Hey guys! Today the first MOA popped it's head, so it's about time to start my glog.
Some background information: I started growing peppers in the Netherlands almost 3 years ago, and from the first year on I was completely hooked. I started out with some annuums, but was never really excited about the flavour of any of them. The second year I decided to grow some baccatums and chinenses too, but the weather gods didn't favour me and the season flopped completely. Then last summer I met a Portuguese woman, fell in love and moved to Portugal with her. The climate here got me even more excited to start growing then ever before, so when winter arrived I started preparing. I found semillas.de (before I always ordered from pepperseeds.eu), and the amount of varieties stunned me. I couldn't hold back and subsequently ordered way too many seeds for the space I should be using. But it doesn't matter, because growing is life and peppers are awesome.
The equipment I use is very basic. I have two small propagators which each fit two trays with 3x4 squares, so that totals 48. I fitted three 18w T8 fluorescent tubes onto a plank in our cabinet, which keep the tempurature in the cabinet at a steady 24 degrees Celsius and apparently provide enough light for the plants to be happy. I need to change this around soon though, because of the space constraints. I also have a heat mat that can fit both propagators at once, but at the moment I have them alternating between the cabinet and the heat mat.
I've tried several growing media and now finally found some soil that is of decent quality. I've also bought some compost and fertilizer pellets (10-10-10), which I will start using when I transplant to bigger pots. To finish it off I have a bag of epsom salts for a foliar spray now and then.
Last year I planted some seeds of chiles and bells I bought in the store to test out the sun, my equipment and growing media. Some cayennes are doing pretty okay after some heat and transplant shock set them back weeks, and I have some decoratives hitting puberty. I also have some 'piri-piri' (probably not actual piri-piri, but it's what the landlord calls them) harvested from the backyard doing their best to grow. Around Christimas I filled one propagator with seeds from suspected habaneros (red) that I bought from a bazaar, and I just transplanted the best two seedlings to a bigger pot to clear out the propagator.
To start this year off I've planted chinenses, baccatums and pubescens. The first planting had a MOA pop up today, and I moved that propagator from the heat mat to the lights. I am still a little afraid I've chosen the wrong medium for the first planting, because it's a little chucky. I was eager to start so I just used what I had laying around.. The little MOA is getting my hopes up though. But as I'm aiming for at least one plant per variety, I'll have to buy new seeds if this mistake costs me.
Pictures will follow when I have some more to show, and this post will be updated when I plant something new. Also note that these still aren't all the varieties I have.I could post a grow list, but in a week or two I'll have everything sown anyway. Let me know if you'd like to see a list of all the varieties I have.
I just found out I can share my Google document easily without compromising anything.
My list of varieties, proposed crosses and sowings.
The number behind the varieties represents the amount of seeds I have. That information isn't of any use to you, the document was meant as a planning tool. I just figured I could share it anyway.
TL;DR: Yay, peppers!
02/01:
Orange Rocoto (hogleg)
Red Rocoto (hogleg)
Paper Lantern Habanero (hogleg)
Bahamian Goat (hogleg)
Scotch Bonnet MOA (semillas)
Brazilian Starfish[SIZE=11.6667px] (semillas)[/SIZE]
Lemon Drop (semillas)
Madame Jeanette (semillas)
10/01:
Fidalgo Roxa (semillas)
Pimenta da Neyde (semillas)
Snow White (semillas)
Trinidad PI 281317 (semillas)
Santa Lucia Seasoning (semillas)
Aji Amarillo (semillas)
Aji Angelo (semillas)
Aji Chaparita (semillas)
Some background information: I started growing peppers in the Netherlands almost 3 years ago, and from the first year on I was completely hooked. I started out with some annuums, but was never really excited about the flavour of any of them. The second year I decided to grow some baccatums and chinenses too, but the weather gods didn't favour me and the season flopped completely. Then last summer I met a Portuguese woman, fell in love and moved to Portugal with her. The climate here got me even more excited to start growing then ever before, so when winter arrived I started preparing. I found semillas.de (before I always ordered from pepperseeds.eu), and the amount of varieties stunned me. I couldn't hold back and subsequently ordered way too many seeds for the space I should be using. But it doesn't matter, because growing is life and peppers are awesome.
The equipment I use is very basic. I have two small propagators which each fit two trays with 3x4 squares, so that totals 48. I fitted three 18w T8 fluorescent tubes onto a plank in our cabinet, which keep the tempurature in the cabinet at a steady 24 degrees Celsius and apparently provide enough light for the plants to be happy. I need to change this around soon though, because of the space constraints. I also have a heat mat that can fit both propagators at once, but at the moment I have them alternating between the cabinet and the heat mat.
I've tried several growing media and now finally found some soil that is of decent quality. I've also bought some compost and fertilizer pellets (10-10-10), which I will start using when I transplant to bigger pots. To finish it off I have a bag of epsom salts for a foliar spray now and then.
Last year I planted some seeds of chiles and bells I bought in the store to test out the sun, my equipment and growing media. Some cayennes are doing pretty okay after some heat and transplant shock set them back weeks, and I have some decoratives hitting puberty. I also have some 'piri-piri' (probably not actual piri-piri, but it's what the landlord calls them) harvested from the backyard doing their best to grow. Around Christimas I filled one propagator with seeds from suspected habaneros (red) that I bought from a bazaar, and I just transplanted the best two seedlings to a bigger pot to clear out the propagator.
To start this year off I've planted chinenses, baccatums and pubescens. The first planting had a MOA pop up today, and I moved that propagator from the heat mat to the lights. I am still a little afraid I've chosen the wrong medium for the first planting, because it's a little chucky. I was eager to start so I just used what I had laying around.. The little MOA is getting my hopes up though. But as I'm aiming for at least one plant per variety, I'll have to buy new seeds if this mistake costs me.
Pictures will follow when I have some more to show, and this post will be updated when I plant something new. Also note that these still aren't all the varieties I have.
I just found out I can share my Google document easily without compromising anything.
My list of varieties, proposed crosses and sowings.
The number behind the varieties represents the amount of seeds I have. That information isn't of any use to you, the document was meant as a planning tool. I just figured I could share it anyway.
TL;DR: Yay, peppers!
02/01:
Orange Rocoto (hogleg)
Red Rocoto (hogleg)
Paper Lantern Habanero (hogleg)
Bahamian Goat (hogleg)
Scotch Bonnet MOA (semillas)
Brazilian Starfish[SIZE=11.6667px] (semillas)[/SIZE]
Lemon Drop (semillas)
Madame Jeanette (semillas)
10/01:
Fidalgo Roxa (semillas)
Pimenta da Neyde (semillas)
Snow White (semillas)
Trinidad PI 281317 (semillas)
Santa Lucia Seasoning (semillas)
Aji Amarillo (semillas)
Aji Angelo (semillas)
Aji Chaparita (semillas)
