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New From CT

titeWoozy

titeWoozy

Hi there, I am new to this forum, just would like to meet a few people in connecticut who can help me on my quest to perfect the art of growing hot peppers in out environment. I started up a bunch of pepper plants in late janurary. They are doing pretty well, but I'm worried I might have started them to early. If any of you can give me a few strategies please do.

thank you very much
 
Hey Titewoozy start up a thread and introduce yourself and check out the site .... but welcome to THP where in CT you from...
 
welcome from Fort Worth...

IMHO you did start them too early...like I say, I am in Fort Worth and started mine the last of January too...but I am going to transplant out to 5 gal containers the middle/3rd week of March and leave them out until crops over....

So here is what you have in front of you....

First question...how many plants do you have?...that answer is key...

Second question...where are they now and do you have a "grow area"?

No matter what the circumstances, I am a firm believer you can get the answer here.......

wow........longest welcome I have written I think
 
If you have the area then its not to early. As some may or maynot know our growing season is on the shorter side for peppers and if its like spring last year when the soil never warmed up till June its very hard to get total Fruit-ation.... I to have started many pepper plants indoors and I will see what the weather is like after Mothers Day before I even attempt it (sorta groundhog-ish in May) Tomatoes dont do so bad but seems like waiting for eternity by the time you get your first ripe pepper then its gone soon as you see/eat it. I'm rather knew to growing myself so I am looking for ways that best suit me.

Where in the 06 are ya?
 
I try to start most of my C. chinense in January and the others in February/march but it all depends on your lighting situation and # of plants.
 
Alabama jack: I have about 40 of them going right now. Dont have them under any grow lights but i have them in a good sunny area. They are in 4 inch tall peat pots right now in miracle grow moisture control potting soil. I think I was only about 4 weeks to early, because Ive spoken to a few people around here and they told me they usually start seeds around valentines day. So I think I should be fine. Please still help me out though, I'll be taking some pictures when I get home late (Im at work right now).
 
40 should not be hard to deal with....

Here is my recommendation....if you can get 2 shop light fixtures and some regular fluorescent bulbs, set them up and give them light at least 12 hrs a day...keep the lights pretty close to the plants..no further than 2"...remember the rule of light, the power of the light diminishes by the square of the distance from the light...reason for saying 2 shop light fixtures is if you allow 4" per plant that will give you 2 rows of 12 per fixture....so 2 fixtures will give you enough room for 48 plants...

If you want to set up a "temporary" growing area, you can use anything to close them in...I use plywood, insulation, and mylar (for reflection) to build my grow boxes... but I am trying to keep the plants between 80-85F. If you are interested in building a grow box for seedlings you can use year after year, there is plenty of information posted in the forums that contains information or you can simplay ask someone and I am sure you will have all kinds of help and advice...
 
If the plants are only getting natural sunlight this time of year then they will get tall and skinny, stretching for the light. I give some of my plant natural sunlight during the day and fluorescent lighting at night and they love it.
 
The reason I'm not jumping into using lights is because I'm worried about the electric bill soaring. Has anyone noticed the effects on the electric bill from flouresent lighting on your plants. Just wondering.
 
titeWoozy said:
The reason I'm not jumping into using lights is because I'm worried about the electric bill soaring. Has anyone noticed the effects on the electric bill from flouresent lighting on your plants. Just wondering.
Click to expand...

four 40 watt bulbs = 160 watts X 12 hrs a day = 1920 watts per day = 1.92 KW hours per day = 57.6 KW hrs per month...just looked up electricity cost for residential in Ct...didn't realize you guys were the second most expensive state for electricity...anyway...residential is 18.68 cents per kilowatt hour...or about 10 dollars per month...

I am running a bunch...38 40 watt bulbs....wife is going to freak when she sees the electric bill this month....cost of my lights will be about 136 a month...but then again, I will only run that many lights for 3 months max....kinda like running air conditioning in the summer...(12.48 cents per KWH in Texas)

http://www.ppinys.org/reports/jtf/electricprices.html
 
I know lots of people who use only natural sunlight but you won't get the same size or strength in your plants especially starting this time of year. Its worth the minimal investment to me to get bigger plants. You don't need to run the lights 24 hrs but I believe generally the more light the better.
 
Thanks for the information guys. Connecticut is one expensive ass state. Ten dollars doenst seem that bad though. But I'm not the one who pays the bills so if I proceed i will probally catch a verbal lashing from the woman.
 
AlabamaJack said:
just looked up electricity cost for residential in Ct...didn't realize you guys were the second most expensive state for electricity
Click to expand...

You should try our "enriched" gasoline that clogs your fuel injection and reduces mileage .. but our air is clean until the wind blows from NY NJ MA NH VT ... and it only costs me 3.35 a gallon in my truck ...WATTA BARGAIN

hey Tite Im only 15min from ya
 
Yes I did, it is difficult for me to tell.... seems awefully "leggy" as well but content. Will have to see when it blossoms and/or fruits
 
i wouldn't worry so much about the lights tite, since you won't be growing enough peppers to last until the end of days like AJ, even just get one shop light to augment the sun if its a big deal. i also don't think it was too early for the 100+ day plants, our season starts later but it also ends sooner so its kind of a necessity. so long as you have room for larger plants... the tomatoes are fine cuz they're all 50 to 80ish days, so i start them six weeks ahead of time and that's enough (i give the eggplant a few more weeks...)
 
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