glog CCErnst's 2012

I've started this year off pretty strong so far. Winter has been unusually warm for Kansas City, I started a bit early on the first of Feb.

Seeds were started in 3 small makup jars, cleaned out and filled with moistened toilet paper. Took a steak knife and made troughs in the paper. Seeds were put in and TP put on top. Jars were put on a heat pad and heated to 80F. I hadded two more containers using smaller cat food containers (aluminum bottom, plastic lid). One was TP with troughs, the other I made the TP smooth, laid the seeds on top, then used one of my wife's makup removal cotton pads (circular and just smaller than the cat food container).
Seeds I started with were Santaka, VBA Jalapeno (family favorite strain), Poblano, Bell Pepper, Chiltepin, Toluca Red, and "Casper". So far Santaka, VBA, and Toluca all have 100% germination rates. Casper seeds were purchased from University of New Mexico's pepper program as Bhut Jalokia, a.k.a. Ghost Pepper, more or less as a prank for dad. he grew them, but they had no heat whatsoever and had the most amazing taste. We now call them Caspers....the friendly ghost.

As the seed roots started coming out, I'd transfer them to used Kiureg cups, which already had a hole punched in the bottom. Miracle Grow Seed Starting Mix was used as medium. initially cups were put in tupperware bins to keep them watered, but then the wife found out...so now I use a jiffy tray. Interesting thing, the jiffy tray works perfect for the Kiureg cups...an exact fit.

Since they have started to pop up, I went out and started planning my grow lights. Picked up some 15w daylight GE CFLs and some socket to 2 prong adapters. The idea is to use a power strip for my bulbs, which would be light enough to make an easy stand or hang it in a box. For now I just have a treble light with one of the bulbs in it for the first few seedlings.

8 x VBAs
11 x Santaka
8 x Toluca
1 x Chiltepin
2 x Bell
0 x Poblano


Minus Image Folder:
http://min.us/mbcUQymXYv#1

 

[stc3248]

Loving the setup! You have a smoke detector nearby just in case? This will be one to watch!

Good luck on your grow this year,
Shane

 

[PaulG]

Hey, CC, welcome to the glogosphere! Looking forward to watching
your project develop. Good luck getting your light set-up squared away!

 

[ccernst]

yeah, there's one nearby. really suprised by the light...since it is only 15w, no much heat produced. Not sure what it is about seed starting, but I want to go down every hour to check out how things are going.

I'm only intending to keep, at most 3 of each...but I decided to go big and give out the extras to family and friends. Half of VBAs go to dad.

I've never done grow lights before, so we'll see what comes out of this...

 

[Dshlogg]

Lookin good so far. Good luck!

 

[stc3248]

Lol...my first round of starts was around Christmas...I am now on my 4th round and I still check on them compulsively throughout the day!

 

[ccernst]

interesting, this morning I was checking in on my guys and one of my Jalapenos that was struggling to get out of its hull had three leaves instead of the normal 2. Going to keep an eye on that one.

 

[stc3248]

interesting, this morning I was checking in on my guys and one of my Jalapenos that was struggling to get out of its hull had three leaves instead of the normal 2. Going to keep an eye on that one.

I've had 5 or 6 with 3 this season. Not too rare, but kinda cool. It happens naturally to some seedlings. It has been discussed on here that some varieties that are more prone to 3 leaves may not be a "stable" cross...or they may indicate that your seeds were crossed. Most of the time its just one of those freak occurances though.

 

[ccernst]

good to know. I'm going to be doing some tulle isolation this summer to make sure I have a good stock of seeds. i'll have to see how this 3-leaf plant compares to the others.

 

[Pulpiteer]

yeah, there's one nearby. really suprised by the light...since it is only 15w, no much heat produced. Not sure what it is about seed starting, but I want to go down every hour to check out how things are going.

I'm only intending to keep, at most 3 of each...but I decided to go big and give out the extras to family and friends. Half of VBAs go to dad.

I've never done grow lights before, so we'll see what comes out of this...

Lol...my first round of starts was around Christmas...I am now on my 4th round and I still check on them compulsively throughout the day!

Yeah, I can totally relate to this. Sometimes this board feels like a support group. Hi, my name is Andy, I planted some new seeds yesterday and I've checked them at least three times in under 24 hours...

