First Glog - 2015

Hello world:
 
My name is Nick.  I am from Indiana, about half way between Ft. Wayne and South Bend.
 
My screen name stems from my background in automotive hobbies.  I am married with cats and am lucky enough to have a wife that loves hot peppers.  I am a mechanical engineer by degree and own a photography business on the side.
 
I spent last year stalking this forum and decided to post my grow this year.
 
Last year we grew:
 
Ancho
Long slim red cayenne
Hungarian wax
Caribbean red hot
Ghosts
Reapers
 
Our favorites were the red hots and the reapers.  They seemed to have the most fruity pepper flavor to compliment the heat.   
 
On 02.22.15 we planted a Burpee 72 count starter tray we found on sale.  Here is the layout with the cover removed.  Top of the table is the back row.
 

 
 

 
The bold entries were saved form last year.  I left the seeds in a east facing window too long, hopefully the sun didn't cook them. 
 
I had reapers, red hots, scorpions, ghosts, habeneros and jalapenos drying in separate containers when the cat decided to make a harvest mix for us.  I might need help identifying any sprouts.
 
The mix consists of anaheim, ancho, long slim red cayenne, jalapeno and hungarian wax.
 
The planter is in a south facing window.  The temperature averages 65 degrees in that part of my poorly insulated house.  I think I should invest in a heating mat.  Suggestions?  Should I keep it on 24-7 or put it on a timer?
 
Many thanks for all of the info. on this forum!

 

[NeedsWork]

Had some crowding issues with some of the seed packet cells.
 

 

 
Carefully moved them to cups.
 

 
Haven't touched any of the super hots.  The reapers have really taken off.
 

 
FINALLY 1 of 2 ghost seeds decided to show up to the party.  
 

 
 

Nice job!  Some of your babies are really stretching for light.  You might want to bring it lower.

 
This should remedy the light issue... for the cups at least.  I moved the cilantro and chives to the window.  Pepper real estate only!
 

 

[NeedsWork]

My order from Pepper Joe's showed up in under a week.  It took Amazon longer to ship the planter from their warehouse.
 

 
Wife put one of the ghost pods on some garlic chicken and potatoes.  I had a slice of one plain and man it was tasty!  Haven't had a good pod since fall.
 

 
Then I did some planting.  Mostly two seeds in each.  Some got three.  Who will win the race?!
 
EDIT: Missed a row... duh.  I need better tables.
 

 

[Runescape]

Wow, nice varieties man...

 

[Sawyer]

Who will win the race?!

 
I'm gonna say one of the Habs.

 

[Runescape]

I'm gonna say one of the Habs.

Imma say one of dem annuums...Sapporo it is

 

[NeedsWork]

Wow, nice varieties man...

 
Thanks!  Trying to expand my horizon.
 
First germ goes to a shallow Butch T in A1.  ~14 hours after planting.
 

 
For the record, I did not follow Pepper Joe's instructions.  This is a validation of my own methods.
 
I heated one gallon of distilled water to almost a boil.
 

 
I ladled out a large 'cup' and brewed a strong batch of camomile/chamomile tea.
 

 
I then put the tea bag in the remaining water and poured half of the strong solution back in the pot.  Once the weak tea solution was brewed, I ladled it into individual cups and let it cool to 83 degrees F.
 

 
I soaked the seeds in the weak tea solution for two hours.  I used the remainder of the solution to hydrate a Jiffy 72 grow tray.
 
While waiting I selected the largest of the sprouts from my first pepper grow tray and potted them in cups.
 
Tray 1

 
Tray 2
 

 
I had already re-potted some of the cells.  I had germination in nearly every cell with the exception of 1 or 2.  Due to space constraints I had to move this tray to the window box after my second round of re-potting.
 
Reaper cup 16 days after planting harvested seeds.
 
 

 
Ghost cup 16 days after planting harvested seeds.  Photo taken immediately after re-planting, hence the reaching.  The leaves have since flattened out. 

 

[NeedsWork]

First hook - Red Moruga
 
Germination has been slower than expected... three days later.  
 

 

               

 

[NeedsWork]

More hooks
 

 
Ghost

 
Tasmanian Hab

 
Cilantro loves the new dirt

 
Reapers are slow but new leaves are starting

 
 
 

 

Ghost took off

 
Jalapenos are picking up the pace

 
 
Cayenne 

 

 

 


Pepper mix seed packet cup

 
Habs

 


 

 

[Runescape]

First hook - Red Moruga
 

               

weird, never seen a red hook before lol...
 
color-coded excel sheet is neat...

 

[NeedsWork]

weird, never seen a red hook before lol...
 
color-coded excel sheet is neat...

