Coach's 2015 Overwhelming Grow

Final Grow List- Updated 3/25/15- 152 Varieties, Around 280 plants:
7 Pot Brain Strain, Red
7 Pot Brain Strain, Yellow
7 Pot Bubblegum, Red
7 Pot Burgundy
7 Pot Caramel
7 Pot Chaguanas
7 Pot Jonah x PDN, F3
7 Pot Jonah, Red
7 Pot Primo, Orange
7 Pot Primo, Red
7 Pot Primo, Yellow
7 Pot White
7 Pot Yellow
7 Pot Yellow x Bhut Jolokia India Carbon
Aji Amarillo
Aji Bolivian Long
Aji Brazilian Starfish
Aji Colorado
Ají Dulce, Orange
Ají Fantasy
Aji Jobito
Aji Lemon Drop
Aji Melocoton
Ají Omnicolor
Aji Panca
Aji Pineapple
Aji Queen Laurie
Aleppo
Ancient Sweet
Bad Brains
Bahamian Goat
Banana, Sweet Monster Heirloom
Bell, Lilac
Bell, Yellow
Bhut Jolokia, India Carbon
Bhut Jolokia, Peach
Bhut Jolokia, Purple
Bhut Jolokia, Red
Bhut Jolokia, White
Bhut Jolokia, Yellow
Bhut Orange Copenhagen
Bih Jolokia, Caramel
Bishop's Crown
Black Stinger
Bonda ma Jacques

Bonda ma Jacques x Yellow 7 Pot
Carolina Reaper
Cayenne, Purple
Cayenne, Ring of Fire
CGN 21500
CGN 21566
Chiltepe, Guatemalan Long
Chiltepe, Guatemalan Cone
Chiltepin x Reaper
Cinnamon Bell
Condor's Beak
Congo, Chocolate
Congo, Peach
Cumari do Para
Datil
Devil's Tongue, White
Dulcetta, Orange
Ethiopian Berbere
Fatalii x TSMB, Yellow
Fatalii, Black
Fatalii, Chocolate
Fatalii, Peach
Fatalii, Peach cross
Fatalii, Red
Fatalii, White
Fatalii, Yellow
Fish
Goat's Weed
Golden Treasure
Goronong
Grif 9304- Colombian Lightning
Habanero, Bolivian Bumpy Yellow
Habanero, Carolina Yellow
Habanero, Chocolate
Habanero, Dominican Huge Orange
Habanero, Galapagos- Isabel
Habanero, Large Red Belize Market
Habanero, Mustard Lightning
Habanero, Orange
Habanero, Paper Lantern
Habanero, Peach
Habanero, Red Savina
Habanero, St. Bart's
Hair
Hungarian Yellow Wax (mild)
Jalapeno, Biker Billy
Jalapeno, Early
Jalapeno, Long
Jalapeno, Purple
Jalapeno, Yellow x 7 Pot Bubblegum
Jamaican Mushroom, Yellow
Japones
Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion
Jay's Red Ghost Scorpion
Jwala
Manzano, Caballo Amarillo 
Naga Morich
Naga, Black
Nagabrain, Chocolate
Peach Wasp
Pepperoncini, Greek
Pepperoncini, Italian
Peruvian Serlano
PI 199506- Aji Guyana
PI 281424- PR Mushroom
Pimenta Leopard
Prik Chi Faa
Purple Flash
Rainforest
Red Hot Cherry
Red Savina x Fatalii Red
Red Savina x Fatalii Yellow
Red Savina x Fatalii, Chocolate
Rocoto, Orange
Rocoto, Red
Rooster Spur
SB7J (mushroom pheno)
Scotch Bonnet x Naga Morich
Scotch Bonnet, Burkina Yellow
Scotch Bonnet, Cappuccino
Scotch Bonnet, Chocolate
Scotch Bonnet, MoA red
Scotch Bonnet, MoA yellow
Serrano
Shishito
Shumenski Rotund
Star of Turkey
Stuffed Red Giant
Sukari
Sulu Adana
Superhot Cross, Yellow
Tabasco
Tepin x Lemon Drop
Thai, Large Orange
Trinidad Beans
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Brown
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Red
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Yellow
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T
Trinidad Scorpion CARDI, Red
Trinidad Scorpion CARDI, Yellow
Trinidad Scorpion Sweet
Trinidad Scorpion, Chocolate
Unidentified Brain Strain Cross, Red
Wiri Wiri
Xalapa
Yalova Charleston

I've got a 3 shelf, 70"x48"x24" unit as my main indoor system. Being in North Carolina, I can put plants into the ground in mid-April. I've got other shelves to use when needed.
 
