DocNrock's First Grow Log -- 2013 Grow Has Begun!

Hi all. I've learned so much from reading the Glogs of others that I've decided to put mine out there. Hopefully someone can say, "Hey, you're doing it wrong!" before its too late.

I got seeds from Refining Fire Chiles. The seeds were for Butch T, Bhuts, and Douglah. I soaked them overnight in water that I had boiled then cooled to room temp. All the seeds sank to the bottom, which I've read is a good thing. (?) Anyway, I got one of those 72 cell Jiffy Mini-Greenhouses with heater pad to germinate these. I didn't use the peat pellets. The germinating instructions that came with the seeds said not to use peat pots because of their acidity. I didn't know if this applied to the pellets or not, so I filled the tray with Organic Seed Starter Jiffy Mix. I sterilized it first by running boiling water through it in a sieve. I've since seen a number of posts on here using the peat pellets, so note to self they work.

Moving along, I've been watering (but not too much) with a misting bottle filled with boiled water that has 1/4 cup 3% H2O2 and 1 cup brewed chamomille tea in a total of one quart.

Here is my germination setup:

After four days, Hello little guy! Baby Butch T.

 

[DocNrock]

Baby Butch T reaching for the light:

New Butch T hook:

There is another Butch T hook forming, as well, but not very photogenic yet.

Question: Do the Butch T's typically germinate faster than the other strains I am growing? Nothing yet from the Bhuts or the Doughlahs. I do recognize it has only been five days. What is typical germination time for these strains?

So exciting to see the growth, but from all that I have read on this forum, so many potential things to go wrong each day.

Another question: Should I take the cover off the mini-greenhouse for some amount of time each day, or leave it on?

 

[TabascoKilla]

Your set up looks great. Youve got a great journey ahead of you my friend. Grow on! And dont forget. Pictures pictures pictures!

 

[DocNrock]

Thanks TabascoKilla. I will have to restrain myself from pictures as I would be tempted to post pics of every new seedling that pops up!

 

[SocalChilehead]

Looks great Doc. Typical germination for me was one or two weeks on a heatmat, but the could take up to month to germinate. I like to remove the lid for atleast an 30 mins to an hour from anything I use to start seeds this is personal preference. Like you stated anything could go wrong so keep a good eye. Will you keep them outside or inside for the winter season or will this be a complete indoor grow. Don't worry about overload everyone loves pics. Good Luck through the season. Welcome to THP

 

[DocNrock]

Looks great Doc. Typical germination for me was one or two weeks on a heatmat, but the could take up to month to germinate. I like to remove the lid for atleast an 30 mins to an hour from anything I use to start seeds this is personal preference. Like you stated anything could go wrong so keep a good eye. Will you keep them outside or inside for the winter season or will this be a complete indoor grow. Don't worry about overload everyone loves pics. Good Luck through the season. Welcome to THP

Thanks SocalChilehead. Appreciate the tip on removing the lid for a defined period of time each day, and appreciate the welcome.

I plan to sprout them inside, then when they have a few real leaves transplant them to small pots and gradually weather them outside.

 

[DocNrock]

Second Butch T sprout hull-bound:

There are three more Butch T hooks as of this morning. Nothing yet from the Bhuts or the Douglahs.

 

[DocNrock]

Got another Jiffy heated greenhouse and added to germination list: 7 pot Brain Strain and Moruga.

Now have 7 Butch T Scorps in various stages of germination and I have my first Bhut hook seedling! Nothing yet from the Douglahs. Its only been 6 days though.

I wonder how long it will take the Brains and the Morugas to sprout from seeds harvested from fresh pods.

 

[SocalChilehead]

Great new additions. Fresh seeds for me have always done better than from dried pods or last year seeds so probably not to long. What is you overall list looking like

 

[DocNrock]

Great new additions. Fresh seeds for me have always done better than from dried pods or last year seeds so probably not to long. What is you overall list looking like

Thanks and good to hear.

Overall list is pretty small relative to some of the incredibly impressive grow lists I've seen reading these glogs.

List:

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T
Bhut Jolokia
7 Pot Douglah
7 Pot Brain Strain
Moruga (Scorpion? Blend?)

 

[TabascoKilla]

Thanks TabascoKilla. I will have to restrain myself from pictures as I would be tempted to post pics of every new seedling that pops up!

