Let me start off by saying most of what I have done this year is far from the correct way to do things. This is a good example of what not to do and offers some good examples of what plants should not look like. I started my first batch of seeds in October of 2019 and grew many many of the plants shown latter indoors under grow lights. This was done mainly with the idea of just collecting a few extra seed and to have something growing in the winter. Most of the plants were subsequently moved outdoors and into larger pots as the weather allowed. I let suckers grow since I was trying to keep only one variety flowering at a time (I've since been convinced by members on this site that I still need to bag the seed heads). Multiple batches of additional seed were started at various times and added randomly to the chaos.
It may be easier to list the mistakes
1. Lack of planning
2. Not putting in a proper garden bed
3. Growing in too much shade - cigar wrapper shade grown does not mean deep shade, some leaf shape problems resulted from this.
4. Not bagging seed heads
5. Overwatering
6. There's more but I'm already getting depressed so I'm stopping
A few pics of the plants grown in pots. Notice the parrot like beak shape of some of the plant leaves grown in deep shade. I'm not sure if this is a direct factor of the shade or the minor aphid infestation.
Plants started latter were planted pellmell wherever I could find space in the ground or in pots. The plants in the ground had no soil prep and are suffering accordingly. To be honest they went in the ground because I ran out of larger pots and got tired of picking up blown over plants every day. The cardboard covering the ground in some of the pics is poor mans weed barrier
I did try a small raised bed with mostly compost in it. I planted tobacco on each side with some potatoes down the middle. I was hoping the potatoes would attract the flea Beatles away from the tobacco (this works when I grow tomatillos and peppers together). It didn't work out so well. To much shade, plants too close together and the chickens dug everything up multiple times.
I started more seed of some oriental varieties Monday and they are just now germinating. I will countinue with torturing these plants for the rest of the growing season. Next year I plan on putting a proper prepped bed in the ground where sufficient light is available.
It may be easier to list the mistakes
1. Lack of planning
2. Not putting in a proper garden bed
3. Growing in too much shade - cigar wrapper shade grown does not mean deep shade, some leaf shape problems resulted from this.
4. Not bagging seed heads
5. Overwatering
6. There's more but I'm already getting depressed so I'm stopping
A few pics of the plants grown in pots. Notice the parrot like beak shape of some of the plant leaves grown in deep shade. I'm not sure if this is a direct factor of the shade or the minor aphid infestation.
Plants started latter were planted pellmell wherever I could find space in the ground or in pots. The plants in the ground had no soil prep and are suffering accordingly. To be honest they went in the ground because I ran out of larger pots and got tired of picking up blown over plants every day. The cardboard covering the ground in some of the pics is poor mans weed barrier
I did try a small raised bed with mostly compost in it. I planted tobacco on each side with some potatoes down the middle. I was hoping the potatoes would attract the flea Beatles away from the tobacco (this works when I grow tomatillos and peppers together). It didn't work out so well. To much shade, plants too close together and the chickens dug everything up multiple times.
I started more seed of some oriental varieties Monday and they are just now germinating. I will countinue with torturing these plants for the rest of the growing season. Next year I plan on putting a proper prepped bed in the ground where sufficient light is available.