jessxcr's 2011 Grow Log

Ok. Well I started some Bhut Jolokia and Trinidad Scorpions a few weeks ago and have received tremendous help on this site and will probably be picking peoples brains all season. I will try to not be a bother . People have been very helpful here, and by some trial and error on my part and learning from all of the seasoned veterans here, hopefully I will have some success right of the bat.

Below is a pic of my setup. I'm just using some T12 shop lights I had with one cool and one warmer bulb in each. I just added some reflective material that came in an insulated box at work and it brought the temp up to about 77. It was only about 65, which I have found may have been contributing to some slow growth. I just have a cheapo thermometer sitting in the box. I have more seeds germinating in a heated Jiffy greenhouse. I didn't use the peat pots that came with it though. I used some organic seed starter and once the seedlings came up I could not keep the soil at the right moisture so now as they sprout up I am immediately moving them to these styrofoam cups and have been bottom watering them as suggested by a lot of you.

Here is a pic of my first true leaves starting on some Bhuts. It's pretty exciting seeing new growth. This is now the 3rd week for some of them and I was getting a little worried as it has been pretty slow going.

I also notice on some pics I see on here, when the plants emerge from the soil, some of your peoples starter leaves are so much bigger. My plants just seem small compared to others. I'm hoping raising the heat level now a few degrees and once the starter leaves come out they will get going. I still have some others that don't seem like they have grown at all in the past couple weeks. Here is one of those:

I'm looking forward to getting at least a few plants that are successful this year. I have about 8 more Scorpions and maybe 14 Bhuts waiting to sprout.

 

[Skydiver]

I'd give them a little more time before transplanting them up to larger cups. Maybe let them get a few sets of true leaves.

 

[muskymojo]

They look fine to me. It seems like it takes forever when you see them every day. It looks like you have the seed starter mix in the cups which is fine for now, but most starter mixes have very little nutrients. Most people use it in the cell trays and then pot up to cups or something similar with potting soil which has more nutrients. The new seedlings don't really need nutrients, but they probably will before they outgrow those cups. Otherwise that size cup will carry them along for quite a while. It's easier and less stressful on the plants to re-pot into a larger container than it is to change soils in the same sized containers. Just something to think about with your next sprouts.

MN!

 

[PepperLover]

looking great

 

[jessxcr]

They look fine to me. It seems like it takes forever when you see them every day. It looks like you have the seed starter mix in the cups which is fine for now, but most starter mixes have very little nutrients. Most people use it in the cell trays and then pot up to cups or something similar with potting soil which has more nutrients. The new seedlings don't really need nutrients, but they probably will before they outgrow those cups. Otherwise that size cup will carry them along for quite a while. It's easier and less stressful on the plants to re-pot into a larger container than it is to change soils in the same sized containers. Just something to think about with your next sprouts.

MN!

Uggghh! Well, here is the error part of the "trial and error". Oh well. What do you suggest I do after a while? Add some weak nutes?

I work for an online nutrition store and we sell some of the stuff I have seen recommended for nutes that I can get a great price on. Would some of these be in line to what I could use?

http://www.nutritiongeeks.com/p-9069-fish-fertilizer-concentrate.aspx

http://www.nutritiongeeks.com/p-9154-bone-meal-powder.aspx

On my next ones that pop up I will use some potting soil rather than the seed starter. Thanks for the tip.

 

[muskymojo]

I couldn't really tell you much about nutes, but a lot of people here could. Try searching "seedling nutrients" or something similar. But yes, that would be an option. It probably wouldn't be too hard to scoop up roots and all with a spoon since the seedlings are still small. You could also post a topic asking about those specific nutes.

 

[jessxcr]

Ok. 5 Days later. First set of true leaves have grown a bit.

Since I used seed starter in these cups I just poked a hole with my finger down a ways and put a little bit of fish fertilizer in there today. We will see how that goes. Nothing new sprouting up out of my germination box. It has been exactly 1 month tomorrow since I sowed them and I haven't had anything new come up in a week. I think I may have killed the remaining seeds by letting it get too dry once I took the top off. I have some more seeds coming from NMSU that I ordered this week: Bhuts, Habaneros, and some Jalapeno. I figured I will grow a couple peppers that my wife will eat too. Don't think she will touch the superhots.

 

[Siliman]

Good luck on the fish supplement. I think it would be harder to control in the solid form, but who knows??

I also hit a slow growing period where some of my plants seemed stuck at the cotyledon stage. So added some nutes:
Botanicare Pro-Grow 3-2-4 and also some liquid fish emulsion 5-1-1. Put 1/2 Tblspoon of each in a gallon of water.

