Annie's 2014 Glog: FINAL Grow List before new 2014 glog

Began 2013 yesterday morning. 12 hour soak seed soak in potassium nitrate and H202 (diluted) in ice trays. Kept warm on heat mats. Mix is Promix BX with a lot of perlite added. Pre-moistened, then put in 72 cell 6 pack flats and bottom watered on heat mat to fully wet mix with Actinovate, kelp, Biotamax--a sliver--then drained, aerated with fork, then back to mats to await seeds. Lost a few seeds as I'm handier with turkey baster (obviously from seeds left in bulb when clean-up) when it's used for Q or turkey, but have plenty of viable seeds. Trying to prevent damping off. Seeds from Chris, Jamie (Romy6), Ed, Judy (pepperlover.com), peppergal, peppermania, Baker Creek, Trade Winds, Tomato Grower's Supply, My Patriot Supply . . . and my own saved. Now to prevent damping off. Have ordered Pyrethrin to go with Actinovate, lots of fans, soil temps were 85 this morning when wood stove was dying, restoked, back up to 90F, soil temps (sorry, no pic), as while carrying in wood in our ice and snow/ice storm yesterday morning, I fell. Sorta fell. Falling would have hurt less: why do we try to stop the inevitable? This is my first grow of superhots, so please, any suggestions?! Lemme know, please. Right now the domes are on again, but will be slanting them off in a couple days, if not sooner, and always, flats get 20 minutes fresh air in morning. (Freezing but fresh air <grin>.)

Lights and mylar box--other side of shelving unit is large white sheet (and I know the mylar is crinkled). Also there's some diluted Clorox gunk am gonna get off, but for now, I like the idea of diluted Clorox gunk.

Other side lights: fans

Thanks to so many helpful members here. I hope these seeds hook, live long, prosper, aka do not damp-off. Updates, I hope . Peace, Annie

 

[romy6]

Annie, great to see you are starting a glog this year . Sounds like you have a great grow method. Can't wait to watch the progress of your peppers.

 

[annie57]

Annie great intro and documentaion. Looks like you've fine tuned the grow down to a Science. I'll be following this one to check on the progress.
Good luck with your 2013 season and the harvest(s) along the way...

Greg

Annie, great to see you are starting a glog this year . Sounds like you have a great grow method. Can't wait to watch the progress of your peppers.

Thanks Greg and Jamie: you guys have helped so much. Now if I just don't worry over these buried seeds too much, lol. Of course, this morning took soil temp check and it was banging 100F+. Dang: yanked towels off domes, yanked domes and gave them air--O2--outside air via fans--no, no: I didn't order a thermostat (nothing intelligent like that ) because in basement, even with wood stove heat, ambient temps were just hanging around 75 last night, but I did stoke it pretty well before going to bed, duh. Hope one night of temps that high didn't bake them. I thought the heat mats only went 10-20 over ambient. And then, a wood stove is not reliable with "ambient" (after genius here) fires it really well before going to bed. But am comforting myself with the thought (or prayer) that in the tropics--I've lived in Dominican Republic in winter--and temps there generally run mid to upper 80's in winter. And in summer the booming voice--those radio announcers crack me up--announce "CuaRENTA grados!" which is over 100 in F. Whadya think, Jamie? Did I kill them? Therm stopped at 105. They aren't under lights yet, but on a 48" x 20" heat mat, on top of thick layers of cardboard, which is topped by a jumbo car shade, before the heat mat went on. Styrofoam insulation around the back and sides of trays, with domes, covered by bubble-wrap and then, towels. And soilless mix seems dry to me.

But with all the rain we've had, and ice/snow, that's melted, going out to mess with raised beds (adding Sluggo Plus to kill off pill and sowbugs--got raised beds with compost, probably gonna have few of those and the greedy jerks do eat non-decaying matter), RBs seemed pretty wet. Of course, was doing this by fishing headlamp as it was dark still. In-ground garden is really wet. So, maybe am gauging dry/wet by out v. inside. Been taking domes off to fan air on; water was pouring off them--no bottom watering yet: did that before seeding (as described above) and poured it out of trays. But much less that condensation now. Temps were back down around 85+ before I left this morning, after I spritzed top just a touch--Solo pump spray, 1 liter, and gave them few quick ones. My thinking is: it also rains every afternoon for an hour in DR and tropics. Gave them heat, wind, and rain, dangit!

Guys, am I overworking/worrying this? (And Jamie, please tell me I didn't bake the baby seeds! "Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies . . ." ) Okay, my 15 minute famed lunch is over; "customers" are knocking on office door wanting to know if they're really going to really, like totally, have to do an annotated bibliography pre-final senior thesis, and like totally, like really it's in the freakin' syllabus and like TOTALLY we went over it for an entire 2 weeks. Greg, how "scientific" is it not to buy a thermostat? Geez.