 

[MGOLD86]

Lookin good! I am the same way. Once I plant them I have to look like every 30 minutes. Have they popped yet, have they popped yet? It has even extended itself to the equipment. I order something online and I check 1 hour later to see if it shipped. A bit but everyone here can relate....

Can't wait to see more and good luck!

 

[ccernst]

Okay...first attempt at a grow box. used a styrofoam cooler lined in some foil. power strip across the top has my two lights. those bulbs are really bright!

 

[stc3248]

I'll bet that little setup works great for you!

 

[Pulpiteer]

Okay...first attempt at a grow box. used a styrofoam cooler lined in some foil. power strip across the top has my two lights. those bulbs are really bright!

Yeah, that looks like it'll be pretty solid! what bulbs are you using? I mean, I know they are cfl's but wattage, brand and what not?

 

[ccernst]

Yeah, that looks like it'll be pretty solid! what bulbs are you using? I mean, I know they are cfl's but wattage, brand and what not?

Nothing too special. GE 6.5k Daylight 15W CFL from Lowes. They make sockets that go from socket to 2-prong...so find a power strip...instant light bar!

I took temps with the lid sitting on top of the power strip...82 up top on the gap, soil temp is 73. I thought a cooler might be a good idea as the basement ambient temp is below 65. So far so good.

 

[ccernst]

well, I haven't been updating, so I guess better late than never. I learned a good lesson about starting the seeds, once the root starts to hook out of the husk...make sure the soil is not overly wet. I lost almost 2/3 of my sprouts because of that. I had to do a very large round two. So now most of my cups are re-filled. I'm up to 40 now (not all peppers...brussel sprouts, beefsteak & pomodoro tomatoes, and a flower that I have no clue what it was...but looked cool). I also learned that the jiffy pellets work great in the Keureg cups. They fit perfectly and the cups let you keep each one numbered.

I also had to get my grow "box" expanded. my little styrofoam cooler grow box was getting too small. Here's where I'm at now...I've tried posting just the pictures...but no go, here's the minus folder. http://minus.com/mbcUQymXYv#12

I do wonder when I should transplant to something larger, and I don't want to sacrifice any of my early starts.

 

[ccernst]

I've been potting up to solo/dixie cups for the last week or two. One of my first ones, I decided to put in a clear cup so I can see the roots. Everyone is saying that you pot up when you have a good rootball...but how do you know in a regular cup??

I've also had to lose the styrofoam cooler in favor of a large rubbermaid bin. I bought another power strip and some 5k bulbs, mounted them to a board and doing pretty much the same thing as before. One of the benifits I've found is that since they are up higher and there is a larger volume of air...the air is not as heated and does not dry evrything out. as bad.

I'm up to 23 solo cups, mostly peppers, some tomatoes.

I've also noticed that my Kureg cups with seed starter soil are very hard to get the plants out. I'm having to go around the edge with a thin knife. I've got some cups using a jiffy pellet inside...wow the difference! Plants grow fast in them and removing them is a breeze...Jiffy and Kureg cups all the way now!

 

[stc3248]

To check the root ball I usually wait 'till I can see some good root structure through the drain holes, then carfully tip the cup on its side and squeez a little to look down the side of the soil. You can usually tell how they look, if not, just pick a plant and gently remove it from the cup, if its good pot up, if not just put it back in to grow a little more! I thought about using my kureg cups, but the Jiffy Pellet trays are so cheap I just bought a couple of them instead. I am all about saving some $$$ but you can't beat the price/convenience of the real deal Jiffy trays. I bought one with a heat matt and one without to move the seedlings into under the lights.

Plant #2 up there looks nice and healthy! Keep the updates coming!
Shane

 

[ccernst]

I use the kureg cups with the jiffy pellets and the trays. the trays keep them from bunching up and from me knocking them over, I can write on them with a sharpie for labeling. they only downside, there are some that have a red foil top...those are just a bit too big to fit nicely and the tops are larger, so you can only go every other spot. when they sprout, I have to take them out of the tray and into my light box...so having a container for the pellet helps out a lot that way as well.

 

[PaulG]

Great watching your grow set up evolve, cc!
Good luck getting everything through to the
planting out phase!