Trinidad Scorpion & Yellow 7 in Perth WA

PIC 1 · Feb 7, 2012

Nothing like the element of surprise! I've been there and "curiousity killed the cat" as they say or I should have done, years back my cat would pull the plant tags out of the pots and run around around the house with them...all the time. So I had a few "unknowns" that I figured out what they were once the pods started to form. Now I label the pots themselves with coded stickers. When brought out I'll use the tags again.

Good luck with your seedlings, they're looking good!

Greg

Pablo_h · Feb 7, 2012

Wow, late start. Might have to keep them til next summer for poddage. But that's no problem in Perth as long as you keep them out of the winter rain.
Watch out with seasol, don;t over do it. Spray on the leaves if you want to use it a lot. I think it raises the pH a lot, and you want to keep the pH below 6.5 for chillies.

simon · Feb 7, 2012

Pablo_h said:
Wow, late start. Might have to keep them til next summer for poddage.

Yeah. I had a bunch of scorps that germinated then they all keeled over after the first potting up early in the summer. So I just cracked the sh1ts and planted all the remaining seeds I had. And here they are.

As mentioned in another thread, I think based on the planting time of my Habs last year and some of the plants you mentioned you had planted last year, it might be time to think about getting back into again for the next season in the next month or so. Soon as I get these babies out of this tray anyway.

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PaulG · Feb 7, 2012

Wow. Germinating outdoors. Now that's real class! Even if they didn't
all make it, the ones that did must think they're in heaven. OZ rocks!

simon · Feb 15, 2012

OK. Just a little bit concerned here given I had some complete seedling failures early in the season.

These seedlings are dropping their "baby" leaves. Is this a good thing? Or do they need attention. It has been so long since I have seen seedlings grow to maturity that I can't remember what healthy seedlings look like...

simon · Mar 6, 2012

Moved seedlings into pots as they were starting to look a bit fragile in the seed tray. Change of soil and scenery was the only thing I could think of that might help. Also gave light spray with Seasol

Pablo_h · Mar 6, 2012

Hopefully Grant or megamoo will chime in, because they have great seedlings, and can offer some advice.
My seedlings are crap, really struggle, grow slow and look bad.
I only get something out of them when I pot up from the seed raising mix/jiffies/plain potting mix. When i pot up, I use regular potting mix, coir peat (water retention, stops the soil becoming hydrophic so when watering it doesn't all run straight out down the sides with the soil still being dry - can use vermiculite, or soil wetting agents/crystals too but costs more), and perlite (drainage and air). Normally 15% perlite, 10% coir peat, 75% potting mix plus a handful of organic pellets (rooster booster or dynamic lifter). For potting mixes I've tried debco herb and veg, debco organic and baileys premium. I tried the debo organic thinking it would be less sterile, more likely that the organic ferts would get broken down buy micro organisms. But I didn't see any difference, so sticking with baileys premium as that's the cheapest. I did have some waldecks premium and that did great things, brought plants back from the dead, but my local waldecks doesn't have it anymore.
But for the seedling stage, I'm rubbish, so can't really advise except for the fact that as you have already potted up, even if it was too early, you should have had some perlite in there.

simon · Mar 6, 2012

cheers Pablo_h. Duly noted and will put on list of things to do differently. Have been using Baileys Premium by itself for everything so far - except seedlings of course. The stuff in the pictures above is a seedling and cutting mix from Bunnings.

I've done a bunch of seeds in Jiffy's recently for the first time and a couple of those have just sprouted - so will be interesting to see the difference - if any.

PaulG · Mar 6, 2012

Usually leaf drop has to do with water and humidity issues, I think.
Any time I've had seedling issues, it's usually been too much water.
Also, when I move my plants around for any period of time into a new
situation they drop leaves, especially if the new site is too warm or stuffy.
So, could be related to too much water; too little just usually means
leaves dry out on the plant. Good luck with your leaf issue, Simon. Let us
know what happens!

simon · Mar 6, 2012

OK Paul - I hadn't considered that. I will experiment!

Thanks for the heads up.

simon · Mar 22, 2012

Hmmm, not a heap of progress...

