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

'I don't have space for this...' - b3rnd 2017

Hey guys! Today the first MOA popped it's head, so it's about time to start my glog.
 
Some background information: I started growing peppers in the Netherlands almost 3 years ago, and from the first year on I was completely hooked. I started out with some annuums, but was never really excited about the flavour of any of them. The second year I decided to grow some baccatums and chinenses too, but the weather gods didn't favour me and the season flopped completely. Then last summer I met a Portuguese woman, fell in love and moved to Portugal with her. The climate here got me even more excited to start growing then ever before, so when winter arrived I started preparing. I found semillas.de (before I always ordered from pepperseeds.eu), and the amount of varieties stunned me. I couldn't hold back and subsequently ordered way too many seeds for the space I should be using. But it doesn't matter, because growing is life and peppers are awesome. 
 
The equipment I use is very basic. I have two small propagators which each fit two trays with 3x4 squares, so that totals 48. I fitted three 18w T8 fluorescent tubes onto a plank in our cabinet, which keep the tempurature in the cabinet at a steady 24 degrees Celsius and apparently provide enough light for the plants to be happy. I need to change this around soon though, because of the space constraints. I also have a heat mat that can fit both propagators at once, but at the moment I have them alternating between the cabinet and the heat mat.
 
I've tried several growing media and now finally found some soil that is of decent quality. I've also bought some compost and fertilizer pellets (10-10-10), which I will start using when I transplant to bigger pots. To finish it off I have a bag of epsom salts for a foliar spray now and then.
 
Last year I planted some seeds of chiles and bells I bought in the store to test out the sun, my equipment and growing media. Some cayennes are doing pretty okay after some heat and transplant shock set them back weeks, and I have some decoratives hitting puberty. I also have some 'piri-piri' (probably not actual piri-piri, but it's what the landlord calls them) harvested from the backyard doing their best to grow. Around Christimas I filled one propagator with seeds from suspected habaneros (red) that I bought from a bazaar, and I just transplanted the best two seedlings to a bigger pot to clear out the propagator.
 
To start this year off I've planted chinenses, baccatums and pubescens. The first planting had a MOA pop up today, and I moved that propagator from the heat mat to the lights. I am still a little afraid I've chosen the wrong medium for the first planting, because it's a little chucky. I was eager to start so I just used what I had laying around.. The little MOA is getting my hopes up though. But as I'm aiming for at least one plant per variety, I'll have to buy new seeds if this mistake costs me.
 
Pictures will follow when I have some more to show, and this post will be updated when I plant something new. Also note that these still aren't all the varieties I have. I could post a grow list, but in a week or two I'll have everything sown anyway. Let me know if you'd like to see a list of all the varieties I have.
 
I just found out I can share my Google document easily without compromising anything.
 
My list of varieties, proposed crosses and sowings.
The number behind the varieties represents the amount of seeds I have. That information isn't of any use to you, the document was meant as a planning tool. I just figured I could share it anyway.
 
TL;DR: Yay, peppers!
 
 
02/01:
Orange Rocoto (hogleg)
Red Rocoto (hogleg)
Paper Lantern Habanero (hogleg)
Bahamian Goat (hogleg)
Scotch Bonnet MOA (semillas)
Brazilian Starfish[SIZE=11.6667px] (semillas)[/SIZE]
Lemon Drop (semillas)
Madame Jeanette (semillas)
 
10/01:
Fidalgo Roxa (semillas)
Pimenta da Neyde (semillas)
Snow White (semillas)
Trinidad PI 281317 (semillas)
Santa Lucia Seasoning (semillas)
Aji Amarillo (semillas)
Aji Angelo (semillas)
Aji Chaparita (semillas)
 
 
Here are the pictures I promised. Some Lemon Drops, Brazilian Starfish, Paper Lanterns and more MOA's popped up today! Will take some pics when they are fully upright. 
 
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My huge light room.
 
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The first MOA! (lower left corner)
 
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The plants under the lamps.
 
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The 'piri-piris'. They're growing a bit weirdly because of some heat shock I believe.
 
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Suspected red habaneros that had to be transplanted a little early. They'll be fine.
 
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Some orange decorative pepper I bought in the supermarket and harvested seeds from. I just can't resist growing everything I find :D
 
From your chart I'm guessing you are starting 3 each of the pubes? I would at least double that to make up for loss due to helmet heads. Plus those seeds are a couple years old if I had to guess, I'd put their germ rate around 65%-75%.
 
 
Happy Growin'  :cheers:
 
Edit: at least I think the orange pubes I sent ya are a couple years old?
 
Thanks hogleg! Under the chart it says either '3 sd' or '4 sd', which stands for seeds per square in that row. So there's 9 red rocotos and 9 yellow rocotos.. I will have a second planting probably, just didn't want to cram too many seeds in one square because I sometimes have trouble seperating the seedlings.
 
Edit: I don't soak before sowing, should I start doing that with the pube seeds? Might help with the helmets.
 
Today I removed the trays from the first sowing from the propagator and placed them bare under the lights. Have to watch out that they don't dry out under the lamps. But I've just bought a new tv that blocks the doors a little, so I have to move it every time I check my plants. I really have to find another spot.. Pics coming tomorrow.
 
Opinion seems to be mixed with regards to
soaking seeds, but I'm in favor of it.  
I soak in distilled water overnight, and have
had decent success with the pubescens varieties.
 
Good luck going forward, you have some nice
starts.
 
