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Blorvak 2015! - First Harvest!

Hey everyone!
 
Starting my seeds later this year, as a result of last year's experiments. But it's a very dreary day in the NW. Which is the perfect time to start this year's glog!
 
Only garlic and collards in the garden now. And rain. Lots of rain:
 
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Last year I grew too much heat. I'll admit it! I want to can a bunch of peppers this year, so I'm going strong with Annuums.
 
The List 2015!!
 
C. Chinense
  • Yellow 7 Pot
  • *White Bullet Habanero (saved seed) - 3/6
  • *Yellow Fatalii (PepperLover) - 4/6
  • *MOA Scotch Bonnet (PepperLover) - 3/6
  • *Charapita (Cone 9) - 5/6
  • *Better Bhut (Spicegeist) - 3/3
  • *Guwahati Bhut (Spicegeist) - 5/6
 
C. Frutescence
  • *Bradley's Bahamian (PepperLover) - 0/6
 
C. Annuum
  • Amish Bush (PepperLover) - 0/4
  • Aleppo (PepperLover) - 0/12
  • Bell of Lebanon (PepperLover) - 0/4
  • Black Hungarian x3 (saved seed) - 0/12
  • Cracked Jalapeno x5 (saved seed) - 0/20
  • Farmer's Jalapeno (PepperLover) - 0/8
  • Goat's Weed x2 (saved seed) - 0/8
  • *Pequin (saved seed) - 3/6
  • Purple Cayenne (saved seed) - 0/4
  • Tekne Dolmasi (PepperLover) - 0/4
 
C. Baccatum
  • *Aji Amarillo (PepperLover) - 6/6
  • *Aji Lemon (saved seed) - 2/3
  • *Birgit Locoto (???) - 3/3
  • *Brazillian Starfish (cone9) - 5/6
 
C. Pubescens
  • *Yellow Rocoto (saved seed) - 2/6
Wild
  • *Round C. Praetermissum (Spicegeist) -2/3
* First Round, planted on 1/25/2015
 
Thinking I still might need an Anaheim-type pepper. Anything else you think I'm missing?
 
The Plan!
 
I'm also planning on tearing out the rickety built ins in the basement and adding some Home Depot shelving units, one of which I'm going to convert into a grow chamber. I have this planned for the holiday break, so I'll post some pics of the transformation if I get to it!
 
I also built a bubble bucket to give hydro a try. Have a few tiny basil sprouts in rockwool now. They'll be my test run for greater plantings down the road!
 
Long season peppers will be started Feb 1st. Short season on March 1st. 
 
Will have a dedicated pepper raised bed, and will be using root pouches again. I saved the soil I mixed from last year under some tarps, and I'm planning on refreshing it a month before plant-out.
 
Wish me luck! I always need it.
 
Click to expand...
Good call, Aaron.
 
Great that your wall wasn't moldy after all, John.  Dry
is lots better!  When you box in the shelving unit with
the foam core, the wall shouildn't matter much.
 
Can't wait to see racks of seedlings, my friend!
 
organic pepper said:
Habitat for Humanity Restore in Portland  might be a good source for supplies ie..paint sealer,foam insulation boards, lumber and such. The one I have where I'm at has all sorts of things I find handy for real cheap. Just thought I'd pass the info on.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the tip! I'm pretty new to home ownership, so all advice is good!  
PaulG said:
Good call, Aaron.
 
Great that your wall wasn't moldy after all, John.  Dry
is lots better!  When you box in the shelving unit with
the foam core, the wall shouildn't matter much.
 
Can't wait to see racks of seedlings, my friend!
Click to expand...
 
Trying... to hold... off...
 
Devv said:
I'm ready to see plants ;)
 
Good luck this season!
Click to expand...
 
Must... stick... to... plan... 
 
:halo:
 
Alright, it can't hurt if I start ONE seed this early...
 
u0sS0TXl.jpg

 
Officially have given up on my basil seedling. I need a new subject for my hydro experiment. Cracked Jalapeno, get in the rockwool!
 
Having trouble finding a warm place in the house. May need to switch to a lamp with incandescent bulb. We'll see!
 
Slowly, it goes. But it's always a good sign when you have some hooks!:
 
Zlit8aJl.jpg

 
 
My first time using rockwool. I know it's used a lot for cloning, so I'm hoping that the hole I dropped the seed in isn't too deep for it.
 
Busy, busy weekend. But I did sneak some time to run to the hardware store and get some rigid insulation. Gave my new grow chamber a back and some sides before time (and my back) ran out:
 
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Now all I need is to add a door to the front, and then I'll be ready for my first wave to get in some peat!
 
PaulG said:
Grow chamber looks awesome, John!  Should work like a charm!
 
Congrats on the first hook!
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Thank ya!
 
I'm much better growing peppers than I am growing basil, evidently:
 
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Looks like I'll set up my hydro bucket this weekend!  
 
I dropped a seed in the provided hole, and then used a knife to plant a second seed shallower. Looks like both approaches work. Liking this rockwool media so far.
 
Alright! I've be out of commission for the last week or so. But not this weekend. We are having insanely warm weather for January this weekend. In the 60's. Sunny. BBQ weather. In the middle of winter!
 
