Amir's 2014 rookie year

Hi All,
 
I have to start by saying that I am really enjoying this forum, the knowledge and general atmoshphere is great
The combination of growing info + hot food is awsome.
 
Going over threads here I got my mind set on a few varieties and made my first order from pepper Joe.
ordered myself:

CAROLINA REAPER PEPPER AKA HP22B


BUTCH "T" TRINIDAD SCORPION


CHOCOLATE HABANERO


CORNO DI TORO

 
Figured it's a nice start for my rookie year.
Well... time passed by, i was reading more and more and all of a sudden i felt my order was inadequate.
So i sent a mail to Peter at La Semillas and ordered myself:
 
7pot Primo              
7pot Brainstrain Yellow 
Jalapeño                
Foodorama Scotch Bonnet 
Scotch Bonnet Brown      
 
Peter shipped extremly fast (i got the seeds within a few days) and that really spiked my appetite, plus the seeds from PJ did not arrive yet, so i went online again and ordered:
 
Cayenne                   
HP22B Selected            
7pot Brainstrain Red      
Naga Viper                
7pot Barrackpore          
JAFSH Red                 
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T 
Bhut jolokia Strain I     
Black Naga                
Trinidad Douglah          
Devil´s Tongue Red        
Devil´s Tongue Yellow     
Fatalii                   
Bishops Crown             
Serrano                    
Madre de Rios             
California Wonder         
Corno Di Torro            
Sweet Hungarian           
Boldog                     
 
a few days after i got the seeds from Peter, i finally recieved my order fom PJ and it was time to start.
Well, almost time.   I made another small order from La Semillas, and my final grow list for 2014 is:
 
CAROLINA REAPER PEPPER AKA HP22B
HP22B Selected             
BUTCH "T" TRINIDAD SCORPION
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T  
7pot Brainstrain Yellow
Brainstrain Red       
7 pot Jonah
Naga Viper                 
7 pot Barrackpore           
JAFSH Red                  
Trinidad Douglah           
7pot Primo
Bhut jolokia Strain I      
Black Naga                 
Fatalii                    
Foodorama Scotch Bonnet
Scotch Bonnet Brown
CHOCOLATE HABANERO
Devil´s Tongue Red         
Devil´s Tongue Yellow      
Thai burapa
Thai Hot
Thai Orange hot
Large Orange thai
Cayenne                    
Serrano                    
Madre de Rios              
Bishops Crown              
Hot banana 
 Jalapeño
Jalapeno TAM
aji cacho de cabra (goat's horn)
Santa Fe Grande
CORNO DI TORO
Corno Di Torro             
Sweet Hungarian            
Boldog                     
California Wonder          
antalya dan
kapia paprika
 
 
I personally come with no knowledge, but my wife's family is in the growing business.  They have a wholesale nursery (meaning they grow flowering pots of both perrenials and annuals and sell to other nurseries) so I'm using their knowledge and facility to give my seedlings a good start.
 
Feb 14th
 
I had my boys and nephew  fill the trays with seeding mix

 
I was counting on them to help with the seeding process, but two took off immediatly.
My oldest (8) did a whole tray by himself.  the rest were done by brother in law
In fact i had my brother in law deal with the growing bit while i was busy labeling and taking pictures.
Here he is spreading vermiculite over the seeds
 

 
 
Give them good watering, and into a humidity controled room.  Covered for the first couple of days and then left uncovered for another few days
 

 
 
After a few days, moved it into the Seed starting area 
 

 
 

March 1st, seeds are popping

 
Overall I'm geting great germination, some are still not showing up (Fatalii is giving me problems)
 
March 13
 

 

 
I think i'll transplant them over the weekend into 4" pots.
 

 

[HolyP]

Time for an update.
It's been about a week since plants were topped, and new growth is visible.
overall shot

 
Chocolate habanero

 
Reaper

 
Jonah
 

Primo

 
TAM Jalapeno

 
Some shots of  my non (Tomatoes)
Giant Syrian

 
Black Zebra
 

 
San Marazano
 

 
Thanks for stopping by

 

[Sm1nts2escape]

O man those marzanos look great! I'm growing one this year and can't wait for fresh ones! Your grow is looking very good. What are you using for nutes? How big are the buckets that the tomatoes are in? Kepp up the good work and post more pics please!

