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filmost 2014 - Year of the Pepper Podding Up!

--- In case just stumbled on to this, my 2015 glog is here ---
 
Hey all, figured it was time I started my glog. I will be managing it off site since I plan to translate the content later in hopes of connecting with the locals here in Japan. I will post short blurbs here with links back to my site; feel free to comment here or on the individual posts. Since updates will be in the comments of this thread, I will also post a link to the specific comment entry here as well. And on we go!
 
Blog Posts:
 
2014 The Year of the Pepper
 
Keep Calm and Grow On (3/6/2014) - (forum post here)
 
How do you harden your plants? (3/13/2014) - (forum post here)
 
2014 Glog Update #4 (3/23/2014) - (forum post here)
 
2014 Glog Update #5 (4/30/2014) - (forum post here)
 
2014 Glog Update #6 (5/27/2014) - (forum post here)
 
This is my second year with a garden. Never in my mind (or any one close to me) did I imagine I would get so into it. Last year I got started late and most of my plants never got anywhere. The only ones that took off were an unknown annuum my parents gave me, jalapenos, and a bell pepper. Even still,  I didn't really get any pods until fall.
 
This year I started my seeds in January with the majority of them fully sprouted by about the 3rd week. I followed up later with additional plantings after I received new seeds. Among the more interesting of my grow list this year (and the ones I am most interested in) are Rocoto de Seda from Semillas.de, Giant Mexican Rocoto from PepperLover, and some unknowns from Gotrox; if interested hit the link for the full list.
 
I'll end this here with the latest pic I have of my windowing facing grow space where the overwinters spend their time and the seedlings get to go when the weather is nice and sunny. Cheers!
 
VvmLGuu.jpg
 
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filmost said:
Yeah, still gotta figure out what to do about that damn summer heat. Not to mention my watering problem this summer when we visit the US for a couple of weeks.
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they have auto water timers, then can just put some sprinklers or drip line on it.
 
Man if my temps were like that i would be planted out already!
 
filmost said:
Yeah, still gotta figure out what to do about that damn summer heat. Not to mention my watering problem this summer when we visit the US for a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...
 
Go USA!  
 
 
I have a bottle of water with a tiny hole punched the top of the lid using a safety pin.  Put it upside down into the soil... and forget about it.  it slowly drips water, maybe like a ml a day...  i gotta punch more holes in it, it's too slow...  anyways, something to think about.
 
OKGrowin said:
they have auto water timers, then can just put some sprinklers or drip line on it.
 
Man if my temps were like that i would be planted out already!
Click to expand...
 
Hehe, yeah I have considered auto water timers, but that would involve a lot of work and money to setup. Still on my mind though!
 
Night temps still aren't consistently above 50F yet so I am still holding off just a bit.
jojo said:
 
Go USA!  
 
 
I have a bottle of water with a tiny hole punched the top of the lid using a safety pin.  Put it upside down into the soil... and forget about it.  it slowly drips water, maybe like a ml a day...  i gotta punch more holes in it, it's too slow...  anyways, something to think about.
Click to expand...
 
You just put one hole Jo? How long do the bottles last?
Quick intermission here for the latest haul courtesy of [member='JoynersHotPeppers'] and [member='ajijoe']. Thanks guys!
 
Smoked powders smell soooooo good!
 
e0IoXX0.jpg

 
[member='ajijoe'] when you said you were gonna throw in the Bonda ma Jacques, I wasn't expecting THIS much :-)
 
HpNQ1e6.jpg
 
I found some drip things in the home centres here. It's a ceramic cone which goes into soil connected to a pipe which sits in a pet bottle of water. It draws water up when needed (not drip down, by gravity). Worked pretty well. I'll try find a pic soon.
 
I found some drip things in the home centres here. It's a ceramic cone which goes into soil connected to a pipe which sits in a pet bottle of water. It draws water up when needed (not drip down, by gravity). Worked pretty well. I'll try find a pic soon.


Ooooh that sounds interesting. I'm going to the home center tomorrow to get some marigold, so I'll keep an eye out.
 
Yeah. It still has just one hole. I don't think it's dripping anymore. The water level Still looks the same. I may put another hole or two
 
Edit:  I added a hole to the top, per what GA said...  that should do the trick.
 
Thats the idea - the right amount of constant water.  Pretty much ideal for organics IMO.  I used them for an indoor raised bed for some other plants.  Set and forget!
 
Only user error.  I forgot to fill the reservoir once and the water left the ceramic cones.  After resetting them, things went right back to normal.  The only downside is moving your plants around.  You gotta put them in a set location otherwise there's gonna be a issue with hoses and feedlines.  
 
Bottom line:  if you grow organically and have a raised bed, in-ground garden, or a fixed location for potted peppers - they are 100% worth it.  
 
The things I found were similar to blumats. Simpler though


Ah I know what you at talking about now. I might invest in a few, we'll have to see.

Although at this point I'm thinking I will ask one of my students and one of my wife's mommy friends to come water twice a week. And if there is anything ripe they like, they can just pick em.
 
Update #5 - Soil Matters
 
The weather has been wonky this spring, although it has really warmed up recently and stayed pretty consistent. Also my plants were still quite small for the past few weeks, so I totally missed my mid-April plant out date. Currently aiming for this weekend which is Golden Week holidays in Japan.
 
Based on the growth difference I saw in tomatoes I started in 100% coir and the same variety started in a coir+ewc+perlite mix, I replaced the coir I started my peppers in with the same coir+ewc+perlite mix and they have perked up a ton. Especially the 3 rocoto that had started drooping really badly. Live and learn!
 
Qp9BhpX.jpg
 
Alright! Now I can add Tepin x Lemon Drop to list! Thanks Mike!

This little guy sprouted sometime between yesterday and tonight. And I have two more hooks coming along nicely. Germ rate for me was 3/7.

eKnX0hf.jpg
 
[member='Gotrox']'s TSMB that I have been growing at my office are doing well. These are all one month old. How's the growth look for one month, average or slow? They spend their days outside under the sun, on weekends they sit on a window sill.
 
H5l2A1T.jpg
 
And here is the office TSMB grow one week later. Previous post was May 9th. Today it is May 16th here. They are approximately 6 weeks old. These guys are growing so fast compared to the ones I started back in January.  :cry: Ah well, you grow and you learn.
 
Sfa4gZt.jpg
 
filmost said:
 
Hehe, yeah I have considered auto water timers, but that would involve a lot of work and money to setup. Still on my mind though!
 
Night temps still aren't consistently above 50F yet so I am still holding off just a bit.

 
You just put one hole Jo? How long do the bottles last?

Quick intermission here for the latest haul courtesy of [member='JoynersHotPeppers'] and [member='ajijoe']. Thanks guys!
 
Smoked powders smell soooooo good!
 
e0IoXX0.jpg

 
[member='ajijoe'] when you said you were gonna throw in the Bonda ma Jacques, I wasn't expecting THIS much :-)
 
HpNQ1e6.jpg
Click to expand...
Wow I missed this, hope you are enjoying the powders! 
 
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