DocNrock's 2013 Glog - 7/11/13

My 2013 grow officially began 10/14/2012, when seeds hit soil. After seeing Fernando (SocalChilehead) growing in his greenhouse "sanctuary" and KiNGDeNNiZ continuing to start new growth in his AeroGarden, as well as the community HP22B grow thread already being 8 pages, I broke down and started my 2013 grow. I was going to limit it to 50 varieties, but that ended up being 64, 77 including the plants I want to save from 2012. If some varieties don't pop or I end up losing some along the way, I might still be down to 50 (or less!) in no time. The grow list with pop dates is at the bottom of this post.

Since I had plenty of seeds I wanted to try an experiment. Which is better for germination, soil or Rapid Rooters? I have two mini-greenhouses with 36 soil cups each, and one mini-greenhouse with a 72 cell insert loaded with Rapid Rooters. All seeds were soaked overnight in water that had been boiled and cooled and contained a dilution of brewed chamomile tea and H2O2. The Rapid Rooters and soil were both moistened with the same mix. The soil is Sungro Sunshine mix #1 amended lightly with Ancient Forest and worm castings. Wondering if the organisms in the amendments might help break down the seed coat. Each cell contains about five seeds. This will force me to cull the weaklings, as opposed to trying to save them, hahaha! At most I will end up with two seedlings for each variety. If both survive, I can try to gift one of the two. I am thinking that some varieties may germinate better in soil, some better in the Rapid Rooters, and for some it may not make a difference. I read somewhere that kelp solutions are rich in growth hormones. Has anyone added a light kelp solution dilution to their germination setup? I was thinking of adding a couple of drops to each Rapid Rooter cell. Fert-wise, the kelp solutions are very, very weak. I doubt it would do any harm. Has anyone ever tried the kelp? I have not, but might try it later on anything that seems stubborn to sprout.

I am hoping these guys are all budded up come springtime, and ready for an early harvest. Since my indoor space is limited, I am giving serious consideration to building a small greenhouse in the backyard and putting in a couple of space heaters for the night time. I decided against a raised bed, and will probably go with 5 gallon Root Pouches for the larger plants. Some of the annuums and plants I'm as yet unsure of I will grow in 2 gallon pots. If I end up liking them, I can always up-pot them.

Getting organized:

Man, I hope I didn't mix any of these up! 64 cups to keep straight is a far cry from 3. It will be 6 months until I know for sure!:

Rapid Rooters:

Soil:

Let the waiting game begin!:

Also, in case anyone is interested, the white plastic labelling tags are available at Discount Hydroponics, $2.95/100! Cheaper than popsickle sticks!

Regarding the plants I already have, I am going to try to start cuttings off most of them in the event the plants don't make it over the winter. I won't need to start those from seed, although there are four varieties (Douglah, Fatalii, Barrackpore and Yellow Bhut) I am starting from seed, as well.

Question: When we start a new grow season, is it typical to just add to one's glog thread, or is it appropriate to start a new thread for the new grow year?

Anyway, happy growing to you all and thanks for looking. I'm hoping all the lessons I learned this year will help me to make this grow much more successful!

GROW LIST: I will try to edit in pop dates for both soil and Rapid Rooters. The Rapid Rooters might get earlier pop dates since I can see the rootlets before hooks form.

Sown seeds (65):

