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Sili Grow 2012

The stakes are higher (hotter) for me this year. My main grow starts in a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd test fire some of these C. Chinense varieties in baggies / coffee filters just to get a feel for germination rates. Baccatums and Annuums start later. My main grow will involve Hoffman's Seed Starter medium in 72-cell flats.

This is a pretty big 'test,' and I'll grow 'em forward if they sprout, then compare with the dirt-born later.

Thanks to those enablers who sent seeds and advice. I hope to let you know how they turn out. I thusly unleash heavenly hellish heat upon thyself.

An unholy out-of-the-ground beginning:

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A high tech germination center:

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Sure, laugh it up guys! I do have a grade-A numba 1 heating mat with thermostat on the way for the main grow. But I couldn't resist an early launch just to compare processess in a highly scientific controlled experiment. Plus yes, I'm pretty cheap.... :cool:
 
Looking good Sil. I am having a hard time not starting a few tests early. I ordered 2 flats of rapid rooters and a bag of hoffmans before Christmas and once they get in its on like Donkey Kong.

Look forward to seeing your grow. Good Luck.

Matt
 
Just joking bro.

I put my seeds on top of my aquarium, which runs at 85 degrees.


Whatever we can get to work.
 
If we didn't kid you, It might not happen at all.Just couldn't take that chance. :halo: I saw the pics of the rest of your grow,lookin good!
 
Okay, you jokers, I just took delivery of a nice Hydrofarm heat mat and thermostat for future germination. I guess I will retire the hot water tank except for making hot water.

Meanwhile, it (the tank) gave me a parting shot to prove it can be done. The WINNER: A 4-day germination of a couple of Aji Amarillo seeds. (Thanks Kentishman!) Temps ranged from 68F at night to 82F during the days...



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I plan to use baggies or cups to soak seeds from now on, but plan to direct sow the seeds prior to germination in Hoffman Seed Starter for the remainder of my starts. I think....
 
Sweet, i have some in many different warm places... like ya a old stand by... some in front of the fridge on the floor, some in my magic box the wife calls it.... some on my water bed heater in a hundred pounds of sand... what ever it takes... I've moved up from the water heater this year....
 
Thanks SS Tupp, SpicyC and Bodeen. Yes, about to kick into high gear. And I may have made the basic error of starting things too soon for my clime, but I will deal with it down the road. I think another light station is my not so distant future.

I'm following in BigCedar's footsteps and posting a really basic report for now. This might be useful for the new growers out there staring a new dome in the face. I am, after all, a second year grower...sniff...so I pretty much know it all. NOT! Fer goshsakes, some of you old hands help me and bail me out if I say something stupid.

To recap: I'm germinating a big pile of C. Chinense and one C. Bacatuum in baggies on my water tank. This is mainly to get my confidence up about growing some of the harder to grow varieties. I hope to get a feel for time frame for germination, as well as observe the close-up action of seeds swelling up and popping.

Recent events: Nine of the varieties had at least one 'soldier' pop in each baggie. So I began planting in some starter medium in 72-per flat cells. Any seed that germinate, the remaining ones in that baggie also get planted prior to germination. Usually putting in 2 seeds per cell.

While waiting for my Hoffman Seed Starter to arrive, I made one batch of my own stuff. It was 1 cup peat moss, 1 cup perlite and 1/2 cup Garnder and Bloome potting mix. Then I put it in a blender and pulsed it some to make it fine. I sure hope the wife unit doesn't find out. But it seems to have worked. Now my Hoffman's stuff is here and I'll be able to compare my stuff to theirs.

Big event: I have moved from the hot water tank germinating into 21st century technology with a heating mat. Without further ado, here is the setup.

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So a couple things going on 'under the hood.' I've cut my cells into groups of nine for easier handling and to accomodate the unstructured chaos about to begin. Marked cells with tape and a code for what's in each row of three. Keeping plastic over the cells for now for increased humidity. Temp target is 80F. Middle area shows one tray with Hoffman's, one behind it has my special blend. Container on the right has the remaining baggies. Sidebar note: I put a really weak tea solution (black and green) in my baggies as the solution to speed germ. Just something I do--saw it on the internet--it must be true. The black wire is the probe from the thermometer. By the way, the heat mat, tray, dome, cell insert and some free Mycrohaziaie (sp) was $21. The thermobombeter was $30. Got on Amazon free shipping.

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Notice a foil bubble wrap insulator under the heat mat. Some use styrofoam sheeting. It will help the efficiency of the mat.


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Okay, all bundled up doing its thang. I put the towel over for more insulation and I read seeds germ better in the dark. Not sure--but I did read it on the internet--here inf fact.
Will be hanging up the lights (T8) on my ad-hoc light stand as soon as the first hooks arrive.

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P.S. The first germinators from the hot water tank era took 5 to 8 days. Here's the order of popage:

Aji Amarillo (thanks Kentishman), Scotch Bonnet yellow (thx Tomato Growers), Maui Purple (thx Wayright), Trinidad Scorpion Red (thx PepperLover), Tobago Seasoning (PepperLover), Chocolate Hab (Kentishman), 7Pot Brain Strain (thx Patrick), Datil (Kentishman) and Datil (thanks Aphahydroponics). Plan to triple up on Datil!

