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my second year, 2014... first pod & video review!

:dance:  Hey!
Just made a start on the new growing season, hoping to do things much bigger and better than last year! I've just got 2 lots of seeds propagating so far, scotch bonnet and paper lantern habanero. I've got a few more packs of seeds to play with, Im limited on space as I live in a flat without any outside space but Im going to grow as much as I can. I've already cajoled a few friends to take on plants for me once I get some established.
 
Its going to be fun! 
 
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I still have 14 chocolate habanero plants I have (hopefully successfully  :pray:) over-wintered from 2013, I got them in too late last year and therefore never fruiting. So hopefully they will be good in spring and kicking out plenty of pods later this year:
 
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I still have multiple packs of all the mentioned seed varieties plus some prairie fire. I definitely also want to grow brainstrain 7 and one other type if I can find space, either jays peach ghost scorpion or carolina reaper. I can't decide what to do as I have been very surprised to discover one of the UK's main online company's for chilli plugs (available to order for spring and they stock what Im after) is actually based in my home town! Its a big deal to me as everything chilli related is England is normally very far away down south! I've spoken to them and if I make an order I can have a good look around the place when the plants are ready. Should I just order seeds though and do it all properly from scratch? Plugs kind of feel like a cheating!
 
:beer: Cheers to all 2014 growers old and new! All the best and I will be keeping an eye on your glogs. Thanks for reading and I hope I can keep things interesting!
 
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If you can get plugs, I would just do that. You can always save seeds to regrow the following year, no? Why go through all the extra work when someone has already done it for you? 
 
Yeah I have decided to order plug plants of brainstrain7 and carolina reaper, to make sure I have success with them but also so I can look around 'potters plants' more than anything.

Also I have just picked up a new little propagator and some ghost pepper seeds (naga jolokia on the packet), going to sort them out when I get home.
 
maximumcapsicum you have convinced me! What you say is so true, thanks for helping me make my mind up! I was going to order the plugs this afternoon but I have instead gone with my heart and just ordered some seeds for 'brain strain 7' and 'jays peach ghost scorpion'. Even though I cant be sure of total success with the seeds I will be such a proud parent if they do blossom!

So my final grow list (all from seed) for 2014 is:
Paper lantern habanero
Scotch bonnet
Naga jolokia
Prairie fire
Jays peach ghost scorpion
Brain strain 7

and overwintered from 2013 chocolate habanero
 
I was just getting ready to tell you I would order a couple plugs just to have a look around.  I got into seeds because I could but a pack of seeds tor the price of a single plant and have seen been addicted to checking on new hooks...as my glog should show lol.  But a little recon can never hurt anything.
 
Good luck on your grow.  As far as space, is your roof flat and do you have access?  Not sure how you all are set up over there, but my former boss at a restaurant used to grow veges on the flat roof of the place.
 
Thanks Jeff, I will just have to see how it all works out. When I look at all the glogs on here I realise how little I actually know about growing, I love reading up on advice and tips but Im still not confident putting things in to practice. I feel a bit like a fish out of water to be honest (I know that you know plenty about fish too, haha). Things like soaking the seeds Im still not sure about, its still just a case of popping the seeds in compost and putting the propagator in the airing cupboard. I have considered investing in lights, heat mats etc but Im not sure and my budget is poor!

In regards to space Im afaid the roof is too sloped. Im going to have to adapt the space in front of the big windows (where last years chocolate habs are sat on an ironing board!) Im thinking of knocking together a tiered system to make the most of the light.

Im so grateful to this community and all input given, there is no chilli culture around where I live so this site is invaluble to me!
 
I really think growing from seed is the most fun option, since you get the satisfaction of watching them grow, and knowing in the end that the final product was all you!
 
That being said... I would consider going plugs if you are trying to stick to a low budget. Especially if you dont have a heating mat, I think that is a pretty important piece of the puzzle on getting some of these supers to get decent germ rates. Unless maybe you could work something cheap up to get heat to the bottoms of the germ trays... either way, great list! And nice looking over-winters. Best of luck going forward with whatever you do :)
 
Don't have an answer to you heat issue.  Do you have floor vents for your heat in your place?  Maybe a small grate so far over the vent would provide your bottom heat.  I have hear on top of the fridge works as well.  Top of water heater.  I have a metal table that has lights under the top and an adjustable shelf for growing plants.  The top gets too hot to germinate plants, but I put a towel on top and I can usually get good germination going that route.  That was before the grow room was built.
 
As far as soaking your seeds I know a lot of people swear by it, but I have never done it.  I have only had three helmets that needed help and only one of those died as I got to it late.
 
Mistakes happen, I know I have made and will make plenty of them.  Just put what you learned to use and keep what works.  Worst case, you kill a couple seeds.  Plenty more where those came from!!!
 
Good luck.
 
HillBilly Jeff said:
 
As far as soaking your seeds I know a lot of people swear by it, but I have never done it.  I have only had three helmets that needed help and only one of those died as I got to it late.
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+1
 
I read tons about how soaking works miracles, and lots of people swear by it. I didnt have any experience with soaking, or without, so I did a little experiment in my glog, feel free to check it out. But in summary, I did't notice any real benefit from soaking at all. Granted, it was just one round of seeds. But I'm about to start a bunch more, and I dont plan on soaking any. We will see how things turn out!
 
Cheers for the support everyone, you are all fantastic people! Haha. I will take it all on board and whatever I decide on I shall keep it logged on here. Nick08* your glog was very interesting and I'm not worrying about the soaking of seeds now at all, cheers.
 
Hello! Update time :) 
 
Firstly, I have more seeds sorted out now:
 
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I got the jolokia seeds in last weekend and the 'brain strain' and 'Jays peach' seeds in the other day.
 
At home I can only go online on my phone, so to update with photos I have to go on the computer at my mums house.
 
Today I have found my first few popped little ones of this season! A few of the 'paper lantern' seeds. Im so happy things are really getting started! 
 
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Unfortunately they have decided to come to life on one of the most miserable and cold days of recent weeks. Im sure its best to get them in some light straight away so I have taken them from the airing cupboard and have popped them by the window in the spare room. Because of the grim weather its so much colder than normal where I have put them, the windows normally catch enough sunlight to warm the area up even on cold days. Im worried about the temperature but was concerned that keeping them in the warm but totally dark cupboard was no good, so this is my (ghetto t'max) solution for now:
 
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Fingers crossed it works!  :pray: Im going to put them back in the airing cupboard over night once the daylight has gone, I hope its all enough to keep the seedlings alive and that the other seeds in the tray will soon follow the lead of their older siblings. Rise my pretties!
 
Got a really sunny day today, I'm very relieved to say! A concern already is that a few little tiny flies came out from tray of paper lantern and I then noticed a little white fly in the scotch bonnet tray (where there are no popped seeds even). Has my aphid battle started already?! I have an organic spray killer but can I put that on the dirt already or is it bad for all the unborn seeds? Damn them all...
 
Got a really sunny day today, I'm very relieved to say! A concern already is that a few little tiny flies came out from tray of paper lantern and I then noticed a little white fly in the scotch bonnet tray (where there are no popped seeds even). Has my aphid battle started already?! I have an organic spray killer but can I put that on the dirt already or is it bad for all the unborn seeds? Damn them all...
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Great news on the sun! I fortunately (fingers crossed) haven't had to deal with any insects yet... But from the sounds of it I'd think those are more than likely fungus gnats or something similar, where did your soil come from? My understanding is that the larvae of the gnats is already in the soil. Aphids don't fly, so it's not them yet.
 
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