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DC Balcony Glog

I am relatively new to this forum and have been posting here and there.  Think this might make more sense.  
 
I am in Washington DC and have a 3rd floor condo with a West facing balcony.  Figuring out what will grow out there has been trying.  Extremely hot and dry in the summer.  Water has to be carried from the kitchen sink.  Rarely will anything last over winter.  Lots of pest problems because too high for many pest predators.  I love to cook and love hot foods.  The answer was obvious.
 
Here is last years set up:

 

 

 
I usually buy 12 plants from Chiliplants.com.  It's all I can do to take the 40 or so I want and pair it down to 12.
 
This year I was given some seeds from Jason at Jason's Fire Fusions Hot Sauce.  It took me down a bad road.  I have never been successful at starting from seed.  In fact, tried once, failed miserably and have never done it since.  BUT, since I had this gift of Red Brain and Tiny Tobasco, I thought I would try.  While I was at it I threw in some seeds from my fav from last year, the Chultepino. (I think I spell it differently every time I type it, but prolific, tasty, and wonderful.)
 
I work at a catering company, so trays, cups, lids etc. came easily.  I bought a heat mat and went to town.  
 


 
Imagine my surprise when:

First one up was one of my own that I threw in just because.
Then two!

 
Then one of Jason's Brain Strains.

 
I have very little space and limited outlets, so for now grow lights are not an option.  This is my set up and I move them to the sun when I am here and it is shining.
The tiny Tobascos started to come up last Thursday, the day of the snowstorm here.  I had too much time to stare at them and think.  I moved them under the lights too early, they shrivled.
 
Pulled them, put them back under the dome.
 
Today I got frusterated with the lack of growth and pulled all the non growing cups.  They were completely dry.  My spritzing was not enough water.  I repotted the almost plants in plastic, they had been in paper egg cups and I think that was a problem, planted the last of my Tiny Tobasco seeds and we'll see.
 
Potted up my 2 chultepenos and they look good.  The Brain Strain is next.
 
 
Also placed my yearly order with Cross Country Nursery today.  Was going to limit it to 6, since they changed their limit but just couldn't.  This could be an interesting season.
 
Grow list from Cross Country:
 
Ammazzo
Cherry Chocolate
Cochiti
Fatalii
Fire
Fish
Goat's Weed
Habanera white 2
Jalapeño Early
Merah
Shishito
Trinidad Scorpion
 
So far so good.  Looking forward to spring!
 
 
 
 
 
Click to expand...
Last year:

Aji Dulche 2
Ancho 211 Hybrid
Billy Goat
Bod'e
Chimayo
Chupetino
Cobra
Cyklon
Jamaican Gold
Lemon Drop
Shishito
Eds Carolina Reaper

I only got one ripe fruit off the reaper and never even got to taste it. I've overwintered it and it is surviving, barely. Hopefully more to come this year.

The lemon drop did very well, but I wasn't so impressed with its flavor. I'm going back to yellow Fatali for this year.

Loved the Shishito! It is the only repeat.
Oops, except for the Chultepino, which was extremely prolific, sweet and fruity with just the right amount of heat. I actually have to growing from last years seeds. We will see what happens.
 
So here's where we are today

 
In the red cups are the two chultepinos I never thought would sprout.  The one on the right is in a mix of MG seed starting mix and Earth Grow potting soil.  The one on the left is the same with Akadama from a poor bonchi experiment mixed in.  I see a difference in only 3 days.  Same bottom watering once with a small amount of fish emulsion.
 
The clear cup is the Red Brain - will up pot this weekend.  The sad looking things are Tiny Tobascos that never should have been planted in a paper egg cup.  I have 8 more seeds in the hopper.
 
So far so good!
 
I grow in DC too, over by union station, on my stoop.  What pests have you had problems with?  I get some aphids at the very end of the season, but nothing else to speak of.  I used to get mites when I grew tomatoes, but now that I stick to peppers the mites stay away.
 
Oh no!

 
Too conservative on the watering!  Just got home and both chultepinos are shriveled!  Just bottom watered - they will come back or this will be a very short glog  

Hi SFF. My biggest pest issue is aphids. I try to keep up with squishing - it is pretty satisfying after a bad day. Watering is also an issue in August. No outside water so I go back and forth many times with Gallon milk jugs. How long have you been growing here and what?
 
Sorry about your little plant.  I squish aphids daily here too... gets annoying.  Once they can go outside things get better.
 
Not much going on in the DC grow.  Finally had a few sunny days and got the 3 1/2 seedings into a sunny window.  They love it.
 
