Black Compass

8,000 feet above sea level, low temps, low humidity, let's see if we can grow hot peppers at the top of the Rocky Mountains.

Strains

Round 1 Germ: Transplanted to 3 gal grow bags

Carolina Reaper - Baker Creek
Death Spiral - Baker Creek
Dragon's Breath - Refining Fire Chilis
Apocalypse Chocolate - RFC
Romanian Sweet - RFC
White Moruga - Bohica

Round 2 Germ: In cups awaiting transplant

7 Pot Chocolate - BC
West Indies Red Habanero - BC
Scotch Bonnet - BC
Sugar Rush Peach - BC

Round 3 Germ: Started 12/19

Pink Tiger x BBG7 - Texas Hot Peppers
Bahamanian Goat - THP
KS Peach Starrkist - THP
Hallow's Eve - THP
Thor's Thunderbolt - THP

Round 4 Germ: Started 12/28

Black Panther - THP
Scotch Brains Red - THP


Anyone that has grown plants indoors knows that it is impossible to move lots of adult fruiting plants somewhere to water them and let them drain their waste runoff after a certain size. I built a drain table that is slightly inclined so it will allow me to collect the runoff. I can also set up an automated system down the road to cover when I am on vacation.

The plants in the cups are ready to transplant but since I live in a pretty isolated area, I have to go down to Denver to the hydro shop to get more soil, and some panda film to finish the drain table. I am using Fox Farms Grow Big for veg and Fox Farms Big Bloom for flowering and Ocean Forest for the soil.

 

[Black Compass]

First peppers have begun to set. Still trying to get some plants adjusted to the stronger lights, not at full strength yet. Some are more sensitive than others, but it looks like the lights will be strong enough to support adult fruiting plants. The first ones to flower and fruit are the Romanian Sweet. Have some flowers holding and setting on the Dragon's Breath and the Carolina Reaper. Still figuring out nutrient strength, will likely dose full strength next go around now that I have my PH meter.

 

[Aksneed]

What is your plan with them, Pot up?, keep indoors? Etc…

 

[Black Compass]

What is your plan with them, Pot up?, keep indoors? Etc…

The best of each kind will be kept indoors year round and moved to 5gal pots, the others will go outside if the timing is right. We live in an apartment so I will load our outdoor staircase up. Eventually I will play around with cloning. Goal is to grow out a bunch of different types and select the keeper genetics.

 

[Aksneed]

That’s my plan too. I want to keep the good ones going and isolate the seeds to see what they produce. So, I think I have to stay with the stabilized clones / hybrids or heirlooms types.

 

[PaulG]

You have a good plan going, BC. Not easy to grow peppers where you live.
Good luck with the Hallows Eve, they are a great looking pepper, although not
long on taste IMO.

 

[Black Compass]

You have a good plan going, BC. Not easy to grow peppers where you live.
Good luck with the Hallows Eve, they are a great looking pepper, although not
long on taste IMO.

That’s my plan too. I want to keep the good ones going and isolate the seeds to see what they produce. So, I think I have to stay with the stabilized clones / hybrids or heirlooms types.

Paul, thanks I had some small plants a few years back indoors here under a 4' T5 and they did ok, I think now that I have a better set up I will see a bit more success. I also have wildly better genetics to work with now than I did then. Bit of a learning curve, especially with 17 different kinds now. I have a few more kinds coming that have just germinated. With the Hallows, I will likely only keep one of the 3 seedlings once I pick the strongest and save more space for the flavorful ones like scotch brains. Do you happen to have any pics of your Hallows Eve?

Ak, If you do find a plant that you really like and you want a bunch of that same type of plant, you could clone it. Something fun about seeing a room full of clones. Have you played around with breeding before?

 

[Aksneed]

Paul, thanks I had some small plants a few years back indoors here under a 4' T5 and they did ok, I think now that I have a better set up I will see a bit more success. I also have wildly better genetics to work with now than I did then. Bit of a learning curve, especially with 17 different kinds now. I have a few more kinds coming that have just germinated. With the Hallows, I will likely only keep one of the 3 seedlings once I pick the strongest and save more space for the flavorful ones like scotch brains. Do you happen to have any pics of your Hallows Eve?

Ak, If you do find a plant that you really like and you want a bunch of that same type of plant, you could clone it. Something fun about seeing a room full of clones. Have you played around with breeding before?