I did top water these straight onto the plants, since I also had some TBi solution in there for gnat control I wanted to drench the soil. Would be nice to water from the bottom next time. Hopefully I didn't kill them!

left to right: Numex Twilight, Hungarian Wax, Numex Jalmundo. Hard to see but they all picked up some growth, nice, considering how they sat there a long time with nothing going. Hopefuly the yellow center leaves goes to deeper green soon. That little Jalmundo on the far right decided to come up after sitting in there for almost 3 weeks, maybe the nute juice kick started him. Pic taken 2 days after the juice applied:

I'm very much experimental right now, have so many tortures going on various C. Annuums hard to keep track of what is working. But I feel pretty confident about the Pro-Gro and fish.... Hopefully some of this will assist you as you sort out various solutions.

 

[jessxcr]

10 days since my last post. This was taken yesterday. I left out of town over the weekend and noticed quite a bit of growth in just the 2 days I was gone. Definitely noticeable to me.

There are a couple that look pretty sickly. Anybody think I should just throw these? I do see some true leaves coming out of the top but they just look terrible:

 

[jessxcr]

One week since my last post. I have since got some Botanicare Liquid Karma and gave them a couple shots of epsom salts and I can't believe the growth I have seen in the last 7 days. I'm still waiting on the Pro Gro and Cal-Mag to arrive. They got sent back to the shipper because the damn zip code was wrong. I wonder what will happen when they are getting the Pro Gro + the Liquid Karma? I should have that Monday or Tuesday.

These are my 2 prized plants so far. Both Bhut Jolokias:

All the ones on the left side are Bhuts and the 3 on the right are Trinidad Scorpions:

In keeping them just under the T12s, they seem to be staying short and stout, not leggy that's for sure. I'm pretty happy so far, but I had to chuck 2 of them because they looked pretty sickly.

 

[logchief]

Looking good Jess, I'm using Botanicare too on AJ's recommendation, so far so good.

 

[jessxcr]

I'd give them a little more time before transplanting them up to larger cups. Maybe let them get a few sets of true leaves.

I think I am ready to pot some of these up. Anybody have any idea what size I should go to next? I don't want to go too small, nor too big. I will be working my way up to 5 gallon buckets. How many times do you suppose I will need to pot up before the 5 gallons?

 

[woody3says]

Interesting to see that your Bhuts have that slight twist to the leaves. Mine look the same..... Guessing it's just a trait of a baby Bhut? My Car Red Habs don't have that and they are under identical circumstances.

 

[jessxcr]

11 Days since last post. Since I moved them to ProMix I have noticed quite a bit of growth. That stuff has great consistency. It almost seems like it holds water a little too well though? It's like a sponge. I watered them when I transplanted them in these 18 oz Solo cups last Friday and I have not watered again until today. Almost a week. I did give them a good drink when I watered them upon transplant.

The Scorpion down on the right got quite a bit yellow for a few days after transplant. I have only watered once before transplant with Liquid Karma and once with the Pro Grow. When I transplanted, I just used plain water so I wouldn't imagine it would be fert burn. I used as I saw how AJ recommended doing his. Same as on the bottle I believe. I have also been very careful to not overwater. After not having water for almost a week though, it seems to be looking a bit better and I think it will come around. I just watered with the Cal Mag tonight. Sorry the pic is a little blurry. I am just using my Evo and normally I can get better pics than this with it but the lighting must have just not been right.

Here are some Orange Habaneros I got going also. They are in MG Organic Choice because I had this before I bought the ProMix. The MG is horrible! Never again. It dries up way too fast:

I also have 8 Jalapenos started and the hooks just came up on a couple of those.

 

[Drizzt]

What kind of ProMix are u using?

 

[jessxcr]

What kind of ProMix are u using?

BX

 

[jessxcr]

Growin good now. I'm pretty happy with the growth I have seen since I moved them into the ProMix. I have only fed with CalMag once and then last night I watered them with Liquid Karma and Pro Grow. The Scorpion that was kind of yellow is looking much better. Thats the bottom right plant. The Bhuts are looking nice which are the 3 largest ones. I'm happy so far.

What's up with the cotyledons on this Jalapeno? They are like siamese twins. Is this plant gonna grow like that?

 

[Siliman]

Lookin good!! Gonna be some global warming originating from MN this summer...

I've had a few of my Jalapenos do weird tricks with their cotys and they always grow through it. I bet the true leaves form on the opposite side and get kinda weird, too, but by the second set they'll square up.

You could do a surgery....

 

[woody3says]

I have a Big Jim and a Serrano with cots like that. Just leave it be, they finally spread right when the new leaves start to grow. Good lookin kids you got there, grow baby grow

 

[jessxcr]

Potted my Bhuts up to #1's tonight. I saw some roots coming out the bottom of the cups and was I surprised when I pulled my first plant out.

I'm glad I didn't let them go a whole lot longer. I didn't pull the roots down to loosen them up or anything. I didn't feel comfortable messing with them so I just put them in as is.

Here they are in their new home:

Habs coming along nicely:

Jalapeno's:

Scorpions aren't doing as well. They have some spots on them with some holes but they are growing still. It's not on the new growth. Just some of the older. I'm not going to worry too much about it. I sprayed them with some anti bacterial/fungicidal spray a week and a half ago or so and it really hasn't got much worse. Hopefully they will just keep on keepin on!