I thought it's time for my very first glog on T.H.P. First of all, I have to admit I am a complete cheapskate. There I said it. Always have been, always will be I guess. I think there is always a cheaper way to do things, doesn't always mean the best way or the quickest way.
I could have nice setup up with lots of money invested into it, but I actually enjoy the thrill of the hunt for cheap stuff. A heat mat for twenty bucks? Nope, an old Christmas rope light for one dollar. Metal shelving for fifty bucks? Nah, Rubbermaid storage container from Goodwill for two bucks a piece. High Output light system? Not for me, 2 two-bulb T8 (6500K) strip light with 6 replacement bulbs for 10 bucks at a church rummage sale a few years back and still going. I also was lucky to get a brand new Hydrofarm 2' Jumpstart T5 light for fifteen bucks at Goodwill. Jiffy peat pots and peat pellets, Johnny's Select Seeds Seedling trays, styrofoam cups, pots, popsicle sticks, and more, all from garage sales, church sales, and tag sales. Soil for starting off? I use anything from peat, coco fiber, to organic soil, all usually discounted. I decided to go with the Vigoro Organic potting soil since it was only thee dollars for the 1.5 cu ft once they started to germinate. My 4'x4' raised beds cost about twelve bucks a piece and are made from cedar fence pickets. Soil for various pots and the beds are all from municipal compost, my own compost, half-priced broken bags of soil and amendments at Lowes.
Here is a list of the peppers for this year:
7 Pot Brain Strain Yellow
Aleppo
Ancient Sweet
Aribibi gusano (Capcom)
Bishop's Crown
Carolina Reaper HP22B
Datil Red
Datil Yellow
Fatali Yellow
Habanero Peach
Indian Silk
Jalapeno
Jimmy Nardello
Lipstick Pepper
Naga Jolokia Purple
Peter Red
Peter Orange
Pequin
Piment D'Espelette
Purira
Rocoto Red (Capcom)
Rooster Spur (Beerbreath81)
Scotch Bonnet Tobago Yellow
Sweet Banana
Sus Biber (Beerbreath81)
Tabasco
Thai Orange
Thai Red
Tepin
TS Chocolate
Vietnamese Orange
Cheap setup: metal stand, rope light, heavy aluminum foil to reflect heat, Johnny's Select Seed tray and dome (one buck at church sale)
Condiment cups (unused and fifty cents for 100 at garage sale) with paper towel for germination, Sweet Banana in just three days.
Rubbermaid tub lined with foil and T8 light 4"above plants at various stages from three weeks to just popped into soil from condiment cups.
Good luck with everyone's grow 2015.
I could have nice setup up with lots of money invested into it, but I actually enjoy the thrill of the hunt for cheap stuff. A heat mat for twenty bucks? Nope, an old Christmas rope light for one dollar. Metal shelving for fifty bucks? Nah, Rubbermaid storage container from Goodwill for two bucks a piece. High Output light system? Not for me, 2 two-bulb T8 (6500K) strip light with 6 replacement bulbs for 10 bucks at a church rummage sale a few years back and still going. I also was lucky to get a brand new Hydrofarm 2' Jumpstart T5 light for fifteen bucks at Goodwill. Jiffy peat pots and peat pellets, Johnny's Select Seeds Seedling trays, styrofoam cups, pots, popsicle sticks, and more, all from garage sales, church sales, and tag sales. Soil for starting off? I use anything from peat, coco fiber, to organic soil, all usually discounted. I decided to go with the Vigoro Organic potting soil since it was only thee dollars for the 1.5 cu ft once they started to germinate. My 4'x4' raised beds cost about twelve bucks a piece and are made from cedar fence pickets. Soil for various pots and the beds are all from municipal compost, my own compost, half-priced broken bags of soil and amendments at Lowes.
Here is a list of the peppers for this year:
7 Pot Brain Strain Yellow
Aleppo
Ancient Sweet
Aribibi gusano (Capcom)
Bishop's Crown
Carolina Reaper HP22B
Datil Red
Datil Yellow
Fatali Yellow
Habanero Peach
Indian Silk
Jalapeno
Jimmy Nardello
Lipstick Pepper
Naga Jolokia Purple
Peter Red
Peter Orange
Pequin
Piment D'Espelette
Purira
Rocoto Red (Capcom)
Rooster Spur (Beerbreath81)
Scotch Bonnet Tobago Yellow
Sweet Banana
Sus Biber (Beerbreath81)
Tabasco
Thai Orange
Thai Red
Tepin
TS Chocolate
Vietnamese Orange
Cheap setup: metal stand, rope light, heavy aluminum foil to reflect heat, Johnny's Select Seed tray and dome (one buck at church sale)
Condiment cups (unused and fifty cents for 100 at garage sale) with paper towel for germination, Sweet Banana in just three days.
Rubbermaid tub lined with foil and T8 light 4"above plants at various stages from three weeks to just popped into soil from condiment cups.
Good luck with everyone's grow 2015.
