Jalapeno peppers Oh Yeah... were getting them started...with Azos

One thing we love in are house are peppers and the pepper we like best is the Jalapeno. We slice, smoke and grate them. They have a flavor that we just love.

 I like to scatter 6 to 8 seeds per hole and lightly cover with a seed starting mix.  As they germinate and grow I like to wait a week or two until the seedlings are just starting to form there true leafs at this point you have to divide them or just let them grow and cut out the ones you don't want later.

 I do use a root stimulator called Azos because peppers do not like there roots disturbed. I have found that Azos by xtreme-gardening works extremely well with pepper seedling and tomato seedlings. I loose very few and I am pretty rough on the pepper seedlings as I tear them apart and transplant them this is a very good product.
 On small scale growing of peppers I would suggest planting two to three seeds per tray and not disturbing them at all, but I need about a hundred jalapeno plants so this is the best method for me. I ended up with over 90 jalapeno plants I did plant other peppers as well a few bell peppers and fish peppers also a few purple jalapenos and about thirty banana peppers.
   My brother's family and mine bottle everything we grow and the favorite for the family is a pepper relish in this relish we throw all the different peppers we grow in the pot along with onions and garlic then grind it all up together and bottle it up yummy... There is nothing better on a hot dog for me than     Dusty's Pepper Relish...

Tomato transplants part 3

  This week I have re-pot a couple of tomatoes that I started a few weeks ago. I kept one of each variety a Stupice and a Chocolate Cherry and I plan to grow both of these out in containers for the upcoming season.



  In this container mix I used 25 percent perlite, 25 percent peat moss, 40 percent compost and 10 percent rock dust. The rock dust I will use today is a sifted granite which I purchased in bulk from a sand and rock company.
  I like to mix everything together and add water. I like to trim the bottom leaves off and keep them off the ground at all times it keeps the tomatoes from picking up diseases from the ground.





 This year I am going grow a lot more plants in containers or try to lol.  I plan to grow tomatoes, peppers and okra in containers this will be the first year for me trying to container grow okra so this should be fun....
 Later Dusty.....

Heirloom Tomatoes and Open Pollinated Tomatoes dominate this years selections for my garden

  I have been going over and over seed catalogs as well as conversations with other local gardeners on just what types and varieties of tomatoes I should bring to the local farmers market this year. After digesting information on this subject from locals as well as seasoned tomato market growers. I have decided to grow around 50 varieties but I am mainly going to concentrate on the smaller cherry tomatoes and the paste tomatoes.
  My research perimeters and areas I put in place brought me to this point. And they were ease of growth, earliness of harvest,  tomato varieties that could take a small ride without bursting. Then I had to think about packaging I found it easy enough to find pint containers. My idea is to sell tomatoes by the pint and quart just fill them up with any tomato variety and there will be a set price per pint and quart.

 As far as the paste tomatoes and larger varieties they also could be purchased the same but I am expecting to sell by the case or lug for the local bottlers at a more reasonable price for large purchases also for the tomatoes with blemishs. ( a lug of tomatoes is 32 pounds).
  The varieties I have chosen are mainly Cherry Tomatoes and Paste but there are a few larger types of tomatoes that I will grow. I believe I have 3 hybrids and the remaining tomatoes will be heirloom and open pollinated. I do have some crosses that I am growing out that should be interesting that I have picked up along the way from friends. I am hoping to have photos of lots of tomatoes this year.
  I am so excited to start this year. I broke my ankle Febuary 2nd and I have been running behind ever since but I am hoping the Doctor will let me start therapy on my leg so I can get things in the garden rolling. I will start planting my tomato seeds in the next couple of weeks so I have 6 to 8 weeks to get things in shape. lol

 The Cherry tomatoes I choose were from 1 to 3 oz   I will also have just about every color under the sun. If there is any interest I will post the names of each that I have chosen to plant this year...later Dusty...