Updates on today. While I didn't get anything spray painted (it's too windy to do that safely in the carport), I did get a whole lot of afro-engineering ready to support that when it happens, and I got the bottle plugs ready to go.
First, a quick look at one of my Japanese bell pepper plants. They started from seed, no soak, on 1/9.
Not only are they looking pretty good (this one's a bit droopy, but just needs a bit of water)... they're flowering, and at least one has already set fruit.
So that's exciting! And these things drop pollen like
crazy. So I shouldn't have a problem crossing them.
On the bottle front, I had to stop part way through, but I got a little bit of it documented.
I have a couple small rolls of masking tape. Rather than trying to find something thinner and paying more for less, I just spun one around against a box cutter. Worked pretty well. I've already applied this to the three bottles I'm starting first, though I forgot to take a picture of that. Planning to get one before I start painting.
Also marked them where the bottom of the plug will be, so we'll see if that comes through when they're done.
Switching over to the plugs themselves, this ended up being a pretty funny picture.
Yes, yes, make your jokes. The grow finally fits with the weedlike luminescence that used to haunt my office window. I don't know if this even has a chance of working; I'd never even been in the same room with a rock wool cube before today. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Got the plugs marked and seeded. For one I used one of the three Sri Lanka Red seeds I have that just pushed out a radicle (50% germination on this batch so far; not great at all), so if this works, I might be able to get a look at how my normal soil mix does against Kratky. Of course, at this point I'm expecting all of them to be off pheno anyway, so that's a whole lot of random hybrid fruit.
And then, since I'm obviously a smart person, I started two entirely new varieties in the two other test plugs. Caribe and Giant White Habaneros. They've been plasticked over and are in the tent incubating. I had to find a random piece of plastic to stick in there to keep them all from leaning in annoying ways; next time I'll try to find a more appropriate container. Also, if this does pan out, I'll probably just paint up a couple larger bottles to swap these plugs to when I need the little ones for crosses.
The Caribe is using one of the sponges that came with these little plugs, just to see if those can be used for this method. If so, that'll be a lot more convenient for the first 7 or 8 runs, and then I'll just have to go back to rock wool joint rolling.
