robynanne said:
Hmm, I have only the one compost bin but this system makes sense. I've been wondering how I'd deal with the fact that I'm adding new stuff to the bin all the time.

When I need compost, whatever is in the center of my heap "must be ready enough". I'll dig out and use the center, then turn what's left.

Or I'll use a 1/2" screen and use anything that passes through. I could equally well have used the entire heap as mulch (also called sheet composting) , so there is little need to wait until it's "finished" composting.

For a while I had a linear heap of compost. I would add new stuff to the left end, and then rake some undigested surface stuff over that end. I would take finished compost from the right end, and rake what remained to the left. The whole heap gradually migrated to the left, so some of the "turnings" would mostly be shoveling the center to the right and raking big dry chunks to the left.

My peppers pretty much always do well, this year (with a warmer summer) they are doing even better... jalapenos, hot bananas, peperoncini, Super Chili, King Arthur bell peppers -- all are loaded with fruit!

I have absolutely no idea why peppers seem to be so problematic for many people and are a no-brainer for me, but I'm really glad that I can make that claim for something!

Weedwhacker said:My peppers pretty much always do well, this year (with a warmer summer) they are doing even better... jalapenos, hot bananas, peperoncini, Super Chili, King Arthur bell peppers -- all are loaded with fruit!

I have absolutely no idea why peppers seem to be so problematic for many people and are a no-brainer for me, but I'm really glad that I can make that claim for something!

I don't know about everyone else, but for me they need more time than the tomatoes so that makes the wait that much more difficult.

robynanne said:

I don't know about everyone else, but for me they need more time than the tomatoes so that makes the wait that much more difficult.

Robyn, do you mean more time in terms of being ready to pick? I do start my pepper seeds a couple of weeks earlier than the tomatoes, but I always have LOTS of peppers before I have tomatoes.

Weedwhacker said:

Robyn, do you mean more time in terms of being ready to pick? I do start my pepper seeds a couple of weeks earlier than the tomatoes, but I always have LOTS of peppers before I have tomatoes.

Well, I started my seeds for both at the same time, which was a big mistake. I should've started the pepper seeds weeks before the tomato seeds. Now there are tomatoes aplenty (just waiting on them to get ripe!) and the peppers are really just now starting to blossom and set. So yeah, they need more time between seed sowing and harvest.

Weedwhacker said:My peppers pretty much always do well, this year (with a warmer summer) they are doing even better... jalapenos, hot bananas, peperoncini, Super Chili, King Arthur bell peppers -- all are loaded with fruit!

I have absolutely no idea why peppers seem to be so problematic for many people and are a no-brainer for me, but I'm really glad that I can make that claim for something!

You must be doing something that they really like!

robynanne said:

Well, I started my seeds for both at the same time, which was a big mistake. I should've started the pepper seeds weeks before the tomato seeds. Now there are tomatoes aplenty (just waiting on them to get ripe!) and the peppers are really just now starting to blossom and set. So yeah, they need more time between seed sowing and harvest.

Yes, start your seeds sooner and you should have peppers way before tomatoes.

Newyorkrita said:

Yes, start your seeds sooner and you should have peppers way before tomatoes.

And with heat! My tomatoes sprouted without the heat pad but the peppers just sat there shivering in their seed shells. I'm going the full heating pad, grow light set up this winter/spring!

I've been harvesting a few bell peppers and several jalapeno. A couple hot banana and a few Anaheim My pablano peppers are going to be a while yet, they take longer. I always plant peppers on a tarped area, just cutting a whole large enough to plant them. They seem to like the warm ground and usually thrive. I don't know if that would work well in an extremely hot area, but does fine here. I never have to weed them. I just put down some composed horse manure (I have lots of that ) in the fall and cover it with the tarp. By spring the worms have worked the compost into the soil. I just cut the hole and plant the pepper plants in the spring. I do the same with eggplant and tomatoes. I've done it with melons and squash too with great success.
This is a picture from last year, early in the summer. I am not using this space at all this year, as I'm solarizing it with tarps, hoping to get rid of some tomato blight that I had last year. This year I have a very small garden in another area while this space is solarizing.


