Starting Peppers in DE

[Student of Spice]

I have started some more peppers compliments of Wiked Mike since we have an awesome long grow season in Florida and decided to try and start them in diatomaceous earth and hydroponic nutrients described by Pepper Rancher who was using MHPGardner i believe of Masterblend, Calcium Nitrate, and Magnesium Sulfate. I placed them in a starter containers and in a large tray that can hold the nutrients. I started this on June 1st after soaking the seeds and by June 4th they started to sprout. On June 11th I got a grow light and placed them under it for about 15 hours of light at night (avoiding the additional heat in the house) and allowing it to get the shade in the house through the day. I am attaching photos I attempted to take from the same place but didn't do well. Next time I will put a camera on a tripod and leave it in one spot which would have been better I just didn't think of it. My plan is to thin out the doubles in the containers this weekend and transplant them into soil and pots and leave the remaining to grow more indoors for awhile until I select two to keep as indoor hydroponic plants to experiment with the kratky method. I also want to start dabbling in this type of gardening as Flborn is going to help me set up an aquaponics system when I get everything situated.
 
June 4th

 
June 11th

 
June 12

 
June 13
 

 
June 14th
 

 
June 15th
 

 
June 16th
 

 
June 17th
 

 
June 18th
 

 
June 19th
 

The seeds were from april and are planted as follows
 
Scotch Bonnet MOA (SB MOA), Giant White Habanero (GWH), Aji Lemon Drop (ALD), Red Moruga Scorpion (RMS), Venezuelan Tiger (VT),  Sus Biberi (SusB), 7 Pot Gigantic SR Chocolate (7PG) , Aleppo (Alp)
 
SB MOA | GWH | ALD | RMS | VT | SusB
SB MOA | GWH | ALD | RMS | VT | SusB
SB MOA | GWH | 7PG | 7PG | Alp | Alp

 

[pepper_rancher]

Looking good!  Ive never heard of using DE as a growing medium... for some reason I thought it was really expensive (?)
 
Keep using that masterblend... im going to buy stock in them  (just kidding) 

 

[Student of Spice]

Like four bucks for a large bag (maybe 40lbs) about the size of a regular topsoil bag. I grabbed it in the auto department of walmart. Today I am also going to be prepping 2 large totes to start your method on a couple plants I want to try that are in 4 inch pots currently a Caramel Moruga and a Chocolate Bhut Jolokia. I gotta admit this pepper growing thing is fun! Very glad I joined this forum I have been learning so much from it and met some awesome people!

 

[Student of Spice]

So I have removed the duplicate plants from the planters and placed them in soil and solo cups. I had told myself I was not going to do this when I first planted the seeds, I was planting multiple seeds to make sure I could just thin out the weaker looking plants.....I should have known I was going to cave.
 

 

Prior to their separation
 

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

I thought you meant Delaware...carry on

 

[Student of Spice]

I suppose now they can race and see what the differences will make. I am going to continue using the nutrient solution for both so there isn't too many variables.
 
While separating out of the DE I found the water/nutrient soaked DE to be mushy. Probably breaking down, texture kind of reminded me of clay, probably not good. But I see it is still absorbent and pulling the nutrient solution from the tray, when it does dry toward the top it is loose like it was originally. It was really easy to separate the plants and get the roots out.

I thought you meant Delaware...carry on

 
hmm didn't think about that, I wonder if I can change the thread title because really.....Delaware Shmelaware  JK don't hate me Delawareans

 

[pepper_rancher]

...texture kind of reminded me of clay...

 
Are you sure that isnt clay for absorbing spills if you found it in the auto parts section for $4?  I thought DE was white and powdery?  That looks like clay to me!