The best tasting peppers by far are those allowed to ripen on the plant. So you have a yield vs good eating problem. I let all my peppers ripen. I simply put more plants into the ground. I run over a hundred pepper plants. I have red ripe peppers now. Chimayo and Espanola are ripe as are some others. You will love Chimayo. do a GW search on Chimayo. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pepper/msg1020100316497.html Byron offers to send you seeds. Chimayo Chiles Posted by byron 4a/5b NH on Tue, Oct 3, 06 at 20:10 FWIW Last year and this year I went to a chile event in Indy I harvested a few Chimayo Chile peppers (last year, this year a shopping bag full) In the low heat range these were the most awesome tasting chiles I have ever tasted, I now use Chimayo's in place of black pepper. For those into heirlooms, The Chimayo was first recorded in The only land race chile recorded in the USA, Found in by Spanish explorers in Chimayo, NM. Was said that it was one of the Nu Mex parents.. I love them, got several oz packaged in about 30 seeds1/pkg, one plant is enough for a year. even for Zone 4 growers, Zone 2 or 3 ?? Wanna try some? cost you a 39 cent stamp and a SASE Byron more info below. Here is a link that might be useful: Chimayo Peppers and where to get seeds

Now I'm confused. Everywhere I've been says AR Black doesn't pollinate other trees and Stark doesn't list it as a pollinator for any of their trees (mine is a Stark). And there they have a Granny Smith and AR Black 2in1 listed as self-pollinating. I wouldn't worry too much about Stark's claims about specific pollinators. I have a S-D AR Black and dwarf McIntosh and Cortland niether are listed for the Black yet it bears very heavily. I think as long as they bloom at the same time (mine do) you're fairly safe if they don't have sterile pollen. Stark used to use a bloom time chart. AR Black is OK but it's not that great fresh off the tree. It needs storage time to soften up and get some flavor. If you have damaged fruit it doesn't last long enough. But the good fruit last a long time and is very good looking. Also the hardness of the fruit on the tree seems to make them somewhat resistant to the bugs where you may get a couple pristine apples even if you have bug problems. I don't think I've ever tried it in a pie, but if I like it there must be some tartness to it (I hate Delicious). I can't help with whether those will work for you. The AR Black should but I've heard it's really pushing it to get a Granny Smith apple tree ripened around here. Being 2 zones lower should make it OK for you. Stark also has a 2in1 called Double Delicious if you're into those. They're who I use because they're close so I figure the trees will be used to the climate. Their trees seem to not grow out of bounds of what they claim and they do tend to bear early. Search "espalier". You could have quite a few trees if you did that. My McIntosh and Cortland take up a fence width about 15' long and about 5' high. The Cortland doesn't try to outgrow those bounds, but I have to prune the McIntosh quite a bit.

Thanks for the comments guys. Lloyd, I figure I am already outgrown on this as a single unit for what we are looking to do for spring. Been quite some time since we gardened and this last year we did maybe 500 sq ft, well we caught the bug and have seeded up for next year now we are committed to getting beds ready to go. Half a dozen or so of these is what I will be looking at and at that point should be able to get a wheelbarrow or garden tractor trailer of compost each time we put out new plants. This first year coming up I dont expect too much but hope to have an abundance of prime material after that. We are working on several fronts for biomass material, comfrey, chinese sumac and japanese empress for coppicing ramial wood and green manure in the form of buckwheat and other cover crops we are establishing as pastures for the chickens. If we can generate enough mass through these to add to the garden cleanup we might have a chance at keeping up with the rate at which the sand swallows soil around here. Grubby, yep... poor kids. Think I will hold off on the name, someone probably has a patent on the design though I did not see much of anything. I have a couple of round wire bins but have not been real happy with how fast they dry out. Dont think the air through the bottom will hurt too much with the solid sides. I hear ya on clipping the screws and have a couple of those 4 1/4" angle grinders that see serious use. I wrote the above with the intent that anyone with limited tools could do the same. Bought a pack of short 5/16" self tapping screws for putting this together so i dont think I will have any trouble there. Considered using rivets but figured that would be be too much work. As far as the bottom access. Seems like those who have been there found it not so much to their liking. This is some food for thought. Not having done this yet my impression was that what spilled out the bottom would be easy to fork up either into a trailer or barrow or back into the top to circulate back through. Not as young or go getter as I once was but can still make things move pretty well when needed so if its a matter of required effort then I can handle that for the foreseeable future. Was also thinking this could be modified with an auger down the center to make it self turning and probably something I would tinker with down the road. Pretty much what I am thinking on the pile dynamic (passive/static). Not after an 18 day hot pile but dont want to wait a year either so middle of the road warm pile is where I would like to land. If it ends up stable enough so that earthworms will hang out so much the better. As with all things its all about the tryin, as much as you can read and learn the real education begins when the boots hit the ground.

