[Baekseju] Aerogarden Sprout

JoynersHotPeppers · Jan 2, 2017

I use the LED model of this and it does amazing work. I do not use the light during the germination stage.

PaulG · Jan 3, 2017

Good luck with the AeroGarden - you should have great success with it.

Are you going to transplant into containers?

If so don't wait too long, you will be surprised how fast the roots grow!

stickman · Jan 16, 2017

I'll be interested to see how this works out for you guy... I've got some of your Piment Capri seeds in my own Aerogarden, but at least tapwater here isn't a problem. Cheers!

Baekseju · Jan 18, 2017

stickman said:
I'll be interested to see how this works out for you guy... I've got some of your Piment Capri seeds in my own Aerogarden, but at least tapwater here isn't a problem. Cheers!

14 days in, and no sprouting... I guess I'll have to sprout them in a heated box, before putting them in the aerogarden.

You'll love the Piment Cabri, it's a Habanero type from the Reunion Island. My father in law (a native from the Island) makes some killer paste with it and kaffir lime zests. I hope you'll get success with it.

stickman · Jan 18, 2017

Baekseju said:
14 days in, and no sprouting... I guess I'll have to sprout them in a heated box, before putting them in the aerogarden.

We keep it about 21 degrees C in our house... I'm hoping that's enough to get them to sprout, but if not, I'll be right behind you.

You'll love the Piment Cabri, it's a Habanero type from the Reunion Island. My father in law (a native from the Island) makes some killer paste with it and kaffir lime zests. I hope you'll get success with it.

Very cool! Did you mean the zest on the rind of the fruit or the fresh Kefir Lime leaves? Is anything else in there, like the lime juice, garlic, ginger, etc?

Baekseju · Jan 19, 2017

stickman said:

My father in law mesures in "fingers".

Take 5 peppers the size of your own fingers, chop them roughly (seeds included), put them in a mortar and pestle.

Take a kaffir lime, grate the size of one finger (width and height) on the side of its skin (not more), pour on the peppers.
Pour a pinch of coarse salt (the size of half the tip of your finger), pound the chopped peppers, grated kaffir lime and coarse salt into a paste.

Put in a pot, cover with a thin layer of oil.
Keep in the fridge to ferment for at least a couple of months.

Keep those proportions if you want to make more.

I eat that paste with every meal!

stickman · Jan 19, 2017

Most excellent... thanks for the recipe! I actually know somebody who has a potted Kefir Lime tree growing in his house. I'll have to see if I can hit him up for some of the fruit in exchange for some of the Piment Capri pods. :dance:

That sounds like a great-tasting fermented paste that would go well with Mexican, Indian or Thai dishes. Cheers!

Baekseju · Jan 19, 2017

stickman said:
Most excellent... thanks for the recipe! I actually know somebody who has a potted Kefir Lime tree growing in his house. I'll have to see if I can hit him up for some of the fruit in exchange for some of the Piment Capri pods. That sounds like a great-tasting fermented paste that would go well with Mexican, Indian or Thai dishes. Cheers!

It's actually better as a side sauce, with steak, sausage, etc.

Be warned, you'll become addicted.

Baekseju · Feb 26, 2017

Well, nothing sprouted with my first attempt, so I germinated seeds with the camomille tea technique + heating mat.

At the same time I got my hands on two Aerogarden Harvest during the January sales.

So I've started two more of these beasts and I'm quite happy about it :onfire:

0. Starting date

February 9th 2017

1. Water parameters

Tap water.
They seem to like it.

2. Growing medium

Aerogarden sponges

3. Peppers grown

I'm growing seeds I got from the European seed train:
- White Fatali
- Purple Jalapeno
- 7 pod Chocolate Brain Strain
- Thai orange hots

4. Nutrients

Recommended dose per liter of:
- Aqua Vega A&B: NPK 6-3-8
- Canna Calcium
- 1/2 teaspoon of epsom salts
- HESI Power Zyme

I added two air stones in each, and they seem to like it.

5. Grow log

Day 1:
The cats played with the germinating box, and f*ed up everything, so all the seeds got mixed up.
I guess I'll discover what is what when they start fruiting.

I'm also growing one gem corn.

Day 19 (Feb 25th):
The peppers grew well in 19 days.

There are a lot of little off shoots that want to grow, so I cut the bigger leaves that were obstructing the light they needed.

