> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 15:47:13 -0500 > From: "T. Matthew Evans" <matt.evans@ce.gatech.edu> > Subject: [CH] Intensive Planting [...snip...] > Have any of you worked with very intensive > plantings? I mean, six to eight inches apart? I have heard of folks doing > this with gardens in general, but not specifically chiles. During the 2000 season, I used a heating pad (for the first time) to help germinate my seeds. I was used to getting only 50% to germinate, so I doubled up the seed in every starter cup. Long story short: With the vermiculite kept at 95-100 degrees, almost every seed (43 different varieties) sprouted. While I had set aside a 20 x 20 area for my garden, I had covered the majority of it with black plastic (to try and cook the mint plants that the previous owner allowed to grow wild). That left me with about 20 x 4 to work with. I planted the plants (almost 100 of them) on 10" centers, and I left a little walkway between block every 3 feet or so (just like Mel's "Square foot gardening"). The plants produced prolifically. I didn't need to water them often (even though it was a very hot summer), as the closeness of the plants retained moisture very well. I didn't need to weed, either. My only complaint is that it was a royal pain at harvest time: there's not a whole lot of room when you cram the plants in there. Regards, Greg \|/ ___ \|/ loki@world.std.com +----- 2048/83C90191 -----+ @~./'O o`\.~@ | 0B 65 E0 58 F3 F9 81 F5 | /__( \___/ )__\ Crypto, Security, and Phrack: | F0 72 75 FA 1E BD C9 66 | `\__`U_/' http://world.std.com/~loki +--- via Finger or WWW ---+