have settled in.  I have a couple of plants left over.  Not sure what to do with those.

The store bought tomato plants are growing fast, sturdy and dark green.  The Sungold have their first flowers.  I gave them a dilute dose of organic nitrogen boost.

The peppers are growing nicely.

I planted the last batch of potatoes.  Those were fingerling potatoes from Tsugawa.  They are in the 4th tree-ring potato well.  The earlier potatoes have nice leaves.  Something is eating some.  Maybe slugs.  I sprinkled around organic slug bait.  The late potato planting should mean we get a few months of fresh potatoes.

Radishes continue to produce.

Deer and rabbits continue to be a challenge.  I need more fencing.

Store bought tomato plants in place.

Pepper bed

Snow Peas

Raised bed garden

Container Plants. Flowers and Kitchen Garden. 4.29.14

Dianthus in container

Overwintered geraniums.

 Today was warm, into the 80s.  Nights are still in the 40s.  Prediction for tomorrow is 90.  Wow.

Of the container plants, I cleaned up the dianthus that overwintered outside in a sheltered location.  I sheared it to a compact shape.  There was an agapanthus that did not survive the big freeze.

Of the geraniums that I overwintered in the garage, all appear to have survived.  They have been sitting on the deck a couple weeks.  I cleaned them up, just using scissors to remove dead parts.  I did not attempt to make them into compact looking garden department plants.  I'm going for the "these are old geraniums like grandma had" look.

I planted some of the Mirabilis seedlings into another container.  They are a little floppy.  Sunday I planted several at Battleground, and there was a hailstorm that tore holes in some leaves.  Still, they look ok today - 2 days later.

Overwintered geraniums.  After cleanup.

Mirabilis starts in container.

 I've been shuttling peppers and Mirabilis inside/outside.  Now they are outside to stay.  Now I am moving them into more full sun.

Tomato and okra seedlings are still under lights.  Except the 2 Sungold plants I bought.  They are in containers and in the sun.

The two largest, oldest okra plants are now in a larger container, along with a seedling.  There are early pods on the two oldest plants.  Okra here is a total experiment, there is almost nothing saying they can be grown this way and a fair amount of info saying they cannot be grown this way.  All I want is a few pods now and then for soups or fry.  If I'm getting the starts of pods now, then maybe this summer there will be a lot more.  The two larger plants are Burgundy and Baby Bubba Hybrid.  The smaller one is "Dwarf Green Long Pod".  It may be a stretch to have 3 plants in one container.

Starts of tomatoes, Mirabilis, peppers.  First day in full sun.

At Battleground, I uncovered the peppers that were in the poly tunnel.  I replaced the polyethylene sheeting with deer mesh.  They look good, nice and green and ready to grow.

More plant starts in the sun.

Okra plants moved into larger container.

Peppers. 4.25.14

Peppers in raised bed with poly cover.  4.25.14

I removed the Chinese chives from the pepper bed, and replanted them with another bunch of Chinese chives.  That opened up room for 10 more of my pepper starts.  Most of the ones I planted earler are starting to make good growth.  I gave them a dose of diluted home made nitrogen boost.  Tonight looks like rain and chilly so I re-covered with the poly tunnel.  I think I will remove it for next week.  Expected daytime temps in 60s to 80.

I've been carrying pepper plants outside in the am, back inside in the pm.  Also running out of room under the fluorescent lights.  It helps to have these outside now.

Seedlings. Progress report. 4.19.14

Okra 4 months indoors from seed

Seedlings under lights.  Peppers, Mirabilis, and Okra

Seedlings under lights.  Okra and Mirabilis

Seedlings under lights.  Okra and Mirabilis

 Indoor seedlings are at a point where I don't have enough room.  Soon most will be outdoors.

The first of the okra plants continues to be a bit anemic, but now has the 2nd flower.  The first fell off.  I speculate it needed pollinating.  This time I used a q-tip as the bee.  This variety is the more compact growing "Baby Bubba".  I think outside it would be much much larger.

The figs are all outside now.  Next, the pepper plants.  Under lights, the current phase is the last of the peppers, the last of the four o'clocks (Mirabilis), and then new okras.  Easier to type, "Mirabilis".  All of the new okras are germinated, still at the cotyledon stage.   These are on the north side of the house.  They get potential east and west sun, if the sun is shining.  Day by day, they'll move closer to full sun.  Today is raining.

When the rest of the tomato seedlings germinate, there will be room for those, too.

The larger pepper seedlings are moved to the south window, or outside on the North side of the house.  That's the ones that are not in the poly low tunnel.

Pepper seedlings in South window.  Also a ginger plant.

The larger Mirabilis are also moving outside during the day.  Those and the peppers are inside for night, and outside for day.  The figs are outside now 24/7.

This is a nice start for this year.  Making up for losing 2013 for being ill. 

I think that ginger needs repotting.  I will look for a container now.

Outdoor plant starts.  Figs, Peppers, Mirabilis.

Inside poly tunnel. 4.9.14

Peppers and Chives inside poly tunnel.

Based on the pepper plants looking great so far, I think the poly tunnel makes it possible to plant peppers a month earlier than planting out in the garden.  They look great.

Kitchen Garden. 3.30.14

Poly Tunnel Raised Bed.  3.30.14

Poly Tunnel Raised Bed.  3.30.14

 Early vegetables are growing nicely in the raised beds with poly tunnel covers.

We got some nice sized radishes today.

The pepper I planted in a poly tunnel still looks very good.

Temperature in the tunnels, 60s.