Aerogarden #1

Aerogarden #2

Baekseju · Feb 26, 2017

Also, I'm planning on transfering the bigger ones into pots when it's time, so I'm working on a dedicated shelf.

I'm looking for advices regarding a good potting mix with what I have at hand (and whatever I could put my hands on, that could improve my planting mix):

- Perlite
- Ph 6 / 0.6 EC coco/earth mix (canabiogen new mix 2.0)
- River sand
- Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi

I also have some homemade compost in the garden, I produce a lot of coffee grounds and organic egg shells (addict to my morning eggs and coffee) and I can put my hands on vermicompost.
I raise quails too, so I have access to quail dump and feathers (mixed with straw).

Also, I'm bottling the aerogardens' old water everytime I am changing the nutrient water.
Would it be a good idea to water my plants with it? Or is it pointless/overkill?

stickman · Feb 26, 2017

You're getting good results with the Aerogardens, way to go Kevin! I'm a noob when it comes to growing in them, so I don't have any useful advice, but you can't argue with success!

Baekseju · Mar 19, 2017

Day 41:

Potting time.

Root system is getting quite out of control, so it was time to plant them.
The three kids gave me a hand mixing perlite, coco and vermicompost (or worm shit as they like to call it).

Beautiful roots :mouthonfire:

I used Solid7's mix (60/40 coco perlite, then this mixed 80/20 vermicompost).

Then added rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi inside the planting hole.
I've added a few bat guano pellets on top of the roots. Some P can't hurt...

Then I've used the aerogardens' old water to water all the pots. Why waste all the aeroponics nutrients?

I definitely should have watered the potting mix prior to planting the peppers.
Soil is quite dry, and it'll take a few days watering it, before it's moist enough....

And now, time for a well deserved beer...

stickman · Mar 20, 2017

Baekseju said:
Day 41:

Potting time.

Root system is getting quite out of control, so it was time to plant them.
The three kids gave me a hand mixing perlite, coco and vermicompost (or worm shit as they like to call it).

Beautiful roots

I used Solid7's mix (60/40 coco perlite, then this mixed 80/20 vermicompost).

Then added rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi inside the planting hole.
I've added a few bat guano pellets on top of the roots. Some P can't hurt...

Then I've used the aerogardens' old water to water all the pots. Why waste all the aeroponics nutrients?

I definitely should have watered the potting mix prior to planting the peppers.
Soil is quite dry, and it'll take a few days watering it, before it's moist enough....

And now, time for a well deserved beer...

You're getting great results Kevin! I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for the tip about using spent hydroponic solution to water the potted plants. I've just been adding more nutes every two weeks and keeping the solution topped up with water. It doesn't seem to harm them, and I grow the seedlings out three nodes before transplanting into pots. Cheers!

Blitz527 · Mar 20, 2017

Just got my first aerogarden from Craigslist, cost 20 bucks, couldn't pass it up. The wife wanted to do some basil, cherry tomatoes and lettuce, so I threw those in it along with her chocolate habs, and I am trying to germ. a couple 7 Pot Brains and a couple Peter Peppers. Im hoping it all goes well, this is kind of my trial run to see if I am going to invest in a brand new one with the seed starting option. They are having a sweet sale on them on their website. 3 units for around 390 or so. Plus the 20% off takes it down some more. Hope to see some good results from yours as well as mine.

What are you using for nutes? I bought a grow your own kit but I would like to either buy a separate container of some kind of nutrient without spending an arm and a leg, Or possibly mix my own??? Anyone have suggestions on that?

Baekseju · Mar 21, 2017

Blitz527 said:
Just got my first aerogarden from Craigslist, cost 20 bucks, couldn't pass it up. The wife wanted to do some basil, cherry tomatoes and lettuce, so I threw those in it along with her chocolate habs, and I am trying to germ. a couple 7 Pot Brains and a couple Peter Peppers. Im hoping it all goes well, this is kind of my trial run to see if I am going to invest in a brand new one with the seed starting option. They are having a sweet sale on them on their website. 3 units for around 390 or so. Plus the 20% off takes it down some more. Hope to see some good results from yours as well as mine.

What are you using for nutes? I bought a grow your own kit but I would like to either buy a separate container of some kind of nutrient without spending an arm and a leg, Or possibly mix my own??? Anyone have suggestions on that?

Hi!

I'm using Aqua Vega A&B: NPK 6-3-8.

I'm adding Cana Calcium, Enzymes (Hesi power zyme) and Epsom salts to the mix.