Pablo_h · Mar 23, 2012

If it was a couple of stunted plants, I'd just say that's the way some are. Got one only 2 inches high when most of the others are 2ft+ tall.
If all are like that though, it's technique. Young chilli seedlings don't need much, just the right amount of water and air, ferts don't figure into it with decent soil.
Just my opinion, the soil is probably crappy; doesn'tdrain well when it's wet, dried into a brick pretty quickly when it dries out in the sunlight or under lights), is hydrophobic when watering if it gets dry.
Nearly every time a seedling has stalled for me it's been a poor soil (compacted, top dry, bottom is soggy wet). Not holding moisture at the top where the seeding roots are, not draining at the bottom.

Answer to your problems I do not have, as I said I transplant ASAP as my seedlings are never great. I think I said before I switched to baileys mix as it's cheaper and I've seen no difference. Well I have recently, hod 2 plants die and the rest are way stunted. The mix that has worked for me is debco organic with some perlite ( and I add a bit of coir peat to hold some moisture so I only water every 2-3 days in summer, or once a week when it's below 30C ambient). Others have said amgrow organic works fine and has coir in it? Might be more wood chippy and not need as much perlite added.

Mezo · Mar 23, 2012

You kept this quiet Simon, when was you going to tell me you are having another go? :whistle:

I think them shots in the trays may be over watered mate, im guilty of doing the same right now & have killed plenty.
I would have waited a little longer before i moved them in to the bigger pots though,
get some good roots hanging out the bottom first.

As you know Simon i lived in Perth for many years & i grew all year round, just wish id done super hots there, Come spring they will be a healthy size ready for bigger pots, i used Organix potting mix from Bunnings & had great results.

Mezo.

simon · Mar 24, 2012

Pablo_h said:
I think I said before I switched to baileys mix as it's cheaper and I've seen no difference. Well I have recently, hod 2 plants die and the rest are way stunted. The mix that has worked for me is debco organic with some perlite ( and I add a bit of coir peat to hold some moisture so I only water every 2-3 days in summer, or once a week when it's below 30C ambient). Others have said amgrow organic works fine and has coir in it? Might be more wood chippy and not need as much perlite added.

Yeah, I've been using Bailey's as well with success initially. But recently - not so much success. I might have a look at what you've mentioned above.

Mezo said:
You kept this quiet Simon, when was you going to tell me you are having another go?

I think them shots in the trays may be over watered mate, im guilty of doing the same right now & have killed plenty.
I would have waited a little longer before i moved them in to the bigger pots though,
get some good roots hanging out the bottom first.

As you know Simon i lived in Perth for many years & i grew all year round, just wish id done super hots there, Come spring they will be a healthy size ready for bigger pots, i used Organix potting mix from Bunnings & had great results.

Mezo.

Mezo, I have about 3 Glogs going on here at the moment. This one is a mix of Trinidad Scorpion Butch T's and Yellow 7 Pots. Not updated much because not breaking any growing speed records :confused:

Have cut back on the watering to the point where I found 3 seedlings lying flat on top of the Jiffy's today. So maybe I need to up the watering slightly...

I am going to go and have a look at a different potting mix formula I think. Will look at the stuff you mentioned as well as maybe give the stuff that Pablo mentioned as well.

I like the Jiffy's from what I have seen so far for the seedlings - so that might be one change going forward. The seedlings in this Glog weren't started in Jiffy's tho.

simon · Mar 29, 2012

Okay Pablo. Looking at those seedlings and comparing them to the seedlings in the Jiffies, I believe I didn't have any option but to change the soil - so I went with your formula of 70% potting mix (Bailey's - better the devil you know), 15%perlite and 15% coir.

Here's hoping.

Pablo_h · Mar 29, 2012

I have a stunted seedling that was only 1" tall, repotted it and it's already doing better after 2 weeks, grown 3 more sets of leaves and is triple the size. It's still too small and slow for my liking, but better alive than dead. It was just a runt because stuffed up. Better it survive and maybe make 1 pod that will give me seeds, then let it die or not grow at all. Edit: My philosophy is the plants that get a bad start to life but somehow against my errors, still pull through are the strong plants that have good genes.

It's cooler weather now, and you have coir, so just don't over water them! Keep them mostly shaded where they get light, but no direct sunlight for now, eg under shadecloth, and only water every 3 days or unless they are severely wilted.

simon · Mar 29, 2012

Roger

Thanks for the tips.

simon · Apr 6, 2012

Seedlings appear to be making some progress after changing the soil tot he new mix.