 

[HolyP]

O man those marzanos look great! I'm growing one this year and can't wait for fresh ones! Your grow is looking very good. What are you using for nutes? How big are the buckets that the tomatoes are in? Kepp up the good work and post more pics please!

 
Thanks, i have two marzanos and a roma and am also looking forward for them to ripen to make some sauce.
The buckets are 18 Liters which is nearly 5 Gallons, and for nutes i'm using Advanced Nutrients sensi grow, and Revive as a supplement

 

[HolyP]

Crazy growth in 10 days.  caught me a bit off guard.  I was sure i had a few more weeks to prepare but it looks like the plants are screaming to move up.  some are throwing roots through the pot and hitting the dirt.
I'm frantically looking for a solutuion on where to put them...  my aim is for about 200 plants, and i only have room for about 50 so 150 will need to be taken care of.
I've thrown it by my FIL, and it looks like he will host them for me.  So next week I'll be moving them to 5 gallon pots (sure ain't looking forward to that, sounds like a back killer)
 
Overall shot
 

 
Bhut Jolokia

 
JAFSH (i got it cause i find the name funny, i wonder how's it going to turn out)
 

 
Chocolae habanero

 
Naga Viper
 

 
Foodorama SB
 

 
SB Brown
 

 
Hopefully next time will be of the plants in their new pots podding...

 

[Runescape]

DAMN, that is a crapload of healthy pepper plants, dude...

 

[HolyP]

Wow looking at the other Glogs it looks like I'm about a month behind everyone.  
A bit green with all the ripe pods out there....
Over here I am getting ready for the next move.
Neighbor has agreed to lend me his "Hoop house", so i now have a place to host my peppers.

 
Ground is crap, and it's a loan so i'll do it all in containers.
I've already recieved my potting mix

 
The wooden crates on the left should give a proportion of the size...  if i got the conversions right, that is 160 cubic feet of mix.
I chose (with the assistance of the guy at the company doing the mixes) a peat moss lava rock mix.
It's meant to be good, a bit heavy but that is not a factor for me.  Easy on the roots and great in water retention.
 
Looks and feels nice
 

 
I should be getting my pots early next week, I ordered 150 4 gallons pots, and 50 5 gallon pots.  It's going to be a lot of fun filling them up.
Peppers are definitly ready.  
I've had this little fetish to do a top shot of nice healthy peppers since i've started.  Next on the list is a ripening pod, to be followed by a massive harvest shot. knock on wood
 

 
Figured i'd also do a few of the plants surrounding the peppers in the nursery.
 
Got to love verbenas.  nice flower, strong plant.  

 
But the plant i chose to focus on is New Guinea Impatiens, under rated in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 
 
Till next time, thanks for dropping by
 

 

 

[SeanW]

I like how you describe this as your "rookie" year. That's more plants and a wilder setup than the majority of the rest of the people here!
 
Good luck, I hope you're rolling in pods come picking season

 

[HolyP]

What a surprise, i came by all phsyced for some pot filling to find this.

 
 
(about 150 4 gallon, and 50 5 gallons)
I'll need to do some prep work, and it looks like planting will be done over the weekend

 

[John1234]

OH COME ON!
 
 
 
Garden fairies at it again Man those plants look bloody great, they should explode in their new homes.

 

[HolyP]

Even with the help filling those buckets, and help putting them in the rows it took over 5 hours to get them planted.
A few days later, and my back and legs are still a bit sore but it was done, and i'm happy.
 
 
Just over 200 plants, about 100 super hots, 50 ranging from jalapenos to habaneros, and 50 annums to try and make some paprika and mix in with the hot for rubs.

 
Reapers are looking good , i have about 12 reapers and 12 Fatalii's, the rest are about 6 per type.
 

 
These are marked as bishop's crown, but i also have another group labeled bishop's crown that looks completely different.
I would guess this is one of the Thai brands i tried (i have 5 different kinds)
 

 
 
A nice diverse harvest of tomatoes.  
 

 
Thanks for stopping by, next update will hopefully be with some podding

 

[Nulle]

Wow you're plants are looking great. Wish I had a place like you/your family

 

[chile_freak]

Very nice! With that setup I see some fresh pod sales in your future, maybe live plant sales as well, I can see it now: HolyP's Holy Land hot peppers, kinda catchy actually! Plants look amazing brother!

