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Time to Turn it all Around ... It begins in Earnest... Trials and Tribulations of Trippa's Season 20

Well the least said about the 2013-2014 season from my point of view the better.  Broad Mites took a heavy toll and things just never got a start or a roll on .... I was at fault in some part by trying to grow too many plants in too small pots (a lesson I was yet to heed after 2-3 seasons), I tried to cheap on amendments just using a commercial potting mix ... never again ... and I didn't love them enough ... (I don't think I ever do although my wife disagrees ;) ) 
 
I had some great varieties started but most I never got a single pod from, due to being in a constant flux of recovery and attack from Broad mites ... I will be holding onto a select few plants and putting them on my other balcony where I had success transplanting some other plants midway through last season ... less direct light and more weather and terracotta pots and a slightly different soil mix all added up to some semblance of harvest and my best ever harvest from my Pimenta De Neyde (confirming my thoughts that it (my particular plant) does not like the heat and full sun I had been affording it in the past 2 seasons.
 
However my main balcony will be wiped clean from this season (including being cleaned down to get rid of the pain in the ass mites and aphids) all pots removed and existing trays cleaned with bleach in the bathroom.
 
No more plastic pots will be used ... I have already purchased 10 x 10 gallon (37.85 litre) Fabric pots (got them for less then I could make them in the end) brand new with handles for shifting a little if needed although sounds like back trouble if I do it too much :)
This will give the root zones an additional 27.85 litres of space compared with last season and keep the roots cooler and give the benefit of air pruning ... an all round win!!
 
I will also be using a 25% Mushroom Compost, 25% Perlite, 25% Coir, and 15% Organic Potting mix and 5-7% Sheep Manure/Worm Castings/Rock Dust/ and the remainder a mulch yet to be determined (possibly pine bark or hardwood chips) ... But please post comments on what you think might be a good soil mix if you see some glaring omissions from my recipe.
 
I will also be companion planting with a couple of basil plants per plant along with a petunia or geranium added to the mix to hopefully boost some beneficial's in the garden and give the chillis some respite from the pest hordes.
 
 
I already have some plants started/stunted from late last season that I have been trying to hold off from going out to get infested before I can get rid of the mites and also have a bunch of varieties that I have in the heated propagator germinating at the moment (have been down 8 days and have 2 varieties hooked , Chocolate Habanero and Yellow Bhut x Primo f3 (seeds saved from my sole pod last season from Jungle Rains Yellow Bhut x Primo f2 seed)
 
I will disclose a full list of 10 plants I will be growing in the fabric pots (seriously no more) and the few that will go to the other balcony either because I need them for seed saving or because they are plants I would like to grow again but don't want to commit to starting again.
 
I also have a bunch of seeds started with the view to gifting them to a couple of people.
 
I am looking forward to the steep challenge this season ... I just want some kick ass plants and pods ... I can't promise that but I will try ... 

Just read over my 2013-2014 glog and the first few pages started much the same as this one ... grandiose Ideas ... new starts... changes ... blah blah blah ... talk is cheap it would seem :D ... but the difference is this season I already have part of the set up purchased and a disaster behind me to spur me to change everything .... haha ... check out post #370 on last seasons glog ... this year is the year ... 
 
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Good luck man. I like the soil mix though I don't think I normally see people putting in 25% Perlite, usually 15-20%. I hope it works for your area.
 
Have fun :) and love them more :p
 
Slizarus said:
Good luck man. I like the soil mix though I don't think I normally see people putting in 25% Perlite, usually 15-20%. I hope it works for your area.
 
Have fun :) and love them more :P
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Cheers Man ... well like I said I am all for changing things in the mix up until I make it ... I just like the idea of additional aeration in my root zones ... Thanks for stopping by ... I always have fun ... :D
MeatHead1313 said:
Good luck for the new season Trippa.
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Cheers Man ... based on last couple of seasons I will need it ... but determination to go better is strong this season ... failure does that ;)
 
Did you get your bags from AMLeonard? Or is there a better source for 10 10 gals shipped?
 
I've been debating which size would work best for my garden, either 3, 5, or 10's, though I prolly couldn't fit as many 10's in as I do plants currently :) We'll see how things are for me next season.
 
I look forward to your Glog as things go on.
 
I like the cloth pot idea and the dirt mix sounds better than the store-bought variety. You mix it by hand (w/shovel) or you have the use of a small dozer like a bobcat?
 