I'm thinking in the future that most of my garden will be tarped areas like this. I have no weeding to do at all! The tarp keeps the moisture from escaping and keeps the soil warm. I don't think I can plant potatoes this way though...I'm getting to be a lazy gardener for sure.

tveguy3 said:I've been harvesting a few bell peppers and several jalapeno. A couple hot banana and a few Anaheim My pablano peppers are going to be a while yet, they take longer. I always plant peppers on a tarped area, just cutting a whole large enough to plant them. They seem to like the warm ground and usually thrive. I don't know if that would work well in an extremely hot area, but does fine here. I never have to weed them. I just put down some composed horse manure (I have lots of that ) in the fall and cover it with the tarp. By spring the worms have worked the compost into the soil. I just cut the hole and plant the pepper plants in the spring. I do the same with eggplant and tomatoes. I've done it with melons and squash too with great success.
This is a picture from last year, early in the summer. I am not using this space at all this year, as I'm solarizing it with tarps, hoping to get rid of some tomato blight that I had last year. This year I have a very small garden in another area while this space is solarizing.


I'm thinking in the future that most of my garden will be tarped areas like this. I have no weeding to do at all! The tarp keeps the moisture from escaping and keeps the soil warm. I don't think I can plant potatoes this way though...I'm getting to be a lazy gardener for sure.

It seems to be a very workable system.

For what it's worth... I've never used a heat mat for starting my peppers (or anything else). I do start them under fluorescent lights, which provide a bit of warmth.

Interesting sandy!

My jalapeño plant seems to be growing quite a bit bigger. Most of the garden hates this muggy heat but the peppers and Malabar are in heaven.

One thing I can say for sure is that I hate the muggy heat!!

Weedwhacker said:One thing I can say for sure is that I hate the muggy heat!!

I was picking beans and tomatoes this afternoon in the 96 degree temps with heat index of 105. Drenched in sweat, just drenched from working outside. So yes, I thinking it was too warm today but I had beans to pick and I ALWAYS have tomatoes to pick.,

OMG, Rita!

It wasn't even all that hot here, according to the thermometer... high 70s, low 80s, but the humidity was definitely sky high!

Fortunately, by evening it had changed and become much more tolerable

My FIRST pepper!! A California wonder bell. I debated letting it get red, but the plant seemed to put everything else on hold to make this one so I'm hoping by picking it, the plant will get bigger and make more. The pepper is already cut up and in the salad for today!

Weedwhacker said:OMG, Rita!

It wasn't even all that hot here, according to the thermometer... high 70s, low 80s, but the humidity was definitely sky high!

Fortunately, by evening it had changed and become much more tolerable

Supposed to be pretty much the same today. More humid than normal but otherwise I don't mind too much as I might expect some of this weather in the summer. Wouldn't be bad if I wasn't out in the hot sun. Hope I don't have too much to pick today.

robynanne said:My FIRST pepper!! A California wonder bell. I debated letting it get red, but the plant seemed to put everything else on hold to make this one so I'm hoping by picking it, the plant will get bigger and make more. The pepper is already cut up and in the salad for today!

• Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'California Wonder')
• Uploaded by robynanne

Congrats! Yes, if a plant sets a single pepper and just seems to resist setting more, it is best to pick it green ripe - after all, it thinks that it has done its job (producing seeds for the next generation).
<-- retreats to his corner to grumble to himself about his stick-beaten ugly plants that are still dropping blossoms instead of setting...

robynanne said:My FIRST pepper!! A California wonder bell. I debated letting it get red, but the plant seemed to put everything else on hold to make this one so I'm hoping by picking it, the plant will get bigger and make more. The pepper is already cut up and in the salad for today!

• Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'California Wonder')
• Uploaded by robynanne

It really takes a long time till they get red, if ever. What happens to me often is rot sets in and then you have nothing for your efforts.

So I don't grow any of the fancy colored bells as I would only be picking them green anyway.

My favorite green bell is Lady Bell, which for me is a very nice pepper and produces lots of nice sized peppers.