Marturos 2024 Glog.

It's that time of the year, cold & gloomy outside, & inside the magic is happening. Those little green pepper plants are pushing up
towards the artificial sun. Who came up first? The early Jalapeño, Serrano, & the Sugar Rush Stripy. A little game we play LOL.

This is the best set up we have ever had before. 4 LED grow lights 2 heating mats, room stays at 66 F at night & 74 F during the day.
With 22 varieties & 50 plants we hope to have a real special grow for the 24 season, with a lot of great tasting peppers.

When I joined THP I had just moved from Fluorescents lights to the new LED lights. Outside everything is about the same, it's the indoor
adventure that has changed for the better. Compact high output grow lights, heating mats instead of heating cables without thermostats
it's a lot of fun once again.

This is my first Glog. Welcome to the ride.

Grow list:

1. Antep Aci Dolma
2. Aji Panca
3. Aji Strawberry drop
4. Sugar Rush Stripy
5. Aji Pineapple
6. Aji Chombo Amarillo
7. Aji Fantasy
8. Pasilla Oaxaca
9. Pasillo Apaseo
10. Pasilla Mixe
11. Chilhuacle Negro
12. Aji Chombo Rojo
13. Aji Rainforest
14. Brazilian Starfish
15. Jamaican Scotch Bonnet
16. Aji Charapita
17. Jigsaw ( ornamental )
18. Poblano Rojo
19. Early Jalapeño
20. Serrano
21. Lesya
22. Datil

 

[Marturo]

Looking really good! From here on they grow faster and faster!

Thank you @Linyera It's my favorite time of year. I'm outside with plants just waking up from winter & need sprays & food.
Then i'm inside with tropical plants growing with an artificial sun & with a human caretaker. Yep it is a nice time of year to be alive.

 

[PaulG]

You have a nice grow going, @Marturo! Good luck
getting all those to plant-out.

 

[Marturo]

I have some new pictures of a plant that is 12" tall, the Pasilla Mixe. The Scotch Bonnets are about 3" tall by comparison.

Right rear corner. How tall will it be at planting time?

Can't forget the bonnets & their cute wrinkly leaves, LOL.

 

[Marturo]

Last seasons grow set up with 2 LEDs looks a little crowded. 42 pepper plants.

This season we added another 4' x 2' grow area with 2 more LEDs. Still looks a little crowded. 64 Pepper plants.
I wonder if I should get 2 more LEDs & another heating pad? What do you all think?

One interesting thing this season is the way the Scotch Bonnets are developing. The Baker Creek seeds have small plants that have branched
into a Y while the seeds we saved from one Berry we named Mother Of All Bonnets. No branching on the MOA plants all 5 have a single top.

 

[Marturo]

Some recent pics of the plants after their bud trimming & bottom watering.
So far starting the peppers 3 weeks later has worked very well, I just hope we can get them in ground soon.
Hoping to get them outside to harden off next week, real sun & wind.

They are getting dilute doses of Fish & seaweed fertilizer, so far no signs of Fungus Gnats. Perhaps the early use
of Yellow sticky traps & just maybe the Bio Fungicides we water with kills the fungus that feeds the gnats. Who Knows.

 

[ahayastani]

Hoping to get them outside to harden off next week, real sun & wind

When does the risk of frost pass in your area? A bushy basement you have

 

[Marturo]

When does the risk of frost pass in your area? A bushy basement you have

Typically our last frost is April 15, however don't bet on it LOL.
We wait until the soil is warm enough, too soon & these tropical beauties will be set back for weeks.

A bushy basement you have

I see you noticed LOL. Yes we have a real estate problem, again.
Just yesterday when we were bottom watering the girls I was saying to Mrs. Marturo, we need more space.
So it looks like we will be getting another 4 foot by 2 foot grow area for next season. Next season 100 pepper plants


I have a plant like I've never seen before, it is the tallest plant on the left at 17" tall. Two Serranos & 2 Brazilian Starfish are also tall
however nothing like the Pasilla Mixe. How tall will she grow outside? Should I over winter her LOL.

 

[Marturo]

The day has arrived, it's 54F with light rain. Now it's critical to wait for the right soil temp before plugging them in.