• Blog your pepper progress. The first image in your first post will be used to represent your Glog.

[Baekseju] Aerogarden Sprout

So, the wife got me an Aerogarden sprout for Christmas.
 
I've never messed with hydroponics before, so please be indulgent, and I will be very interested in your advices!
 
0. Starting date
 
January 2nd 2016
 
1. Water parameters
 
Tap water being quite uncertain lately in my area (analysis proving to be different one year after another), I've used mineral water.
Mon Roucous:
 
PH 5.85
Calcium (Ca2+)  2,4
Magnésium (Mg2+)  0,5
Sodium (Na+)  3,1
Potassium (K+)  0,4
Sulfates (SO42−)  2
Bicarbonates (HCO3−)  6,3
Nitrates (NO3−)  3
Chlorures (Cl−)  3
Fluorures (F−)  <0.1
 
Ph is quite low, isn't it?
Should I mess with it in order to reach 6.5 or so? I've got some Ph+ at hand.
 
2. Growing medium
 
I'm using Root!t cubes, which seem to be a sponge made of peat and bark.
It was one of the only spongy matter available to me at the growshop next door.
 
3. Peppers grown
 
I'm growing seeds I got from the European seed train:
- White Fatali
- Purple Jalapeno
- 7 pod Chocolate Brain Strain
 
4. Nutrients
 
Nutrients wise, since I did not have any answer on my previous post, I jumped into the big bath, probably without knowing how to swim.
 
Since my mineral water is quite neutral, for 1,2 liters of mineral water, I added the recommended dose of:
- Aqua Vega A&B: NPK 6-3-8
- One recommended dose of Canna Calcium
- 1/2 teaspoon of epsom salts
- One dose of HESI Power Zyme
 
Not sure if adding this growth mix right into the step of germination is a mistake or not, but I can only read diverging opinions on the forum about this matter.
Will that screw things up? You guys' take on that matter?
 
5. Light
 
The light on this aregoarden sprout is scaring me a bit. It is advertised at 10w full spectrum.
I have access to a 180w (advertised) led growlight if ever you think it'd be more efficient? 
 
 
20170102_111329.jpg

 
Géraldine seems quite confused about the device
 
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.
 
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?
 
 
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!
 
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!
 
 
 
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. :dance:  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.
 
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.
 
74992720170225184813.jpg

 
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
24761920170225184741.jpg

 
Aerogarden #2
90380620170225184751.jpg
 
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
 
 
80427720170225184810.jpg

 
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?
 
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!
 
Day 41:
 
99183920170319094034.jpg

 
 
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).
 
82286620170319105856.jpg

 
Beautiful roots  :mouthonfire:
 
53626120170319114705.jpg

 
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...
 
99509020170319114708.jpg

 
 
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...
 
23380120170319120145.jpg

 
 
 
Baekseju said:
Day 41:
 
99183920170319094034.jpg

 
 
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).
 
82286620170319105856.jpg

 
Beautiful roots  :mouthonfire:
 
53626120170319114705.jpg

 
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...
 
99509020170319114708.jpg

 
 
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...
 
23380120170319120145.jpg

 
 
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!
 
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?
 
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.
 
Back
Top