I have to agree that the bark in the pictures does not look right. First thing I notice is that there is literally NO fines in it. The mix depends on using pine bark fines, not just pine bark. I'm not going to defend any mix, because this is my first year using the 5-1-1, and although it is working good for me, it hasn't been without hard work and some complaints. I have had some watering issues with the hydrophobic pine bark. I can say though, that my pine bark is fines, and I CAN pour water in the pot, and it sits there for a bit. But, I can agree that the water seems to flow right through, and leave dry sections in the center of the pot. It takes a bit of screwing around, but all in all, the mix works. I won't be using it for veggies anymore, because next year I'll be firing up a regular veggie garden. So, final word from me: Due to what looks to be the wrong pine bark, and the wrong lime being used, this experiment is scrapped, and shouldn't be associated with the 5-1-1 mix. Joe

Hi Everyone, Today I received envelopes from the following people: zackey pnbrown rockwhisperer davsher brambleoak I will be sending out the seeds tomorrow. Please let me know when they arrive. If you requested seeds and have not sent your envelope yet, please send it soon. Best, Jay

Let me give you my interpretation... The Scoville scale is based on dilution - dilute a given amount of the pepper with sugar water until the heat disappears. For instance, a Caribbean Red that has has 300,000 SU's must be diluted by 300,000 times for the heat to disappear. That means 1 gm of pureed CR added to 300,000 gms of sugar water and finally you don't detect heat. A much more accurate means is high pressure liquid chromatography where one actually measures the concentration of the capsaicin compounds. Both methods are based on the pepper "as is" and in this state the pepper has quite a good bit of water - I guessing about 80%. So, if you base your analytical technique on dry basis vs. wet basis, naturally the results are going to be different. For instance, take a Naga Morich rated at 1,000,000 scoville units. That's wet basis. If it's roughly 80% moisture and 20% solids, then the pepper would have 1,000,000 divided by 0.2 SU's or about 5,000,000 SU's dry basis. Pure capsaicin is about 16,000,000 SU's dry basis. Incidentally, the Naga Morich rated at 1,000,000 SU's is roughly 6.25% capsaicin wet basis. On a dry basis and assuming 80% moisture, that would be 31.25% capsaicin. Either way, that is huge! BTW - I am assuming no chemical reactions taking place during the drying process that may reduce the capsaicin content of the original pepper.

Hi grizzman, At about 6 weeks a seedling will have 4 true leaves & be ready to transplant; it can have 2 - 3 stems. Prune seedling to only 2 stems (in a Bell pepper these can then grow to over 12 feet or 4 mt., if supported). Allow the plant it's vegetative development & see explanation (farther below) on pruning side shoots, once they develop. To shift vegetative growth into mature fruit productivity (later on) pruning will essentially be an ongoing tactic, done 2 times a month. This keeps pepper plant from yielding in flushes & relapsing into vegetative growth. No reduction in adult plant fertilizer Nitrogen & no increase in Phosphorus is used; a large plant needs it's N & extra P can cause problems that impact on yield. When the plant begins to put off side branches from main stem nodes it is time to begin pruning vegetative growth. Each node on the 2 stems of the pepper plant gets all it's "excess" leaves pruned off it, so that just a single (1) leaf remains at each of it's nodes (ie: main stems have 1 leaf at every node). Later on, when plant is about 4 months old from seed ( & after some leaf pruning on the side branches, which is explained shortly) you can let a 2nd leaf grow out at each node on the main stems (ie: 2nd leaf/node by then will not push plant back into vegetative mode). The plant will likely be fruiting at this age ( when keep 2nd leaf/node) & needs more photosynthesis to bulk up the fruit. You want to take plant into fruiting mode progressively & have those hormonal signals stabilize. Since you are trying to control the plant there is some strategic early flower pruning, to get fruit set occurring how you want it synchronized to lock in that hormonal shift. In the crotch, or fork between your 2 stems, pinch off that flower. Likewise, going up each stem you pinch off the flower (if any) at the 1st node above the fork. What you want is to stagger the first 2 peppers on each stem & allow the plant to definitively transition into a continuous (not flushes) fruiting cycle. The plant is made to "work" to replace the lost flowers & this helps condition that response. It is not a question of giving it more time for vegetative/root development to make a better plant; it is a tactical sacrifice that means more total productivity. So, after pruning the 1st flower that develops above the fork, let the next higher flower grow & set fruit on the 2nd node of each of both main stems. Then, get rid of (prune) the flower at the 3rd node of each stem. At the 4th node on each stem you stop pruning away any more of the main stems' flowers. (If your plant suffers an "accident" & loses it's lowest flowers then just start the pruning sequence of no flower/yes flower/no flower/yes all subsequent flowers where you can on each stem.) Returning now to keeping vegetative growth under control. The plant will put off side branches at each of the nodes, on both main stems, for as long as it is growing. These are to be controlled, as they develop at any age, to avoid pepper plant getting bushy.( Yet keeping some minimal leaf growth for photosynthesis & preventing the sun burning the pepper fruit.) As a side branch develops (when it starts is not important) it is is important that each side branch is dealt with before it's vegetative growth begins to send growth hormone signals. And, please do not confuse a side branch tip with the tip of a main step (do not cut off either main stem apex or plant will only be bushy.) On each of the growing side branches (not main stem,now) you want a leaf to develop at it's (the side branch's) very own 1st node. Once you see a leaf point of growth, prune the side branch back to it's 1st node (ie: side branches get to stay & keep a leaf at a node, but can not have a 2nd node for their own continued bushy growth). The only thing to add (about side branch technique) is, that about 4 weeks after you have pruned a side branch back to it's 1st node (& left it with just 1 leaf) it is good to let a 2nd leaf come out & remain (on each side branch). By originally holding down the number of side branch leaves to only 1 it keeps the vegetative cycle from resuming. After a while there is no side branch vegetative hormonal signal when you allow the 2nd (& no more) leaf at it's first & only node. It is preferable to have that extra photosynthetic capacity & the leaf cover for a pepper crop that is commercially planted at the density of 1 pepper/ 3.5 square feet (1 pepper/ 0.33 square meter). One final look at the main stem (only): you pruned it to 1 leaf/node ( when got side branching), let it have 2 leaves/node (at +/- 4 months old, fruit growing). If a plant is getting a lot of sun (or peppers are planted far apart) you should let a maximum 3rd leaf at each node on both the main stems develop; it will protect the fruit & deal with factors stressing the plant (this last leaf is not required for photosynthesis capacity, but those side branch leaves are).