AJs 2012 Season - A Pictorial Discussion

BigCedar · Dec 30, 2011

AJ! Your doing a growlog!?!

:dance:

Looking forward to watching this one!
I used hoffman's for the first time this year after hearing so much great stuff about it, awesome stuff. Most of the seedling roots are already coming out the bottom of the cells and they are just barely getting their first leaves. That's some fast root growth right there.

I'm dying to know.. whatcha growin this year?

Good luck, hope you have another great year.

Brandon

JayT · Dec 30, 2011

I hate to be selfish, but its going to be nice seeing more of you and your grow season this year. You were too busy for us last year. Best of luck with this next season my friend.

biscgolf · Dec 30, 2011

AJ= ever used metromix 360 for starting your seed? it is the finest, most evenly wetting mix i have found so far. i use it for microgreens so always have it on hand so use it for seedlings as well more or less by default.

how are you heating your germination box?

what is your target date for being able to move the plants outdoors?

i'm likely to have a lot of questions as we go here, going to wind up starting a couple of thousand peppers myself this year...

AlabamaJack · Dec 30, 2011

BigCedar said:
I'm dying to know.. whatcha growin this year?
Good luck, hope you have another great year.
Brandon

well, I don't rightly know what all I will grow this year...will grow a bunch of what I got from the cmpman auction...very first seeds out of the block will be the Tovari and Galapagense (sp?)...then there will be a whole bunch of different 7 pots....and of course Trinidad Scorpions...probably a mix of seeds from my "stash"...I am going back to my old standby Super Cayenne II Hybrid....my favorite cayenne for color, size, and production...hundreds of pencil sized pods...will have a couple of anaheims and cascabel...probably a few chile de arbols...will be interesting to see what my grow list is this year...somewhere around 300 plants I reckon...

JayT said:
I hate to be selfish, but its going to be nice seeing more of you and your grow season this year. You were too busy for us last year. Best of luck with this next season my friend.

thanks Jay...hopefully it will be like old times again...and I can really enjoy it...

biscgolf said:
AJ= ever used metromix 360 for starting your seed? it is the finest, most evenly wetting mix i have found so far. i use it for microgreens so always have it on hand so use it for seedlings as well more or less by default.

how are you heating your germination box?

what is your target date for being able to move the plants outdoors?

i'm likely to have a lot of questions as we go here, going to wind up starting a couple of thousand peppers myself this year...

no sir, never used it...will check it out though....

heating the germination chamber with light bulbs...two 150 watt incandescent bulbs in each chamber...they are hooked up to a remote bulb thermostat that I keep set on 84F...

I can start moving plants outside the last of February, but will have to watch them closely...probably won't be able to leave them outside until the end of March...

as far as questions go, ask away...I am sure if I don't know the answer, someone on the forum does...

Siliman · Dec 30, 2011

All is right with the world: AJ has begun! Your info and reports are much, much appreciated..... :cool:

Pr0digal_son · Dec 30, 2011

Are those angels I hear singing?

Ronnie , what kind of water are you using to soak the media? Tap, spring, distilled? Anything special you do to the seeds prior to planting? I am thinking about using a peroxide soak. Thanks for any info pal.

AlabamaJack · Dec 30, 2011

just standard tap water...the pH of my tap is about 7.4 and since this is a 24 hour presoak, it works for me...seeds go out of the dry package into the damp soil then get the warmth...

I have thought about presoaking the seeds, but have not needed to yet because I still get great germination rates...well, good enough for my purposes now...

Josh · Jan 1, 2012

Very nice AJ. I am firing up the old grow box tonight. I will not bee planting peppers until February but I will get some lettuce and basil going. I am kicking around the idea of starting a few carrots as well. I hope you have a better season then last. You guys have some intense heat in Texas.

Matt50680 · Jan 1, 2012

Good to see you back Sir. Here's to a Happy New Year and a bountiful grow season. I assume you will be doing the seedlings for the Farmer's Markets again?

JayT · Jan 1, 2012

AlabamaJack said:
just standard tap water...the pH of my tap is about 7.4 and since this is a 24 hour presoak, it works for me...seeds go out of the dry package into the damp soil then get the warmth...

I have thought about presoaking the seeds, but have not needed to yet because I still get great germination rates...well, good enough for my purposes now...

Do you use any specific temp. water when starting them? How about watering? I assume room temp, warm water. At least that's what I always use.

NoVa Hothead · Jan 1, 2012

I'm about two weeks away from starting my seeds, will probably get my grow box cleaned and ready next weekend.

AlabamaJack · Jan 1, 2012

@matt...no sir, no farmers market plants this year...I maybe will sell a few to repeat customers I have had for a few years, but not large numbers...

@JayT...correct...room temperature tap water...I try and let it stand for 24 hours before using to allow the gaseous compounds time to get out...

@NH...hey man, get it cranked up...it's time for the seeds to have a coming out party...

patrick · Jan 1, 2012

Now this is a great way to start the new year. Looking forward to watching your garden grow AJ Best of luck to you..

Trippa · Jan 1, 2012

Loving the germination set up. I am looking forward to following your progress.

Best of luck with the season ahead.
Cheers Trippa

kiddc · Jan 4, 2012

Good luck, AJ. But you dont need luck, you have mad gardening skillz.

AlabamaJack · Jan 4, 2012

patrick said:
Now this is a great way to start the new year. Looking forward to watching your garden grow AJ Best of luck to you..

thanks Patrick...and you too my friend...

Trippa said:
Loving the germination set up. I am looking forward to following your progress.

Best of luck with the season ahead.
Cheers Trippa

thanks Trippa...probably will need luck with the heat coming this summer...

kiddc said:
Good luck, AJ. But you dont need luck, you have mad gardening skillz.

thanks kiddc...my gardening skillz may not be mad but the wife thinks I am mad as a hatter some times...

OK...finally got seeds in the dirt....

9 C. Galapagense (can someone correct me on this spelling if I am wrong....Please)
5 C. Tovari
9 Foodarama Scotch Bonnet

Tray 1

Tray 2

Tray 3

all settled into their nice little home for a couple of weeks....then they hit AJs Bootcamp....

PIC 1 · Jan 4, 2012

Hey AJ, Nice list ya have there for the start up!............... :cool:

Greg

MGOLD86 · Jan 4, 2012

If there were a Pro League, you would run it. Looks amazing and I cant wait for them babies to start poppin.

Quick question, What is your process for soaking the Hoffman's? Do you just put it in a bucket and cover it with water overnight, put it in the trays and drop your seeds? I am splitting my grow with a flat of it and a flat or 2 of rapid rooters and wanna make sure I prep it correctly. I know that you are the original promoter of that brand so who better to ask?

Matt

BigCedar · Jan 4, 2012

Nice varieties AJ. I knew your growlist would be looking good

Hey Matt! just to let ya know dude.. if you don't wanna soak it.. (what I did and it worked like a champ)
Put all the dry soil in a plastic container/ big bucket.. whatever.. add a glass of water and knead the water into the soil. Add water accordingly and repeat the process until all of the soil is nice and moist. It took me all of 5-10minutes. I'm a very impatient guy and didn't wanna wait a day for soil to soak :lol: