Guru's Glog 2012

Is it that time again already? Feels like yesterday I was picking final harvests, disonnecting drip lines out in the garden and digging up pepper plants for the winter. Where does the time go?

Anyhow, I see people are already in full swing here on THP. What a lovely site. I'll be the first to admit, I'm running a little late this year, but I have an excuse I'm prepared to live with....

I needed a vacation! Well that, and a good friend of mine asked if I wanted to open up a restaurant in Thailand. Who says no to that? Not I.

We had a great time. Its paradise, and very cheap. Above all, as a chili head, Thai food is a gift from God himself. I ate better and fresher food than you could ever get in the US, for pennies a meal. The trip was awesome. I think Im even suffering from seperation anxiety...lol I couldn't even begin to go into all the things that happened on this trip, without this starting to sound like more of a blog than a GLOG, so I'll spare you guys for now.

Anyway, down to business. Before I left, I started a 72 cell super hot tray and pulled the mothers from last year outside.

The lady bugs went to work on the mothers, and I felt confident that Mrs. Guru could take care of the germination while I was away.

Now, I'd be lying if I said I never worried for a second while I was away. I had already started my seeds a week or two later than usual and now I was going to be gone while they were supposed to be "born"....lol but I knew the better option for my sanity was to let go, remember I was on vacation and not think about the seeds. Im glad I did, because the ole lady did ok!

I got back, germ rates were near 100% and it was on to potting up!

Quick make shift shade house for the tender seedlings after a transplant and a break in the clouds.

.......

 

[spongey600]

OH man, i love the fatalii! i cannot wait till mine gets pods! i have not been able to eat one since last year, and my plant is just now set its first pod! your plants are truely amazing! once day i will try your fish stew! but for now its too stanky for my neighborhood!

what is the key to growing in the smart pots? i have some that i am going to use but want to see if you have any pointers!

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Dude... I've already seen food inc.. My wife and I just finished watching that Monsanto film. That's some pretty scary and crazy shit right there. Talk about "playing God" and getting away with it. Anyway, your plants are lookin good as always buddy. That brainstrain's growth rate is unbelieveable. You have some good taste in beer! 60minute IPA? 90min? Both one of my favorite IPAs out there! Hope all is well
Brandon

Yeah, F**k monsanto. The Brain is crazy right? lol I didn't expect it this soon! Love DFH brews. He wrote a great book on his biz, and my buddy thats starting the brew pub with me is reading it right now. Lots of inspiration for our pub

OH man, i love the fatalii! i cannot wait till mine gets pods! i have not been able to eat one since last year, and my plant is just now set its first pod! your plants are truely amazing! once day i will try your fish stew! but for now its too stanky for my neighborhood!

what is the key to growing in the smart pots? i have some that i am going to use but want to see if you have any pointers!

Light airy mix, full of humus(decomposing materials). Lets the roots ROCKET through the soil and the symbiosis between the decaying fungi and the roots is really what you're going for. See all that trichoderma on the sides of the containers? Yeah...mmmmm

 

[Pulpiteer]

I really dig the permaculture stuff man! I have yet to try and incorporate much of the practice around our place, mainly because we've always leased property from family, but as soon as we make the move out towards Arizona and buy our first home on some property, you can rest assured that I will be getting into it heavy. It's all about flowing structures and harvesting nature's processes to best advantage possible. Love it.
The other forum is GrassCity. I moderate the grow sections over there. Im an expat from the Overgrow shutdown and like thousands of growers, moved over to the City in hopes of finding some great people to grow and learn with. Im gald I did. Come by sometime and see the other garden!

Gotcha - I'm checking it out, clicked into the organic growing section. Cool - thanks. With hemp not really being my thing I kind of chuckle at how much the hot pepper community intersects with the hemp growing community. I have noticed is that it is some serious growing.

I think I'm digging the permaculture stuff too, although my head feels like its swimming with the information. I'm reading Gaia's Garden right now and that's been a good read. I'm putting some wood chips down around my plants now mainly to encourage fungal growth and dampness and so forth. I got a large pile free from a friend who works for the city, so it's a good mixture of stuff. Plant diversity and then micro-organism diversity is part of what I'm picking up from it. Fascinating stuff - and I love the aspect of stewarding or care taking of the land, not ravaging it.

Your plants look awesome btw. I'm going to try to overwinter again this year. I failed last year. Discovered how much I hate aphids. I'll just keep trying and learning. Your plants that are several years old are a good motivation. They are like tree trunks.

 

[Sanarda]

Where do you purchase the brain strain seeds??

 

[Sethsquatch]

Nice update brother! Stuff is really taking off. That GA weather is a perfect grow environment! Rooster I got from you is starting to spread it's wings and peppers are podding up over here too. Now, just lots of waiting and inspecting. Got some real funky new leaf growth. When I snap a pic, I'll grab some knowledge if you know anything about it. Cheers! Went to Dogfish Head Brewery when we were at Peppers on the Beach. Good stuff man.

 

[SocalChilehead]

Wow perfection they look amazing can not wait to see a tub fatalii harvest video again.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Gotcha - I'm checking it out, clicked into the organic growing section. Cool - thanks. With hemp not really being my thing I kind of chuckle at how much the hot pepper community intersects with the hemp growing community. I have noticed is that it is some serious growing.

