OK. 1) it says 6 weeks before frost indoors. It's not as simple as that -- generally, one needs help with warmth just to get pepper seeds to germinate. Heat mats are commonly used, but something as simple as a the top of a dvr or refrigerator can be used. You want the temp to be somewhere between about 75-88F, with 88 being the sweet spot. Also, 6 weeks would be bare minimum for annuums. I'd go 8 minimum and at least 12 for chinense varieties. If frost happens to stick around longer than expected, one can always pot up. Having a nice mature seedling is paramount, especially for those in colder climates who only have a small window to work with. There's much more to starting indoors though. I suggest a visit to growing under lights forum and/or hot pepper forum. 2) it says 16" pot. Well, that may be fine for THAT pot, but I have 16" containers that are only 8" deep. That won't work. You need some depth also Container size is debatable depending on variety and length of season and the amount of potting mix one wants to buy. Many people(not me) grow their chinenses in as small as 2 gallon. I, myself, have had success with 5 gal buckets. But much better with 10-15 because of my longer growing season. With large fruited annuums like bells and others the video shows, I've done the 5 gal. But... the harvests past the 1st one suffer with misshapen and smaller fruit. For those varieties, I recommend 10 gal or bigger. I'm not saying you can't get a decent harvest in a smallish container, but the bigger the better, imho. 3) it says the Ancho Poblano is also known as the Pasilla. Not true. Here, in SoCal, Poblanos are sold with the name Pasilla in the grocery stores. It's a misnomer though. Pasillas are actually Chilacas --- a totally different peppers variety. 4) drip irrigation. This one really bothers me. Although it may be efficient, it's not the best way to water pepper plants. Pepper plants hate "wet feet." The soil like to be dried out between waterings.. almost to the point of wilting. So, if you go outside one morn or evening and your plants are still wilting from the hot summer, it's time to give them a good soak. One gets a feel for this the more they grow them. You actually don't want to get them to wilt stage, but right before it. But, better wilt than overwater. And with drip, I see too constant of a moisture level. So, here's how I do it. Water thoroughly, let get almost wilt, deep soak. Let get almost wilt, deep soak... and so on. 5) mulch. Love it! But, the chances of it breaking down and becoming useful to your plant is pretty small in one season. Still, always a good idea to mulch. SO, no true complaint here. Although, those leaves being used is garden "litter." Many pests "hibernate" in leaf litter, so one may be better off using bark or something else and saving the leaves for the compost pile. 6) Organic fertilizers. I have no problem with them whatsoever and in the beginning may give a boost to growth. But, maintaining a microherd in smallish containers is difficult because of temperature fluctuations. The only time i do organic in a container is with large containers like barrels. Anything smaller, and I go synthetic. 1 TB of CRF per gallon of soil and half doses weekly with an All Purpose water soluble fert--- Miracle Gro 24-8-16 or Foliage Pro 9-3-6 are 2 very common ones. If using MG, you'll need to supplement with Ca and Mg. Dolomite lime is used a lot or CalMag. Check the ingredients on your soil mix for lime since too much lime will raise ph too high. 7) Fish ferts for BLOOMS? Not too sure on that statement, but if the person in the video feels it works for them, then who am I to argue? The general rule is phosphorus for flowering, but a well balanced fertilizer is generally all that's needed for peppers. Fish ferts are a good way to keep the microherd going though, but like i said, organic ferts I tend to keep for in ground plants and LARGE containers. Not too sure on the foliar spraying also. There are some veggies that like to get their leaves wet. Like most though, peppers do not. JMO 8) Fetilizing -- all depends. Like i said, a well balanced 3-1-2 ratio with micronutes is best with containers every week at half doses. Epsom salts -- again with the foliar -- i say no. I also say no to epsoms unless my plants are showing they need some Mg. Then, I just add 1/2 tsp to my regular ferts for soil drench. 9) Cutworms and hornworms. Neem oil is used for soft bodied insects like aphids, mites, and whiteflies. Also fungal issues. For cutworms, diatomaceous earth can help, but it can also kill beneficials. Beneficial nematodes can help also, but I found that just a couple toothpicks inserted into the soil at the base of the seedling will prevent cutworms from wrapping around the stalk and nipping it at soil level. Hornworms -- hand picking helps, but i found that an IPM program and bi-weekly sprayings of BT (K variant) keeps them at bay. 10) Blossom end rot. A lot of people think that it's fixable. It may be in future harvests, but you want the ca to be present from the get go because most forms of it need time to break down and be used by the plants. If you're looking to get instant Ca to a plant, one may want to google "smokemaster witch's brew." But the best is to have it present in the beginning. Lime, bone meal, etc should be applied several months in advance. 11) When harvesting the peppers, I notice a lot of falling leaves and yellowing. This goes back to overwatering issues. 12) Not just the Thai pepper is PERENNIAL -- ALL varieties are. For people in Northern climates, overwintering is very popular. Google it. btw, I have found Thai varieties to do pretty well in smallish containers. Goes back to my theory of large fruited varieties needing LARGER containers. Was that YOUR video djkj? If it was, I'm sorry for ripping it apart. But if you're happy with the way things are going, then who am I to try to change your mind? That's the beauty of gardening.. what works for one may not work for the other. Wow! That is one long a** post! Kevin

Guess what? I was in Tractor Supply yesterday and Nelson was the only Blackberry Variety they had-and they had dozens of plants. TS might not be the best source for trees, but the blackberry plants looked good and were only $4.95 each. I bought one and it had 3 separate canes with good roots and the beginning of some sprouts, so 3 good plant starts for $5, plus no shipping and you can get them and plant them in a day or so. Hopefully they have TS stores in your area and that they carry the same types as my store in KY. Hope this helps you. Kevin

Does anyone know where I can get some organic Blackberry plants in or near Santa Monica? I am willing to buy them, or I can trade Pitaya(Dragon Fruit) magenta or white fleshed plant cuttings for them. I'd like to get the largest most mature plant I can buy( not a tiny thing from an internet nursery; although maybe some of them sell large plants?). Also, can I plant them now in a pot, -- I have a balcony, east facing( direct light til 10:45am, indirect light after) near Bundy and Santa Monica Blvd( on the border of Santa Monica and West LA). Thank you, ~Diana(310)936-3150

Well after a few weeks of mightily struggling against the temptation, I just bought a small one at Camforest! Who in their right mind would be buying camellias after this winter? However, the difference between my 'Aida' and the one at Longwood - hardly colder than me and the plant was in a sheltered spot around the non-public conservatories anyhow - absolutely confirms what I've always suspected about BLEs in borderline climates. You have to grow them lean and hard, so that they are ready for the stress of a cold winter. Their plant had reached 4-5' from a rooted cutting in only a few years. It was completely killed, not even able to come back from the roots. I have hardly ever fertilized mine, it's not in soil that would ever have been enriched, and it has grown very slowly. Perhaps a soil test would even say this soil had "poor fertility" for normal garden cultivation of plants and should be amended. But my 'Aida' was hardly injured last winter and only had moderate injury this winter. However I am also convinced that borderline BLEs benefit from having some size on them too - up to a point. So I won't plant any of the camellias I just ordered for at least a couple years.