Thanks PaulG! I'll give it a whirl next sowing. 
 
 
Small update: I'm not satisfied with the pictures my phone takes in certain light, so I've yet to deliver the promised pictures of my seedlings. Not much to show anyway, but I do have good germ rates. The Paper Lantern Habs have all germed except one. The MOA's have almost all started popping, as did the Lemon Drops and Brazilian Starfish. Not 100% though, but more than enough. Nothing yet on the Bahamian Goat or Madame Jeanette. Still hoping for some action soon! The best part is that one red rocoto had hooked! Not sure if it's a helmet or not, will get back on that later.
 
I've created a little problem for myself that I can just solve in a few days, and it's annoying me. Earlier I said I needed to change my 'grow room' for bigger space. I thought it was a good idea to use my unused plastic greenhouse, but it seems plastic doesn't insulate as well as I thought, and now my temps have dropped significantly. I've ordered a second heat mat straight away, but it'll only arrive Tuesday or Wednesday. Until then I have to manage with what I have. I insulated a little with a fleece blanket and aluminum foil, and it helps a bit. Still not great.
 
When walking to the store I saw a pepper plant growing around a tree, and I picked one of them. I've put seeds in the ground straight away because I liked the pods. Let's see what becomes of it.
 
 
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The new grow room.
 
 
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The pepper I picked.
 
Wow it seems that Madame Jeanette heard my typing, because in the short time between my last post and now, they went from absolutely nothing to standing up straight. Got one popping! Now I'm just waiting on the Bahamian Goat and Orange Rocoto. My second sowing is showing nothing yet, but it's just been 5 days. When they start hooking I need to buy an extra set of lamps..
 
Well it's been a while since the last update. I've been procrastinating like never before. Finally I have some new stuff to show off, so here it is. I've transplanted everything I wanted to keep (and some extra, ofcourse...). The Bahamian Goats are still a no-show. Still not decided if I've given up or not. I desperately need the space the prop was taking at the moment so.. Might toss the contents in a small pot and put it in the corner of my heating mat.

I've had one Orange Rocoto sprout, the Red Rocoto was a helmet head. Going to give those another shot soon. All the other varieties have all produced healthy seedlings!

The second prop is showing signs of life. 6 out of 8 varieties have popped! Just waiting on Santa Lucia Yellow and Fidalgo Roxa. Next sowing it's finally the Annuums' turn.

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Small update again: Finally got some action from the Santa Lucia Yellow and Fidalgo Roxa! Small hooks have appeared, so I'm feeling great. Pictures of them won't show anything yet unfortunately, but I do have something interesting. Here is a pic of one of my Snow White seedlings:

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It seems to have four coty's. Never seen that before.

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You are just rollin' along there, Bernd - lots of nice, healthy little starts.
 
Good going, bro!
 
I have yet to have any cool mutants like that 4 coty you have, would be interested to see how that develops.
 
Best of luck this season!
 
PaulG said:
You are just rollin' along there, Bernd - lots of nice, healthy little starts.
 
Good going, bro!
 
Thanks Paul! I can't wait until they start exploding upwards  :dance:
 
FiresOfNil said:
I have yet to have any cool mutants like that 4 coty you have, would be interested to see how that develops.
 
Best of luck this season!
 
Thanks! Yeah I've never even had one with 3 so I was kinda excited too. But I've read someone say here that they usually are slow and produce less fruit. I'll keep it around for a bit to see what's going on there. I'll post pics of it regularly ;)
 
Well it seems I've forgotten to update my glog for a while. Happy to say things have been rolling along. Had a little set-back with my propagator in a windowsill and my cat. All my annuum seedling got mixed up, and I needed to start seeds again. They've already popped up and showing first true leaves. The rest of my plants are already outside 24/7, so they've been exploding in growth pretty much. Still not as big as some of your plants on this forum though, need some more practice I guess. But I'm hoping they will make big spurt towards greatness now that they're enjoying some real sun now! I also bought some seaweed powder to make some nice ocean-tea for them. They seem to love it.
 
Editing later to add pictures from my phone.
 
 
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My annuum seedlings. Not in order: Peter Peppers, Pequin x Goatweed F2, Small orange thai, Ethiopian Brown, Fish Pepper, Goatweed, Thunder Mountain Longhorn.

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Aji Angelo and Aji Amarillo.

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Rocoto and Snow White

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Back: Pimenta da Neyde, Trinidad PI
Middle: Aji Amarillo, Aji Angelo
Front: Cheiro Roxa

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Back: Paper Lantern, Lemon Drop
Front: Santa Lucia Yellow, Aji Charapita

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Back: Bahamian Goat, Brazilian Starfish
Front: MOA, Madame Jeanette
Big pots: Red hababero

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'Piri-piri'

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Back to front: Paper Lantern, MOA, Brazilian Starfish, Madame Jeanette
 
Great to get some sun on those plants!
 
Thanks Paul! They are absolutely blowing up since they've been outside. If I see the pictures I posted last I barely recognize them! Have to post some pictures tomorrow!
 
b3rnd said:
Thanks Paul! They are absolutely blowing up since they've been outside. If I see the pictures I posted last I barely recognize them! Have to post some pictures tomorrow!
Can't wait to see what a difference 10 days makes!
 
Gonna have to postpone posting those pictures, the weather isn't allowing me to take nice pics. It's quite gloomy and gray today, but the rain is a nice refreshment from the hard water I'm forced to give my plants.
 
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