CaneDog 2025 Indoor/Outdoor Glog

Seems like it's been forever since I made a glog post, but 2025 is right around the corner and as someone once said, it's never too early to get started! Last year was a tough year with aphids getting into my early season starts and generally cool sucky weather, so I'm hoping for better in 2025. I'll kick things off with some pic's of my current indoor grow, which I've taken over the past couple/few weeks.

First up is a Scarlett's Chili x Poblano. They're cool looking plants with great tasting mild peppers. I'm doing a lot of work with Jalapenos and planned maintain this variety going forward while also backcrossing it a bit toward its jalapeno roots.

Another Jalapano type I have growing inside is Chile Rayado. I like how fuzzy these guys are. In addition to needing more true seeds, I want to cross it with both zapotec and orange spice jalaps.

Farmers Market Jalapeno. Another fuzzy type. Somehow I've gone forever without growing these before. I'm impressed with how vigorous and robust they are.

Mayan Cobanero. Another first time growing for me. I've been keeping it in a solo to rein in its growth, as I often do indoors, but shortly after this pic I saw it start to bud/fork so I moved it up into a 5.5" pot to fill out.

Baccatum Fragilis, with its rather unique mutated look.

Rhomboidium. After my OW finally died, I had only old-ish seeds to start again so I planted a bunch. I ended up with almost a dozen of these guys so had to cull them back. This guy was one of the lucky few that made it.

Rocoto Manzano Amarillo Ollantaytambo. Some of the rocotos haven't been too happy being restricted in solo cups, but they're looking good and still staying fairly small after getting upped to 5.5's. This guy still shows a little chlorosis on its lower leaves, but seems happy enough.

Anyhow, enough for now.
Cheers!
CD

 

[Marturo]

It will be interesting to see if the Rayado cross keeps it's fuzzy leaves & stems.

 

[CaneDog]

It will be interesting to see if the Rayado cross keeps it's fuzzy leaves & stems.

Yep, I think that's a cool thing about the Rayado.

 

[Bou]

Yep, I think that's a cool thing about the Rayado.

I was thinking the same, a cool adaptation for sure! I don't know if this trait would provide any real benefit here (different pests and climate), but it probably wouldn't be detrimental either.

 

[CaneDog]

I was thinking the same, a cool adaptation for sure! I don't know if this trait would provide any real benefit here (different pests and climate), but it probably wouldn't be detrimental either.

Yep. Nice thing about being a hobbyist is that cool is enough!

 

[CaneDog]

I dropped seeds for a handful of chinense varieties today along with a few frutescens I want to get out ahead on. There aren't a lot of things catching my eye for pictures at the moment, but I decided to grab a few of some indoor-grow pods.

This is the best looking phenotype of the Antep Aci Domla x Tekne Dolmasi F3 pods. Taste figures big in this cross, so I'm really hoping this one hits the profile. Otherwise I'll likely be growing out the F3 seeds again to get the desired mix of shape and flavor.

This is a mature pod on the Scarlett x Poblano. I think it's an F6, maybe F7. I'll need to check on that. This is the second generation it's matured to this coloration, which I'm now selecting for. The first generation I grew matured red; the F4 generation IIRC.

Giant Yellow Rocoto from SLP

Chilhuacle Amarillo. This pod is located in a somewhat cool location inside and has been taking forever to ripen. I think I'll take the hint and get a head start on these so they're ripening while the weather's still hot.

A serrano Voodoo 6 sent me seeds for. The pods on this plant look a bit off for a serrano, but they're still growing and I can't be sure. I'll let this one produce indoors and save the seeds, but I'll plant a couple seeds from the bag again to compare what the main season plants look like.

 

[SatanicFlatIron]

Antep Aci Domla x Tekne Dolmasi F3 pods. Taste figures big in this cross

Very nice pumpkin/beefsteak tomato shaped pods! What does the F2 taste like?

 

[Marturo]

Chilhuacle Amarillo. This pod is located in a somewhat cool location inside and has been taking forever to ripen. I think I'll take the hint and get a head start on these so they're ripening while the weather's still hot.

It's got the right shape so far.

 

[CaneDog]

Very nice pumpkin/beefsteak tomato shaped pods! What does the F2 taste like?

