Relaxing and planning for next year. Our winter is just starting, finally had a killing freeze in the hoop house this last week. Mine is unheated. Most of us are not as fortunate to live in as mild of climate as you have.

Marla

We finally have a bit of snow but I think it will be gone by Christmas.

Today I worked on cleaning and separating lettuce, amaranth, mustard green and zinnia seeds that we saved for next season's garden.

My hoophouse is unheated as well but my heating mats help and I built a frame over my lights to be able to use frost blankets to cover my vegetable starts overnight in case of a freeze.I was separating seeds from peppers as well,Manzano,Negro,Chiletepin,I also started some Mucho Nacho Jalapeno.My tomatoes I have are Early Girl,Bigbeef,Amish paste,Roma.

You can do these things in areas like you and I live in, Mario.
Last year as an experiment I started a giant type watermelon about now and it grew an incredibly huge and healthy plant, but just a 50 pound watermelon when they can pretty easily be grow to around 150-200lb in locales like ours in the regular season. Anyway that was directly in the ground with two sets of buried heat cables and a low slung clear tarp over re-bar frames at night to trap the heat. It never got below 60F air or 72F soil.

Recently I have built two outdoor, table top low tunnels. They each are about the size of a full sheet of plywood and have 40' of heat cables in a bed of sand with a layer of shower pan liner, covered with loose lain tiles all over Styrofoam. The hoops, which are about 30" high at center, can be covered with a variety of things using spring clamps according to the weather/season. It is really my seed starting setup, but I am going to try basil to maturity through the rest of the winter starting today.Might try a small container type tomato.
Other than the seed/seedling starting I don't think these little efforts have much value for Market Growing, but it's fun and might get a few favorite crops for the house year round. We would like to have tomato, lettuce and basil year round for the kitchen.

A 5o pound water melon sounds really good to me!Ive been wanting to plant some early vegetables in the ground too,I think I need another hoophouse or like you did,low hoops and then bury cables to heat the ground during these winter nights.
The days have been so warm into the 60's,and inside my hoophouse must have past the 90s today I was in a t-shirt working for a while but my dogs stayed just outside the greenhouse,too hot for them!The mornings still with light frost.My vegetables have really loved these sunny days,my tomatoes are about 4 inches now, I love that tomato leaf smell.My peppers are still way behind but doing ok.I started Habanero seeds too. My Bhut Jolokia seeds arrived today and my 4 inch pots too.The market where I sell really enjoy hot peppers,I made a mistake last year and started mild peppers first,Fresno,Santa Fe,Jalapeno.I'm still waiting another week or so to begin my heirloom tomatoes.
Mario

Where did you get the Bhut Jolokia seeds, and how much did you have to pay? I have a customer suggesting that I grow some of them. The seeds seem awfully expensive.

Marla

Hi Marla,I got my Bhut Jolokia seeds from New Mexico State University Chile pepper Institute. They cost $6 for 15 seeds,no shipping cost.This is the only reliable place I know of.However not all the seeds have come out for me so only count on half sprouting :( Therefore yes they are expensive.I want to plant the best peppers I get from these to get my own seeds for next year.
Mario

I've seen them on ebay for $1.99 for 10 seeds, but haven't really checked the grower out. That reminds me, I have family in NM, maybe they can find some for me. Or something else on that super hot side. I know in Indiana soils, the fruit will not be as hot, but I'll try.

Marla,One good thing about the Bhut Jolokia pepper plants is you can sell them at a much higher price then other kinds.Another thing is if you can get a few chile pods the seeds will be mostly all viable and a bit better acclimatized so you get quicker peppers the following year at least from my experience.I sell super hot peppers in containers,one of the best ones I have is a purple Brazilian,people buy it cause it looks unique and its very hot too.
Mario

Was at my market today,sold my first tomato plants of the season,6pack Early Girl,not much interest in single plants today though.Also took an order for my first two Bhut Jolokia plants got $20 a piece.The Bhuts are just beginning to sprout so it will a few months till they are big enough to take but I'm glad there is lots of interest out there...
Mario

Wow! that's outrageous, but if people want them bad enough, they'll pay it. I don't think I could get that here.

The Bhuts are going in a larger pot then my other peppers that's why I need to ask more for them as well.But I have not seen or heard of anyone selling them locally.
It's rare to find at a market but also a well known name now,and really causes interest so asking a higher price is fine.
I also noticed the Bhut seeds I received seemed better this year so I hope to have a higher germination rate.
Mario