Trinidad Scorpion (AJIJOE) 10/20/12 (RR)
HP22B (Pepper Joe) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/27/12 (soil)
Primo (Primo) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Billy Boy Jonah (Silver_Surfer via Coheed) 10/22/12 (RR)
7 Pot Congo Gigantic (Pepperlover) 10/23/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
7 Pot Barrackpore (Biscgolf) 10/27/12 (RR)
Dorset Naga (Pepperlover - pods) 10/24/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Naga Morich (Biscgolf - pods) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Bhut Jolokia (JoynersHotPeppers)
Red Rocoto (SocalChilihead) 10/22/12 (RR)
Malawi Peppadew (Refiningfirechiles) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Trinidad PI281317 (Pepperlover) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Anaheim (Pepperlover - gift)
7 Pot Chiguanas (Silver Surfer via Coheed) 10/23/12 (RR)
Red Devil's Tongue (Pepperlover - gift) 10/28/12 (RR)
Butch T (Pepperlover - pods) 10/24/12 (RR)
7 Pot Jonah (Pepperlover - pods) 10/27/12 (RR)
7 Pot Burgundy (Silver_Surfer via Coheed) 10/23/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Infinity 10/20/12 (soil), 10/22/12 (RR)
Yellow Moruga (Pepperlover) 10/23/12 (soil), 10/23/12 (RR)
Yellow Brain (Biscgolf) 10/24/12 (RR)
Yellow Bhut Jolokia (Biscgolf) 10/26/12 (soil)
Fatalii (AJIJOE) 10/22/12 (RR),10/28/12 (soil)
7 Pot Yellow (Biscgolf) 10/24/12 (RR)
Peach Bhut (AJIJOE) 10/28/12 (RR)
Beni Highland (AJIJOE) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/22/12 (soil)
Trinidad Morova (Pepperlover) 10/23/12 (soil), 10/28/12 (RR)
7 Pot Orange (Silver_Surfer via Coheed) 10/23/12 (soil), 10/28/12 (RR)
Golden Cayenne (SocalChilehead) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/20/12 (soil)
Yellow Scotch Bonnet (AJIJOE) 10/22/12 (soil), 10/22/12 (RR)
7 Pot Brown (Biscgolf) 10/24/12 (soil)
Douglah (Biscgolf) 10/27/12 (soil)
Black Habanero (Refiningfirechiles) 10/20/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Chocolate Scorpion (KiNGDeNNiZ) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/23/12 (soil)
Douglah x Chocolate Scorpion F4 (Silver_Surfer via Coheed) 10/23/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Black Naga (Refiningfirechiles) 10/20/12 (soil)
Pasilla Bajio (Refiningfirechiles) 10/22/12 (soil), 10/27/12 (RR)
Long Chocolate Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/24/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Chocolate Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/23/12 (soil), 10/24/12 (RR)
Black Stinger (Refiningfirechiles) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/23/12 (soil)
7 Pot White (Pepperlover) 10/24/12 (RR), 10/27/12 (soil)
Giant White Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/23/12 (soil)
White Bullet Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
White Devil's Tongue (Silver_Surfer via Coheed) 10/28/12 (RR)
Serrano (Pepper Joe - free) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/19/12 (soil) ***FIRST SOIL***
Jalapeno (Pepper Joe - free) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/20/12 (soil)
Red Bell (store bought pepper) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Andy F1 Gochu (Stickman via SocalChilehead) 10/17/12 (RR) ***TIED, FIRST OVERALL*** 10/23/12 (soil)
Korean Winner Hybrid (Stickman via SocalChilehead) 10/17/12 (RR) ***TIED, FIRST OVERALL***
Pimenta de Neyde (SocalChilehead) 10/28/12 (RR)
Trinidad Scorpion Green (SocalChilehead) 10/19/12 (RR)
Most Prolific C.chacoense (Pepperlover - gift) 10/23/12 (RR)
Royal Black (AJIJOE) 10/22/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Assam (SocalChilehead) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/22/12 (soil)
Trinidad Scorpion "FG" (AJIJOE) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/24/12 (soil)
Australian Lantern Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/26/12 (RR), 10/26/12 (soil)
Aji Yellow (AJIJOE) 10/23/12 (RR)
Jamaican Hot Chocolate (KiNGDeNNiZ) 10/22/12 (RR)
Aji Omnicolor (OROZCONLECHE) 10/19/12 (RR)
Not-Trinidad Scorpion (long yellow pod from Arboretum, KiNGDeNNiZ) 10/22/12 (RR)
Mystery Chocolate Mix (Silver_Surfer) 10/23/12 (RR)
Red Congo (AJIJOE) 10/23/12 (RR)
Peach Habanero (AJIJOE) 10/19/12 (RR), 10/22/12 (soil)
Yellow Hablokia (AJIJOE) 10/20/12 (RR), 10/22/12 (soil)
Sown 10/20/12
Yellow Bell (store-bought pepper) 10/23/12 (RR)
Sown 10/28/12
Chocolate Bell (Refiningfirechiles)
Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion (Refiningfirechiles)
Malaysian Goronong (Refiningfirechiles)
Douglah (Refiningfirechiles)
Peter (Refiningfirechiles)
Yellow Bhut (Refiningfirechiles)
Chocolate Bhut (Refiningfirechiles)
Aji Pineapple (Refiningfirechiles)
Aji Dulce 1 (Tradewinds)
Datil (Tradewinds)
Goat's Horn (Tradewinds)
NuMex Big Jim (Tradewinds)
Paprika (Tradewinds)
Brain Strain 7 (PepperRidge)


