Okay, time to kick this growing year off. First a pic from last year of the hydroponic scorpion right before I added it to the compost pile. The plant was so productive with 4 gallon freezer bags stuffed plus more already dried that not only did I decide to not overwinter it, but TSBTs won't be on the grow list next year. This was truly a beast and by far my most productive plant. IIRC, it was over 5' tall and just about as wide when hte branches were heavy with pods.
It was started about this time last year, so it is about time to start some of those pesky slower growing plants if I want them this big next year.
All good things come to an end. The plants will be chopped up and mixed with the leaves for compost.
Okay, with that out of the way, let's get started on next year.
First, a shot of some of the over winter plants in the upstairs window sill. I just plan on keeping them alive here with no real growth expected until I put them outside next year. The two small plants are scorpion clones from the monster. I still don't think they will make the grow next year, but I just couldn't kill it without taking a couple clones. Other overwinters in this pic include a ghost pepper, hot paper lantern hab, tabasco pepper, my largest and most productive giant jalapeno and a couple of others.
Now down into the grow room for an overall shot of what I am doing this year. The flood table is new, but everything else is the same from last year. Same 600W MH light and same mylar on the walls.
Now at this point, let me take a minute to explain that there is no organic soil in anything I brought inside, nor anything that I plan to plant this year. Everything will be hydroponic in one way or another. Even the plants upstairs. My soil for all plants not in the flood table is 50/50 perlite and peat moss. I water them with hydro nutes every few days, but probably can get away with once a week or so. Soil drains really well but the peat moss holds a decent amount of moisture. I'm hoping that we have no issues with root rot this year. I'm also betting that fungus gnats won't like this fast drying soil either. Well that and the mosquito dunks that will be in the hydro water if those bastards do show up again this year.
A close up of the "soil". Look at all that great perlite.
Now, looking at the plants in the flood table, the perlite/pete moss is about 80/20 and I flood hte table once a day. As it is, there is probably too much pete in the soil because the grow bags stay soaked all the time and I'm going to have mold issues. I need to rethink this, but this is what I have for now.
Here they are the day it was installed on Oct 21st.
Here they are a week later (last night). You can't really see it, but there are a couple of tiny growth nodes on the ghost pepper (big pot on the left) and the paper lantern in the black pot. No sign of growth on the monzano yet, but if you look close at the pot, you can see what looks like mold starting. I tossed a cup of H2O2 into the rez last night to kill it if it was mold. We'll see. Maybe plastic air pruning pots would be better suited, or giant net cups.
That is all for now. Join me back on the next update. I'm working hot and heavy on some clones and other projects that aren't quite ready to be photographed yet. Soon though.
It was started about this time last year, so it is about time to start some of those pesky slower growing plants if I want them this big next year.
All good things come to an end. The plants will be chopped up and mixed with the leaves for compost.
Okay, with that out of the way, let's get started on next year.
First, a shot of some of the over winter plants in the upstairs window sill. I just plan on keeping them alive here with no real growth expected until I put them outside next year. The two small plants are scorpion clones from the monster. I still don't think they will make the grow next year, but I just couldn't kill it without taking a couple clones. Other overwinters in this pic include a ghost pepper, hot paper lantern hab, tabasco pepper, my largest and most productive giant jalapeno and a couple of others.
Now down into the grow room for an overall shot of what I am doing this year. The flood table is new, but everything else is the same from last year. Same 600W MH light and same mylar on the walls.
Now at this point, let me take a minute to explain that there is no organic soil in anything I brought inside, nor anything that I plan to plant this year. Everything will be hydroponic in one way or another. Even the plants upstairs. My soil for all plants not in the flood table is 50/50 perlite and peat moss. I water them with hydro nutes every few days, but probably can get away with once a week or so. Soil drains really well but the peat moss holds a decent amount of moisture. I'm hoping that we have no issues with root rot this year. I'm also betting that fungus gnats won't like this fast drying soil either. Well that and the mosquito dunks that will be in the hydro water if those bastards do show up again this year.
A close up of the "soil". Look at all that great perlite.
Now, looking at the plants in the flood table, the perlite/pete moss is about 80/20 and I flood hte table once a day. As it is, there is probably too much pete in the soil because the grow bags stay soaked all the time and I'm going to have mold issues. I need to rethink this, but this is what I have for now.
Here they are the day it was installed on Oct 21st.
Here they are a week later (last night). You can't really see it, but there are a couple of tiny growth nodes on the ghost pepper (big pot on the left) and the paper lantern in the black pot. No sign of growth on the monzano yet, but if you look close at the pot, you can see what looks like mold starting. I tossed a cup of H2O2 into the rez last night to kill it if it was mold. We'll see. Maybe plastic air pruning pots would be better suited, or giant net cups.
That is all for now. Join me back on the next update. I'm working hot and heavy on some clones and other projects that aren't quite ready to be photographed yet. Soon though.
I can't get my wife to even try Gumbo made with fresh Okra pods because of a bad experience she had with some that had been previously frozen and then cooked... I love it though!
But she does still cook. We had a wonderful veggie lasagna last night for dinner that was all her.