Alpha Hydroponics GLOG 2012

Playing catch up on the posting. Spring showed up about a month early here in Georgia and it's got us hoppin.
Started around the1st of February, but staggered the germination trays by roughly a week to 10 days each.
Started under 8 lamp T5, mixed bulbs. This grow will be "organic", meaning no salt based nutes, pesticides, herbicides.

******Please correct species or origin if you find error*****
All strains below are from THP members with the exception of the Datil (minorcan).

Grow List:
7 Pot Yellow chinense Trinidad
7 Pot Red chinense Trinidad
Congo Trinidad chinense Trinidad
Trinidad Congo Butch T chinense Trinidad
Caribbean Red Habanero chinense Mexico
Orange Habanero chinense Unknown
Trinidad Scorpion chinense Trinidad
White Habanero chinense Peru
Chocolate Habanero Hybrid chinense Jamaica
Red Congo chinense Guyana
Jamaican Scotch Bonnet chinense Jamaica
Hanoi Red annum Vietnam
Thai Hot frutescens Thailand
Bhut Dragon Hybrid chinense India
Red Bhut Jolokia chinense India
Bishops Hat baccatum Brazil
Datil chinense US via
Naga Morich chinense India
Aji Lemon baccatum Peru
Aji Yellow baccatum Peru
Cherry Pepper Hot annum Guyana
Cherry Pepper Mild annum Guyana Sweet Cayenne annum US Sweet Banana annum US Black Pearl annum
Cowhorn annum New Mexico
Maui Purple annum Hawaii Chinese 5 Color annum Unknown siling labuyo (bird pepper) frutescens SE Asia chiletepin
golden cayenne
morougah red

Overall, we hit about a 2/3rds germination rate.
J. Scotch bonnets and bishop caps bombed, only one naga morich (bummed).
Everything else started well, closer to 75% germ rate.

Began to pot up. 4 inch pots, media is a mix or organic soil, coco coir, perlite and vermiculite.
Once established, inoculated the seedlings with mycorrhizae and added "soil blast" from supreme growers (4-0-8).

Rotated pepper seedlings to grow under led, tomatoes starting under t5's.

And out to the greenhouse........

 

[LanMan]

Man you have a lot of awesome going on. I would love to have a little greenhouse like that. Plants are looking great!

 

[stc3248]

With the great soil and sun and that Coors Light might grow up into a Budweiser! Then if you overwinter it a Shiner Bock next year! Looking real good! Should have put at least one super in there...That way if someone is poaching your peppers they'd get a nice surprise!

Keep up the great work my friend!
Shane

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

With the great soil and sun and that Coors Light might grow up into a Budweiser! Then if you overwinter it a Shiner Bock next year! Looking real good! Should have put at least one super in there...That way if someone is poaching your peppers they'd get a nice surprise!

Keep up the great work my friend!
Shane

Thanks Shane.. I figure if the overwinter goes well and I give it just the right nutes... it will be a Sierra Nevada Torpedo!

Man you have a lot of awesome going on. I would love to have a little greenhouse like that. Plants are looking great!

Thanks Chris!

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

I am really digging those wall mounts....How much are those, and where can I get them?

Cory, Here is the story with the wall units. I was attending a garden trade show when I came across them.
They were designed and marketed for use with soil. The 12 site modular unit stack on top of each other and you have a reservoir at the bottom.
They can be bolted to a wall and you can build several configurations or freestanding as pictured. That said, In my opinion, soil was not a very good option. However, I purchased the free standing units you see in the photos and put them to work as a vertical hydro system (pump,jets, net pots, grow media,). The system works well for growing herbs.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

lookiNg luscious...wish I ran a hydro shop! LoL

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

lookiNg luscious...wish I ran a hydro shop! LoL

Rich, I wish I had that trip to Thailand/ (took the trip to the moon) under my belt..anytime you want to trade. Hope we can grab a beer sometime here in ATL.
Would love to visit your garden. Regards, Chris

 

[MGOLD86]

:jealous: of that setup! I started off envying that GH, and then I saw the hydro setups and had to wipe the drool off the ground!

Looks like you really got this whole growin thing down to a science!

Good Luck!
Matt

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

Alpha Hydroponics grow log update for May: Managed to get another 20 Ajis planted, 15 heirloom tomatoes, and the Alpha Hydro DWC is pushing out some serious fruit.
Dropped the following in the dirt about 2 weeks ago:
Red Bhut
Naga Morich
7 Pot Red
7 Pot Yellow
Marouga
Cherry Hots
Jamaica Scotch Bonnet
Congo Trini
Red Hab
Takanotsume

Butch T in 3 gallon


Heirloom Tomatoes:
Tomatillo
Indian Dark Violet
Elberta Peach
Green Zebra
Black Zebra
Candy Stripe
Beauty Blanc
Korean Love Apple.


He's a great guy until he gets a few drinks into him.

20 for the dirt

The Layout

One of the beds

Alpha Hydro DWC finding a happy home on the deck. It is about 5 feet wide and chock full of Ajis.

Datil Peppers in DWC

Thai Hots at the community garden

Black Pearl flowers from the community garden

3 Gallon Butch T

Add your own caption

Thanks for looking. Hope to have some more fruit to share come next month!

 

[Trippa]

Looking good. Love that wall unit. What kind of mulch is that on the ground?

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

Looking good. Love that wall unit. What kind of mulch is that on the ground?

Thanks Trippa. Pine Straw, cheap and effective.

 

[romy6]

Man Chris your garden is macking out. Looking very green as usual. Keep the pics flowing

 

[Pepper-Guru]

LOVE pinestraw mulch! I always said one year I would pine straw, then hardwood over top! Both are AWESOME mulches. Ive had monsters everytime I use pine straw or hardwood.

 

[Torno]

I think that gnome would serve a higher purpose as a shot glass instead of a rain gauge

-J

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

Man Chris your garden is macking out. Looking very green as usual. Keep the pics flowing

Jamie, Thanks for the kind words.... more pics coming soon.
I have been sneaking a few of those Datils, no patience.... chop em up whole, seeds and all and sprinkle on ... ( everything).

LOVE pinestraw mulch! I always said one year I would pine straw, then hardwood over top! Both are AWESOME mulches. Ive had monsters everytime I use pine straw or hardwood.

Work with what ya got...
Hit me up after Fathers Day.

I think that gnome would serve a higher purpose as a shot glass instead of a rain gauge

-J

Wait! Thats no rain guage!
Yeah, he's got those "crazy eyes".
Makes me think he ate too many fungi.

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

As some one else stated before... The member grow logs this year are tremendous! Thanks for taking the time to check ours out...

Some interim photo updates...

Hired Guns for the greenhouse

Scent of a woman

Black Pearl Flowers at the community garden

Golden Cayenne at the community garden

Lime flower cluster in the greenhouse

Immature limes

Alpha Hydro DWC root system on Datil Pepper plants outdoors

Hibiscus for attracting pollinators.

Five color chinese from the community garden

Sugar Magnolia, Blossoms Bloomin....

Hope everyone is having a great season!
Regards, Chris

 

[romy6]

Beautiful plants and pics my man! That root structure on the Datil is

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

Beautiful plants and pics my man! That root structure on the Datil is

Thanks Jamie!
I think so far I have a pound or so of chili on it.
Just trying to stop eating them while they are green.

 

[Joshuap2000]

[sub]Looking good guys, [/sub]

 

[AlphaHydroponics]

[sub]Looking good guys, [/sub]

Thanks Joshua!

 

[Mad Scientist]

Those DWC roots are most beautiful! - Do you use any additives in there? (besides nutrients)?