Mattys first ever Glog "Into the fire" 2019 season

Hello everyone and thanks for looking at my "Into the Fire" Glog!!
 
So I started my gardening hobby in my early 20's about 16 years ago now, and though I have played around with many types of flowers/vegis  tomato's is what most of my energy was put into. I loved alll the different colors and types that could be grown which really reminds me of all the exciting Chilli variety's that exist today. A couple seasons ago while looking for some info on a particular type of sweet pepper I stumbled onto a few videos of some people eating super hots (Ghost,Reapers ect..).  After looking into it a little more I figured this would be a very interesting thing to grow even just as a novelty since really no one in my area grows much if anything at all.
 
Last Winter I went and bought some seeds from Ebay..one was a mixed bag Ghost/Reaper/Scorpion...another was the Peter Pepper and the third was some type of Thai i believe. Only the Thai ended up growing true to type and the other 2 was a Cayenne and Ornamental. I was pretty disappointed when they did finally start putting out pods. It was around that time I started looking for a group or forum dedicated to Chillis, and luck would have it I found THP and all of you fantastic peoples.
 
Anyways with the boring back story outta the way I really planned ahead for this years grow....I built a 6'Hx6'Lx2'D grow box (not exact mesurments) which has 3 shelves and the middle one able to come out if I wnated to grow larger plants from the bottom tier. I went overkill on seed types making 3 decent size buys, 2 of which were 30+ from Garth at TexasHotPeppers and a smaller one from a fella in Arz.
 
I do not plan to grow all of these as my wife would kill me, but 20 or so might not be so bad.
 
The list:
 
Trinidad X strain
Pimenta Chris fat
Bonda Mahala
7 Pot Lava (Red)
Jays Choc Ghost Scorpion
Chachuca
Yaki Blue Fawn
BB7 Bhut Choc
Tobago Treasure
Jays Peach Ghost Scorpion
Peach Bhut WM
Borg 9 Yellow
Arseclown Jolokia
Red Savina X Fatalii (Yellow)
Tobago Seasoning
Arrowhead
Peachgum Tiger MAMP V1
Uraguay Seasoning
Reaper X SRTSL
Aji Charapita
MOA Scotch Bonnet
Reaper X BOC F3
7 Pot Moruga Scorpion
Choc Primo
BB7 Jobito Choc
Bad Brains
White Naga
7 Pot Pink
Tepin X Lemon Drop
Big Caramel Mama
Brainstrain X Reaper
Scotch Bonnet Long
CP115
Tangerine Hab
Big Yellow Mama
Monster Apocallise
Kraken Peach
Devils Tongue White
Bhutlah Lime X
Peach Bleeder
Jumbo Naga smooth
Jonahs Orange Nipple
Tiger bibi
Orange ghost Jami
Purple Reaper
Monkey Face yellow
Mustard reaper X
Peach Bonnet Scorpion
Naga Viper
Naga Viper Choc
BBG 7 white
BBG7 midnight
komodo Dragon
Red Mazano
Bad Brains pepper
Infinity
Jonahs Yellow
Sepia Reaper
Macapa
JAFSH Black
Fialga Roxa
Sugar Rush x Mango
white lightening Bolt
PDN x douglah 2.3
7 pot burgendy
Bleeding Heart yellow
Nagabon X Yellow Primo (yellow)
Orange Yaky
Orange Fatlli Scorpion
 
That was my 2 buys from Garth (The above list)
 
This is the smaller buy from Negroni
 
Chocolate Reapers
Red Ghost Peppers
Butch Taylor Reaper
Chocolate Scorpion Pepper
Red and Yellow 7 Pot Chaguanas
7 Pot Brain Strain
Bahamian Goat Pepper
Yellow Reaper
 
So would like to see some favorites and suggestions from the fine people here at THP so I can kinda get it down to a much much smaller grow list. Will also get some pics up shortly here of my grow box which still has one more shelf I need to wire up just waiting on a few more strip lights to arrive in the mail, but will still give an idea of what it will all look like when its done.
 
In final: This is a new hobby for me within the hobby I already enjoy...I am going to try some new things (new for me) and even the much earlier starts then normal will be interesting to see how it all comes out at the end.  I look forward to the input from the community and keeping this glog updated as much as I can.
 
Here is too success in 2019!!
 
CHEERS!
 
