Official 2010 Grow Log for arringdd
Hey guys...finally got off my arse and started this grow log. I've been lurking around here for the past few months and have had seeds in the BioDome since Feb 4, but have been so busy with work that I haven't had the opportunity to post the pepper "experience" until now.
I guess to start off with, I'll give you the rundown of all the species that I'm attempting this year.....my first by the way. These are in no particular order, and have the vendor info as well. Vendor abbreviations include (THSC - Hippy, PG - Peppergal, PM- PepperMania, TGSC - Tomato growers supply company, TWF - Trade winds fruit, GS - Gourmetseed.com, CG - Cherrygal.com, L - Lowe's, KS - Knoxville Seed)
Lemon Drop (PG, THSC)
Charleston/Carolina Cayenne (PG)
Aji Cristal (PG)
Cayenne (PG, L)
Fatalii (PG, PM)
White Habanero (THSC, PG, TWF)
Chiltepin (PG)
Ring of Fire (PG)
Rocoto Yellow (PM, PG)
Chilhaucle Negro (PM)
Costeno Amarillo (PM)
Jamaican Hot (PM)
Beni Highlands (PM)
Bishop's Crown (PM)
Trinidad Scorpion (THSC)
Trinidad Yellow Scotch Bonnet (THSC)
Black Prince (THSC)
Bhut Jolokia (THSC, TWF)
Numex Twighlight (THSC)
Goatsweed (THSC)
7-POT "Jonah" (THSC)
7-POD (THSC)
Thai Hot (TWF)
Kung Pao (TWF)
Bolivian Rainbow (TWF)
Tabasco (TWF)
Filius Blue (TWF)
Chocolate Habanero (TWF)
Royal Black (TGSC)
Caribbean Red (TGSC)
Purple Jalepeno (TGSC)
Pretty Purple Pepper (TGSC)
Medusa Hybrid (TGSC)
Jalepeno (L)
Orange Habanero (L)
Serrano (L)
Sweet Banana (KS)
Heirloom Chervena Chushka (CG)
Shishito (GS)
I have grown peppers before, but only store-bought varieties that have already been germinated and grown for you for a couple of months.....never any from seed. I started this adventure by reading as much as possible on this forum. Next, I went to Lowe's on a materials gathering expedition. I did not find exactly everything that I wanted, but did find a few helpful items. Firstly, I bought a small 4-shelf indoor greenhouse which was 2 feet wide by about 5-6 feet tall.....just large enough to allow for some experimentation, but small enough to fit in my small spare bedroom and to not incite divorce proceedings!! After reading the forum a bit, I decided against peat pots, but thought that making my own mix was maybe too ambitious, and dirty, for a beginner with a limited work area. After some research, I settled on the Biodome system. Clean, and easy to use, although maybe a bit on the expensive side. At any rate, I bought 2 of the 60-cell rigs and 2 heating mats, seeds from the above vendors, and various other supplies.
I started the first 120 seedlings on February 4 and got ~90% germination rates. The only plants that did not start on that first go were the Scorpions from THSC. White habs were also poor germinators from THSC and TWF....not sure why. After the first 2 sets of true leaves were showing, I transplanted each seedling into 3" pots filled with plain old compost with small twigs, bark, etc. to aid in drainage. A small bit of perlite was added as well. My next task was to find an easy way to water these babies in the limited space I had without causing a god-awful mess. I found a nice solution at Lowe's with a lid from a heavy-duty plastic storage bin. These lids had a 2" deep inner well which could hold 24 of my 3" pots and could hold plenty of fluid for bottom watering. Luckily these sturdy lids fit perfectly into the shelves built into my little indoor greenhouse.
I provided illumination with simple Wal-Mart shop lights with bulbs of two different outputs....one about 4100 K, and the other about 6500 K.....not exactly sure. These lights were for the transplanted seedlings.
All my seedlings in one shot.
Peppermania seeds
Trade Winds Fruit (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!)