INTRO
I coach high school Cross Country & Track.
I teach AP Psychology. People say psychology majors are the people who need help the most. I was a History major, but people who spend a lot of time thinking about psychology may self-diagnose at times. Maybe. No one's ever told me I'm OCD. I'm super messy, but I do have a major "all or nothing" theme in my life. I run 100 mile races. I haven't washed my car or had it washed since 1991. I only wear 3 colors of shirts- black, navy & green (& only green because it's a school color). Maybe I have a problem. Why would peppers be any different?
 
I've always had gardens of some size- even if just 6-8 tomato plants & a couple of squash. In 2014, I expanded my garden exponentially. Still have a lot of fall/winter crops. I've never grown peppers or tomatoes from seed & only grew jalapenos, habaneros, bells, cayenne & tabasco. In mid-October, I only had 5 varieties of pepper seeds. Two months, later, I have 220, thanks to stumbling across this site & benefiting from the generosity of the folks on this site. Expanded my seed stockpile through giveaways, trades, harvesting from pods, and buying just a few. Incredibly generosity here. I've paid forward some of that, though my stock is limited to 5-10 seeds for most varieties minus what I have or will grow this season.
 
I've had a ton of questions & I've made a lot of mistakes so far. Hopefully this will evolve into more of voice of experience in a few months, but now, I suppose the glog is more a consolidation of advice seeking.
 
HISTORY TO DATE
The plan is to plant a total of six 1020 flats with 48 cells in each & to spread it out roughtly a month apart- two Nov. 1, two Dec. 1 & two Jan. 1.
 
I started germinating some seeds in bags October 26 but followed up 10 days later with seeds in soil. I didn't notice a difference in germination rates or speed between the two methods so I won't use bags in the future. I was a little impatient with germination, but after planting 2 seeds in each of 96 cells, I ended up with 88 seeds that popped. Not quite 50%, but it's a learning process. Almost all of the last set of seeds I planted sprouted. Problems were:
* Planted too deep
* Compacted soil too much
* Not ideal mix of soil. Used a mix of 3 store bought mixes with added Vermiculite. The one I used most heavily had too much mulchy compost. Have since improved with finer soil & Perlite.
* Temperature wasn't that consistent early on. 
 
I have all of that worked out for later germination.
 
I will complete the last of the 2nd wave of planting this week. 
 
OTHER PROBLEMS
BUGS
About 3 weeks ago, I came home to little tiny orange bugs on the underside of the cotyledons & tiny gray flying bugs- fewer of the gray ones. I sprayed insecticidal soap and the orange guys didn't last long. The tiny gray ones are still around but not in great numbers. I see one flying around a few times a day. 
 
YELLOWING
I've had about 6-8 seedlings die after yellowing. I'm positive I overwatered a little early. Last week, nearly ALL of my seedlings were looking a little yellow. I have watered very sparingly in the past 3-4 weeks. Every couple of days, some shrivel up & I give them a tiny bit of water. A few hours later, they bounce back. Besides that, I haven't really watered in the past 2 weeks. I changed my lighting around 3 days ago & have seen some changes... Was using one set of two 4" T8 lights with two 23w/1600 lumen CFLs on a clip & one 65w/950 lumen light for some heat. T8s were probably too far from the plants- maybe 16". 3 days ago, I added a second T8 fixture & ditched the other lights. I dropped the T8s to about 6" from the plants. The leaves seemed to have darken up a bit in the 3 days since. Today, I added some reflective insulation. I've had the lights on 18 hours/day. Temps have been a steady 82 degrees when they're on & 70 when they're off.
 
 
LIGHT BURN?
One of the reasons I got rid of the CFLs is because I couldn't put them anywhere except very close to the plants & noticed some darkened leaves in places where I left a CFL for several hours. Since then & since putting the four T8s on them 3 days ago, I've seen some dark spots form on the leaves that I don't remember being there before. 

Sorry you'll have to tilt your head. Several leaves are spotty like this after moving T8s down to about 5-6" from seedlings. A few were very dark after being very close to CFLs.
NO REAL LEAVES YET??
I only have ONE seedling with anything but cotyledons. That one has had it for 2 weeks but hasn't really grown since. There are a few other seedlings that are developing other leaves but they haven't fully developed yet. Should this be a concern since some of these seedlings sprouted a month ago?

                                             

My only true leaves. Notice leaves aren't very dark. Yellow Fatalii.      Yellow daying seedlings. About 6-8 have died.
 
