Does Anyone Have Opinions on Aero Gardens?

[Gaspar]

FMC is getting jalapenos still at her house in MWC and we had a real bumper crop last year.  They seem to love the heat.

Cut around the tops, pull out the seeds then, stick em in a smoker at about 190 (if you can get it that low) with some apple wood for about 3 hours.  They will get dark, sweet, and lose most of their heat.  You can freeze them and use anytime you need chipotles.

[custosnox]

Cut around the tops, pull out the seeds then, stick em in a smoker at about 190 (if you can get it that low) with some apple wood for about 3 hours.  They will get dark, sweet, and lose most of their heat.  You can freeze them and use anytime you need chipotles.

I've got a new, black weber (I love early bday presents), so if I stick it in partial sunlight I think I can maintain that temp, with no fire needed

[Conan71]

Cut around the tops, pull out the seeds then, stick em in a smoker at about 190 (if you can get it that low) with some apple wood for about 3 hours.  They will get dark, sweet, and lose most of their heat.  You can freeze them and use anytime you need chipotles.

Check.  Already done with last year's crop except I used pecan.  It's nuclear chipotle and used sparingly.  For everyday use I prefer the chipotle powder I get at the market in Espanola, NM.  We canned a bunch and still have gallon bags full of sliced jalapeno's in the freezer.

[Red Arrow]

Most of my pepper plants are doing OK with regular watering.  It's difficult to tell how much.  I usually let them wilt a bit then give them a deep watering.  The ones in the ground (backyard) have drip irrigation.  Okra is doing well. Eggplants are hanging on but I have only harvested one so far with 2 more nearly ready.  I had some early good returns on yellow squash and cucumbers until the squash bugs got them along with some butternut squash plants that hadn't produced anything.  Tomato plants are hanging on barely.  I have a few green tomatoes but only a couple have started to ripen.

I also have some peppers in pots in the front yard.

Peppers: Jalapeno, Mucho Nacho (large Jalapeno), Cayenne, Poblano, Big Jim (several plants have croaked), Anaheim, Tabasco, Thick Cayenne, Red Habo, Regular Orange Habo, Hot Banana and Serrano.  I have harvested several Habos, red and orange, Cayennes, a few Jalapenos, 1 Serrano, some Big Jims after the plants gave up.

[guido911]

 We canned a bunch and still have gallon bags full of sliced jalapeno's in the freezer.

Let me know if I can take some of those off your hands. I mean, I am worried about you. You already live a very stressful life and having all those jalapenos just laying around is an unnecessary stressor. In other words, let me help you.

[Red Arrow]

Cut around the tops, pull out the seeds then, stick em in a smoker at about 190 (if you can get it that low) with some apple wood for about 3 hours.  They will get dark, sweet, and lose most of their heat.  You can freeze them and use anytime you need chipotles.

I try to keep the temperature less than 150 to keep from cooking them.  I smoke them for about 8 hours with Pecan (typical of southern New Mexico) and finish drying them in my dehydrator.  I cut the tops and cut them in half from top to bottom but leave the seeds in.  The best info I have found is that the original method was to smoke them whole for several days until they are dried in a huge brick smoker/oven.

I also let them turn red before picking them.

[Conan71]

Let me know if I can take some of those off your hands. I mean, I am worried about you. You already live a very stressful life and having all those jalapenos just laying around is an unnecessary stressor. In other words, let me help you.

Hahaha!  I'll check the inventory and see what we've got left of last year.  FMC said she got home tonight and found some sort of worms devouring the leaves on the jalapeno plants out front.

Red- Big Jim doesn't seem to be too different a variety of my "180's".  According to the fellow who gave me the seeds, the 180's are developed for the shorter growing season in northern NM vs. the 220 day season in the Mesilla Valley.  It's been a weird experience, Yet I have two hanging in there really well, they just aren't putting on pods yet.  they have bloomed, but no pods.  The ones in the back yard don't appear to get enough full sun all day, yet the ones closest to my banana trees (love full sun) got chewed up by something which leaves damage like a cut worm.  I've got two plants out front in pots, one is really stout, the other has not developed as well.  Both were planted as equally-sized seedlings at the same time and get the same sun, water, and sustenance.  Go figure. 

[heironymouspasparagus]

Conan,
I have the two pot thing going with tomatoes and have the same thing happening.  One much better than the other.  The good one is in an older "insulated" foam type pot that is much bigger than the other.  The smaller one is a single layer non-foam type pot.  Small holds about 1.5 cu ft (guess) and the bigger one maybe 2.0 cu ft.

The root ball on the larger one is probably staying cooler than the smaller one.  The both get shade after about 1:00 pm.

No tomatoes forming - the pollen just can't survive this.

[guido911]

I try to keep the temperature less than 150 to keep from cooking them.  I smoke them for about 8 hours with Pecan (typical of southern New Mexico) and finish drying them in my dehydrator.  I cut the tops and cut them in half from top to bottom but leave the seeds in.  The best info I have found is that the original method was to smoke them whole for several days until they are dried in a huge brick smoker/oven.

I also let them turn red before picking them.

I'm curious. Where precisely is this garden of yours? I want to learn about the soil conditions, lighting and shade proportion, how it's watered and, and, and, aw hell, I just wanted to rip you off. I'm sorry.

As for the aero garden, I am going to get the three pod started kit to grow herbs. I'll report on the success/failure of the product.

[Conan71]

I'm curious. Where precisely is this garden of yours? I want to learn about the soil conditions, lighting and shade proportion, how it's watered and, and, and, aw hell, I just wanted to rip you off. I'm sorry.

As for the aero garden, I am going to get the three pod started kit to grow herbs. I'll report on the success/failure of the product.

Herbs??  Ahem...

[heironymouspasparagus]

guido,
Here is a quick and easy little 4 x 8 garden that is manageable by anyone with very small amount of time.  And the fence panels are optional, 4 sides with 2" x 4" metal fence material - but they keep out the rabbits.  The tall posts allow string to tie up stuff - just about any configuration you want - or if you don't want tall posts, leave them the same height as the sides.  Make a hole for the corner boards to secure the corners and give a place to screw the side panels to.

Tall posts allow use of shade material for summers like this - they are 4" x 4" cedar, 8 feet long.  Bury two feet in ground.

Only thing to make sure is that you use cedar.  Three pieces, 1 x 12, 8 foot long.  Cut one in half for the ends.  Use 1 and only 1 deck screw at end of each board to prevent splitting.  Dig a small trench, a couple inches deep for the sides to sit in.  Fill with some compost, plant.  Then mulch with hay - lots of it.  Leave it over winter to decompose and become organic matter for the soil.  Good smile, Maynard!

Grow corn!  This picture was early in year before the corn got tall.  Ended up about 11 feet tall.  Hominy corn called Hickory King.  

Sorry about size of picture - cannot get them smaller!  Any ideas?

[guido911]

Thanks for the info heiron, but if I started digging around in my backyard I'm afraid the wife would perform a very painful surgical procedure on me in a very sensitive area while I'm sleeping.

[guido911]

Herbs??  Ahem...

I'll check aero garden's seed packages to see if this herb is available.

[Red Arrow]

I'm curious. Where precisely is this garden of yours? I want to learn about the soil conditions, lighting and shade proportion, how it's watered and, and, and, aw hell, I just wanted to rip you off. I'm sorry.

In the back yard.  I believe the dogs will alert us to your arrival.

[guido911]

In the back yard.  I believe the dogs will alert us to your arrival.

Yeah, I recall you mentioning those in the past. lol