What I hope to save from my current grow, either whole plants or clones (13):

Carribean Red (local nursery)
Aji Panca (Refiningfirechiles)
Peter Pepper (Refiningfirechiles)
Jamaican Yellow Mushroom (Refiningfirechiles)
Moruga (Refiningfirechiles)
Malaysian Goronong (Refiningfirechiles)
Thai Dragon (North Park Produce)
Chenzo (North Park Produce)
Red Brain Strain (Baker's Peppers - pods)
Chinese 5-color (Orozconleche)
Aji Dulce (Orozconleche)
Datil (Orozconleche)
Bonnie "World's Hottest Hab" (Fatalii?) (Home Depot)

I'm going to do my best to keep one of each alive, but with 77 total, I might be lucky if a few croak!

 

[MGOLD86]

Brent, I grew white 7s last year and they were pretty tough to tell when ripe.  I picked it (only one pod on the plant ) when I thought it was ripe, but it was just under.  Funny thing was Judy (pepperlover) sent me a ripe pod and it was the same color and density but hers was ripe.  In both cases they were smooth, habanero type outside with pretty thick, juicy walls.  They weren't very hot, but that is to be expected.  I think the best way to go about it is just pick one and check the seeds for ripeness.  Once you get a good baseline you will be able (hopefully) to tell when the rest are good. 
 
And I second the sepia!  Who are the parents?  I have the Douglah X TS S1 and S2 from SS's garden, but haven't tried the sepia. 

Top of page!

 

[DocNrock]

Brent, I grew white 7s last year and they were pretty tough to tell when ripe.  I picked it (only one pod on the plant ) when I thought it was ripe, but it was just under.  Funny thing was Judy (pepperlover) sent me a ripe pod and it was the same color and density but hers was ripe.  In both cases they were smooth, habanero type outside with pretty thick, juicy walls.  They weren't very hot, but that is to be expected.  I think the best way to go about it is just pick one and check the seeds for ripeness.  Once you get a good baseline you will be able (hopefully) to tell when the rest are good. 
 
And I second the sepia!  Who are the parents?  I have the Douglah X TS S1 and S2 from SS's garden, but haven't tried the sepia. 

Top of page!

Top of page deserves top of quote! 
 
Thanks so much for the input on the White 7.  I'll let them go until this weekend and then pick the lightest color one and try it. 
 
The Sepia Serpent is a cross between a Douglah and a Chocolate Scorpion.  I am told it is on the F4 generation.  I got pods last year from Silver_Surfer and from Coheed196, who got them from Silver_Surfer.  Pretty much the hottest thing I have ever tried.  So stoked to be growing it this year.
 

Looking forward to seeing your Jay's. I can say that the place I got the plant from last year had zero cool super hots this year. I hope that does not mean Meadow View farms had issues. Many of the plants looked very bad off as well. My Jay's OW is still fighting hard and will get potted up finally into a bag this weekend. Two other plants started from seed look the same but are very strange and overly bushy. You cannot see the trunk or any stems.

