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Chocolate Hab Grow Log

I know some of yall will think I am really really late. I like to think I am really really early! On the 19th I started sevral seeds in peat pellets I had sitting around the house. I started Trinidad Scorpion, Fatalii, Trinidad Douglah, and Bhut Jolokia. Then on the 21st or 22nd I started Red 7 Pod (Sourced from Cmpman1974) and Bulgarian Carrot in moist coffee filters in bags all on a heating mat in the kitchen. Within 3 days one of the Bulgarian Carrot seeds in the coffee filter buttoned and last night I put it in a plastic drinking cup with 1 part compost, 1 part pine bark fines and 1 part vermiculite. Due to a small accident on my part (they call me grace ya know) the seed may have gotten buried a little deeper than the 1/4 inch recommendation. Lets just pray that it didn't. This morning I noticed one of the Trinidad Douglah's hooked! :dance: I put it under the flo lights in the garage where it ususal is 68-70*. I am hoping when I come home from work today it has emerged all the way. It's gonna be a long day at work. Being impatient and a total noob I gently dug around the pellets to check the progress of the others and most have at least one seed that has buttoned. I should have hooks by at least Tuesday I hope. I will post pics as soon as I get off today. C'mon babies sprout.
 
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Ok got that. Should I try to take off the seed with tweezers or let nature take its course?
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most people would say they'd let nature take its course.

as for me, i'm a hardheaded bunghole. i use tweezers. i kill seedlings that way. lol.
 
you dont really need to physically remove the casings, just need the seed casings moist(best with spit, or just plain water will do)
 
Ok here's a little update.
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He insists on helping me.

I am worried. Some of the seedlings in the peat pucks are a week or so from emerging and the have not put on any size at all. I am not looking for a 6ft. pepper tree but some should be working on their true leaves. They seems scrawny to me. Yesterday I bought a CFL with cool white lamps. I set it up this morning. Hope it helps. I am frustrated right now. I see other's grow logs and their seedlings seem stong and grow. Any suggestions? Could it be weak seeds?
 
Hey neighbor, give them time, they will grow. The peppers I started seem to sprout, then take a breather for a week before they started to send out the first true leaf. Slow growth until the third or forth leaf, then a pretty good growth spurt from there. I think of the root system, going through a growth spurt before the top, so it can support the plant. At least that is what I am imagining.......
 
CH...Your seedlings are doing just fine. They are young and take a bit of time to mature. Remember that most people started their plants in January. I remember going back and forth every few hours and checking on the status of my little guys... Didn't help them grow any faster. Plus, we have had aweful growing weather this year anyways!

I did have a problem with peat pucks and getting true leaves to form. Pretty sure I detailed that in my grow log. Basically, they sprouted great but didn't get any true leaves. The jury is still out on whether or not I will use them again next year. You said you were going to be over-wintering these guys anyway so you have LOTS of time to let them grow up. I know it SUCKS waiting though!!!

Cute kid...future pepper-head?
 
Hey there, ChocoHab~
First let me start by saying this is my first time growing peppers EVER...so take what I say with a large grain of salt~

I noticed the peat pellets are just sitting on the foil. I'm wondering if putting them in a tray of some kind, even something with a small lip like the lid of a plastic box would help to keep them moist because you could leave a little water in the tray for the peat to soak up over a couple hours. It could still be lined with foil. If this is not a good idea, I hope another more experienced grower will correct me.

Ditto what Maligator said about patience. They look fine, just tiny. Others will have a more accurate timeline, but I know what you mean about hovering over the babies chanting..."Grow, Baby, Grow!"

And for mylar, others here have said you can get it at WalMart in the outdoors/camping section. They make mylar emergency blankets and if I remember correctly, I think they're pretty cheap, like $3.50 or something. If you find some, would you mind posting the price? I'm just curious.


Your cool white fluorescent bulb is a little low on the kelvin scale of what most people suggest. I used 4' 6500K bulbs and they were about $4 each through the wholesaler. I wanted the 8500K but they were like $11 each and I needed 8 of them. This was back in the winter when we were sitting home out of work, so I couldn't bring myself to spring for the $11 bulbs. Anyway, keep your eye out for a "grow light" or full spectrum light. I know Home Depot-type stores have them but I don't know the cost.

And I hope that cute little chile-sprout grows to be a serious chilehead from his early start!:)

If you get over the NorthCross this summer, let me know, we'd love to meet you and family.
SL


edit- as I was typing this, another rain shower came through here.....will it ever end? sigh!
 
Seedlings take time, especially chinense. You'll definitely need better lighting to grow those indoors through the winter for a next season plant out.
 
Hey yall. Just a little update and pics. Half of the seedlings are working on their 2nd set of leaves so it was time to pot up for the first time.
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I used a combo of compost, pine bark fines and perlite. They have had their first drink of a very weak liquid fertilizer the other day. Now here comes the hard part not overwatering them. When they were in the peat pucks knowing when they were thirsty was easy. I have a retention pond next to my house with fish in it. I planning on watering them using that water. I have a sickly jalapeno and it has improved the handful of times I used pond water. Suggestions and advice welcomed.
 
You can try the tweezers, I would wait until the cotyledons (first leaves) grow out of the seed coat a bit. I have had success and failure using the tweezers so be careful. Good luck and congrats on the plants...nice selection. Love the heats.
 
The Medicinal Pepper said:
You can try the tweezers, I would wait until the cotyledons (first leaves) grow out of the seed coat a bit. I have had success and failure using the tweezers so be careful. Good luck and congrats on the plants...nice selection. Love the heats.
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I am 1 for 2. I was successful getting the seed coat off by hand once. The next time I tried it I decapitated the other :doh: . I'm leaving it to mother nature.
 
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