It tastes a lot like the AAD with its little touch of heat. I'm hoping to get a little more of the TD sweetness as I like it's flavor. I'd like to believe the F2 was a little sweeter, but I've only tried a couple ripe pods and that may have been wishful thinking..

It's got the right shape so far.

It does! and it seems to be ripening correctly so far. I'm waiting for the orange to start to show. It started to turn color on 1/16 though, so it's definitely taking it's time. I figure outside in hot weather it would be quicker.

 

[CaneDog]

Hope everyone's off to a great start for the 2025 season! I dropped all my main season 2025 seeds over the past few weeks. The first 25 varieties sprouted 24/25, with the lone holdout being the Habanero Tabaquite, which is still a big goose egg at 20 days. I dropped the final round of 49 varieties yesterday and today, which is the remaining Annuums and an Aji Guyana.

This season I'll have a big concentration of Mexican varieties, including lots of Oaxacan heirlooms, "dried pod" type seasoning peppers, and a broad selection of jalapenos. I'll have a variety of other stuff too - something from all 5 food groups - including a good few rocoto plants I started months ago, which are about ready for another pot-up.

This year's starting method is pretty much my preferred method. Miracle grow seed starting mix in 5.5oz poly ports with lids, going into the germinator, a 50 quart Coleman camping cooler set up with a heat mat and Inkbirk thermostatic control set at 80F/26.7C. This year each variety got a heated soak (water only) about 24-30 hours prior to sowing.

Germinator with last round of 49. Going to have to start making space for these on the tables!

 

[Grass Snake]

That’s a cool method for germinating. Think I’ll have to do something similar. I’ve always used the big cell trays with lids. These work ok but it’s a challenge trying to grow different varieties that germinate at different times.

 

[Grass Snake]

So do you check on them everyday and pull them out as they germinate? How long do you keep them in the little cup before you pot up?

 

[CaneDog]

Hey, GS. I'm looking forward to following your grow this season!

That’s a cool method for germinating. Think I’ll have to do something similar. I’ve always used the big cell trays with lids. These work ok but it’s a challenge trying to grow different varieties that germinate at different times.

Yep. To me, that's a big challenge of the trays. It's more work in some ways when they're modularized like this, but it provides a lot of flexibility. Plus, I can stack up to 100 or so poly ports into the cooler and it holds temps and humidity very well.

So do you check on them everyday and pull them out as they germinate? How long do you keep them in the little cup before you pot up?

That's exactly it. I'll wait until the 3rd or 4th day without even opening the cooler, then I'll start checking daily, sometimes 2x daily during the 5-9 day period when most germinate. Anything with a hook I'll move out under lighting. If it's a small hook or a helmet head, I'll keep the lid on it a bit longer to keep the humidity up. Once the threat of a helmet head has passed, I'll take the lid off.

There's a fair amount of flexibility with the timing. I'll typically wait 2 +/- weeks until I see strong healthy roots through the clear plastic, but they can easily go longer. One of the things I'm working on now is figuring out the best timing to plant them up. That seems to be all about how quickly I can get the sprout prepared for a higher level of nutrients in the next soil mix. The starter mix has none, and I want to step them up into a container with a reasonably well-fortified mix to support them until plant out. I'm trying to figure out how many nutrient waterings and what progressive reduction in delusion ratios works well so they aren't shocked going into "hotter" soil at transplant.

 

[Marturo]

This year's starting method is pretty much my preferred method. Miracle grow seed starting mix in 5.5oz poly ports

What a setup CD

The starter mix has none, and I want to step them up into a container with a reasonably well-fortified mix to support them until plant out

Do you use Worm castings in your 2nd container?

 

[SatanicFlatIron]

CD, I wish you a great season!
I look forward to hearing your impressions of Oaxacan heirlooms, very interesting!

One of the things I'm working on now is figuring out the best timing to plant them up

I like your attention to these details. It is thanks to your words some time ago that I decided to transplant indoors and not directly outside as in previous years

 

[hadanero]

That's a really smart way to germinate - I've struggled with the trays for the same reason. This year, I tried sticking with all rocotos in one tray, then all the baccatums and chinense together, and soon will put all the anuums together. It's helped, but I've got a significantly lower number of varieties than you do.

Also that Scarlett x Poblano pod is beautiful.