I hope yours pulls out of it's funk.  Sucks to have a plant you really want to do well and it just languishes.  It's funny how you describe your plants from seed.  The one I have growing is quite bushy, but it does have a trunk and stems if you pull all the foliage away.  I'll try to get a pic up at some point.
 

Nice pods Doc, that Sepia Serpent is quite gnarly looking.
 
Glad to hear that drip system is making your life easier, you did a heck of a job getting all of that setup!
 
And the 4 trips for parts? I look at that as an AC break

Thanks Chris.  It was a lot of work but oh so worth it.  So funny you say that about the AC break.  It was 106 this past Saturday.  Everytime I had to go back to HD I thought to myself, "Oh well, I get to spend some time in the AC."    Great minds...
 

Man Brent I just read through the last six pages and imust say that eeverything is looking fantastic my friend

Also that Serpent pod is looking great. Out of all the plants of mine that have pods on it, my 3 Serpents are the ones that have no pods on it yet

Thanks Vincent!  Don't give up on the SS's.  It took two of them quite a while to start podding up.  Two of the other three younger ones are just starting.  Now if only my Black Naga would set more than two pods...

 

[DocNrock]

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.  Nothing to report except plants are growing, podding, and ripening.  All good here. 
 
I wish my friends on the east coast respite from Andrea. 
 
Funny how things work out.  I was supposed to be on call this weekend but I have a conference to go to flying out Monday afternoon.  Didn't want to leave a bunch of patients for my partners so I traded weekends with one of them.  So glad I did.  Feel like I'm coming down with something.  Being on call this weekend would have sucked bigtime.  Been there, done that, got the T-shirt...just don't need a collection of T-shirts, lol. 
 
Have a great weekend, everyone.

 

[DocNrock]

Did get the dehydrator going...4 racks...and 3 one-quart bags still in the freezer. 

I'll throw this up...It has been working on color for a week!  Yellow Brain...looking quite brainy.... 
 

 

[stickman]

Did get the dehydrator going...4 racks...and 3 one-quart bags still in the freezer. 
I'll throw this up...It has been working on color for a week!  Yellow Brain...looking quite brainy....
 

 
Oh Doc... please don't feed me straight lines!

 

[MGOLD86]

Beautiful looking pod man, that is gonna be a monster! 
 
Whatcha got in the dehydrator???

 

[DocNrock]

 
Oh Doc... please don't feed me straight lines!

I must be ill!  I read this over and over and still don't get it!
 

Beautiful looking pod man, that is gonna be a monster! 
 
Whatcha got in the dehydrator???

Thanks, Matt!  Probably the coolest pod to date this season on my end.  In the dehydrator is a tray of orange, a tray of yellow, a tray of red chinense, and a tray of red annuum. 

 

[WalkGood]

Wow Doc, I didn’t realize that I had gotten behind over here, well either that or your pumping out the updates faster than all the pods popping out of all your beautiful plants. Every ting is very impressive, plants everywhere … I love dat \o/ Awesome looking Brain! But mon I love da look on that Peach Ghost Scorp, how do they taste?

 

[stickman]

I must be ill!  I read this over and over and still don't get it!

 
Sorry you're not feeling well Doc, and I hope you never eat one of those chinense pods and throw it back up again... Sorry... I've been working as a Hospice aide for 20 years and have ended up with a nonstandard sense of humor...

 

[GA Growhead]

Hope your feeling better today!
That is a cool yel brain! I'm hoping some of other plants out cool that shape soon though!
I'm prescribing a few red ripe annuums and a ripe c. chinense to give you vitamins and make you feel better for your trip!

 

[DocNrock]

 
Sorry you're not feeling well Doc, and I hope you never eat one of those chinense pods and throw it back up again... Sorry... I've been working as a Hospice aide for 20 years and have ended up with a nonstandard sense of humor...

