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First time growing log

M

makphet

My favorite peppers are the Thai and Lao peppers, since most of my cooking requires them for the right flavor. Not very hot, burn stays for only few minutes after eating, and a nice pungency.
I planted in Jiffy pellets on 02/09/09, 3 to a pellet, with the lid using an old heating pad to speed germination. As soon as I saw sprouts, took off the lid. (Thanks to the other members with grow logs which I gleaned advice from!)
Germination rate was pretty good, almost 100% except one pellet which molded.

03/04
Just had these next to a south facing window, growing at a steady rate.
Growing_03-04.txt


03/06
Got one of those clamp lights with a reflective dish from the hardware store and a 6500k cfl bulb from Target, perfect for my small pallet. I was amazed at how growth improved after I put them under the light. They grew taller and the leaves opened up, better color. You can see the stems' color deepening.
Growing_03-06.txt


03/10
I noticed that growth had slowed down, I saw the tiny true leaves poking up but they didn't seem to come up. I was watering the pellets and when I checked the bottom, roots were barely poking out of the netting. I wanted to transplant but I'd read that I should wait for the true leaves to grow out. After two days and the true leaves were still pretty much the same, I figured they probably needed a richer growing medium. Got some potting soil and perlite, mixed it 10:1, wet it down and put them in plastic cups with holes punched in the bottom for drainage.
Except for a few puny ones which I pulled, there were all pretty healthy. Since I'd planted 3 seeds per hole per pellet, they were clustered together but the roots were only a little entwined. I couldn't bear to pinch them off so at the risk of killing them and root shock(!), I tore off the netting, gently broke the pellets in two or threes and put them into the cups. They were leggy so I buried the stems except for 1/2 an inch.
Growing_03-10.txt
 
03/14
To my relief, they were all fine after transplanting. Since I only have one clamp light, I have one group under the light and another group near the window. The grow light group took off, with the true leaves coming in and even the 2nd set are starting.
Growing_03-14_04.txt


The window group are growing at a slower but steady rate. Here's a picture comparing the root growth. On the left is one of the group under the grow light; its come down and out against the cup's wall. The window group's roots are still hiding.
Growing_03-14_compare.txt



I waited until I was sure that they were going to make it before reporting my results, thus the long post(s). Hopefully this will help other newbies who want to start small and basic.
I also just started 50 more pellets as a favor for my mother (she has a Thai restaurant), 20 jalepenos and 30 with seeds from the pods of the pepper plants she already had. They're probably a Lao or Thai, but variety unknown. Somehow, I'm up to my neck in chili-growing!
 
They're begining to take off Makphet, just some advice, try and get some darker cups to place the clear ones in, as the plants grow more the roots don't like day light.
 
JungleRain said:
as the plants grow more the roots don't like day light.
Click to expand...



I could be completely wrong here, or misheard perhaps, but I don't believe light will affect root growth, the only thing the roots require is 100% humidity and oxygen (besides the obvious) nutrients and water).

After they invented aeroponics they hung plants in the air and sprayed the roots with nutrient solution and water maintaining 100% humidity and the plants roots showed no negative effects from light.

disneyepcothangingroots.jpg




Makphet:

Do you have holes in the bottom of the cups so they can drain?
 
seedling progress and tiny white bugs

the seedlings seem to be doing well, the other day I took them out for an hour of sun and I was relieved that they took it well. I didn't have time today to bring them out definitely tomorrow.
03-20
03-20-09_pepper_seedlings.txt


on a sour note, yesterday I noticed that my basil had these tiny white bugs crawling through the soil. they leave the plants alone but I'm not sure if they're beneficial or harmful. I think they might be fungus knats or springtails; they're wing-less and they don't seem to jump. I bet this is because I watered them too soon after their previous watering; it seems to only be in the cups where the peat pellets weren't completely covered by the potting soil and the pellets stay too moist. I hope that these bugs aren't hiding beneath the surface of the soil in the peat of my pepper plants! Could somebody take a look at this picture and see if the little buggers are familiar? Just to be safe I sprayed some 50/50 water and alcohol on the soil of my pepper plants; I read somewhere that they might help dry of the eggs?
//maenang.tripod.com/gardening/bugs.JPG

Also, almost all 50 plugs that I planted the jalepenos and unknown Thais have sprouts! But with 2 to a plug, that makes 100 plants! I feel a little panic thinking about transplanting :shocked:
 
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