Next to My Chair

Been thinking about it.. pretty sure I'm growing peppers because I'm bored.  Like, deeply, existentially bored.  Plus, a little harmless pain never hurt anybody, right?  Hell, it's probably even good for you.  We'll see if those are good enough reasons, I guess.  I bought me some "Scotch Bonnet Orange" seeds from Amazon before I found you fine folk, lurked around here for a while, then planted them anyway along with other, infinitely less suspect seeds I ordered from far flung places around the globe(!) as recommended by the very venerable Vendor Vault.  I've got them growing here by my chair.  I sit here and read. (The wall to my right as I took this picture is lined with bookshelves I'm slowing filling as I try to forget the world each afternoon.  Mostly scifi the last few years.)  It would be distracting to have a big boxy tent looming over me, so I've just got them sitting there on a cardboard box.  I hope to replace the box with a little table here soon.

 
 
My rig consists of something like a quarter of the full Amazon Indoor Garden of Tomorrow-orrow-orrow-orrow ®.  This LED light I got is something else, man.  It's REALLY bright!  Paper towel germination, used a few Jiffy pellets, stuck some seeds straight in some old Miracle Grow I had, kept them in the Jiffy box there until they sprouted.  I'm glad to be rid of that Jiffy dome now; it was a pain in the ass.  Ahh.. let's see.. I'm mixing CNS17 Grow into RO/DI water, testing and adjusting up with GH pH kit, pouring it over my little darlings there in about 3:1 coco:perlite.  Just culled and potted up today to 3.5 inches.  All seems to be going well except for some slight canoeing of leaves, which I'm ready to blame on the 24% humidity (We wake up half mummified in the winter.  I know - grow tent.) and a few early spills on my rug.  Trying to keep it simple and not drive myself crazier futzing with dozens of parameters here, so I'm not going to sweat it unless things turn worse.  I'm not!  Worry verges on religion with me, so this will either be therapeutic or turn out to have been a bad idea.. 
Any and all comments or criticisms are very welcome and I thank you all most warmly for having me and schooling me and reading my noodlings! 

 

[luvmesump3pp3rz]

they have a nice green color, i`d say nothing serious with them. i`ve seen my plant`s leaves curl and look odd but they always survived and never died. take other members advice and let them be. you will see if they lack water from seriously drooping leaves. worry less and enjoy more! 

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Measured in 4.5 gallons of water, got it sitting out. A Freeport Orange seedling will go in tomorrow afternoon.

 

[CaneDog]

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Thinking about trying one of these. Figure the cost is comparable to what I'd spend on tulle bought locally plus some PVC for framework, but this is already sewn shut, built to collapse and spring open, and has zip flaps. Bothers me a little that I can't know how fine the mesh is before I buy it, though..  I'm not wild about the blue trim, either, but the one I found with white trim costs ten dollars more.  It can be blue for ten dollars.  Maybe I can cut off the lace..
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07F8RCMPJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1550420749&sr=8-6&keywords=pop+up+mosquito+net+tent 
 

 

[DWB]

I ordered  in a shit-ton of white tulle from an amazon vendor for $9.50 delivered.
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HLKLCFI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[CaneDog]

What's the plan/thinking?  Multiple varieties of plants in a single larger enclosure cut off from pollinating insects?  Hand pollinate for hybridization or simply let them self-pollinate for true seeds?  Consider the effect of wind blown pollen negligible despite them being somewhat close together?  If the mesh is small enough for mosquito it seems that would be more than enough for most all pollinators.
 
I'm leaning toward buying a bolt of tulle and either bagging whole branches on plants in the ground or whole plants in containers with maybe a single stake holding it above the plant and just draping loosely then bunching at/under the bottom.  Might look at paint strainer bags instead of making the branch bags myself because that seems like a pain.  I used small bags last year and I definitely want to change to a bigger looser covering.
 
EDIT:  DWB ya snuck that in on me while I was typing. A saw that posted before and it looked like a great deal.  Also MikeUSMC posted about making covers for single plants and his looked solid.  Figured I'd copy those ideas. 