I just had to get my first round going. I've waited long enough!
 
CuKRWuJl.jpg

 
Seeds that went into peat today:
  1. Aji Amarillo (Pepperlover) 
  2. Aji Lemon (2014 garden)
  3. Charapita (cone9)
  4. Better Bhut (Spicegeist)
  5. Birgit Locoto (???)
  6. Bradley's Bahamian (Pepperlover)
  7. Brazillian Starfish (cone9)
  8. Guwahati Bhut (Spicegeist)
  9. MOA Scotch Bonnet (Pepperlover)
  10. Pequin (2014 garden)
  11. Queen Laurie (cone9)
  12. Round C. Praetermissum (Spicegeist)
  13. White Bullet Habanero (2014 garden)
  14. Yellow Fatalii (Pepperlover)
  15. Yellow Rocoto (2014 garden)
  16. Aji Amarillo (Pepperlover)
  17. MOA Scotch Bonnet (Pepperlover)
  18. Pequin (2014 garden)
  19. Queen Laurie (cone9)
  20. Yellow Rocoto (2014 garden)
  21. White Bullet Habanero (2014 garden)
  22. Brazillian Starfish (cone9)
  23. Yellow Fatalii (Pepperlover)
  24. Charapita (cone9)
  25. Guwahati Bhut (Spicegeist)
Three seeds per peat pot. Will cull the under-performers. 
 
Behold, the new germination chamber!:
 
GJUQTdQl.jpg

 
New shelving unit. Rigid foam insulation. Duct tape. And industrial velcro. Need more work, but it's getting there!
 
Open:
 
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Did I mention that I'm really excited that I don't have to sit on the floor to tend to the plants this year?
 
Here's the seeds in their new home:
 
Rfod4eSl.jpg

 
As you can see, I have an upper chamber for propagating, and a lower chamber for my hydro experiment. 
 
Close up of the lower chamber:
 
G7B2YqLl.jpg

 
My Cracked Jalapeno. Haven't managed to kill it yet.
 
Here's the whole chamber, opened up:
 
h5I1vmll.jpg

 
Now, I just need luck. C'mon hooks!
 
organic pepper said:
Set ups looking Sweet! Digging that list too! Cheers Pal
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! It still needs a bit of work to perfect. Duct tape isn't sticking to the metal as well as I'd like, but this velcro works quite nice. Just needs some patching up here and there. Good enough to get started!
 
PaulG said:
Your grow shelf turned out great, John!
 
Nice list - good variety.  Now the fun begins!
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Thanks! Both the fun and the fussing! One day in, I'm obsessively checking temp and spritzing with water. Lowered the lights right over the grow dome, and temps were a bit too toasty at 93. Raised up the lights to get the seeds in the happy zone of 83.
 
No hooks yet! Checked!
 
Looking good! I used a similar shelving set up for when I was starting seeds at my parents place. Lots of room for seedlings and lights. Also good to see you having success with rockwool. I just put some seeds in it as well. Not sure why I have such issue with germination, but here we are. Good luck this season!


Neil
 
Very nice job on the germination/grow chamber.
 
Blister said:
Looking good! I used a similar shelving set up for when I was starting seeds at my parents place. Lots of room for seedlings and lights. Also good to see you having success with rockwool. I just put some seeds in it as well. Not sure why I have such issue with germination, but here we are. Good luck this season!


Neil
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! That's the very first time I've used rockwool, and so far, I'm 1 for 1. I've gone back to peat pellets for my first big wave, which worked for me well last year. But I'm going to have to try some more rockwool and see how it compares.
 
cone9 said:
Very nice job on the germination/grow chamber.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you! I'm not super handy, so I'm excited that it hasn't fallen apart yet!
 
Did my daily check on the seeds, and we've got hooks. Queen Laurie wins the germination race this year, and in 4 days flat!
 
More hooks!
 
So, I've updated my first post with germination stats. We've got 7.5% germination 5 days in. I'm hoping this is an early triumph, and not a qualified defeat  :halo:
 
The C. Baccatuum are off to the races! The only hooks are from this family of peppers, and each variety has represented!: Aji Amarillo, Aji Lemon, Brazillian Starfish, and Queen Laurie.
 
Still waiting on the C. Chinense, C. Frutescens and C. Pubensces. C'mon guys! You can do it!
 
Spicegeist said:
Awesome list!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! I'm thinking it might still have too much heat on it, but we shall see.
 
I'm 7 days in on germination, and 34% of the seeds have popped. I want more! But I'm impatient. There is time, yet. But I'm also scheming on back-up plans.
 
A pic!
 
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There are roots coming out of the Queen Laurie in #19, so it's time for a pot up! I have some square pots, and associated carrying tray on order from Greenhouse Megastore, but looks like we'll have to use the ol' Solo cup for these little ones. Saw these trays on another glog. Great idea. Moving solo cups sucks!
 
First pot up!
 
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Using Miracle Grow Moisture Control soil. Worked well for me last year, so hoping it works this year as well.
 
And that's where this season is at. Humble beginnings, to be sure. Hopefully, more excitement down the road.
 
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