Ning with fresh radishes from raised bed.  3.30.14

Red Portugal Pepper in Poly Tunnel.  3.30.14

Progress Report. Rain. No Puttering. Grafting Illustrations. 3.26.14

It's been very rainy.  Constant rain for a week.  I'm concerned the plums and peaches may not pollinate.

When I use a small paintbrush on anthers there is no visible pollen.  Washed off.  Just water.

Today about 50F.  Inside poly tunnel raised bed, 55F.  Not enough sun to warm it up.  Portugal Red Pepper I moved a week ago looks OK, maybe some new growth.  Chinese chives a foot tall.

At about 3 weeks, only one Four O'clock from the first, room temp non-soaked batch has germinated.  At about 1 week, one Four O'clock from the second, soaked, seed-warmer batch germinated.  So now, so far, I have 2 plants.  Better than none.  It looks like another is beginning to push up seed growing medium.   Will keep them on the seed warmer a few weeks.   No conclusions.  Not a randomized, controlled, statistically analyzed trial.  I think the soaking and warming is probably beneficial.

On Grafting, so far the grafts look OK.  Slowly swelling buds on all.  None have shriveled.  With the cool wet weather, they might look OK if they have not taken.  Found some illustrations from Gutenberg.org which are available to everyone to download.

Whip and Tongue Graft Illustration.  Dr. John A Warder.  1867.  American Pomology.  Apples. 

Side Graft Illustration.  Dr. John A Warder.  1867. American Pomology.  Apples. 

Whip and Tongue Graft Illustration.  H. Harold Hume.  1906.  The Pecan and Its Culture.  

Cleft Graft Illustration.  H. Harold Hume.  1906.  The Pecan and Its Culture. 

Low Tunnel, Raised Bed. Kitchen Garden Progress Report. 3.22.14

Chinese Chives in low tunnel raised bed.  3.22.14

 The low tunnel raised beds have a soil temp today of 60F, while the outside temp was down to 30.  When I open the tunnels, warm moist air exits.

The Chinese chives were renovated by digging them out of a half barrel this winter.  These are quite a bit ahead of the ones without low tunnel.

The turnips were planted mid winter.  These greens are fresh and tender.  The flavor is similar to spinach, but with a mild peppery taste.   I thinned turnips so there would be more room for the remainder.

Turnip Greens 3.22.14

Garlic and Red Portugal Pepper in low tunnel raised  bed.  3.22.14

I ran out of room for all of the indoor peppers.  Even with the new CFL light, which will be needed for tomato seedlings.  Given the warm soil temp in the raised bed, I planted a Red Portugal pepper into the bed.  If it looks OK in a week I can add more  I have extras of Red Portugal so if it doesn't make it, that's OK.

The garlic in this low tunnel is behind the rest of the garlic.  These were dug late from missed harvest that resprouted.  They were not big sturdy garlic cloves.  I thought the tunnel would give them a head start.  Looks like that did not pan out.  They are still OK.

Kitchen Garden. Raised beds, low tunnel. 3.16.14

Low Tunnel Raised Bed Kitchen Garden.  3.16.14

2nd batch of pepper seedlings.  3.16.14

 The seedlings are growing nicely in the low tunnel raised bed.  I think I  know how to work it now.

The outside temp was mid 50s.  The soil temp was 76.  Big difference.

I hoed weeds but otherwise did not manipulate the plants.  Soon will need to thin.  Planted another row of radishes and another row of spinach.

Meanwhile inside under lights the 2nd batch of peppers is growing nicely.  I separated some seedlings into individual pots.  Not enough room to do that will all.

Some of the first batch of peppers are in bud.  I read it's best not to let them bloom until planted outside.  If the soil temp is really that warm, maybe I can transplant a couple soon.

Okra is growing nicely.  Baby Bubba seems to be the most suited to indoor conditions, so far.

Rhubarb is ready to eat.

Portugal Red hot pepper plant.  3.16.14

Victoria Rhubarb.  3.16.14

Ginger. More Pepper Seeds. 2.18.14

Ginger

Santa Fe Peppers

Today I transferred the ginger rhizomes to containers.  Regular organic potting soil.  Barely covered the rhizomes.

There is only room for one on the heating mat, so the other is in a south window.

I also started a container of seeds from Santa Fe peppers.  These seeds are left over from last year.

Fig Cuttings. Seedlings. Progress Report. 1.21.14

Carini fig start

 This is the plant start progress report for figs, peppers, and okra.

The little Carini start is growing nicely.  This was a low branch with a piece of root pictured previously.  I was concerned about whether that tree survived the hard freeze.  This start is alive.  So I think that means the tree is alive too.  At least the base.  So  I have a backup in case the tree died.  Also optimism that the tree didn't die.  Even if the top is frost killed, it might grow back more quickly from roots, than I could get from a new cutting.

Dominick Fig start

Plant starts under the light Jan 21 2014

 The Dominick cuttings are growing nicely.  This is the largest and fastest.  As in others, cuttings with no terminal bud grew faster than cuttings with a terminal bud.

MacOol fig cutting

Red Portugal pepper seedlings

 The collection under lights.  Now on a 14-hour timer.

Baby Bubba Okra seedling

MacOol cutting.  From a generous fig forum member.  This was a small cutting.  Possibly the variety is less vigorous, as well.  Roots growing nicely.  The top is not growing yet.  I potted it today, with the top under the lights.  Maybe that will stimulate top growth.









Red Portugal pepper seedlings.  They look nice.  The Tabasco peppers had lower germination, only 2 and of those only one looks vigorous.  not as much as these.

















Okra seedlings.  They don't look happy about their situation.  This method might not work for them.  Will continue to care for them.  This is "Baby Bubba".