Well some history and updates:
A gardener for several years, and a newbee to the world of Super Hots I got started and hooked last season when I got "wind " of the Carolina Reaper. Better late than never, I sowed seeds very early April, found this great forum, and bought some additional plants from Mad Hill Peppers. The knowledge that flows freely here was and is invaluable.
So, this season I got started way earlier and sowed some seeds at the end of January. Got off to a great start but let roughly a half of the plants dry out. I had to nurse them back and for the most part they are doing OK. Stepped them them into 3.5 " containers, into custom blend of soil, compost, grow mix, ect. Then I sowed a second batch and they got growing.
All this is being done inside using heat mat and t8 lights.
Now the problem. Fungus Gnats and more fungus gnats. Didn't think much of them other than pests until I realized my 2nd batch of peppers were growing way slow. Upon reading more on this forum about them eating the roots, I pulled em up and sure enough the roots are badly damaged. I repotted using only growmix. (I think I introduced them into the house via my soil mix).
Finally this weekend I moved everything into the greenhouse (unheated). Nighttime lows are still in the low to mid 40's but I felt the need to get them out of the house. a little early to tell but so far so good. Below are some photos of where I'm at with them. (Just prior to moving them into the greenhouse.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FAssam-Jolokia-10days-after-stripping_zpsba199fe9.jpg&hash=c97811195f51726099b94ce4c719dedd)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FPeppers-April-22-5_zpsffa52178.jpg&hash=2c701119fa731fc1bf3041c085fe36d5)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FWinterOverHabanero-4-22_zps0ff3a6ba.jpg&hash=2ebcde98e1c3bd1bb27f03efdfad2a91)
(Progress on a overwintered Habanero)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FWinterOverReaper-4-22-B_zps4696f3b1.jpg&hash=30ea96efadafb95d30683b65acb46384)
(Progress on a overwintered Reaper)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FPeppers-April-22-4_zpsf372070a.jpg&hash=ce9c2eb4cfcf7c5ba144d479c4fb6ac6)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FBrainStrain-BeforeWEB_zps130558a6.jpg&hash=1e0d1749b1652e80fbce41ce0e6d30ca)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FBrainStrain-After_zpsf4372360.jpg&hash=d06f751b3efd0740bfd0c567c88cf925)
Trying the "stripping" pruning on some.
I'm getting some "puckering " on some leaves. (See the leaves on the "After Stripping" on the Brainstrain) DO you think adding CalMag to my Fert program would be advisable?
A gardener for several years, and a newbee to the world of Super Hots I got started and hooked last season when I got "wind " of the Carolina Reaper. Better late than never, I sowed seeds very early April, found this great forum, and bought some additional plants from Mad Hill Peppers. The knowledge that flows freely here was and is invaluable.
So, this season I got started way earlier and sowed some seeds at the end of January. Got off to a great start but let roughly a half of the plants dry out. I had to nurse them back and for the most part they are doing OK. Stepped them them into 3.5 " containers, into custom blend of soil, compost, grow mix, ect. Then I sowed a second batch and they got growing.
All this is being done inside using heat mat and t8 lights.
Now the problem. Fungus Gnats and more fungus gnats. Didn't think much of them other than pests until I realized my 2nd batch of peppers were growing way slow. Upon reading more on this forum about them eating the roots, I pulled em up and sure enough the roots are badly damaged. I repotted using only growmix. (I think I introduced them into the house via my soil mix).
Finally this weekend I moved everything into the greenhouse (unheated). Nighttime lows are still in the low to mid 40's but I felt the need to get them out of the house. a little early to tell but so far so good. Below are some photos of where I'm at with them. (Just prior to moving them into the greenhouse.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FAssam-Jolokia-10days-after-stripping_zpsba199fe9.jpg&hash=c97811195f51726099b94ce4c719dedd)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FPeppers-April-22-5_zpsffa52178.jpg&hash=2c701119fa731fc1bf3041c085fe36d5)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FWinterOverHabanero-4-22_zps0ff3a6ba.jpg&hash=2ebcde98e1c3bd1bb27f03efdfad2a91)
(Progress on a overwintered Habanero)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FWinterOverReaper-4-22-B_zps4696f3b1.jpg&hash=30ea96efadafb95d30683b65acb46384)
(Progress on a overwintered Reaper)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FPeppers-April-22-4_zpsf372070a.jpg&hash=ce9c2eb4cfcf7c5ba144d479c4fb6ac6)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FBrainStrain-BeforeWEB_zps130558a6.jpg&hash=1e0d1749b1652e80fbce41ce0e6d30ca)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi778.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy67%2FValleyman_bucket%2F2014%2520GARDEN%2FBrainStrain-After_zpsf4372360.jpg&hash=d06f751b3efd0740bfd0c567c88cf925)
Trying the "stripping" pruning on some.
I'm getting some "puckering " on some leaves. (See the leaves on the "After Stripping" on the Brainstrain) DO you think adding CalMag to my Fert program would be advisable?