No need to restrain yourself haha I love pictures! I like to see how my fellow pepper growers plants are doing. So post away!

 

[SocalChilehead]

Nice list threw the roof on heat scale. Good luck

 

[DocNrock]

Nice list threw the roof on heat scale. Good luck

Thanks, SocalChilehead.

As of this morning, there are 11 Butch T sprouts and 2 Bhut sprouts. Nothing yet from the Douglahs.

4 of the Butch T sprouts are about 2 inches tall, but don't have their first true leaves yet. At what point do you all put them into small pots/cups?

 

[Stefan_W]

Overall list is pretty small relative to some of the incredibly impressive grow lists I've seen reading these glogs.

My favourite glogs show people people growing peppers in their yard that they either eat themselves or share with good friends. Having a huge grow list and hundreds and hundreds of plants doesn't make you love the ones you are growing more. Just my two cents, not that anyone asked.

 

[SocalChilehead]

Thanks, SocalChilehead.

As of this morning, there are 11 Butch T sprouts and 2 Bhut sprouts. Nothing yet from the Douglahs.

4 of the Butch T sprouts are about 2 inches tall, but don't have their first true leaves yet. At what point do you all put them into small pots/cups?

Hey DocNrock normally what people recommend the roots have develop so by the second or third true leaves, but when I use soil rather than peat pellets I move them as soon as they sprout just make sure not to damage the single main stem. You can transfer it into a party cup 8 or 16 oz just make sure it a lite mix no fertilizers since they are still young peat moss, worm castings, & vermiculite or perlite has work for me during the starting stage, but like it is always said around the grow area "What works for me may not work for you". Hope this helps

My favourite glogs show people people growing peppers in their yard that they either eat themselves or share with good friends. Having a huge grow list and hundreds and hundreds of plants doesn't make you love the ones you are growing more. Just my two cents, not that anyone asked.

I do get pepper envy here and there through a few of pod pics, but my harvest is coming soon which helps

 

[DocNrock]

As of this morning, another Bhut hook! So far, 12 Butch T, 3 Bhut, 0 Douglah.

On a different note, after reading through these Glogs and seeing all the exotic peppers (purple this, white that, yellow this x that, etc.) I thought I'd try something to expand. I ordered a "Mystery Box O Peppers" from Baker's Peppers. If I get anything exotic looking, I plan to plant the seeds, as well, given that the cells occupied by my Butch T seedlings are about to become vacant.

 

[DocNrock]

Update with photos:

Butch T's:

Bhuts:

I was out of town for a couple of days. Before I left, I had planted the seeds from the a large very red brain strain and from a smaller moruga. When I got back today, about three days after the seeds were put in the mini greeenhouse cells, I was amazed:

You were very right, SocalChilihead!

 

[Stefan_W]

Thanks for the pics! When the seeds start popping it is one of my favourite phases. It is almost as exciting as when the plants are a sea of red later on in the season.

Man, I put "pooping" instead of "popping" in my reply, and luckily I caught it and hit the edit right away. I really have to stop spending so much time in the vermicomposting threads.

 

[DocNrock]

I really have to stop spending so much time in the vermicomposting threads.

Hahaha! Nice.

It is cool when the seeds pop. Thanks for stopping by!

On a different note:

I recognize this probably varies greatly, but once the sprouts are upright and have spread their cotyledons, how long until the first true leaves show up?

Thanks

 

[DocNrock]

Update:

I finally got a Douglah hook! Yay!

On a different note, I'm trying something that I haven't seen on this website yet. It makes sense to me, but maybe I am wrong. The seedlings don't seem to mind it (yet, anyway). I wanted to get them out of the mini-greenhouse so they could get light, etc. I got some clear cups from the grocery store and potted them in the following way: Potting mix sterilized with boiling water then put into clear cups. Made an indent in the center for seedling mix. Carefully spooned out the seedlings from the Jiffy-tray with most of the starting mix and put it in the indent. It has been a couple of days since I did this and they don't seem to mind it. One of my Bhut seedlings did curl its cotyledons for about an hour, then stretched them out again.

At first I took out everything that had sprouted an put it in a cup. There are so many that are hull-bound though, that I want to wait until their cotyledons are free of the seed hull to put them in a cup.