I'm on board for the season Tristan, good luck with 2014-15! I think you're wise to limit your grow to a manageable size for the space available. The peppers in my veggie garden are spaced OK this season, but the raised bed out back is seriously crowded. I had no idea the Naga King was such a beast, and it's crowding everything around it, preventing them from getting enough sun. Companion planting to attract friendlies is a great idea too. Cheers!
 
Sorry to hear about last season Trippa.  I like plastic pots the best, terra cotta and fabric pots seem to dry out too fast.  Good luck on your 2014, clean all your container really well and use new soil if you have had issues in the past.
 
Slizarus said:
Did you get your bags from AMLeonard? Or is there a better source for 10 10 gals shipped?
 
I've been debating which size would work best for my garden, either 3, 5, or 10's, though I prolly couldn't fit as many 10's in as I do plants currently :) We'll see how things are for me next season.
 
I look forward to your Glog as things go on.
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I am living in Australia so the only economic source of fabric pots I have found has been a hydro store on ebay based in Australia ... they seem to be well made (time will tell on durability I guess) worked out at $7 each including shipping (I could make them myself for approx $5.50 each but my time is worth more then a $1.50 saving I think :) ). The equivalent size plastic pots at my local store cost approx $13 each and don't air prune so I think its a good deal.
Dot Com said:
I like the cloth pot idea and the dirt mix sounds better than the store-bought variety. You mix it by hand (w/shovel) or you have the use of a small dozer like a bobcat?
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Cheers dot com!! I might have a tough time getting a bob cat up onto my balconies I think ;). No shovel either ... bucket with a lid and shake and stir and mix with my hands and fill the pots one by one I often mix the bulk of my ingredients in each individual pot and then top it off with a mix of my concentrated mixed amendments like manure etc. Makes for a slow day on the balcony with beer and some music ... slow food movement ... I have the gardening equivalent (I hope it ends up tasting better then last year ;) )
stickman said:
I'm on board for the season Tristan, good luck with 2014-15! I think you're wise to limit your grow to a manageable size for the space available. The peppers in my veggie garden are spaced OK this season, but the raised bed out back is seriously crowded. I had no idea the Naga King was such a beast, and it's crowding everything around it, preventing them from getting enough sun. Companion planting to attract friendlies is a great idea too. Cheers!
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Cheers Rick! Well I have been saying it for the last 3 season starts (this time included) so its time to put my money where my mouth is and truly give them the space they need in there root zones ( I haven't fully decided my actual keepers yet in terms of varieties but I have some time up my sleeve there). Germination (or lack of it ) may make some of those choices for me... only the two varieties up in 9 days doesn't bode well ... I admit i went back to my original stock seed on some varieties which may have been pushing the seed age out a little ... I will wait and see. Yeah the naga King seems to be one of the must grows on here this season ... looks like a good one
The companion planting mix is a quadruple whammy to attract beneficial/distract pests/feed the family and put some flowers in to appease my wife .. I hope it works on all counts
tctenten said:
Good luck on your grow. Hopefully the changes you made will be beneficial
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Cheers for stopping in! Yeah so do I :)
Pepper Ridge Farm said:
Sorry to hear about last season Trippa.  I like plastic pots the best, terra cotta and fabric pots seem to dry out too fast.  Good luck on your 2014, clean all your container really well and use new soil if you have had issues in the past.
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Thanks bro! I am trying the fabric pots because of economics for the size , root air pruning and to hopefully reduce root zone temps compared with the hot plastic. I have heard they dry out quicker but I am hoping because they will sit on plastic trays they might be able to sit in about an inch of water once doused and take that up overnight so they get good and drenched each time (that is the plan anyway)
Yeah the cleaning of that area is a must and the cleaning of the small pots and trays as well. Might be this weekends job I think while the wife is away so I don't have to sweat the small stuff ... well except the kids ;). But maybe they can help .. :D
 
I feel ya on the seeds and slow germ, I'm still waiting on my red bhuts after 16 days, I hear peppers can take up to a few months to sprout. Everyone with their heat mats and 5 day germ makes me so jealous :p

I guess we just have to be patient

I wish they grew like squash :)
 
Slizarus said:
I feel ya on the seeds and slow germ, I'm still waiting on my red bhuts after 16 days, I hear peppers can take up to a few months to sprout. Everyone with their heat mats and 5 day germ makes me so jealous :p

I guess we just have to be patient

I wish they grew like squash :)
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Yeah I have a heated propagator... sitting at about 29 degrees C.. I am not worried about the Germination yet ... after day 14 I get a little more angst though ... then I no doubt will sow more and end up with close to 100% germination from my first seeds after all and end up with excessive seedlings ... patience is the hardest thing
 
