Highest possible chili density per square meter

SciurusDoomus

SciurusDoomus

Goal:
 
I grow in my dorm room closet with a 400W HPS bulb. It's great because I can control everything that goes on in the small space with my Raspberry Pi, but it's also a really small space that limits me to two plants at the moment. I have a Bhut Jolokia and a jalapeno sharing the space, each in 7gal pots. If I were to look into the highest chili density per square meter to max out my closet space, what should I start looking at?
 
Constraints:
 
  • I want to use the same light
  • I want to use only the space inside the closet, horizontally and vertically
  • I don't care about soil medium, fertilizer contents, or breeds of peppers. This is a hypothetical experiment to see what I should use for a large number of chilis
My guess is that I could probably use 6 5gal buckets with one plant each. If I used the "Sea of Green" method that cannabis users do, I could probably produce a 3'x4'x1' mass of plants. If I topped and pruned properly, that sounds like a helluva lot of pods! What do you all think?
 
S
 
I think that you will end up with a couple of very large Chinense plants that will completely overwhelm the annums. Chinense plants grow much larger than annums like jalapenos.
 
To answer your question, I think 4 plants will be all you can grow if you plan on keeping them under the light full time.
 
If I were to do this, I wouldn't have a mix of species. More like one cultivar that's known to be prolific and, maybe, prefers to be crowded.
 
If I were to do that. I would probably grow aribibi gusano. They are compact, prolific and tasty as hell with a fair amount of heat. Mine is doing its second crop for the year at the moment and I guesstimate that there are about 150 chillis on a plant that is 30cm high and about 40cm dia. Since they are a smaller plant you could grow them from the sides of the cupboard as well I suppose. What about white bullet habs, or chupentinha?  Both are prolific,but my taste buds would say go the Aribibi. I didnt top my plant but I could imagine what it would be like if I did. Will be interested to see/hear what you finally go with.
 
White bullet habs look insane. Those might be my choice... Unfortunately it looks like the lady who runs pepperlover.com doesn't sell them anymore even though she did in the past... Going to have to keep searching.
 
Just go to PEPPERGURU's 2013 grow log and look at his Rooster Spur pic... (Page 31 about half way down...!).
Insane amount of Peppers and a compact plant to boot, also he says that they are fiery and lots of flavour (if anything like a Bird's Eye, should be tasty).
But that would be my suggestion.
Mark
 
I have white bullet hab seeds if you want they are OP

If you like Tabascos they would also be a good choice, Mine produce so many pods I throw them away daily. 
 
Use the third dimension.  Have staggered levels so the growing plants form a sphere around the light.
 
Try out some of those inverted pots to utilize the space above the light.
 
Disclaimer:  May be terrible advice.
 
Love Wulfs idea. I added a shelf to my 3.5 x 3.5 growbox running a 600w HPS and it allows me to fit about 4 more small plants. Our grow spaces are probably volumetrically about the same size :)

iasj.jpg

Interestingly enough, I think the chilies under the shelf are enjoying the partial shade. Super dense node growth on them
 
That's an interesting idea actually...  I'm working with a small space and it's a dorm room so adding shelves would be difficult since I have to keep from marring the existing closet which is basically four boards screwed together and then bolted to the wall...
 
Here's what I have working right now. Ignore how sad my jalapeno looks... I have fungus gnats and they're right bastards!
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yyv2gaioqxeqyd/2013-10-05%2023.42.47.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/foidxhbn735d9xv/2013-10-05%2023.42.55.jpg
 
Did you say that's a 3 x 4 space? Those must be some pretty big ceramic pots. I would personally run more plants, smaller pots but that's solely opinion. Most people would probably suggest the opposite in fact (less, but larger plants.)

How much vertical space are you working with?

Edit: I read you are using 7 gallon pots, whew! That's huge
P.S. please elaborate on controlling your setup with a raspberry pi, that sounds fricken AWESOME
 
Vertical space is like 6.5', but the bar from which I hang my light is only about 4.5' off the ground...
 
The RPi is hooked up to a thermometer, a timelapse camera, and a fan and I can control the devices from my phone. I plan on using an SSR to later control when the light is on and off and possibly other things. For now, it's a proof Once you get it set up, you can pretty much do anything you want with it. I have a video explaining my setup so that I could remember it for later. Maybe I'll upload it tomorrow.
 
For now, look at my timelapses.
 
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?feature=edit_ok&list=PLPDV7530yaMmdnO_Gsk65PMIVm287a6eA
 
Go hydro.
Higher density, less room, don't have to water as much.
10/20 bucks on a tub from wallmart.
Block the light from getting inside the tub with construction plastic bags (also acts as secondary containment), mylar all the walls and top of the tub between the holes, and bob's yer uncle.
Advanced nutrients "perfect PH", a long bubble bar and cheap aquarium air pump, and you already have the light.
 
Problem being, people might think you are growing another type of crop.
 
Easy to find though, just listen for the ones hacking their lungs out when you notice missing leaves.
 
I'm already trying to do hydro for basil and tomatoes and they're just dying slowly... gotta get on that. People already think I grow weed, it's tough to hide a 400W bulb when it's aimed right at your door haha.
 
SciurusDoomus said:
White bullet habs look insane. Those might be my choice... Unfortunately it looks like the lady who runs pepperlover.com doesn't sell them anymore even though she did in the past... Going to have to keep searching.
Click to expand...
You can find them on Jim Duffy's site, if I remember correctly.
And to Sciurus, that's what people think I do also. The ghost scorpions that I gave them fixed that problem quite readily though...
 
Jim Duffy's site has Peruvian White Habaneros. Are those the same things as White Bullets or are they different? I've looked around and most people have Peruvian Whites and not White Bullets. I also couldn't find the difference between the two online...
 
And good for you, man, I hope they were so spicy those people got stoned anyway. Haha
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top