Like I said, this is a basic post. Hope you didn't get bored. I plan to keep about 57 plants from this batch. Then start my main grow around January 24. Whenever Windchicken and Beth say the moon is right!
 
Very nice! I like the Caribbean skew to your grow list...Is that a sauna?

Windchicken is getting real anxious to plant...I don't know if I can wait 'til the waxing...
 
No suana, wish it was! Just some funky 70s panel stuff in the fam room. Yep, Caribbean skew so far. Besides probably starting these too early, I'm way out of control with variety this year. Probably a classic second year grower error, also.

Whatever you did last year, time frames and everything else, keep doing it! I just received my seeds from Beth and going over some of her literature she sent. Very cool stuff.... :cool:
 
Thanks! I'm not checking for overall germination percentages at this time. When the first seed in a baggie germinates, I put it and all others from the bag into the growing medium. Its really just an extended soak method with some proof of seed viability before putting in the growing medium. Just a baby step in my search of seed sprouting tendencies.

What I know so far is 10 of the 18 varieties I put in baggies have at least one successful germination. Actually make that 12 of 18---Today the Congo Trinidad (thanks WindChicken) and the Trinidad Scorpion Mouraga (thanks PepperLover) have their first germination--took 9 days for those guys.

But I will try to get a count of germination rate (percentage) when they emerge out of the medium. Right now, I'm surprised how quickly things have been moving along with this many Chinense varieties.
 
Looking good Sil,

That funky panel stuff looks like western red cedar, back then (70/80's) was $.19 a linear ft. Now you can't touch it for less than 89 cents a running ft........nice "stuff"

I like the plant get-up, pretty and fancy doesn't matter, good lighting does and the T8's work (horse) well. I wouldn't trade them, I can place the plants within an inch with no heat problems, and they produce lush growth, hope your using the 6500k bulbs.

This is my first year growing the Tobago Scoth and the Harold's St. Barts. I talked to a few people and those are some pretty tasty ones.......nothing like a refreshing "Pic de Gallo"

It's never to early or late to plant, you can control either by pruning to slow'em down, or longer light cycles to play catch up

Good luck, and I'll be checking for some updates here!

Greg
 
Looking good Sil! Y did you decide to shift from the baggie method? The reason I ask is because I decided to do the same. My bags (filters) started drying out after the first night and I had to stick them in the plugs before the seeds dried out.

What caused your shift?
 
Hey, thanks Greg! Very high praise from you coming down to my little grow area. I appreciate it a lot. Good to know I am not totally doomed for starting some things early. Will be seeking more advice around April if it stays cold like last year. That 70s paneling is pretty nice, but the orange shag rug is long gone. Man, those were some good drugs back then (I guess).

I'll also be hitting you up for some 'Pic de Gallo' recipes. And I'll be watching every culinary move you make from now on. (If you folks didn't see it, his pizza recipe nearly won the Throwdown contest. Next month is involving Cast Iron madness, Gregs gotta be consider another entry. You grower type people get over there from time to time and see what to do with these peppers you are growing! It is an awesome forum on this board, those "throwdowns." Here is a link--scroll down to his roasting peppers and then to next page for recipe: Pizza Throwdown contest If you like peppers on pizzas, check out the whole contest. Yumm.)

Also, you and Windchicken greatly influenced my grow selection, talking about Congo Trinidad sauces awhile back on his grow log. Then he goes and sends me box of pods to really set the hook. Thank youse guys... :cool:



Looking good Sil! Y did you decide to shift from the baggie method? The reason I ask is because I decided to do the same. My bags (filters) started drying out after the first night and I had to stick them in the plugs before the seeds dried out.

What caused your shift?

Thanks, MGold. I'm shifting just a little bit from baggies/coffee filter seed starting. Last year, a friend had to leave town and dropped off a little dome setup already pre-planted. It was more fun watching them come up out of the 'dirt' than seeing them sprout in baggy and then move.

Anyway, I like the verification I get from using baggies. I also believe it is a super fast way to germinate seeds. I put about a teaspoon of a weak tea solution inside the baggie. The coffee filter stays moist long time. I check it from time to time and spritz with weak chamomile if beginning to dry out.

Bottom line. I will still use baggies/coffee filters, but mostly just to pre-soak the seeds. I wanna get them into the medium prior to sprouting so I don't have to handle them at that delicate time. During my test phase, I'm leaving them in the bag until one germinates, then I move the whole batch into the Hoffman medium.

Looking forward to your grow, dude. Thanks for your friendly support!
 
Lookin damn good there Sil! I enjoyed reading all your posts, they are far from boring my friend! Congrats on the sprouts. I agree with ya about the cooking n throwdown forums, very cool to check out. Greg did kill it, So did SD obviously, I think Greg might have won if SD hadn't been posting over the top tasty entrys for months on end, it was about time he won one. off topic! anyway, good luck with your grow, I'll be watchin! :D It should be fun to compare how they grow in Boise to Seattle. Keep us posted!

Brandon
 
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