Matty

 

[CDNmatt]

PT..on a roll...

 

[DWB]

SOOOOO...I saw this coming last week " A victim of your own success" -

 
I heard that Matt. I was just out surveying the best ways to add plants in the ground around the periphery of the bale patch. I've finished my inventory and I have 96 pepper plants and 35 tomato plants. Plus more still in the infancy stage.
 

 

[CDNmatt]

I have no idea what I am going to do DW...I still need to start my tomater's and my bell peppers both of which we eat alot....THEn the various other stuff I wanted to start earlier this year as well. Alot of random vegis I can just window sill it if I have to. I have a feeling the very bottom shelf is going to come into play here this year, the light wont be as good but better then nothing.

 

[CaneDog]

I feel for ya Matt.  I just went through a hard round of culls as I'm getting ready to do my second-to-last major sowing for the season. Don't enjoy shutting down plants, especially some I've been growing for months. But there's only so much space and when you plant enough to be sure you get what you want, you always end up with those extras.

 

[DWB]

I have no idea what I am going to do DW...I still need to start my tomater's and my bell peppers both of which we eat alot....THEn the various other stuff I wanted to start earlier this year as well. Alot of random vegis I can just window sill it if I have to. I have a feeling the very bottom shelf is going to come into play here this year, the light wont be as good but better then nothing.

 
Fortunately, I have plenty of nursery space for all my stuff even with cutting down from 24 plants per bin to 12 per bin to give them more space  Still, I will be running at least two of the three areas until planting because of catch up light cycles and starting even more plants like my squashes and green beans. Some other stuff like herbs and lettuce will go into planter boxes when the time comes.
 
My big problem is gonna be trying to figure out where to put everything. My isolation peppers will grow in small pots away from the garden and some of the squashes will grow in tire beds. I'll put some peppers and tomatoes in my 15 gallon pots this year. .Sadly, I think I may do away with a few of my old timers I've overwintered for years.

 

[CDNmatt]

Was really hoping that my seedling bags would have arrived already...it would really help on some of my space issues. It would not solve it completely but at least of bought me some time.

 

[DWB]

They coming on the slow boat from China? When were they due? You want me to send you some?

 

[CDNmatt]

They coming on the slow boat from China? When were they due? You want me to send you some?

 

Dee your such a nice guy that literally brought a tear to my eye when I read that....But aye the 'Shanghai Special' as I like to call it...figure I could canoe across the pacific faster sometimes.
 
The order was placed December 20th an on average it takes about 4 to 6 weeks normally closer to the 4-5 week timeline, but I do often get things around the 6 to 8 week period alot as well. hell I have had 5-6 things show up over 4 months later and even one that showed up a tad over 6 months.
 
Anyways I emailed the seller and asked for the Winit # since one was not provided and will wait another week or so and if nothing comes in the mail I may take you up on that, but ONLY if you allow me to pay you for the bags AND the shipping I would not have it any other way....   Until then I will sit tight and see what happend's.
 
Your awesome btw and thank you.

 

[CDNmatt]

Got some 'Space saving testers' done tonight..wanna see how the taller 1L milk cartons work out. It has given 22 plants an upgrade in root room and they are a nice small square box that fit nicely together, and the very least the roots can grow straight down for a spell I spose.
 

 

[skullbiker]

Got some 'Space saving testers' done tonight..wanna see how the taller 1L milk cartons work out. It has given 22 plants an upgrade in root room and they are a nice small square box that fit nicely together, and the very least the roots can grow straight down for a spell I spose.
 

Thats the same containers I usually put my tomatoes in for starting. I cut the bottom corners off for them to drain or bottom feed.

 

[DWB]

Winit shipping is usually about 5 weeks for me. Their tracking is useless in the US. It ends once the package reaches the POE. USPS China Post is much quicker. I just got one that came in 10 days. SpeedPAK only takes about two weeks.
 
I like the milk carton containers. They pack tight, give good depth and the plants can't root tangle if left for a few months til plant out. The bagged plants would all grow together into a big lump without separation.
 
I can send you a quarter inch of bags as an Int'l letter in the unmarked envelope containing the Valentine  my wife gave me this morning. That will be cheap and at least you'd get to see the bags if you're not familiar with them.

 

[CDNmatt]

Thats the same containers I usually put my tomatoes in for starting. I cut the bottom corners off for them to drain or bottom feed.