 
Hahaha!  OK, now I get it.  Definitely not one to eat a whole pod.  I'll save that for the real men on this board!  And no prob on the sense of humor...we surgeons are in the same boat! 

Hope your feeling better today!
That is a cool yel brain! I'm hoping some of other plants out cool that shape soon though!
I'm prescribing a few red ripe annuums and a ripe c. chinense to give you vitamins and make you feel better for your trip!

Thanks, Jason!  Hope things have dried up on your end!

 

[DocNrock]

Wow Doc, I didn’t realize that I had gotten behind over here, well either that or your pumping out the updates faster than all the pods popping out of all your beautiful plants. Every ting is very impressive, plants everywhere … I love dat \o/ Awesome looking Brain! But mon I love da look on that Peach Ghost Scorp, how do they taste?

Ah, missed this one.  Thanks for stopping in, Ramon, and thank you for the kind comments.  Hope you are getting a bit of a respite from Andrea.  I haven't tried the Peach Ghost Scorp, but loved the look of it so I had to grow it.  Really looking forward to trying it!

 

[Devv]

That yellow brain is looking really good, from what I can see it's loaded with pods.
 
Hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[sicman]

sic???  arent you a doctor/ you should be able to take care of yourself better       get well!

 

[DocNrock]

sic???  arent you a doctor/ you should be able to take care of yourself better       get well!

Hahaha!  We get sick, too.     Anyway, coming along...see below!

That yellow brain is looking really good, from what I can see it's loaded with pods.
 
Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks, Scott.  Yes, it is!  But that is the one I have been waiting for. 
 
The smoker is fired up.  I have a duck on there with a cocoa/cumin/hot chile rub.  Pecan wood.  Of course, since the dehydrator is already going, I had to throw some chiles in the smoke, as well.  Once the chiles are smoked, I'll just add a tray to the dehydrator. 
Chiles ready for the smoker.  One tray of Doc's smoked powder on it's way!   
 

 
Duck has been on about a couple of hours...another hour to go.    Still plenty of smoke for the chiles. 
 

 

[StupidJerk]

Looking great! My plants are just starting to pod up while yours are ripening all over the place!

Hope you start feeling better.

 

[DocNrock]

Looking great! My plants are just starting to pod up while yours are ripening all over the place!

Hope you start feeling better.

Thanks Carson, on both counts! 
 
For those growing the Trinidad Scorp Green...how do you know when they are ripe?!?!?!   I have a plant loaded up with large pods...and have no idea if one (or more) is ripe or not!  D'oh!

 

[MGOLD86]

WOW!  I am sooooo trying that!  How does the duck take to the smoke? 
 
And I am the same way, since the smoker is fired up...you might as well toss some peppers on there!  I went through the deep freeze today and I have a TON of pods that need to get dealt with.  I am probably gonna make a ferment this week/weekend, but that will only take care of about a gallon...  I haven't smoked or dehydrated yellow pods, but your tray has got me cravin some yellows!

 

[DocNrock]

WOW!  I am sooooo trying that!  How does the duck take to the smoke? 
 
And I am the same way, since the smoker is fired up...you might as well toss some peppers on there!  I went through the deep freeze today and I have a TON of pods that need to get dealt with.  I am probably gonna make a ferment this week/weekend, but that will only take care of about a gallon...  I haven't smoked or dehydrated yellow pods, but your tray has got me cravin some yellows!

The duck took really well!  This was my first time smoking duck.  I've done chicken and turkey.  The duck is so fatty that it really took up the smoke well, and rendered out the fat too.  I read quite a bit about duck first.  Mesquite is a no no...too strong and bitter.  Pecan, other nut, or fruit wood is the ticket.  The pecan was awesome.  My favorite powder is yellows.  This one obviously will be a blend, but with the smoke, I expect it to be good. 
 
Thanks for stopping in, brotha!

 

[MGOLD86]

One more question, lol, do you some at low temps for the peppers (115 ish??)  or 225?  If low, do you have any tips to keep it low but lit?