VEGETABLE GROWING 2020

Presoaked beans sprouted 2 out of 8 Beans not presoaked 7 out of 8

All beans from the same packet were planted in the same circle that is about 25" in diameter.

 

I found as well that soaking is not necessarily beneficial.
Which kind of beans, for my info?

 

Unless you read the Brexit thread, you wouldn't know my answer before now. Big oops. Thought I was posting here.

It was a combination of two types of beans and an even 50/50 planted. Pre soaked on the west side. Figured wet is just west missing an s and would remember that.

One is Yellow dwarf bean and the other is Scarlett Runner.

Looks like they have all popped up now so only a short period of time between the two.

Some of my peas have sprouted and the cucumber seedlings are happy with all the free water

I've got cukes in the greenhouse and out. Should be interesting comparing those. My hot peppers do much better under glass and years ago after comparing inside dwellers to out, the difference was a no brainer.

 

@CanadianLori Glad weather is finally working out for you
Hot peppers are an interesting one, I think. I hear that here in the UK some manage jalapeno outdoors, but if they are anything like normal peppers, I think I would be better off keeping them in the house or in one of my tiny greenhouses.
I sowed 6 (Jalapeno) and only 4 germinated. It took forever and they are still quite small. So I might try a few outside in my sunniest corner and see what happens.
For the moment the weather is holding up well, we are having 24 degrees quite frequently and no less than 10C at night. I hope it stays that way.

 

@Aldo - they are telling us that by Sunday night it will go back down to 3 or 4C

I just finished trying to find a pic I took years ago of the difference between two hot pepper plants. One grown in the greenhouse and the other outside - the difference was immense. The indoor one dwarfed the other. I'll look again later to see if I can find it and post it as it is a nice visual of the difference.

 

@CanadianLori If you can find the pictures I would love to see them!
Also, did you plant them in the ground?
I think I could try a few in ring culture, but I need to find out what pot size is required for the others.

 

I've never had peppers in the ground. I use containers that hold about 2 gallons, measuring across the top is about 10-12" and the depth slightly more. I've seen people post that you need a five gallon pail and that, to me, is major bologna slices (BS for short)

I think I found the comparison pictures - really ticked off that windows has decided to re-sort my photos by year - I had them so nicely placed in folders before. And to top it all off this was placed in a Dec 2006 file. Here it is and I can assure you this is not December in Canada!

Look at the difference. The one grown in the greenhouse dwarfs the other. They are seeds from the same pod and fed the same fertilizers so it is only the elements that differ.


Below shows how they flourish in the greenhouse. By the end of the summer, they fill the interior.

 

@CanadianLori
Thanks Lori! That is a very clear comparison :D
So it went up 40 inches or so. If I use 10 liters pots, which is just over 2 gallons I believe, I might be able to keep a few sheltered in my cupboard size GH
Are they any different from tomatoes or tomatilloes as for watering and feeding?
I tend and use diluted molasses for most things and add blood and bones to the soil with some plants.

And of course, now I need to ask you having seen how lovingly you grow your hot peppers, what varieties do you grow?
Do you go for the crazy spicy ones?
Mine are Jalapeno, so quite mild I think. Some friends told me they are growing habanero and other explosive varieties.
However, one told me that her partner bought a "10 millions" variety, but she wanted "50 millions".
Having read about the scoville scale, pure capsaicin is 1,5 million, so I supect that the seller served them a large dose of bolognese sauce :D

 

10 liters should do @Aldo. At the end of the season, it will be root bound but I don't care because I treat them as an annual.

I grow .. let's see if I can get this in order of Scoville rating, mild to hot.

Ring of fire 7k
Habanero ~ 350k
Chocolate douglah/devil's tongue cross ~ 400k
Red habanero which I tnink crossed with ghost ~ 500 to 800k
Ghost ~ 1.5million
Carolina reaper ~2.2 million

I used to also grow jalapeno, 7 pot yellow, seven pot brown, Chocolate douglah, orange habanero and one other that does not come to mind. One that I'm growing for the second year, I don't know it's rating so can't share that.

Decided to cut down on the varieties because at one point I had to literally crawl into the greenhouse to water.

And I will not eat spicy food. I grow it to make breads and jellies and cranberry sauces etc for friends who like the hot stuff. It started as a challenge.

 

@CanadianLori Wow, you are definitely packing some heat there :D
I am not a fan of spicy food either, even though my wife's cooking did manage to convert me to an extent. But even her would find most of your varieties a bit too hot to manage.
It reminds me of some relatives who grow really good coffee for gifts, but then drink mainly tea themselves.

I guess one needs to be careful and wash their hands well after touching Ghost or Reaper?

 

@Aldo I wear surgical gloves when processing the peppers but not when picking.

I've got to get my globe carrots sown before the moon enters it's waxing stage so that will happen this afternoon. I planted a bunch more peas yesterday just because I felt like doing that.

It rained quite a bit over the last few days so not much could get done outside. I also have my teensy zucchini seedlings to plant out as well today.

 

I got a rather large vegetable pest, has eaten most of my Aspargus in the garden and any veg I leave on the worktop (not parsnips though, she left that in the garden)!

And the culprit is.......... our young German Shepherd!

 

Raw parsnips are the only thing my last three dogs wouldn't eat but roast them and.........

 

Two proper courgettes on my green one now. Yay!! Lots of little ones starting on the yellow one, too.

Nearly ready to plant out the peppers, celery, and herbs, and sow some carrot seeds to fill the bed.