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Currypeppers 2023

I started 4 pepper plants in late December, and I started the rest of my pepper seeds last Sunday.

This year I kept the seed starting simple and planted directly into coco pellets. No soaking the seeds in water or peroxide. Thermostat on heat mat set to 85F.

I checked them this morning, and MOA scotch bonnet and Lemon Starrburst sprouted in less than 1 week. A couple other varieties look like they are about to push through the surface.

I am pleased with the simplicity of this method. Less steps compared to paper towel method. I am also seeing less helmet head seedlings. I decided not to worry about wasting seeds and put 5 or 6 in each pellet.

My plan is for one plant of each of the following:
Datil
Lemon starburst
TFM scotch bonnet
MOA scotch bonnet
Lemon spice jalapeño
Frontera
safi red
pimento
St Lucia seasoning
Craig Jalapeno
Jimmy Nardello
Sweet chocolate pepper

https://imgur.com/c6NPMDm
https://imgur.com/c7amxAr
 
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Click to expand...
Nice selection of varieties for this season, SC.
The TFM and MOA bonnets are two of my favorite
bonnet types.
 
What is that plant on the first picture, with the raggedy, curly edges? It looks really nice.

This one:
SmartSelect_20230228_181033_Chrome.jpg
 
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The 4 plants I started early are starting to form their first branches. Something is satisfying about observing the first branching.

Growth is fast. Probably time to repot them soon. I bought some small grow bags that have Velcro so you can open the bags and remove the plants. That might be a nice solution to keep them until it’s time to bring them outside. Should prevent the roots for circling and tangling too much.

https://imgur.com/kOiVL4J
 
I am hardening off the plants and doing some more work on the Dutch bucket systems this weekend. The Dutch buckets will be 5 tomatoes and 5 pepper plants. An additional 7 peppers will be in pots filled with miracle gro potting mix. If then hydroponic peppers do well, this might be my last season messing with potting soil.

The 4 peppers I started early already have unripe fruit at this point.

https://imgur.com/9nOHDVg
https://imgur.com/48CJEU7
https://imgur.com/I8mAD68
https://imgur.com/5zNFRer
 
A few of the plants in the black pots have looked less than perfect. Maybe mites or some other invisible insect, virus, or herbicide drift.

I sprayed with neem yesterday. I haven’t kept up with neem applications as frequently as I would have liked.

The plants in miracle gro potting mix have actually grown a bit faster than the hydroponic peppers, although the hydroponic peppers look healthier and have been producing well. I’m thinking this is either from higher fertilizer content in the miracle gro, or the lower temperatures of the Bato buckets. The black pots filled with miracle gro get hot.
 
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