No. This is my first grow out. I am trying to propagate a coleus to see how it goes. If I grab an unstable f1 or so I will clone it, Or if I have one growing that I really like. I will probably do a little of everything to see how it goes.

 

[Black Compass]

No. This is my first grow out. I am trying to propagate a coleus to see how it goes. If I grab an unstable f1 or so I will clone it, Or if I have one growing that I really like. I will probably do a little of everything to see how it goes.

That is a good idea. I love playing with aero cloners. It is not hard to build a pretty decent one using supplies you can find locally. May need to order something like the neoprene collars.

Things are moving quick, finally got all the plants watered with correct PH water, added in a monosilicic acid regime to provide silica to hopefully prevent stems from cracking under weight. PH was way off, but I knew that from the corkscrew on the leaves. Plain water was around 7.4 so that explains a lot. Watered with 6.5 adjusted water and the silica and have started running the second light more and more each day. Still having some sensitivity on some plants but we will get there.

Peppers are 20 franc size now.

 

[ahayastani]

That coin is out of circulation. I'll trade it for a new 20 pesos, so at least you can buy a taco

 

[Black Compass]

That coin is out of circulation. I'll trade it for a new 20 pesos, so at least you can buy a taco

Yes, I do not think that anyone will accept it at face value anymore

Found a mushroom coming from one of the scotch bonnets. I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil so it is not crazy to think mushroom spores are in the soil, plus theyre kinda just everywhere anyways but less so in the dead of winter. Oscillating fan is circulating the air in the room, hygrometer shows 50-60% rH. Is this good, bad, or neutral?

 

[CaneDog]

I enjoy seeing little mushrooms pop up from time to time, but I'd say neutral and perhaps a reminder to confirm your environmentals are on target, especially that the soil isn't staying too damp. The mycelium that forms root symbiosis with peppers doesn't produce any visible fruiting bodies, so no positive in that sense.

 

[Black Compass]

I enjoy seeing little mushrooms pop up from time to time, but I'd say neutral and perhaps a reminder to confirm your environmentals are on target, especially that the soil isn't staying too damp. The mycelium that forms root symbiosis with peppers doesn't produce any visible fruiting bodies, so no positive in that sense.

Good to know. This is happening to my Scotch Bon which has notoriously been slow to dry its soil, and I just flushed them right before it showed up to correct a ph issue once I got my meter. I will be letting them dry their feet out some before watering again.

 

[Black Compass]

24 hours from the last franc picture. Close to Kurggerand size.

 

[Black Compass]

1 Blue Ghost, 4 Pumpkin BBG7, and 1 Primo Lucifer XL all went in to cups today. The Romanian Sweet plant is growing pretty quick. Hoping they dry out soon so I can feed everyone again. I will give the small ones time to grow in the cups and then will start the Blood Ghost seeds and that will be the last for awhile until I can cull some of the older duplicates out after I start seeing their fruit characteristics.

 

[Aksneed]

Wow going good.

 

[Black Compass]

 

[Black Compass]

Still have some light sensitivity at the short end of the table. Wild, guess these lights are effective. Culled an adult reaper last night. An adult scotch bon and death spiral are likely to be next as I start phasing out less desirable adult genetics to make room for the younger ones coming in. In general, goal is to keep one adult of each type of plant. I can then clone from that adult when ready for more of that genetic line when space permits.

 

[Black Compass]

Been a little while since I updated this. Romanian Sweet are starting to ripen finally. Scotch bonnet is doing well. I culled both of the Sugar Rush Peach and drastically chopped a few down. Working on not overwatering them so theyre bouncing back. A good few of these will move outside whenever we stop getting snow. Ive got some more Golden Primotalii seeds on the way. I expect some variation so I have got enough to play with it.

Current list of peppers from oldest to youngest:
Carolina Reaper
Death Spiral x 3
Dragon's Breath x 2
Apocalypse Chocolate
Romanian Sweet x 3
White Moruga x 2
7 Pot Chocolate x 3
West Indies Red Hab x 2
Scotch Bonnet x 2
Pink Tiger BBG7
Bahamian Goat
Hallow's Eve x 2
Thor's Thunderbolt
Black Panther x 2
Scotch Brains Red
Devil's Tongue White
Primo Lucifer XL x 2
Pumpkin BBG7 x 3
Blue Ghost Peach x 2
Blood Ghost x 2

 

[PaulG]

Keep up the good work, @Black Compass!

 

[wiicek]

Your setup looks fantastic! The pic from feb 3th... goosebumps