 

I used to use the @l cartons for all of my tomato starts but we don't really buy it that way now mostly just in jugs, but I really did like them and they worked really well.
 
i did jam a bunch of holes in the bottom via the drill quickly before I started to fill them...they seem to drain pretty decent. I am a tad concerned about them sitting in water for bottom feeding though, not as confident they will not fall apart on me. They held together for you decent though?

 

[CDNmatt]

Winit shipping is usually about 5 weeks for me. Their tracking is useless in the US. It ends once the package reaches the POE. USPS China Post is much quicker. I just got one that came in 10 days. SpeedPAK only takes about two weeks.
 
I like the milk carton containers. They pack tight, give good depth and the plants can't root tangle if left for a few months til plant out. The bagged plants would all grow together into a big lump without separation.
 
I can send you a quarter inch of bags as an Int'l letter in the unmarked envelope containing the Valentine  my wife gave me this morning. That will be cheap and at least you'd get to see the bags if you're not familiar with them.

 
Ok well I wil sit tight for a week or so and see if anything does show up...the seller replied this morning to me.....
 
 
"Thanks for your msg.
I am so sorry to hear that and so sorry for all the troubles.
I promise I really have posted your order out when I received your payment.
Maybe it has some delays on the way.
As you know sometimes it just happened.
I know you are a nice person and will understand me.
To protect your profit, I’d like to use a faster and safer shipping way to resend your order all at my cost.
Will that be Ok for you?
Or what else I can do for you?
Waiting for your reply and wish you a nice day!
Best regards
Your sincerely, Customer Service Dept"
 
So I said sure if they want to resend the bags with a faster shipping service that would be great, but I also added I would like a tracking # or once the 28th comes around which is when I can put in a case with Ebay I will file.

 

[Walchit]

I like the cartons! Maybe put some holes on the sides so they can dry out faster if you notice the bottoms staying wet. Just a thought I had when I saw them. Maybe just on the bottom half so they dry more evenly?

 

[CDNmatt]

I like the cartons! Maybe put some holes on the sides so they can dry out faster if you notice the bottoms staying wet. Just a thought I had when I saw them. Maybe just on the bottom half so they dry more evenly?

 

That's a great idea actually....I had also thought aboot adding some holes for abit of air prune effect as well I didn't even take the drying process into consideration.
 
Good call on that for sure.

 

[PaulG]

Those milk cartons should work
great for the plants at this stage.

 

[CDNmatt]

No pic update today of the peppers, well maybe laters tonight but thought I would do it when I did my next watering since everything needs to come out of the shelves when I do so.
 
Shelves are packed to the gills and had planned on going through everything today to decide what was going to make the cut and which plants there was not enough room for, unfortunately I have had the worst headache since last night so likely it wont get done.
 
I did however break out the boxes of seeds and started to try and figure out a short list of tomato's and sweet pepper varieties (bells ect) that we were going to grow this year. As anticipated, this is going to be a very hard decision..../sigh
 
 

 

 
So really nothing special jsut some basic stuff really, but enough to keep my wife happy enough this year at least. I will let her go through and pick most of the other vegis come mid March or so, can add some flowers into that mess as well.

 

[CaneDog]

I did however break out the boxes of seeds and started to try and figure out a short list of tomato's and sweet pepper varieties (bells ect) that we were going to grow this year. As anticipated, this is going to be a very hard decision..../sigh

 
"Short list?"  Not familiar with the term... 
 
Good luck with all and staying on top of it.  Going to be one hell of a season for ya!

 

[CDNmatt]

For every person who maintains a garden to some extent....
 

Short List
 

/ˈSHôrt ˌlist/

noun
noun: shortlist

1. 
   
   
   1.
   
   
   a list of selected candidates from which a final choice is made.
   "a short list of four companies"
   
   
   
   
   

verb
verb: shortlist

1. 
   
   
   1.
   
   
   put (someone or something) on a short list.
   "the novel was short-listed for the Booker Prize"
    
    
    
    
    
   
   
   
   
   

 

 

[CDNmatt]

The tomato choices seem to be much much more difficult, and I did not make it any easier by splitting on some cool types from Garth with my dad on my last pepper purchase.
 
10 to 15 types at 1-2 plants each will not be so easy, if I was not growing so many chilli's it would easily be 2 maybe 3xs that I suspect.