 
Maybe I'm crazy.
 
 
Upgraded the lighting today.
6500k T8 x 4
5000k T8 x 2
3000k T8 x 2
 
At 80% efficiency that puts the 60" x 18" grow box at ~2,500 lum/ft^2.
 

 

[Runescape]

Maybe I'm crazy.

never grown a red moruga either, tho...
 
Nice setup...

 

[NeedsWork]

 

never grown a red moruga either, tho...
 
Nice setup...

 

 
Thanks!  It speaks to the advice provided early on... you don't have to spend a lot to start peppers.
 
 
Going to try to take 30 plants outside this year.  Minimum, I would like 1 of each. 
 
 
First pepper germ tray is loving the window.  There is an all out brawl in the cull cells.
 

 
 
Cups
5 spinach left (edit)
1 raspberry
remainder are peppers
 

 
Pepper germ tray 2 = boring.  I've had good luck uncovering after the first hooks.  
 

 

[Runescape]

 
1 raspberry

Neat idea, ive always been too lazy to try this...

 

[NeedsWork]

Neat idea, ive always been too lazy to try this...

 
Meijer had them on sale.  Broke it down to roots, stem and a node with leaves.  Curious to see if they all take root in a cup-o-dirt.  The roots have already sprouted leaves.  The node with leaves has wilted significantly, probably due to lack of root support.  The stem looks like a stick.      

 

[Runescape]

Meijer had them on sale.  Broke it down to roots, stem and a node with leaves.

oh lol, thought you were trying to grow them from seed...
 
Any idea what variety it was?

 

[Akalabeth]

Needwork, your plants are looking great! You've inspired me to take some trips to find some metal shelving!

 

[NeedsWork]

oh lol, thought you were trying to grow them from seed...
 
Any idea what variety it was?

 
I'll check the next time I am at meijer.
 
The second tray has been planted for one week.  I am still waiting for several to show up to the party.  
 

 
A-F

 
G-L

 
 Happy Saint Patty's Day! 

 

[NeedsWork]

I think eight T-8 bulbs is too much for the seedlings.  This looks like sunburn to me.  
 
 
Cayenne from under the lights:
 

 
Same age Cayenne from window box:
 

 
All of the Cayenne plants look similar.  
 
 
EDIT
 
Both window seedlings and those under the lights are watered when dry with distilled water.
The temperature of the light box is ~81F
The temperature of the window box is ~60F - 65F
 
I turned off one of the T-8 fixtures leaving four bulbs on.  The remaining T-8 fixture is ~6" above the seedlings.  Lights are on 6 am - 11 pm, or 17 / 7 if my math is correct.
2x 6000k 
1x 5000k
1x 3000k
 
I also added a fan which will run for a few hours each night bringing in 65F air from the room.

 

[Sawyer]

I use only 6 bulbs and have good results.  You have two 4-bulb fixtures?  Where did you find those?  Can you just disconnect one bulb in each fixture?  Four bulbs might be enough, but I think 6 would be better.  What is the lumen rating for those bulbs?  2900 or 2600?  I've seen GE bulbs for sale that appear exactly the same except on one package the bulbs are rated at 2600 lumens and on one they are rated at 2900 lumens.  Same temperature rating and everything.  I assume it reflects an advance in manufacturing technology.

 

[NeedsWork]

I use only 6 bulbs and have good results.  You have two 4-bulb fixtures?  Where did you find those?  Can you just disconnect one bulb in each fixture?  Four bulbs might be enough, but I think 6 would be better.  What is the lumen rating for those bulbs?  2900 or 2600?  I've seen GE bulbs for sale that appear exactly the same except on one package the bulbs are rated at 2600 lumens and on one they are rated at 2900 lumens.  Same temperature rating and everything.  I assume it reflects an advance in manufacturing technology.

 
Four bulb T-8  They were on sale.
 
I have two 4-bulb fixtures hooked up and two 2-bulb fixtures that are not hooked up.  I can fit one 4-bulb and one 2-bulb perfectly over the shelf.  
 
6000k and 3000k bulbs are 2900 lumens 
5000k bulbs are 2600 lumens 
 
Grow shelf is 7.5 ft^2.
 
Original four bulb setup:
6000k x 2
3000k x 1
5000k x 1
 
11,300 lumens
1,507 lumens / ft^2 at 100% of rated output
 
Current eight bulb setup (but running four bulbs due to sunburn):
6000k x 4
3000k x 2
5000k x 2
 
22,600 lumens
3,013 lumens / ft^2 at 100% of rated output
 
Potential six bulb setup:
6000k x 4
3000k x 1
5000k x 1
 
17,100 lumens
2,280 lumens / ft^2 at 100% of rated output