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AJs 2012 Season - A Pictorial Discussion

I am getting a one day jump on last season...today is my 2012 season start...

The Germinator has been cleaned, I am using new trays for seed starting and Hoffman's Seed Starting Mix as my grow media...

If any of you decide to use Hoffman's Seed Starting Mix, be patient, it takes as much as 24 hours pre-soak to get this light weight mix totally wet...I have said it before and I will say it again...this is the cleanest seed starting mix I have ever used....clean and light weight means better root growth IMO..

12-30-11A001.jpg


All circuits and systems are a go on the germinator...am stabilizing the temperature for the next 24 hours...as you can see, the upper box is about 93F and the lower box is 85F...I have to vent the top to let both chambers reach the same temperature...

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something tells me this is going to be another hot summer....close to record heat again...so the season will go as mother wants it to...I am learning each year how to change my grow techniques and am adapting to North Texas...

hope you folks enjoy this thread...if anyone has any questions or comments, they are welcome...
 
AJ! Your doing a growlog!?!

:dance: :dance: :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
 
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.
 
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...
 
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...

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...

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...
 
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.
 
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...
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
@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...
 
Now this is a great way to start the new year. Looking forward to watching your garden grow AJ Best of luck to you..
 
Loving the germination set up. I am looking forward to following your progress.

Best of luck with the season ahead.
Cheers Trippa
 
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...

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...

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

Tray1-12-31-11.jpg


Tray 2

Tray2-01-2-12.jpg


Tray 3

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

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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
 
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:
 
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