 

[PIC 1]

I use two 2 x 4 ft germ mats with no themostat. That's 8 trays warming at once, each tray doesn't have the exact medium nor the same moisture content. I simply place a towel over the mats to buffer and spread the heat so there's no hot spots. Oh...ha besides using a timer to regulate the on's and off's of the mats I also use my finger as a temperature guide. If the top of the soil feels warm to the touch then thats fine...Hot is a no go.

 

[annie57]

Greg, thanks! I was hoping that either you or "Mr. James" had answered my question--ya'll still haven't made a wager on whether I got baked, crispy-crittered seeds but . . . lol. I put a towel between mat and flats, as you do, and temps are now hovering between 83-86 at soil level. Maybe I over worried (and maybe I fried the seeds last night) but then this morning, I was sticking the therm all the way into deep cells. Wanted to use those to establish a possibly better root mass before potting up--provided the seed that makes the root didn't go towering inferno--but that's what freaked me. But, 72 deep cell is gonna have some--hear my optimism?--differentiation between bottom of cell and where the seed is, in top 1/4th. We'll see: but the towel trick really seems to be working. Thank you so much, Greg!

 

[stickman]

Hi Annie
You've obviously given your start a lot of thought. Good luck on your grow this year!

 

[stc3248]

Liking what I'm seein over here! Great varieties, nice grow setup... recipe for success right there! I'll be watching!

 

[RocketMan]

Nice set up Annie. Last year was my first year growing and I learned a ton. You've got a nice assortment of both flavors and heats going there. i'll be following.

Bill

 

[annie57]

Hi Annie
You've obviously given your start a lot of thought. Good luck on your grow this year!

Liking what I'm seein over here! Great varieties, nice grow setup... recipe for success right there! I'll be watching!

Thanks stickman and stc! I hope I didn't cook the seeds (see above with Greg, very helpful): have ordered more seed and toned it down (the wood stove) and am expecting thermostat in tomorrow's mail, lol. Worst case, might have some to give away, provided I didn't turn seeds to refried beans. I see no problem replanting in same soil, with extra seed ordered. But hey, the soilless pH is around 6.8. Ha! Live and learn.

Nice set up Annie. Last year was my first year growing and I learned a ton. You've got a nice assortment of both flavors and heats going there. i'll be following.

Bill

BILL!! In case I cooked the children (see above with Greg), should I go digging around to see if "refried seeds" and if so, just eat plate of them with some fatalii applebutter sauce from last fall. Then, reseed of course. Good to hear from ya, man! And I so hear that "learn[ed] a lot." So far have learned less is way more, lol.

 

[annie57]

Cool more seeds, intentionally more manzanos, and thermostat all here by late tomorrow. It's said that the person who has killed more plants is the better grower. (Not a word about frying seeds, however, smh.)

 

[wildseed57]

Hi Annie, sounds like you are off to a good start.
I haven't started my grow yet, as usual I will get off to a late start, but I have three nice plants that I'm overwintering and will do some 7 pod varieties along with some Bhuts and Trinidad scorpions.
I like your plant stand with lights, I need to update my stand with new lights, just one more reason I'm behind on things, but as long as I get things going before mid February I'll be fine.

 

[annie57]

Hi Annie, sounds like you are off to a good start.
I haven't started my grow yet, as usual I will get off to a late start, but I have three nice plants that I'm overwintering and will do some 7 pod varieties along with some Bhuts and Trinidad scorpions.
I like your plant stand with lights, I need to update my stand with new lights, just one more reason I'm behind on things, but as long as I get things going before mid February I'll be fine.

Indeed, Wildseed! We (or I do) stress too much on this stuff. Supposed to be relaxing . . . hmm. I love 7 Pods! And only Trini Scorp doing this year is the "Yellow Blend." My yellow brains last year rivaled the scorps. Wish I'd ordered more 7 Pod Burgundy or brown, as would like to have tried that. Only Bhut am doing--unless the chocolate surprises me and didn't get cooked--is peach--am dangit, determined on the Peach Bhut! Gotta record a soothing vocal whisper on loop for it, "You will grow and you will be stable. You are a child of the universe; you will be stable." But then, what indication of my own stability would that be? Good luck on your grow; I look forward to it. Checked out WalkGood's glog this morning and had to eat half the house, thawed a 7 pod in freezer, just to feel normal.

 

[romy6]

Annie. You crack me up . I really don't think you cooked them. Just be patient. I am just getting sprouts and it has been 3 weeks. Granted I am doing it outside and the temps are in the low 60's at night .70 's during the day. ( I am not helping anyone with that ) You don't need it to warm for them to sprout.

Let me know if you need some 7 popt brown seeds. I have plenty

Note to self. Avoid Ramon's( walkgood) Glog if you are over weight like myself

 

[annie57]

JAMIE! "Mr. J." You're so kind to gimme false hope: but to err on side of caution or more stupidity, ordered more from seed from Judy and in my frantic, forgot the 7 Pod Burgundy. But did go for some Jamaican Red SBonnets from another supplier, esp. after drooling over Ramon's Glog, glad I did. (I can stand to gain but that of R's is about over top. Be good relapse prevention technique for those in WWatcher's.) Sure, I'd love some 7 Pod browns! I'll send you some sauce this year as am going the 12 oz. woozy/shrinkwrap route. I think it was "Brother Bill" sent me in direction of that Fatalii-apple butter route and man, I got too many "friends"--got one only pint left for me that am nursing. No biggie . . . I can eat at their houses . Peace sweetie! Annie

 

[georgej]

Love that setup!

 

[RocketMan]

BILL!! In case I cooked the children (see above with Greg), should I go digging around to see if "refried seeds" and if so, just eat plate of them with some fatalii applebutter sauce from last fall. Then, reseed of course. Good to hear from ya, man! And I so hear that "learn[ed] a lot." So far have learned less is way more, lol.

2 quotes come to mind from my grandparents when I was a kid and helping in the garden.
1. My Grandma told me once that fertilizing is a lot like adding salt to a dish. A little touch really enhances the flavor where as a lot just ruins it all.
2. My Grandpa told me that if this growing thing were easy then everything we grow would only give us 1 seed.

Wisdom that makes sense and stands the test of time, I love it.

 

[WalkGood]

Annie, don&rsquo;t give up on dem! I honestly believe that seeds are more resilient than most would have you believe, It&rsquo;s only once their outside that troubles of bugs and such can begin. Leave them in da ground as long as you can ... ... I've had some serious surprises after months of being in the ground and even transplanted to final pots when all of the sudden a baby pepper pops up, a little extra heat will only make them hotter

 

[Sanarda]

I agree with Walkgood. Dont give up. And you are a riot . Give em some more time I bet you will start to see some sprouts. I dont know if one night of 100 can kill seeds or not, but I wouldnt throw in the towel (No pun intended)

 

[annie57]

And God said . . . "Look, kiddo: this 'back to Eden' nonsense . . . tisk, tisk 'cause I said you was gonna toil it and work it and work it and toil it . . . eh, buy a thermostat, my dingbat child!" And so I did. And when I stuck probe into corner end of tray medium, it read 99.9F. Hmm. The end corner, huh? That hot, huh? The probe is now set in middle of medium @ 85 just to get the end corners to maybe 80 F. This heat mat's name is now "Christine." Or my meat therm's name is Christine. Dunno. Then again, "Some people say that there's [somebody] to blame but I know it's my own damed fault."

On a musical note:

Pollyanna Annie.

 

[WalkGood]

Wicked Beatles 45s FTW

 

[annie57]

2 quotes come to mind from my grandparents when I was a kid and helping in the garden.
1. My Grandma told me once that fertilizing is a lot like adding salt to a dish. A little touch really enhances the flavor where as a lot just ruins it all.
2. My Grandpa told me that if this growing thing were easy then everything we grow would only give us 1 seed.


Wisdom that makes sense and stands the test of time, I love it.

I love these, Bill! That gen tended to put it like a kid could understand it. Mawmaw gave me the salt analogy when I was about to dump big handfuls of composted chicken manure on a mater plant, long time ago. And your grandfather's quote will remain with me rest of my life. Anything or anybody that grows works hard. Thank goodness for work = more than one seed, since I might've fritoed a bunch of them in "the growing" process. ;-)

Annie, don&rsquo;t give up on dem! I honestly believe that seeds are more resilient than most would have you believe, It&rsquo;s only once their outside that troubles of bugs and such can begin. Leave them in da ground as long as you can ... ... I've had some serious surprises after months of being in the ground and even transplanted to final pots when all of the sudden a baby pepper pops up, a little extra heat will only make them hotter

Ramon, I absolutely adore your optimism and you're right. Just in case I'm sitting here "waiting on Godot" and I killed them deadern 4'oclock, am planting more in their cells over next few days. And then, you'll really be right: they'll all hook. Look like a bed of radishes. And LOTS of heat makes seeds hotter . . . mon? Dude, I really, really like your thinking! Claro: las semillas andan bien . One Love . . . many seeds.

I agree with Walkgood. Dont give up. And you are a riot . Give em some more time I bet you will start to see some sprouts. I dont know if one night of 100 can kill seeds or not, but I wouldnt throw in the towel (No pun intended)

Sanarda, thanks for laughing with me! I've heard this word, I see it in dictionaries, know it exists. "Moderation." WTH is that? lol Now, I worry that I got the new thermostat set too low.