Pellet Fan
All Things Considered => General Discussion--Non food Related => Topic started by: Bentley on March 10, 2024, 02:17:25 PM
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Got the seed germinating this morning!
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I cannot say weird weather year in the Pacific Northwest has any meaning anymore. I am however trying something new. I'm going to wait. I've tried early germination and it didn't increase yields.
Wife and I have been itching to get started, yet the weather says not ready yet. Will start in the garage, move to the greenhouse, then to the garden in May.
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These wont go in the ground for 6-8 weeks, just hope to be a nice 4-6 inches by that time. And that we have had our last frost. These wont see the outside till after May Day! Cant see much.
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The raspberry canes have started to bloom. Got half of them trimmed.
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It took 6 months, but just finished the last raised bed this afternoon! The 1st four, were pretty rough and not uniform, but they are in the back. The last 8 were pretty uniform. Will plant shortly after May 1.
(https://i.imgur.com/rCo6SV1h.jpg)
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Lots of unusual heat here off and on over the last 2 weeks. As high as 89°. Supposed to rain this weekend. I rolled the dice and planted the Pasillo Banjo, Guajillo, Jalamundo, Bhut Jolokia (for what reason?) and 1 Mini Sweet Bell (no idea which of the 3 colors). Tomorrows high is to only be 81°, so should be a great time to finish with the Super Sioux, San Marzano & the Roma VF!
Pmillen forwarded an interesting youtube link about adding a broken up, unpeeled banana, underneath each tomato plant, so will be interested how that goes in a few weeks!
Pictures later!
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Had to do a search to see what those firs ones were, quite a selection That Jalamundo looks like something I would like, I am always picking up jalapenos in the store or fruit market when i see larger ones, then I swing by the sausage section and if i am lucky can find some manager park down stuff.
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I did my part of my wife's garden yesterday by adding 12 bags of garden soil to the existing raised beds. She planted her pole beans seeds and the squash and cucumbers plants yesterday. She will plant her tomato plants today if it does not rain. She has a 4' x 9' bed, a 4' diameter bed and a 3' diameter bed.
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The new seasons begins. I think this soil is good, but it is gonna take about 3 seasons to get it to great!
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4 beds so far. Hoping that 4 plants in each 10 foot section is good enough spacing! 1st 2 beds from bottom to top, 3 San Marzano, 2 Roma VF and then 3 Super Sioux.
(https://i.imgur.com/vffRuyfh.jpg)
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Then the Chili's and Peppers.
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Planting sure is a lot easier on my back.
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Linda and I hope to have some similar planters done (by her brother) soon. Neither of us can tolerate the bending required to attend to ground-level plantings.
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I actually think I will weed now! I can do it from the golf cart!
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I am not sure how I came upon the Florida Weave. I saw it on youtube, but not sure how I got there. I believe it is going to be the way to go finally after 9 seasons. I think the yields will be greater! You tie off, then weave on one side of plant then go to opposite side of next, etc. Then come back the other way. I guess you do it for about every 6-12 inches of growth (that is what I don't know). Hope it works like I think it is going to!
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I decided to put 8 foot long and 4 foot high sides on the bunker silo for the wood. Give me a better idea of how many cords I am at. That is a 17 foot wide bunker, so I am figuring about 2 1/2 chords. Do you all agree? Only 5 1/2 to go!
(https://i.imgur.com/thzzctYh.jpg)
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These were supposed to be Crimson Sweet variety, round, seedless. I swear at times I have no idea how this stuff comes up. I guess there were seed from previous years in the compost pile, that is all I can think. But these seed were planted. Picked to early, but still a fair amount of sweetness. Kristin is very pleased cuz they have enormous rind, so she is gonna make Pickled Watermelon rinds.
(https://i.imgur.com/Tmlk7UFh.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/8DYeyhhh.jpg?1)
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I read some article online that farmers want a 2 finger space between the light green and the dark green and those color should be fairly prominent in difference for determining when a watermelon is ripe. My wife says that there should also be some yellow on the watermelon. Well, the last one I bought at Weis was as described (I didn't know about the yellow aspect until she told me when I got home). It was the sweetest watermelon we have had so far this year. I ate half of it in about 2-3 days and the rest will probably go as quickly.
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I knew this was not ripe, but wanted to see if it was seeded. I found a youtube video spring of 2023 that showed me how to know a watermelon is ripe on the vine. Next to the vine that goes into the watermelon there is a curly little thing, almost like a pigs tail. When it is brown and dry the watermelon is ready. It did not fail me once last year. I will try and take pictures as they mature to show later. Does no good for picking one in the store, but sure works if you grow them!
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That's a real interesting method for a grower. I hope it works out for you. I love a sweet watermelon and could eat that every week of the year.
Watermelon, pineapple, and strawberries are my favorite fruits. I could eat oranges and apples after that. Outside of that, I could really care less for any other fruits.
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So this is the shape a Crimson Sweet variety should look, big and round. This second photo is what I meant by the "pig tail".
(https://i.imgur.com/ghxMrCch.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dr9LdKNh.jpg)
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And then you have more seeded elongated typical 4th of July Picnic type watermelon. And its pig tail. It is about a week away I think.
(https://i.imgur.com/Yy9Dureh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KQSGt3Wh.jpg)
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Processing the watermelon rind into pickle slices but it is a long slog. And and even longer slog to get to the final pickle stage!
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So taking a break to process the Roma and San Marzano tomatoes which Bentley is growing in the garden. I boil them down and strain them and reduce them further into a nice thick tomato sauce. This sauce is the best thing you've ever eaten! However as you can see from the picture of the sauce in the jar it takes a lot of tomatoes to make a quart of sauce!
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All these next pictures are just so I have a record of the garden for the future. And Wood! About 3 of the need 8 chords done!
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Very nice garden setup
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Very nice garden setup
Indeed, when do you get any time to update?
Holy smokes.
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Nice set up with the gardens.
Do you go out and cut trees or have logs brought in?
Is it your main heat source?
I wanted to put a wood burner in, but didn't have the space for one, so went with a pellet stove in the living section and the garage section is oil heat.
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Full Lumberjack Mode! I have access to about 12 acers of Woods. From Stevensburg Rd on the left to the Airport Outer Marker on the right and from Mountain Run to Corky's Lane. No, I just love Fire! Dead smack center is about what has been cleared in the last nine years, so I believe the Forrest will out live me!
Do you go out and cut trees or have logs brought in?
Is it your main heat source?
(https://i.imgur.com/s4JS1Cbh.jpg)
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We did also clear a lot to the left side where you can now see a road through the grass. There were trees all the way up to and covering that road.
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The garden, mowing, lumberjacking, you never run out of things to do, from the looks of it
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Bentley sure knows how to keep himself busy in retirement and does quite a good job with his work.
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Left to right. Guajillo, Ancho & Pasillo Banjo. The 3 Chili I use in my Chili Colorado. I tried for the last 3 weeks to air dry them. Had to put them in the Weber to dry. That is not traditional, will see if the smoke is over powering!
(https://i.imgur.com/TRWYtjvh.jpg)
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You have a Weber? Do you not have a dehydrator?
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Yeah, I have the Searwood. I do not have a dehydrator.
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Yeah, I have the Searwood. I do not have a dehydrator.
Forgot about that, sorry. Looks like it did a nice job drying those peppers.
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It did, but I have never dried chili's in a pit, just air dried. So I am not sure what dimension the smoke will add. Gonna make a simple sauce for a chili relleno tomorrow, so will find out!