I know this is a wordy post but just trying to establish some background.
Seeds started between October 26-November 7 that sprouted & are still alive:
7 Pot Primo, Red
7 Pot White
Aji Pineapple
Bahamian Goat
Bhut Jolokia, Peach
CGN 21500
Cinnamon Bell
Datil
Fatalii, Black
Fatalii, Chocolate
Fatalii, White
Fatalii, Yellow
Habanero, Galapagos- Isabel
Habanero, White Bullet
Peach Wasp
Rainforest
Rocoto, Red
Scotch Bonnet, MoA red
Scotch Bonnet, MoA yellow
Thai, Large Orange
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Brown
Trinidad Scorpion Sweet
 
Seeds started between December 2-8. A few more planned this week & then a 3rd wave around January 1.
7 Pot Bubblegum, Red
7 Pot Chaguanas
7 Pot Jonah x PN, F3
7 Pot Jonah, Red
Aji Amarillo
Aji Bolivian Long
Aji Brazilian Starfish
Aji Colorado
Aji Lemon Drop
Aji Melocoton
Bad Brains
Bhut Jolokia, Red
Carolina Reaper
Dystopia (7 Pot Bubblegum variant)
Fatalii, Peach
Goronong
Habanero, Black
Habanero, Bolivian Bumpy Yellow
Habanero, Chocolate
Habanero, Mustard Lightning
Habanero, Paper Lantern
Habanero, Pastel Orange
Habanero, Peach
Jalapeno, Biker Billy
Jalapeno, Early
Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion
Manzano, Yellow
Pimenta Leopard
Red Savina x Fatalii Red
Red Savina x Fatalii Yellow
Scotch Bonnet x 7 Pot Jonah yellow
Scotch Bonnet, Chocolate
Star of Turkey
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Red
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T
Trinidad Scorpion CARDI, Red
Trinidad Scorpion CARDI, Yellow
Yellow Jal x 7 Pot Bubblegum
 
Still working on the list for the last 35 or so varieties. Most annuums will go in the last round of planting.

 

[Genetikx]

Yeah? How much salt?

I don't measure or weigh but you want it to look like this. I've never used a food mill but I've never had that many peppers at once before either. I bet the mill would do the same thing as my de-seed and food processor technique.

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

Simply amazing ..

 

[coachspencerxc]

I don't measure or weigh but you want it to look like this. I've never used a food mill but I've never had that many peppers at once before either. I bet the mill would do the same thing as my de-seed and food processor technique.

I just saw this now. I'm just trying to keep my head above water & have a ton of pods frozen. Will start some ferments in a month or two. Looking forward to it!
 

Simply amazing ..

Pods or ferment. If pods, thanks. If ferment, I agree.
 
Picked about 50 Reapers & 300 ripe Jalapenos & Serranos (mostly Jalapenos) today. Would you pickle, make sauce or make chipotle powder with the Jalapenos & Serranos?

 

 

[Trident chilli]

Awesome pods .... picture perfect

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

 
Picked about 50 Reapers & 300 ripe Jalapenos & Serranos (mostly Jalapenos) today. Would you pickle, make sauce or make chipotle powder with the Jalapenos & Serranos?

 
 

 
     You gotta make jelly with some of those jalapeños! I have a great recipe if you want it. I love it because it only calls for red, ripe jalapeños (no bell peppers or any other filler).
     Your peppers look world class, man. You pick them good and ripe, just how I like to. Your pod pics just SCREAM flavor!

 

[coachspencerxc]

Awesome pods .... picture perfect

 
 

 
     You gotta make jelly with some of those jalapeños! I have a great recipe if you want it. I love it because it only calls for red, ripe jalapeños (no bell peppers or any other filler).
     Your peppers look world class, man. You pick them good and ripe, just how I like to. Your pod pics just SCREAM flavor!

Thanks so much! I'd love to have that jelly recipe. 
Picking them good & ripe or letting them sit on the plant a long time- too busy to pick them? I knew I wanted them ripe but I've gotta credit procrastination some.

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

 
 
 
Picking them good & ripe or letting them sit on the plant a long time- too busy to pick them? 

 
     By hook or by crook! 
 
     I have a lot of irons in the fire today (my wife and I are canning about 7 gallons of tomato sauce), so I may not be able to get you the recipe today. PM me if I forget!

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

     Here's that jalapeño jelly recipe, coach.
 
12 oz. red ripe jalapeños (stemmed, halved, seeded)
2 c. white vinegar
6 c. sugar
2 (3 oz.) packets liquid pectin (I use Certo)
 
- Blend the peppers with about a cup of vinegar until it is smooth. Pour into a non-reactive saucepan with a thick bottom.
- Rinse out blender with remaining vinegar and add to pot.
- Add sugar and heat to boiling while stirring.
- Boil hard for about 10 minutes, stir.
- Add pectin, stir and return to boil.
- Boil hard for one minute while stirring constantly. Skim off foam.
- Remove from heat.
- Fill jars to ~1/4" from top.
- Process 10 minutes.
 