Lol, that's what I've done, started 2 "batches" of seeds. Sadly today I left my seeds uncovered accidentally, glad I have a backup bag :)

Propagator is a good idea :) hope everything pops for you
 
Good luck with your grow, Trippa :P
 
Your mix sounds very good, just remember to wet down the perlite b4 too much handling, you don't wanna be breathing in that dust!
 
nuclearDays said:
Good luck with your grow, Trippa :P
 
Your mix sounds very good, just remember to wet down the perlite b4 too much handling, you don't wanna be breathing in that dust!
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Cheers bro and thanks for stopping by.
Yeah I heard the perlite can cause a pretty permanent reminder to wear a dust mask ... nasty stuff !! Good idea on the wetting down as well for an additional safety net.
So far I have 5 Choc hab hooks, 1 Jalapeño , 1 yellow bhut x primo f3, and 1 (I believe) jays peach f4 ...
 
Ok better add the varieties I have currently germinating ... and a few growing as seedlings that I germinated quite some time ago and held in stasis inside until these ones are ready ,,, they look a little sad and sorry right now but they should perk up I hope.... (been germinating 12 days now and some are slow but I still have them popping and with some of the seed being older I am willing to give them a little time)
 
Here is my List:
 
Already Germinated and Seedlings held over winter (hopefully will bounce back)
 
Trippa's Mystery Cross F2 (both purple and Green phenotypes)
Korean Gochu - (Stickman)- C.Annuum
Rooster Spur - (Gasificada)- C.Annuum
Hot Fish - (My pods seed saved originally from Jungle Rain Seed)- C.Annuum
Malawi Peppa dew - (Doc N Rock)- C.Annuum?? (I think but maybe a frutescens?)

Currently in the Germination chamber under a single T5 light - 
 
Bhut Jolokia 'Assam" (Jungle Rain) - not up yet - C.Chinense
Fatalii White - (Gnslngr) - not up yet - C.Chinense
Goatsweed - (THSC)  - 1 Hooked - C.Annuum
Yellow 7 pot/pod - (THSC)  - not up yet - C.Chinense
Red Trinidad Habenero - (Pepperlover)  - not up yet - C.Chinense
Primo x Yellow Bhut Jolokia F3 - (Saved seed from F2 pod seed from Jungle Rain) - 2 seedlings up- 1 helmet head - C.Chinense
Jays Peach Ghost Scorpion F4 - Wildfire Chillies - 2 seedlings up - C.Chinense
Cili Goronong - (Junglerain)  - not up yet - C.Chinense
Chocolate Habenero - (Saved seed from my pod originally from Junglerain) -  5 seedlings up (too many sown ;) ) - C.Chinense
Nebru - (THSC) - 1 Hooked) - C.Chinense- C.Annuum
Trinidad Seasoning - (Pepperlover)  - not up yet - C.Chinense
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia - (THSC) - not up yet - C.Chinense
NTR's - (THSC) - 2 seedlings up - 1 for gifting at least- C.Annuum
Carolina Reaper HP22B - (PeriPeri) - 2 Seedlings up - C.Chinense
Jalapeno 'Cracked' - (Pepperlover) - 2 Seedlings up - lots to come I hope but slow! - for gifting to friends- C.Annuum
 
The reason I went back to my Original stock seed on most varieties was so I got the pure genetics in (so I can 99% predict what  Iwill get) and I can isolate and save some seeds for my seed stock again.  Not that I have had issues in the past but the original seeds were getting old and I needed a pure back up of them (I hope some of them germinate like the THSC yellow 7)
 
So out of all that lot I need to cut the max plants to 10 on 1 balcony and 3 on the other ... if/what does not come up might dictate some numbers anyway

If the 'Assam" doesn't pop I will use some saved seeds from my own pods and I also have some Bhut Jolokia "Indian Carbon" seeds from Stickman?? I might lay down as well .,.. never grown those ...

Only thing I noticed is I don't have any Scotch Bonnet's on the list ... Maybe a TFM will makes its way in ?
 
I will be keeping my 3 year old Douglah and Wild Brazil plant and Maybe my Bahamian Goat Pepper plant as well on the other balcony ... (the bedroom balcony is starting to sound ominously full ;) :D  )
 
Best of luck with the new season.........Using the original seed stock is a good choice, you know what your getting...no surprises.
Original strains are becoming desirable again............wish I had my sheet from the 70's
 
KevinH said:
I feel your pain.
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Thanks for stopping by. Yeah its painful but a necessity with my failures with pests last season I want to give them the best shot at thriving this one ... more root space = cooler root zones = more vigorous plants (here's hoping)
 
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