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rshortt

Member Since 08 Jul 2009
Offline Last Active Apr 30 2012 01:53 PM
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Topics I've Started

Electric Flower Pot Smoker Build

04 May 2011 - 07:50 PM

Hey, all.  I decided to build a simple electric flower pot smoker.  It's almost done.

Here's a link to my Flickr set for the build:

I decided to build it without a PID for temperature control, at least to see how well I can dial it in without one.  The PID will add close to $100 after it's done.  OK, I could do it for close to $50 with a Chinese PID and SSR.  This will get me off the ground though.

Costs
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Pot:  $30
Burner: $20
Wire: $2
Gang box: $2.50
Box plate: $2.50
Cast iron: $20
Grill: free
Temp probe: $14

Cost to date: $91 (plus tax)

I still need to find a lid.  I'd like to use a terra cotta saucer or something like it but I haven't found something to match in size.  I'll use a large patio stone to lay on top to start.  It's like 2 inches thick so it will hold temps very well.  I should just chizel it into a circle and mount a couple of handles!

-Rob

Soaker hose with pots

08 June 2010 - 10:34 AM

Hi everyone,

I have roughly 80 pepper plants that I will be starting to pot up to 2800 size pots (real 4.6 gallons) this week.  However in 2 weeks I will be taking a 3 week vacation so I need to rig up an irrigation system for my absence.

My plants will be grouped together in a rectangle on my front deck (plenty of sun) where they will be nice and protected from pests - no animals; and less insect pests than any other area of my property.

For waterings I picked up a digital programmable hose timer that I intend on using with soaker hose.  I plan to run the hose around the base of each plant in a loop, then on to the next, until each is covered.  The weather has been super damp here lately but it is starting to dry up.  I plan to test the timer setup next week and set it to water them conservatively in case we also get rain when I'm away.

Does anyone else here use soaker hose with potted plants?  Does this sound like an OK plan?

Thanks.

My new "greenhouse"

17 April 2010 - 12:46 PM

It's almost time for my plants to make their way outside but the temperature isn't quite right yet.  I'm desperately running out of shelf and light space inside so I got a little something to transition some plants outside a little early.

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I have a temperature probe in there, it's 15.5 C in the greenhouse, about 7 outside.  It's cloudy and drisly out and will be the same tomorrow.  I will start hardening off tomorrow and move as many plants into this as I can.  At night I will bring the whole thing inside from the deck.  Sound like an OK plan?

Rob's 2010 grow updates

13 April 2010 - 07:38 AM

Hi guys, I haven't posted my progress for a long long time.  I started my first seeds in early January (chinense), ajis in Feb, and annuums in late March.  Winter is super busy for me (I ended up coaching both my boys' hockey teams) and I had a hard time keeping up with the plants.  

I potted up some of them to one gallon pots last night and took a few photos to share.


Aji Amarillo, one Aji Panca (I have more Pancas):
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Bhut, Thai, Hot Paper Lantern, Aji Limon, maybe a Fatalii there:
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My latest bunch, mostly anuums, Inferno, Ring of Fire, Jaloro, more Thai, Peperoncini, Big Bomb.  In back there's more Aji Panca, Thai, Tabasco, Hot Paper Lantern...  I started all of these in 2.5" round pots which I can get 32 of into one tray.  I got really tired of cutting out cells (ie: 72 cell tray) as my last ones germinated at different times.
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These guys are very root bound.  They are nice and stocky, compact leaves, great colour, but I did not have enough time to pot up earlier.  I will be working on getting these in larger pots throughout the week.  Right now they're in 3" round pots.  Here I have more Fatalii, Brown Habanero, Hot Paper Lantern, Bhut Jolokia, Tabasco, Thai, Datil, Aji Limon, and maybe some I can't recall now.
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I need to buy a fan to get these guys used to a bit of wind.  It can get gusty here and I don't want these guys breaking up in the wind when I put them out.  Time to think about hardening off.  As you can see I am running out of room.  I don't really want to go out any buy more lights but I may have to get a couple more (will cost me another $40-$50).

I guess I have to start thinking about hardening off soon although it's still a bit cool here.

Green algae on my seedlings soil?

27 January 2010 - 08:16 PM

Hey guys, since the past few days I've been noticing what looks like green algae growing on my soil.  I hope it's algae and not mold!  I may have been over watering which may have caused this.  I've since switched to bottom watering, and trying to do so less often.

My seed starter mix seems to dry out quickly and I'm a bit afraid of these little guys drying out under my lights and on the heat pad.  This may have led me to over water to compensate.  The lights there are on 24/7 but I'm about to move them to a 18hr on 6 hr off timer.

Here's some pics but I don't think you can see it on the soil in the pics:

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Thanks for any advice.

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