If you have not yet visited Tranquil Lake Nursery, you owe it to yourself as a reward for all your hard work gardening this year. In Rehoboth Ma., just outside of Providence R.I., 1 hr. from Boston. I attended their annual July open house and heard these presentations- that are being repeated the next 2 Saturdays. Terrifically helpful talks. And the display gardens there are just simply the best in any New England public garden or nursery. They also sell alot of unusual perennials and woodies(and in great condition). Here's the notice of their upcoming programs: Greetings The many garden at Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth are always beautiful in the late summer and fall and the latest blooming varieties of our daylilies will blossom until frost. The nursery is offered three Garden Talks on Saturdays in September at 11:00 a.m. Bring a lawn chair. We will move indoors in case of rain. Our Fall Garden Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 3. The workshops and festival are free and open to the public. Spread the word. Saturday, September 12 Daylilies for the Late Season Garden and Their Companions (Garden Talk) 11 a.m Philip Boucher, horticulturist and co-owner of Tranquil Lake Nursery will show off some of his favorite "Daylilies for the Late Season " from the collection of 3,600 or more daylily varieties in the fields at Tranquil lake Nursery. Learn what characteristics to look for, how to use daylilies in the garden and then ramble through the fields to see the September blooming beauties up close. He will also recommend a diverse selection of perennials for the late season garden and will suggest plant combinations that will complement these plants through the garden season. Early fall is an excellent time to plant perennials for beauty this year and continued appeal in years to come. Saturday, September 19 Plant Combinations for the Late Season Garden and Early Spring (Garden Talk) 11 a.m. Take a look at some plant combinations that will accent the late season and add color and interest to the early spring with horticulturist and garden designer, Warren Leach. Early fall is an excellent time to plant and establish plants for the spring garden. Explore planting combinations of spring bulbs, perennials, and shrubs that will add color to your garden next spring while also offering interest in the late season. Try some of our suggestions for perennial and spring bulb combinations or put together some new combinations of your own Saturday, September 26 Plants for Late Fall and Winter Interest (Garden Talk) 11 a.m. Garden color and interest need not fade with the first fall frost and frost and may even persist through winter snows. Enhance this often overlooked garden season by adding perennials, grasses, shrubs and small trees that will add color, texture and structure in your borders throughout the fall and into the winter. Warren Leach, garden designer and co-owner of Tranquil Lake Nursery will highlight a variety of uncommon and lesser known late season beauties that will spice up your borders adding late-season blooms, fall foliage effect, colorful twigs and attractive fruit to brighten the fall and winter landscape. He will also offer design suggestions for combining these plants into your borders and protecting them for the winter ahead. Saturday, October 3 Fall Gardening Festival (Full day of garden talks and demonstrations) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spend an educational and fun filled day at Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Learn new techniques that will help you to hone your gardening skills and improve the look and care of your own garden. We have invited a variety of speakers and exhibitors to share their knowledge and tools of the trade with you through workshops, hands-on activities, garden talks and demonstrations. Learn how and when to divide perennials, prune shrubs, propagate tender perennials, harvest and dry herbs and put the garden to bed for the winter. Experience the fine art of stone wall construction, add a water feature, or make hypertufas and more. There will also be workshops on perennials and shrubs for fall and winter interest, planting for spring color and spring bulbs. Plan to spend the whole day and learn how to improve the look of your garden this autumn, while you also get ready for the winter ahead and the spring to follow. You will also have the opportunity to wander among the gardens at Tranquil Lake Nursery, where you will see a diverse variety of perennials, grasses, shrubs and vines with late season interest. The gardens include a number of perennial borders, mixed perennial and shrub gardens, an ornamental vegetable garden, a thyme bench, container herb garden, an entry garden, an ornamental grass garden, a pond-side water garden, a bog garden, a dry-scree garden and more. The nursery also has more than 10 acres of daylilies and Siberian and Japanese Iris in the field. Some of the late blooming daylilies will still be in bloom at the end of September. Tranquil Lake Nursery offers a diverse selection of perennials, herbs, shrubs, grasses and tender perennials. Bring a picnic lunch; we'll provide the drinks. For more information, directions or a schedule, call the nursery visit our Web Site at www.tranquil-lake.com Warren Leach and Philip Boucher tranquil-lake@earthlink.net