THSC (Good for most, bad for a few in my hands)
Hey guys...finally got off my arse and started this grow log. I've been lurking around here for the past few months and have had seeds in the BioDome since Feb 4, but have been so busy with work that I haven't had the opportunity to post the pepper "experience" until now.
I guess to start off with, I'll give you the rundown of all the species that I'm attempting this year.....my first by the way. These are in no particular order, and have the vendor info as well. Vendor abbreviations include (THSC - Hippy, PG - Peppergal, PM- PepperMania, TGSC - Tomato growers supply company, TWF - Trade winds fruit, GS - Gourmetseed.com, CG - Cherrygal.com, L - Lowe's, KS - Knoxville Seed)
Lemon Drop (PG, THSC)
Charleston/Carolina Cayenne (PG)
Aji Cristal (PG)
Cayenne (PG, L)
Fatalii (PG, PM)
White Habanero (THSC, PG, TWF)
Chiltepin (PG)
Ring of Fire (PG)
Rocoto Yellow (PM, PG)
Chilhaucle Negro (PM)
Costeno Amarillo (PM)
Jamaican Hot (PM)
Beni Highlands (PM)
Bishop's Crown (PM)
Trinidad Scorpion (THSC)
Trinidad Yellow Scotch Bonnet (THSC)
Black Prince (THSC)
Bhut Jolokia (THSC, TWF)
Numex Twighlight (THSC)
Goatsweed (THSC)
7-POT "Jonah" (THSC)
7-POD (THSC)
Thai Hot (TWF)
Kung Pao (TWF)
Bolivian Rainbow (TWF)
Tabasco (TWF)
Filius Blue (TWF)
Chocolate Habanero (TWF)
Royal Black (TGSC)
Caribbean Red (TGSC)
Purple Jalepeno (TGSC)
Pretty Purple Pepper (TGSC)
Medusa Hybrid (TGSC)
Jalepeno (L)
Orange Habanero (L)
Serrano (L)
Sweet Banana (KS)
Heirloom Chervena Chushka (CG)
Shishito (GS)
I have grown peppers before, but only store-bought varieties that have already been germinated and grown for you for a couple of months.....never any from seed. I started this adventure by reading as much as possible on this forum. Next, I went to Lowe's on a materials gathering expedition. I did not find exactly everything that I wanted, but did find a few helpful items. Firstly, I bought a small 4-shelf indoor greenhouse which was 2 feet wide by about 5-6 feet tall.....just large enough to allow for some experimentation, but small enough to fit in my small spare bedroom and to not incite divorce proceedings!! After reading the forum a bit, I decided against peat pots, but thought that making my own mix was maybe too ambitious, and dirty, for a beginner with a limited work area. After some research, I settled on the Biodome system. Clean, and easy to use, although maybe a bit on the expensive side. At any rate, I bought 2 of the 60-cell rigs and 2 heating mats, seeds from the above vendors, and various other supplies.
I started the first 120 seedlings on February 4 and got ~90% germination rates. The only plants that did not start on that first go were the Scorpions from THSC. White habs were also poor germinators from THSC and TWF....not sure why. After the first 2 sets of true leaves were showing, I transplanted each seedling into 3" pots filled with plain old compost with small twigs, bark, etc. to aid in drainage. A small bit of perlite was added as well. My next task was to find an easy way to water these babies in the limited space I had without causing a god-awful mess. I found a nice solution at Lowe's with a lid from a heavy-duty plastic storage bin. These lids had a 2" deep inner well which could hold 24 of my 3" pots and could hold plenty of fluid for bottom watering. Luckily these sturdy lids fit perfectly into the shelves built into my little indoor greenhouse.
I provided illumination with simple Wal-Mart shop lights with bulbs of two different outputs....one about 4100 K, and the other about 6500 K.....not exactly sure. These lights were for the transplanted seedlings.
All my seedlings in one shot.
Peppermania seeds
Trade Winds Fruit (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!)
THSC (Good for most, bad for a few in my hands)