 

[HolyP]

Wow you're plants are looking great. Wish I had a place like you/your family

Thanks, i almost take it for granted but it is extremly helpful to have the wife's family in the plant business, makes everything seem almost easy.
especially when they help out with the back breaking chores...
 

Very nice! With that setup I see some fresh pod sales in your future, maybe live plant sales as well, I can see it now: HolyP's Holy Land hot peppers, kinda catchy actually! Plants look amazing brother!

 
I'm not sure i'll have fresh plants to sell, i've potted over 200, and have been giving the rest away to everyone that asks.
Leaves me with around 50 plants, not really a commercial endevour.  Next year i should hopefully have a ton of seeds and then maybe consider selling fresh plants.
As for the name, i've originally started with playing on the holy land concept, but i think i'll stay local for now so a name change is in order.
 
I already have my eye on my neighbors 1 acre lot, and he already mentioned that he will give it to me if i want, so maybe in the future.
There was an article about a guy down south growing an Israeli version of the Trinidad Scorpion, and another growing Habanero commercially so with only two players in the market i think there is plenty of room.  
 
(Maybe it's just the frustration from years in IT and the craving to do something real, a common disease in my field of work)
 
I gave my uncle an intro gift pack of peppers.  These were my left over and were topped again.  New growth is already visible.
pack includes: Reaper, TS, TS Douglah, Chocolate habanero, Brain Strain Red, Bhut Jolokia.

 
Before I wrap things up, finally a decent food shot.  We had the first Asado of the year over the weekend, kept it small this time (only a 5 pound cut)
Short ribs, my personal favorite.  Mustard to stick it all, salt, pepper that's it.  3-4 hours over charcoal.  Love it.

My annums are podding like crazy, next update will have some pod porn

 

[chile_freak]

Looking really good bro, sounds like an ideal situation, space available to grow, and very little competition, sounds ideal! Good luck!

 

[HolyP]

Looking really good bro, sounds like an ideal situation, space available to grow, and very little competition, sounds ideal! Good luck!

 
I just hope the lack of competition is not because of lack of demand.
 
I wanted to complete my food shot, with an after shot
 
Served with a fresh tomatoe salad from my garden

 
upclose on the meat after 3 1/2 hours
 

 
Overall shot of the meal, short ribs, potatoes, yellow beet (tastes great, sweeter than red), and the commonly found hot peppers here.
 

 

[Runescape]

Are those israeli weeds at the top of the pic? lol, btw, awesome food pics...

 

[HolyP]

Finally some pod shots.
 
First an overall shot, plants are doing good.  My potting mix has been great so far, I only water about once a week and it remains moist.  I'll give the plants some nutes over the weekend, and they should repay with growth and poddage.
 

 
California wonder (all sweet peppers have nice looking fruit on them)

 
Hungarian wax I think (got a bit lazy with my sweets, it was the last row and I was a bit tired so i sort of neglected to mark them properly...)
 

 
TAM Jalapeno
 

 
One of my Thai (tasted it, no heat yet)
 

 
And my first pod of super hot, this is the JAFSH red.  i found the name funny, so I got it.
plant is looking great very vigorous
 

 
Till next time
 

 

[Runescape]

Awesome pods/plants, dude...

 

[capsidadburn]

Looks like you will be rolling in success, congratulations!  Great job!

 

[HolyP]

Awesome pods/plants, dude...

 
Thanks alot
 

Looks like you will be rolling in success, congratulations!  Great job!

 
Thanks, I'm starting to see pods everywhere, so at least so far so good.
 
Time for an update, here's an overall shot.plants are looking good.

 
My row of mostly sweet peppers i showing very nice fruit.

 
Gave them nutes for the first time since repotting.  I'm not sure how you guys spread your nutes, but with no proper drip irrigation i was lucky to have access to a simple non electrical irrigation pump
water pipe goes in, water powers the whole operation and you can set the amount of nutrients it will dispense
 

 
I'm not sure which this is, but i had a go at it today.  nice flavor with a little heat.  this will probably be great for pickling
 

Cho
 
 
Chocolate Hab, first to pod nicely.  All 6 plants are showing nice fruit.

 
This one is labeled JAFSH, but the others don't show any pods yet.  I'm just happy to have a gnarly looking pod
 

 
 
 
And my reapers are showing pods, tiny ones but enough to keep me happy
 

 
 
Till next time