 
     I like to use pods that are extremely ripe - even a little soft. It pays off in the flavor of the final product. Doubling this recipe works well, but I wouldn't try to do more than that in one shot. It just didn't seem to set right the time I tried a triple batch. 
     Good luck! Post pics of the final product if you make some. The color is unreal!

 

[coachspencerxc]

     Here's that jalapeño jelly recipe, coach.
 
12 oz. red ripe jalapeños (stemmed, halved, seeded)
2 c. white vinegar
6 c. sugar
2 (3 oz.) packets liquid pectin (I use Certo)
 
- Blend the peppers with about a cup of vinegar until it is smooth. Pour into a non-reactive saucepan with a thick bottom.
- Rinse out blender with remaining vinegar and add to pot.
- Add sugar and heat to boiling while stirring.
- Boil hard for about 10 minutes, stir.
- Add pectin, stir and return to boil.
- Boil hard for one minute while stirring constantly. Skim off foam.
- Remove from heat.
- Fill jars to ~1/4" from top.
- Process 10 minutes.
 
 
     I like to use pods that are extremely ripe - even a little soft. It pays off in the flavor of the final product. Doubling this recipe works well, but I wouldn't try to do more than that in one shot. It just didn't seem to set right the time I tried a triple batch. 
     Good luck! Post pics of the final product if you make some. The color is unreal!

Thanks so much! I will definitely try my hand at that & report back!
 
Dilley Street Tamwork:

 

[juanitos]

cute

 

[Pulpiteer]

Awesome harvest shots! And those reapers with that long stinger - very cool. 
 
What a great pepper year for you.  Good luck with the processing!

 

[coachspencerxc]

Awesome harvest shots! And those reapers with that long stinger - very cool. 
 
What a great pepper year for you.  Good luck with the processing!

Thanks! You too.
 

cute

Buena Mulatta in varying stages of ripening. Got seeds from Buena Juanitos & planted late:

2 different phenotypes of 7JPN x TSMB from seeds I got from Dulac. Yes, I know the purple one isn't ripe yet. Both came from dark purple plants & the red pods started purple.

 

[coachspencerxc]

Variation in two BOC plants from the same seed source. Pods on each plant are uniform. 

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Pods looking good Coach.

 

[Genetikx]

Coach, we'd normally wonder if you're ok but I'm sure you're just 100% focused on school right now. Still wanna know, what's new?

 

[coachspencerxc]

Coach, we'd normally wonder if you're ok but I'm sure you're just 100% focused on school right now. Still wanna know, what's new?

Very nice of you to ask. I am alive & was planning on posting today for the first time in a month. I worked 90-110 hour weeks each of the first 4 weeks of school. This week will be a little less. ...mostly coaching. Boys are doing an outstanding job & girls are coming along. Top 5 boys have averaged 15:49 for 5K. For anyone who knows running, that's pretty quick. Two of the top 7 have been injured and haven't raced yet but will soon. 
 
Garden has become a neglected jungle for the most part, but of course not the pepper parts. Funny how much of my time went into the peppers but I let the other crops go. Gotta do a better job. Picked 1,200 or so pods Sunday & barely made a dent. Here are some of those:
 
Bahamian Goat with stinger. Not sure if this is an unintentional cross or not but I'm liking the stingers. Most pods are larger than the one on the right & have a stinger but not quite this long:

Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion:

Jay's Red Ghost Scorpion:

Bubblegum:

Billy Boy Douglah:

Chocolate Nagabrains:

Bih Caramel:

Black Stinger- no stingers

Butch T:

Black Naga:

Reaper on left, Primo on right:

 

[D3monic]

na stingers on baha goats is normal. Though those are some nice long ones. Pods are looking great. 

 

[moruga welder]

 
Thanks. Yeah, it was 98-106F everywhere we went. Rough but a good trip.
 
Thanks!
 
Came home this afternoon to lots & lots of ripe pods. I hate I missed seeing some of them ripen up and feel a little overwhelmed not knowing what to do with all of them. By no means are most plants with ripe pods, but a lot do. My phone isn't focusing like it should & I'm too exhausted to spend much time out there tonight trying to make it work. I'll spend most of tomorrow out there sorting everything out. 
Here's a highly anticipated Yellow Brain Strain:

sweet pod !    

 

[Pulpiteer]

That Primo and Reaper picture was awesome. Are you finding uses for everything?

 

[coachspencerxc]

That Primo and Reaper picture was awesome. Are you finding uses for everything?

Thanks. I'm finding freezer room (deep freezer almost solely devoted to peppers) & ziploc bags of powder & flakes for everything.