b3rnd 2018 - Giving this glog thing another try...

Hey there pepperfriends!
 
I've decided to try to keep a glog again. Last time didn't go so well because of moving mid-season. I'm a little bit behind on schedule because of some logistical problems concerning my growing gear. My warming mats, thermostat and humidity domes were supposed to come in a big package of stuff from Portugal, but it didn't. I started some seeds without it just to have something to do, haha. All my stuff finally arrived last week, so I'm already up and running by now. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise because I don't have enough space (that sounds familiar) for all my plants in the house.
 
I'm prepping my garden at the moment. When I moved in here the whole backyard was covered with clinker bricks, probably for more than 10 years at least. I took a whole bunch out and left a circle for a table and some chairs. The soil was basically barren after being compacted tightly all those years, so I straight away added some fall leaves to the mix. A week ago I could get a trailer full of cow manure (about 100 kg or 220 lbs) that I'm going to till in when the weather allows me to. It's freezing at night and raining during the day so I'm waiting for some better weather. I'm also planning on taking a trip to the forest to get me some hummus to add to it. I hope the combination of all that will kickstart the soil life again.
 
Currently, I have five domes with 15 pots each. I filled it 2/3 with some soil with vermiculite first, and then I added a layer of seed starting mix. My idea was that the seeds wouldn't germinate in the fertilized soil, but as they grow the roots will find it when they need it. I don't like to replant them too much so I'm experimenting a bit.
 
My grow list:
 

Aleppo
Chiltepin
Ethiopian Brown
Goat's Weed
Hairy Cherry
Jalapeno
Penis Pepper
Piment d'Espelette
Poblano
Rehza
Serrano
Thunder Mountain Longhorn
 
Arbibi Gusano
Bahamian Goat
Bhut Jolokia
CGN 21500
Cheiro Roxa
Fidalgo Roxa
Datil
Frontera Sweet
Habanero Cappuccino
Pimenta da Neyde
 
Aji Angelo
Aji Rainforest
Aji Ethiopian Fire
Aji Minas Gerais
Aji Omnicolor
Barra do Ribeiro
Dulce Sol
Earbob
Lemon Drop
Sugar Rush Peach
Trepadeira Werner
CAP 214
El Oro de Ecuador
 
Aji Oro Rocoto
Manzano Orange
Peru Bitdumi Rocoto
Pineapple Rocoto
Rocoto Guatamalan Orange
Rocoto Guatamalan Red
 
Duke Pequin
Ekirike
 
Brazilian Starfish x Lemon Drop F1
Pequin x Goat's Weed F2
Pimenta da Neyde x Bonda ma Jacques F6
Tepin x Lemon Drop
Fruxim
 
Cumari Pollux
C. Chacoense

 
I might have a problem. Do we have a Chilecoholic Anonymous group?
 
Anyway, let's see what this season brings us. I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot with this shitload of peppers. I'll post some pictures later. I hope. If I remember.

 

[b3rnd]

 
I had some fairly old seeds from 2012 I started this season, and had the best results with germination after soaking in a Fulvic acid solution. Maybe that would help.
     Cheers!
 

 
Thanks! I'll remember that for next year.  Fairly expensive stuff though! At least at first glance in the Dutch webshops.
 
Edit: It's because there's a health fad going on of course    It's always the health hippies that bring up the prices of stuff. The same happened with good ol' bird food, suddenly those seeds were 'super' food and prices skyrocketed.

 

[stickman]

 
Thanks! I'll remember that for next year.  Fairly expensive stuff though! At least at first glance in the Dutch webshops.
 
Edit: It's because there's a health fad going on of course    It's always the health hippies that bring up the prices of stuff. The same happened with good ol' bird food, suddenly those seeds were 'super' food and prices skyrocketed.

 
I noticed the same thing happened to Montmorillonite clay. I was researching using it to increase the Cation Exchange Capacity of my sandy soil, but since the "health" nuts are buying it for "colon cleanses," the price is just too high to make it affordable for a garden amendment.
 

 

[b3rnd]

 
I noticed the same thing happened to Montmorillonite clay. I was researching using it to increase the Cation Exchange Capacity of my sandy soil, but since the "health" nuts are buying it for "colon cleanses," the price is just too high to make it affordable for a garden amendment.
 

 
Lol, yeah that's exactly what I mean. It happened with so many things. Sometimes you can even buy both the expensive and the cheaper version if you know where to look. My dad once bought Epsom salt online, while I bought a bag of 'hydrous magnesium sulphate' in a Portuguese garden store. He paid  € 4,99 for 1 kilogram (6 dollars for 2 lbs), while I paid € 8,90 for 25 kilograms (8 dollars for 55 lbs). Quite the difference. Sadly my bag was lost moving from Portugal to here. I hope to still find it when I'm there on holidays next time. It should be there on my gf's aunt's property somewhere...

 

[b3rnd]

Due to the amazing weather of the last few days (alas, it has come to an end), my plants grew like crazy. Some almost don't fit my grow space anymore, even though I meticulously planned out (ahum) my season until plant-out. Should I top them when they reach the end of the grow space? What other options do I have?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn PRA-LX1 met Tapatalk

 

[Bhuter]

Due to the amazing weather of the last few days (alas, it has come to an end), my plants grew like crazy. Some almost don't fit my grow space anymore, even though I meticulously planned out (ahum) my season until plant-out. Should I top them when they reach the end of the grow space? What other options do I have?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn PRA-LX1 met Tapatalk

Very nice! Your plants HAVE grown a lot in a few days. I personally haven't ever topped a pepper. I just think it takes longer to recover and regrow. But I really don't know. I trimmed leaves for the first time last year and while it gave me more room, they didn't grow faster or better. Options? Yeah, are there any?

