Karoo 2018/19 Glog African Adventure

Hi everybody.
Starting early this year . i just can't help myself, first frost hits and all i can think about is germinating a few seeds.
 
Germination:
In small pots with coco coir/compost 50/50.
In insulated container with heat mat .
Temp 28-30 C.
 
Seedlings:
Will stay in small pots , fits in trays , easy to move . For about 3 months.
I have a small , wooden grow box/cabinat with cfl lights.
 
Grow area:
two areas under 40% shadenet/birdproofing .
Biggest area, two one meter high raised beds , filled with 90% pure compost 
Second area , large containers partially buried in the ground to keep them cool.
 
Soil:
germination , 50/50 , cococoir/compost
after that 90% compost with added  ash , spent coffee grounds , fine eggshells etc.
Compost is my own , from garden cuttings , leaves and branches , just left in a hole in the ground for at least 2 years.
 
No added nutes . The year I am going to experiment with sheep droppings from my Brother-in-law'sfarm. Real 2-5 year old droppings from the shaving shed.
 
 
Stay tuned , pics will follow.
 
 

 

[peppamang]

awesome. what are you thinking about germinating this year? 

 

[Chilidude]

Let me guess, you are going to grow lots of Aji plants.

 

[solid7]

Hey, karoo.  I am trying your method of 50/50 coco/compost, per one of our old conversations.  I think that environmental conditions make a huge difference with this.  However, I'm having *some* success.  I've got a rocoto growing, which I've never been able to keep going for any amount of time before.  I don't do glogs, but I do enjoy using methods that other members use, that defy traditional logic.  Yours is the most fascinating.
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You're gonna have great success with the sheep droppings, btw...  

 

[karoo]

awesome. what are you thinking about germinating this year? 

Thank you , will list my ambitions later , more annuums this year ,
More edibles for the family and friends that support my obsession , but not my heat tolerance.
 

Let me guess, you are going to grow lots of Aji plants.

 Lots of ajis , but more Annuums .
 

Hey, karoo.  I am trying your method of 50/50 coco/compost, per one of our old conversations.  I think that environmental conditions make a huge difference with this.  However, I'm having *some* success.  I've got a rocoto growing, which I've never been able to keep going for any amount of time before.  I don't do glogs, but I do enjoy using methods that other members use, that defy traditional logic.  Yours is the most fascinating.
.
You're gonna have great success with the sheep droppings, btw...  

Thank you for watching , I try to base my comments on experience .

 

[Chilidude]

Thank you , will list my ambitions later , more annuums this year ,
More edibles for the family and friends that support my obsession , but not my heat tolerance.
 
 Lots of ajis , but more Annuums .

 
There plenty of Aji plants with very low heat, like Aji golden.
 

 

[Genetikx]

Good luck Jacques -- I'll be along for the ride!

 

[Devv]

Good luck this season!

 

[KAOS]

Good luck Jaques. I'll be following this one.

 

[solid7]

FYI...
.
Pertinent to my coco and compost experiment - this is a red rocoto that I bought from an online nursery a couple weeks ago.  You can see that they grew it out a little leggy, and it's looking rather haggard.  The light green foliage is what it came with. (minus a few that I plucked off)
.

.
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And this is the new growth, after about 1 week, since I put it into the coco and compost.  My compost is 100% rabbit poo, aged and sifted.  Other than that, the only thing in the pot is coco.  I plan to water it with Alaska Fish.
.

.
Thanks for the inspiration, man!

 

[karoo]

That was next on my list to try.
Sheep droppings and coco coir mix.
Thanx for sharing.

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[solid7]

That was next on my list to try.
Sheep droppings and coco coir mix.
Thanx for sharing.

 
You're welcome, man! 
.
I love being pushed to become a better grower!

 

[karoo]

Initial round of germination has been completed .
I am going to do it in batches. First the " edibles " to keep the family happy, and then the rest later.
Most are new to me and I can't wait to grow these.

Aji Amarillo ,New , Thanx KAOS
Rocoto , New
Billy Biker Jalapeno, New
Jimmy Nardello , New
Pimiento de Padron, New
A bunch of Jals for the kids.

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[Devv]

Initial round of germination has been completed .
I am going to do it in batches. First the " edibles " to keep the family happy, and then the rest later.
Most are new to me and I can't wait to grow these.

Aji Amarillo ,New , Thanx KAOS
Rocoto , New
Billy Biker Jalapeno, New
Jimmy Nardello , New
Pimiento de Padron, New
A bunch of Jals for the kids.

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Good to see the germ rates doing well. The family list is a solid winner!
 
The Rocoto might be a challenge with your heat, it sure is here. I grow the pubes, and do get a few pods. Just enough to keep me interested. Regardless they are beautiful plants and are worth growing just to have around
 

 

[solid7]

 
Good to see the germ rates doing well. The family list is a solid winner!
 
The Rocoto might be a challenge with your heat, it sure is here. I grow the pubes, and do get a few pods. Just enough to keep me interested. Regardless they are beautiful plants and are worth growing just to have around
 

 
I'll second that pubes are tricky bastards in lowland heat...  But I have a red rocoto smashing it right now.  But she's in full shade of natural vegetation, for all but the first 2 hours of the morning.  If ever there was a case for shade cloth, I think rocotos might be the ultimate justification.  (probably need good air circulation, too)
 
I've not been able to grow them any other way here.

 

[karoo]

Thank you , for your inputs.
The Rocotos will be my babies for this season , having failed to even germinate any Rocotos in two tries from two sources.

I have one germinated now.
The plan will be to grow it and keep it alive through the summer and then try to get production in our mild three months of Autumn and early winter.

All of my Aji growing power will be devoted to.
Aji Amarillo, after a terribly disappointing and embarrassing grow of every pepper except Amarillo last season .
And

Aji Cito , part of the Growdown.
Both sets of seeds from KAOS.



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[karoo]

Two weeks in, first batch of seedlings are growing like only Annuums know how to grow.

Lights 24/7 up to now. Grow box at 20C average.

Today is a beautiful winter day and they are enjoying a bit of winter sun for an hour or so.

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[Devv]

When do they hit the dirt come spring?
 
They look like they will be huge

 

[karoo]

When do they hit the dirt come spring?
 
They look like they will be huge

Jip,
Dirt on 1 September, spring day.
Away at the moment on a winter break, will only see them again tomorrow after 10 days. Hope they are alright on their own.

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[RoyBoy]

Awesome stuff Jacques! You have made an early start mate! Up here in Pretoria, I have 6 x Rocoto Reds on the mat sown last Friday 28th June (they should make an appearance any day soon) and have trial started 2 x Moruga Scorpions this afternoon. I have a few plants in pots that I am over wintering in the hope they get an early spring start. In fact 17 of them ....LOL.....and they all get carried into my garage every night. 2 of them were my late start Pimiento da Padrones from 2017, as well as Peach Bhuts, Trinidad Douglahs, Naga Kings and my surviving Carolina Reaper.....together with the Pusa Jwalas which are still fruiting in JULY - unbelievable given the Cold we have experienced this week!!!! At our house, around 0deg C current daily minimums, and we went down to -2 on Tuesday......will be watching your progress!!!!