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How many plants can i grow?

Chile Face

Chile Face

A lot of the growing info on here is for quite larger operations then mine, i was just wondering how many pepper plants i can grow completely indoors under a 250w MH producing 21,000 lumens and/or a 250w Super HPS producing 32,000 lumens. Also should i switch between the two lights or just use the HPS since it provides more lumens. From what i've read it seems peppers do not need to grow under MH then flower under HPS is this true? -Thanks in advance.


- I've eliminated the jalapenos, habeneros, and cayenne peppers. Now i am just growing two bhut jolokias. Will 250w MH/HPS be appropriate.
 
Its a matter of personal preference between mh and hps. I used mh for growth then switched to hps when they had a decent amount of flowers on the plants. Some people use just one of the bulbs from start to finish which works too, but the hps really does help in the flowering/fruiting stage! I also depends if you are going to use just one light or multiple lights as far as space for plants. For example my 400 watt hps light was perfect for my 4x4 grow tent. I could fit up to 3 large/ full grown plants in the tent. But 2 large plants comfortably, (plants like space) But lets just say one 250w bulb, you can grow 5-10 plants until they reach 1ft tall+
 
What kind of plants supers? Annums would be better for keeping a smaller size and fruiting. The supers like to set fruit at around 2ft+ Remember the bigger the plant the more weight it can hold in peppers, there are many benefits as far as a bigger plant is concerned. Youd be better off growing annums or ornamentals for keeping them small and producing fruit indoors. You can grow superhots and keep em small until spring, then put em outside
 
i have 2 bhut jolokias 1 Caribbean red 2 cayenne and 1 jalapeno. Outside isn't really an option for me neither is a bigger light but if needed i may kill off all but the 2 bhuts the other peppers can be found easy in stores
 
it is a matter of preference, theoretically you could get so much fruit per square foot, hence your one pepper per plant theory, but from my experience it would be wiser to try to grow as few as possible in that amount of space, a single plant thriving will grow faster and produce more than many crammed into a congested area, look at my grow log, i would suggest one hydro plant in that amount of space, i have many, but i have one single plant that takes up a 4x4 space easily, it is very very happy and is a prolific producer this early in the game

{i need to update my glog too}


http://thehotpepper.com/topic/33916-pepperdans-glog/#entry689722
 
I cut it back this morning i just have my two bhuts now which is fine i guess the other peppers can be found pretty easily at the market so i should be fine growing two bhuts under 250w right?
 
What is the square footage of the grow area and does it have reflectivity throughout? Are the bulbs brand new or have you been using them to grow in the past?
 
Hmm, with a grow area of 1'x2' you have room for approx. 1/3rd of one plant. That'll work for the first 2 to 3 months but you're going to need to expand the grow area. You could start 6 plants in this area, expand the area later, with the idea that you're putting them outside next spring as soon as temperatures permit. Even so they'd be cramped in a couple months, I think I'd try 4 plants if I were doing that.
 
Reflective material surrounding your plant is going to be something you are going to want. It helps direct and concentrate the light and allow light to get to the lower foliage.

At 1 foot from the top of the light, you will lose 75% of your lumens, two feet subtract about 55% from that. Reflective material is going to help prohibit a lot of this from happening. With flourecent lights, you can have the light right on top of the plants. You can't have a MH or HPS that close, so this becomes even more relevant.

You probably won't have to worry too much when the plants are beginning but once they get bigger, if you don't have reflective material surrounding them, it could become an issue for you.
 
i can get a reflective material when they get a bit larger then, but i should be fine growing to bhuts with a 250w MH/HPS? they are just in five gallon buckets about 8' tall now in my apartment keep them at about 80-90 degrees
 
I think your space of 1' by 2' is going to be your problem. I'd say if you want to grow something to fruit, you will at least want 3' by 4' minimum. More would be better. One foot by two feet is very small, like Dave said you won't even have room for one plant.
 
i just meant the buckets take up about 1' x 2' they have plenty of room they are just in my kitchen under the light not in a tent or anything
 
Well then that makes more sense. Without an enclosure, you are not using the light efficiently and will see slower growth than if you had a reflective surrounding. Keep the light as close as you can to the tops of the plants. Check the heat by putting your hand at the top of the plant. Bring it down to the point where you can feel the heat but it doesn't burn the top of your hand.

Good luck
 
OK i think i got the light a little less then a foot above my plants i think what I'm gonna do is get two posterboard tri-folds cover them in some sort of reflective surface then place them around my pots on both sides. thanks everyone.
 
I doubt it's a concern for incidental contact but if you're running a grow light all day every day in a public (to the family) area without coverings, aren't they in the wavelengths that cause your cornea to fog over?
 
the 250 watt is a good size for the two plants. Either MH or HPS will do, depending on what you prefer. The HPS should run much cooler temperatures and be a little easier on the eyes. But the MH is a great spectrum for your plants growth. i would personally use MH full time or until i couldnt manage the heat levels. but thats just my personal opinion. I'd say you will have some good success with getting peppers off of your plants all year with that light. You will just have to do some trimming once and a while to keep your plants manageable and under your bulb. and a reflector hood will make a world of difference. Cheers
 
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