I think I'm digging the permaculture stuff too, although my head feels like its swimming with the information. I'm reading Gaia's Garden right now and that's been a good read. I'm putting some wood chips down around my plants now mainly to encourage fungal growth and dampness and so forth. I got a large pile free from a friend who works for the city, so it's a good mixture of stuff. Plant diversity and then micro-organism diversity is part of what I'm picking up from it. Fascinating stuff - and I love the aspect of stewarding or care taking of the land, not ravaging it.

Your plants look awesome btw. I'm going to try to overwinter again this year. I failed last year. Discovered how much I hate aphids. I'll just keep trying and learning. Your plants that are several years old are a good motivation. They are like tree trunks.

Yes there are similarities that lap over between solanaceae family (peppers included) and cannabaceae (hemp, hops) but not many. The two most important things they share is their nutrient requirements at the early stages of growth, and the effect the fruits have on the grower once injested. Other than that there are definately few characteristics the two share. Like photoperiod, stages of growth habbit, reproduction. They are quite different when you get down to it.

Where do you purchase the brain strain seeds??

Cappy sent me a nice care package to try out

Nice update brother! Stuff is really taking off. That GA weather is a perfect grow environment! Rooster I got from you is starting to spread it's wings and peppers are podding up over here too. Now, just lots of waiting and inspecting. Got some real funky new leaf growth. When I snap a pic, I'll grab some knowledge if you know anything about it. Cheers! Went to Dogfish Head Brewery when we were at Peppers on the Beach. Good stuff man.

Yeah its just now really getting hot during the day. All this cool, wet wheather killed me out in the mounds with my peppers this year. Its pitiful. Next year Im going raised mound beds with pine straw under hardwood mulch. I am starting to listen to the "mulch" it knows things I dont.

Wow perfection they look amazing can not wait to see a tub fatalii harvest video again.

I hope she does well this year. She looks good so far, but I shouldve re done her container. Im pumping in good stuff every week though. Just got a nice barrel for lots of brew

 

[Justaguy]

Might need a step ladder for harvest this year.
What does the Red Fatalii taste like?
I am sure you remember last year and my misnaming the Fatalii/Red Savina cross so I am curious as to the tast of a true Red Fatalii.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Might need a step ladder for harvest this year.
What does the Red Fatalii taste like?
I am sure you remember last year and my misnaming the Fatalii/Red Savina cross so I am curious as to the tast of a true Red Fatalii.

Ya know, now that you mention it, the red fatalii does taste like a red savina a bit. More like a really fruity carrebean. Not so much like that citrusy smoke pallette a real fatalii has.

 

[Cayennemist]

The girls are looking good. I cant believe how fast that BS is growing. I just hooked my official Cappy BS (thanks Spongey).

Do you put your seedlings out in full sun from the get go?

I have a feeling you are going to be sitting on some of the hottest peppers out there.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Yep full sun from sprout April on out. Lets hope the flavor matches the heat!

 

[Cayennemist]

Yep full sun from sprout April on out. Lets hope the flavor matches the heat!

The one I tried was so hot I couldn't taste anything. The burps after tasted fruity. That was a young one from a hydro plant.
The brix on a organic beast like that is going to be crazy. Those are going to be sooo hot! You should get a cheap little Refractometer or what ever they are and share with us the brix as im sure it will be insane.

 

[Jamison]

Great harvest on the fatalii man! That seedling looks amazing already. I had to rip mine out and burn em. I didn't start any from seed this year so I ended up getting a couple from a nursery, needless to say that was a mistake. 2 weeks after I planted them the aphids started to appear all over em. Got rid of em once, then back they came. So i pulled em and threw em on the fire. So I'll have to wait till next year my friend. Happy growing Rich!

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Good rain last night. Plants are finally starting to grow. Look at this crazy brain strain cluster!

Here's the same pods I pictured a few days ago.

Honey bees eating/drinking aact tea from the drain holes on some containers...cool!

 

[Pinoy83]

Your tea prolly so sweet even the bees fallin in love with it like your monster plants

O btw can I use the dried fishes that they selling at asian stores?can I powder them and mix in water?if yes what benifit will it give to the plants?

 

[Cayennemist]

Good rain last night. Plants are finally starting to grow. Look at this crazy brain strain cluster!

Like a friggn' tomato. Crazy!

 

[seaman]

that 7-year-old red fatalii is just fantastic, I wish I will have such a long-lasting plant in the future

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Your tea prolly so sweet even the bees fallin in love with it like your monster plants

O btw can I use the dried fishes that they selling at asian stores?can I powder them and mix in water?if yes what benifit will it give to the plants?

Saw your pm, was just getting back to you. I dont see why it wouldnt be good. It wont have the same punch that the whole fresh fish will have, naturally, but it will be better than nothing!

Like a friggn' tomato. Crazy!

I know right! Serious podage.

that 7-year-old red fatalii is just fantastic, I wish I will have such a long-lasting plant in the future

You planning on overwintering a few? Its easy man.

 

[Pinoy83]

Saw your pm, was just getting back to you. I dont see why it wouldnt be good. It wont have the same punch that the whole fresh fish will have, naturally, but it will be better than nothing!


I know right! Serious podage.

oh ok i thought your inbox was full so i just ask here in your glog, because if i use this stinky fish i have a feeling that neighbors will complain i live in a subdivision, and i have a 2gallon sealed with half water and fish parts i shake them weekly, and if i use the dried ones run it to the blender it will smell also but not like rotten kind

 

[Pepper-Guru]

well the fermintation adds a lot to the overall makeup. think "throwing a fish under the root zone and how it ferments before the roots get to it"