 

[b3rnd]

Very nice! Your plants HAVE grown a lot in a few days. I personally haven't ever topped a pepper. I just think it takes longer to recover and regrow. But I really don't know. I trimmed leaves for the first time last year and while it gave me more room, they didn't grow faster or better. Options? Yeah, are there any?

 
Thanks! By now the tallest one just has about a centimetre (less than an inch) left to grow. Not sure what to do.. Maybe I'll take them to the windowsill, but I'd rather not. The weather outside definitely is not ready for them yet either.

 

[b3rnd]

First to flower is the Sugar Rush Peach! I would have more flowers but I pinched the rest. I left this one to see if it could support a pod already. Very excited to taste these!
 

 
Some pictures of the whole grow cabin. It's getting pretty green already! 
I took out the plant that grew too tall for the cabin and it's now in the windowsill. I'm gonna take this chance to give it a bigger pot already. There's two more that are growing too tall, as you can see on the last picture on the right. I'll have to take them out soon too. But it'll create some space for the plants that are now in the windowsill, so it's not too bad.
 

 

 

[Bhuter]

They're getting big! Very nice! They're ready for dirt day...which should be coming up soon. Great job!

 

[b3rnd]

They're getting big! Very nice! They're ready for dirt day...which should be coming up soon. Great job!

 
Thanks! They are really ready for it, for sure. Dirt day should be coming quite soon, but I don't see any sign of it yet. This week the temperatures are around 10 C (50 F) during the day   Not a great spring. Next week the day temps might rise to 17 C (63 F). Hopefully, the weatherman is right this time so my plants can at least go out during the day. I might just keep them in pots this whole season. I need to find a greenhouse..

 

[Devv]

Some nice looking plants!
 
And I agree with the not topping them. It seems to set them back some.
 
I'm hoping your weather comes around and let's those gals bask in the sun a bit

 

[b3rnd]

Some nice looking plants!
 
And I agree with the not topping them. It seems to set them back some.
 
I'm hoping your weather comes around and let's those gals bask in the sun a bit

 
Thanks so much! I hope so too. Yesterday there were parts of the Netherlands that got a month's worth of rain in one night, whew. It was raining a bunch here too, but not that much. The predictions got a bit more positive than last time I checked. They are expecting up to 20 C (68 F) Saturday and 22 C (~72 F) Sunday! That would be awesome, I hope it's true.

 

[Genetikx]

Love the way those plants look. The pic with 3 shelves lloks like they're in a refrigerator lol. Hoping dirt day comes soon for ya bud

 

[b3rnd]

Love the way those plants look. The pic with 3 shelves lloks like they're in a refrigerator lol. Hoping dirt day comes soon for ya bud

 
Thank you, brother! Haha now that you mention it, it does look like a fridge! Luckily, it's nice and warm in there 

 

[b3rnd]

They expect the warm weather to last the whole of next week, hovering around 20 C (68 F). It'll be clear skies, so unfortunately that does mean cold nights (6 C / 43 F). I'll still have to move them in and out every day, which is a complete drag. I'll also have to give the largest plants a bigger pot the day after tomorrow or so. That way they'll be snug when the sun shows up!

 

[b3rnd]

Potted up some more peppers today. I ordered a bunch of pots online too, they should arrive tomorrow.

The weather's been awesome! Tomorrow and the day after are still gonna be sunny and warm. After that it goes down for a while.

I was wondering: what is the minimun temperature you guys are comfortable leaving them outside overnight?

The Sugar Rush Peach pod is growing pretty fast.

Some of the potted up plants together.

A Tepin x Lemon Drop flower.

 

[b3rnd]

Finally repotted some more plants this morning. Was planning to do it before the weekend but I never got around to it.

Also, the plants I repotted first are starting to show some vegetative growth again. The weather is lovely so I'm hoping for a nice growspurt.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn PRA-LX1 met Tapatalk

 

[Bhuter]

Looking great! That purple one is super-dark! I'm exited to see the result of the tepin x lemon drop. For overnight temps, I like it to be in the 50's F (10°C+). But while mine are in pots, I always bring them in. I grow in-ground, so at 10°C, the soil should be warm enough that I plant them...weather permitting. I don't know what temp pots can stay out in. I'm so glad that you're getting great weather! It's just wet here. It's nice to see sun in your pics. Lol. Great job!

 

[Devv]

+1 on on #57, he said it perfectly!

 

[b3rnd]

Looking great! That purple one is super-dark! I'm exited to see the result of the tepin x lemon drop. For overnight temps, I like it to be in the 50's F (10°C+). But while mine are in pots, I always bring them in. I grow in-ground, so at 10°C, the soil should be warm enough that I plant them...weather permitting. I don't know what temp pots can stay out in. I'm so glad that you're getting great weather! It's just wet here. It's nice to see sun in your pics. Lol. Great job!

 

+1 on on #57, he said it perfectly!

 
Thank you, my friends. I'm also very excited for the Tepin x Lemon Drop, I got the seeds from Edmick. Not sure where it originated, but Justin from whitehotpeppers.com has it on his website.
 
I decided to bring them in if the expected temp goes below 12° C (54° F) for more than a few hours at night. It's not a lot of work and I feel better with it so. 
 
My cross is finally setting it's first flowers! I'm getting so excited now.

 

[b3rnd]

By the way, I've gotten myself some chickens!