This is my problem child:

 
This is the only Tiny Tobasco to sprout.  I had it in a cardboard egg cup - big mistake, learned my lesson.  It hooked and stalled.  The cardboard was sucking all the water and it was bone dry.  I carefully transferred it to a cup and it is up and living, but just barely.  Has been just like this for over a week.  It's out of the dome and under my lame light and in the sun as much as possible. Bottom watered this morning and is still very wet.  Haven't fed because it seems too little and is in MG starting soil.  Any hope or ideas?
 
I have a few more TT's in the hopper but don't have much hope...

AND...since I just dropped it upside-down on the dark green rug I am given the opportunity to show it naked.  Should I be seeing root growth?
 
I don't spot any aphids till September, and I get a lot of natural aphid predators that keep the population low to the point that they're harmless.  If I bring any plants inside it's another story.  I don't do that anymore though, between the bugs and the electricity drain from the lights it's not worth it.  I grow various Chinese chilis for Sichuanese cooking.  2012 was my first season in DC:
 
2ebwtv7.jpg

 
I also carried water from my kitchen for many plants for 2 seasons, and it was a huge pain in the ass, especially for the smaller container plants which needed water every day in August.  Then I switched to drip irrigation 2 seasons ago, keeping a big reservoir on a shelving unit on my stoop which I refill with an aquarium pump.  All I have to do is refill it about every 15 days (10 days in August) and everything else is automatic. Pricey but gives me loads more free time and even lets me leave town!
 
Alynne said:
Hi SFF. My biggest pest issue is aphids. I try to keep up with squishing - it is pretty satisfying after a bad day. Watering is also an issue in August. No outside water so I go back and forth many times with Gallon milk jugs. How long have you been growing here and what?
Click to expand...
 
No more worries about the little TT. It is dead. Maybe one of the later ones will come up, but I'm not hopeful. Good thing there is Chiliplants.com!

SFF, that looks great! I'm shocked you can keep them and a watering system on your stoop. If I drop a nickel on my car seat the window will get busted.
 
Roguejim said:
I like this "glog in the Big City".  Killer germination chamber, too.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I work for a catering company and was about to order grow trays when I realized the materials I had available at work. My only expenses were a heat mat and soil.
 


I know this a much smaller grow than many here, but I am thrilled! The return of the sun and warmer temps have allowed me to put them outside for a bit Saturday and today. Have a few Tiny Tobascos in the hopper that may or may not sprout, but I didn't expect even this. Will have plants from CCN soon. Yesterday got out on the balcony, pulled all the old growth and turned the soil.

Going to use last year's soil, add fresh and perlite, which I've never added before. Don't have the money or back to totally switch soil every year. I usually fert switching off Bud and Bloom, Seaweed Emulsion and Fertrell 3-1-1. One water only, next half strength ferts, switching them up. Fertilizer is still something I am at a loss with. So many numbers, so many brands. I understand what the 3 numbers mean, but would love some basic advice.
 
Fungus gnats have shown up to the party! Hooray!!! Bottom and top watered with an H2O2 solution yesterday. Better, but they are still there. Top with perlite? Cinnamon? Help?
 
Love the way you make the best of what you are dealt with on a small balcony.  I have looked here many times.  Keep the old soil towards the bottom when up-potting if possible.  I do it all the time but mainly from failed experiments or plants that don't use the bottom of the big pot I gave them.  Cinnamon works sometimes.  Consistent bottom watering is much better.   Topping with a moisture absorbing media makes them worse IMO.  Get to know the weight of your pots when they are wet and dry.  Bottom water and keep the top from getting wet.  I like to have a big enough hole in the bottom so I can lift it up and see moisture.  This gives me a baseline of the weight  to know when it's dry.  Watch the weather.  If a rain front is moving in don't water.  They may appear dry and its sunny outside.  It turns cloudy and rainy for the next few days.  You will notice if you watered that there is moisture and darkened soil at the top.  A perfect breeding ground for the gnats.   
 
BTW...I lived in Accokeek and Upper Marlboro for grades 7th-9th...in the late 70's.  We had woods and lots of fun!
 
Rairdog, thanks! I've read your glog as well and love your set up.

I may have already over reached this year. 12 plants coming from CCN plus the 5 seedlings plus the obligatory flowers that do well on the balcony - bourgonvilla, hibiscus and portulaca, plus some herbs is a lot of upkeep in a small space with no outside water source.

Have only been bottom watering and sparingly, so I was surprised at the gnats. Didn't steralize my soil, never have, but maybe I should. I don't see any today, so maybe they're beat.

I grew up in Rockville, so am more familiar with the northwest side of town. I love the fact that within abut 2 hors from town you can be in the mountains, horse country or the beach.
 
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