In 2017 I grew from seed (10 or so varieties) in containers in a large lanai. I enjoy sweet and hot peppers when I cook. I had no problem with jalepenos. I did well with greeks/pepperoncinis, too. I was able to get a few large Red Devil's Tongue (in 10 gallon pots). I also grew some faboulous, very prolific orange habeneros. I think they were some sort of a minature pumpkin habenero. I bought most of the seeds from Pepper Joe's.
I must say that I had extreme trouble germenating with the paper towel method and with humiditiy tent in jiffy pots. However, I was just learning. The Red Devil's tongue was grown with the paper towel method, and the rest that were in jiffy pots. I was new to Florida, and had already experienced a bug infestation on cucumbers (not really lanai plants).
During the rainy months in 2017, I pulled the potted peppers into a shadier area, but secluded from the deluges of that summer. White flies came from nowhere. I used a neem oil concentrate and Dawn soap mix to try to fight them. Eventually when Irma came, I just gave up. I was able to harvest some pepproncini, and a ton of the orange peppers. The orange pepper plants were nearly 3 feet tall. The darned whiteflies took over and killed them quick. We kept a few plants that were in smaller pots and tried to overwinter them.
This spring I moved, but left the potted orange plants where I used to live. They planted them in the ground and, viola, huge super prolific plants. I, on the other hand, wanted to get some super hots growing in an indoor facility (my new home only has sheltered northern light). I bought a grow tent, a 1000W growlight, fans, and a humidifier. I was ready to get my grow on. I stuck with Pepper Joe's for seeds. I was able to germinate only about 10% but I started in December and might have been using old seeds. I germinated a few Hungarian Carrots, a couple of Paper Lanterns and a couple of Red Devil's Tongues. I ended up with seedlings of 2 Paper Lanterns and 2 Red Devil's Tounges. These were moved into my large grow tent.
Since I failed on so many seeds, I went to home depot to buy some plants (worst decision ever). I had quick success growing my seedlings and the small plants from home depot after transplanting into larger pots. So I decided to buy 30 more seedlings from chiliplants.com. Well, I now realize I had no room for that many. Besides the room, when the clean plants from chilliplants.com arrived they were immediately infested with the aphids from the home depot plants, as were the plants I started from seed.
I now have only one pepper at my house. I kept the moruga scorpion. It is slowly growing in a 3 hour sunlight spot. I keep it with my tropical ginger plants and bromeliads on my second floor lanai. I was able to convince my parents to take on the plants that I saved from the aphid infestation. Out of the 35 or so pepper plants, 14 (including the moruga scorpion) survived, for now. The plants that I moved are in a new lanai. They get a good 6 hours of sun, but they are getting attacked with white flies.
What is the deal with white flies? How do they get in a closed lanai? I probably didn't mention that I used some pretty heavy pesticides that almost killed everything to get rid of the aphids. My parents are snow birds. When they come back, they may want to plant a mild pepper, but I will have to decide on a few to keep in my tent. The peppers I am currently growing there are: Naga Viper, Red Savina, Red Devil's Tongue, Scotch Bonnet MOA, Mustard Habenero, Golden Greek, Havasu, Tabasco, Pepperoncini, Yellow Cayenne, and 2 mild peppers I can't remember.
Which of these should I focus on? The havasu and cayenne is the only ones that have ripened fruit to pick. The tabasco and red savina have lots of fruit, but it will be awhile. I think I have to nurture the Naga Viper, just out of respect. How about seedless flavour? Which one is the best? Also how do I combat white flies when I can only get there about once a week?
I must say that I had extreme trouble germenating with the paper towel method and with humiditiy tent in jiffy pots. However, I was just learning. The Red Devil's tongue was grown with the paper towel method, and the rest that were in jiffy pots. I was new to Florida, and had already experienced a bug infestation on cucumbers (not really lanai plants).
During the rainy months in 2017, I pulled the potted peppers into a shadier area, but secluded from the deluges of that summer. White flies came from nowhere. I used a neem oil concentrate and Dawn soap mix to try to fight them. Eventually when Irma came, I just gave up. I was able to harvest some pepproncini, and a ton of the orange peppers. The orange pepper plants were nearly 3 feet tall. The darned whiteflies took over and killed them quick. We kept a few plants that were in smaller pots and tried to overwinter them.
This spring I moved, but left the potted orange plants where I used to live. They planted them in the ground and, viola, huge super prolific plants. I, on the other hand, wanted to get some super hots growing in an indoor facility (my new home only has sheltered northern light). I bought a grow tent, a 1000W growlight, fans, and a humidifier. I was ready to get my grow on. I stuck with Pepper Joe's for seeds. I was able to germinate only about 10% but I started in December and might have been using old seeds. I germinated a few Hungarian Carrots, a couple of Paper Lanterns and a couple of Red Devil's Tongues. I ended up with seedlings of 2 Paper Lanterns and 2 Red Devil's Tounges. These were moved into my large grow tent.
Since I failed on so many seeds, I went to home depot to buy some plants (worst decision ever). I had quick success growing my seedlings and the small plants from home depot after transplanting into larger pots. So I decided to buy 30 more seedlings from chiliplants.com. Well, I now realize I had no room for that many. Besides the room, when the clean plants from chilliplants.com arrived they were immediately infested with the aphids from the home depot plants, as were the plants I started from seed.
I now have only one pepper at my house. I kept the moruga scorpion. It is slowly growing in a 3 hour sunlight spot. I keep it with my tropical ginger plants and bromeliads on my second floor lanai. I was able to convince my parents to take on the plants that I saved from the aphid infestation. Out of the 35 or so pepper plants, 14 (including the moruga scorpion) survived, for now. The plants that I moved are in a new lanai. They get a good 6 hours of sun, but they are getting attacked with white flies.
What is the deal with white flies? How do they get in a closed lanai? I probably didn't mention that I used some pretty heavy pesticides that almost killed everything to get rid of the aphids. My parents are snow birds. When they come back, they may want to plant a mild pepper, but I will have to decide on a few to keep in my tent. The peppers I am currently growing there are: Naga Viper, Red Savina, Red Devil's Tongue, Scotch Bonnet MOA, Mustard Habenero, Golden Greek, Havasu, Tabasco, Pepperoncini, Yellow Cayenne, and 2 mild peppers I can't remember.
Which of these should I focus on? The havasu and cayenne is the only ones that have ripened fruit to pick. The tabasco and red savina have lots of fruit, but it will be awhile. I think I have to nurture the Naga Viper, just out of respect. How about seedless flavour? Which one is the best? Also how do I combat white flies when I can only get there about once a week?
