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!

 

[Sawyer]

I vote for door number 3.  Though I am surprised your current setup with all 8 bulbs going would cause a problem.  Maybe that particular plant is just like that.  On the other hand, maybe you can run just 6 bulbs until they develop their first set of true leaves, then move up to 7, then 8.  I know a lot of people are dumping way more light than that on their plants without problem, and with increased growth rates over what I achieve.
 
It's primarily the fact that 3 2-bulb shop lights fit so well across a ~2'x4' area that led me to this arrangement in the first place, around 30 years ago.  I wasn't growing peppers then, but what worked then, works now.
 
Last Tuesday I had some lab time and took spectra of GE bulbs with all three temperature ratings, 3000K, 5000K, and 6500K.  I need to do some post processing, but I'll post them in my glog in a few days.  They are quite interesting.

 

[NeedsWork]

Last Tuesday I had some lab time and took spectra of GE bulbs with all three temperature ratings, 3000K, 5000K, and 6500K.  I need to do some post processing, but I'll post them in my glog in a few days.  They are quite interesting.

 
I await the results with baited breath!
 
On happier news, all varieties have germinated.  They have been in the dirt for nine days.  After turning four bulbs off and adding a fan, the seedlings have gotten much darker green.   I took care of the greenish mold like stuff with a weak hydrogen peroxide solution after taking the shot.
 

\
 
 

 

[NeedsWork]

Now the waiting game begins.  
 

 
Bulbs are arranged:
6000k
6000k
3000k
5000k
6000k
6000k

 

[NeedsWork]

Everybody was fed.  There was extensive culling.
 

 

\

 
Original window tray

 
Original reapers

 
Reaper from the Pepper Joe's tray

 
Butch T from the Pepper Joe's tray

 
It is interesting how the window reapers have grown taller where the grow box reapers have started putting out new leaves.  I suppose it speaks to the amount of available light.
 

 

[PaulG]

Hey, Nick, glad you decided to join the growlogosphere fun
this season.  Looks like you are off to a good start.

 

[NeedsWork]

So maybe I was a little strong with the hardening off process... may only the strong survive! 
 

 

[D3monic]

Even the cup melted... that's rough!  

 

[Sawyer]

Bummer.  Has it shown any life since, or is it toast?

 

[PaulG]

Ouch!  And people think growing peppers is easy!
 
I hope they bounce back for you.

 

[NeedsWork]

Even the cup melted... that's rough!  

 
 

Bummer.  Has it shown any life since, or is it toast?

 
 

Ouch!  And people think growing peppers is easy!
 
I hope they bounce back for you.

 
I was a doofus and thought the low setting on the heater was output.  It turns out it was an ambient temp sensor and it kicked on full blast.  In the few seconds it was on it managed to scorch a couple of the seedlings from the original tray.  Luckily none of the seedlings from the PJ tray were hurt.
 
Luckily I have a few backups in the original tray.
 
24 hours later

 
Original / Window Tray

 
Grow box with the burn victims in the last shot.  

 

[PaulG]

It looks like most of them made it okay.  Even that one in the
first pic looks like it has a new leaf coming.   The coty stage is
a real baby sitting job, for sure.  
 
Turned the thermostat down?  
If it wasn't sad, it would be funny!
 
You are not alone, we've all done some real bonehead stuff                            

 

[NeedsWork]

Tentative plant out date for ~30 plants is 5/30.  To hopefully kick things in high gear, the lights will be on 24/7 until then.  In the first 36 hours I have noticed a dramatic amount of first true leaves coming out.
 
My poor sunburn solo Ghost from last year's seeds put out some massive first true leaves.

 
PJ Giant Ghost that is two weeks younger is catching up fast.

 
Yellow Hab gave up on getting the helmet off of its cotys and put out true leaves.  Almost culled the poor guy but now he looks stronger than his friend.

 
Two nearly identical sprouts from the original grow tray.  One will go under the lights, the other in the window.  Terrible comparison photos.  They looked the same in the tray.  Who will win?

 
I expanded the window grow box to a full shelf.  There is a foil/foam cover (not shown) that blocks it in.  

 
 
 
 

 

[Runescape]

Who will win?

Im sayin the one under the lights goin 24/7...
 
Looks like the raspberry survived, neat...

 

[PaulG]

+1 #53!

 

[NeedsWork]

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

 
I must confess... It was a stick.  
 
First PJ tray germ tied between the Ghost and the Tasmanian Hab.
 
Speaking of hab, it is going to be a monster!

 
Original ghost, OG ghost as I have named it, continues to spread its wings.  Purchased the mother plant from the only pepper seller at a junk sale in my birth city 3 hours away.  Randomly decided to take the exit and check out the sale.  Had to buy his only ghost.  

 
EDIT: Big ol' peckers have been frequenting my feeders.

 

[Runescape]

 

I must confess... It was a stick.   

lol, happens to the best of us...

 

On happier news, all varieties have germinated.

Sounds like you got at least one red moruga to germ though...

 

[NeedsWork]

 
Sounds like you got at least one red moruga to germ though...
 

 
Yep - I picked my top 30 today.  It includes one of each of the varieties from the PJ tray.  This group will go outside as weather allows.  

 
A few of the stronger ones went out today for five hours.

 
I want to order 30 grow bags.  Greenhouse Megastore is the cheapest bulk supplier I have found.
 
I need advice regarding container size.   My growing season will hopefully run from mid May through the end of October.  My reading tells me that 15 gallons should be plenty.  The cost difference in containers isn't huge but I do not want to spend the time and money mixing soil that will never be utilized.  I'll continue to research but any advice for the novice is much appreciated!  
 
EDIT: 30 cups loving the sun today.
 

 

[NeedsWork]

This week I grew tired of fighting mold after it almost killed the sprout in the back left corner.  Every plant seems to grow at a different rate under the same conditions.  
 

 

 

[NeedsWork]

I've been under watering a little bit.  Everyone seems to be happy except for my single chocolate hab.
 

 

 

[Sawyer]

I need advice regarding container size.   My growing season will hopefully run from mid May through the end of October.  My reading tells me that 15 gallons should be plenty.  The cost difference in containers isn't huge but I do not want to spend the time and money mixing soil that will never be utilized.  I'll continue to research but any advice for the novice is much appreciated! 

 
You can grow some monster plants in 15 gallon containers.  The largest I've ever used is 5 gallon grow bags from HD and I've had nearly full-sized plants in those.  (Compared to my usual in-ground plants.)  A lot of growers use 5-gallon buckets.  I've also used #3 and #5 nursery pots with success.  The #3s are roughly 3 gal and the #5s are less than 5 gal.  I've even used #1 nursery pots (~3 quarts) to successfully produce full-sized pods.  As the pot size gets smaller, nutrition and watering become more critical.