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Really just hoping to defend against birds and bugs.  I've got a bunch of bird feeders around, couldn't blame the birds for thinking I was offering them tasty peppers.  

 

[CaneDog]

Gotcha.  My mind was going a different direction with that.  You'd get both benefits then, and birds stealing peppers does really suck.  And with the pop-up and frame you get access and room to work and what-not.  Don't remember how tall it is - you planning to let those guys become giants outside?

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Don't remember how tall it is - you planning to let those guys become giants outside?

 
Supposed to be 59" at the top, so I'd have to stoop or kneel, but I could definitely get in there. 
I really don't know what I'm going to do..  Seems like I could fit six fairly large plants in that tent..  More?  Smaller?  Which varieties?  All up in the air.  Only about six weeks left for dithering.
 
Got this done a minute ago:

 

[CraftyFox]

What about this one? No bottom to worry about, white, and 19.95$USD for a King size.. 
https://www.amazon.com/Ideaworks-Mosquito-Bed-Net-Pop-Up/dp/B01M1VKX9J/ref=pd_sbs_75_6/138-9388876-8796606?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BLVG49F&pd_rd_r=21237079-32e9-11e9-9126-7b5e4f5c8ab6&pd_rd_w=sPn0j&pd_rd_wg=aPFFl&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=MKQVTDMH6TNA7P1K7EEJ&refRID=MKQVTDMH6TNA7P1K7EEJ&th=1&psc=1

 

[Uncle Eckley]

I think I like that there's a bottom to it - nice and closed.  No?

 

[CaneDog]

I think the way it domes up you could have taller plant(s) toward the center and maybe sneak some smaller ones in as you get closer to the edges.  A bottom might help protect against blowing over in a strong wind - though i guess you could always just stake it down.

 

[CDNmatt]

Thats one thign that came across my mind as well...the bottom would help keep it down with jsut the plants sitting on it but could easily stake that bad boy down also.
 
You may have to open the door at times as well if it gets alot of direct sun which may defeat the purpose abit. Even being a screen type tent it will still trap some heat to a degree, especially being a smaller type tent.

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Hmm.  Maybe I could arrange some shade if it gets too hot.  If there's a bottom I could move it around a bit if needed.  I mean, I could move it if it were staked, too, just more trouble.

 

[CDNmatt]

Like I mean I have never grown anything under screen liek that before but just from expereince sitting in screen tents all summer on hot days it sucks, and I would rather deal with the bugs then the heat.
 
Think it would be more then fine on a normal day I should of added.....but the really hot ones jsut keep an eye on them perhaps,
 
I think your good with whatever type you bought if you went the tent route...my go to line is do what works for YOU and that is all that matters.

 

[Uncle Eckley]

I think your good with whatever type you bought if you went the tent route...my go to line is do what works for YOU and that is all that matters.

 
No worries, I haven't bought any tents yet.  Might get hot inside one.  Hadn't really considered that.  Maybe stuffy, too, for that matter..  I'm posting ideas like this for just that kind of feedback.  By all means, poke holes if you can - best to consider as many angles as possible before I go and do something I can't easily undo, whether that's spending money on a tent or pruning my plants way back or whatever else. 

 

[PaulG]

 

• I'm worried about this fan pushing dry air past my plants, but I'm scared to turn it off, too.  The intumescences I've discovered really make my stomach drop.  The more I read about it the more it seems nobody really knows what the hell causes it.  Frustrating. Try not to overthink it. Do some google searching to find about these, and tricomes. Most of what I've read says they are natural plant responses, and serve some function, and aren't to worry about.
• I'm watering as infrequently as I can, waiting until the plants almost wilt, then pouring on the nutrient solution until it runs out the bottom of the pot. (Is that right?)  Yes, that's the ticket. Then let them get a bit dry before watering again. I don't like to let them wilt, so I weigh my small planters to see when to water. A cup of my soil weighs 350 grams with 4 ounces of water, so I give them water when the weight drops to 250 grams.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty aimless. Just beginner jitters. My plants are growing, Celebrate that!  but I've got way too many gnarly and deformed leaves to feel good about my little garden. Just cut them off a couple at a time from the bottom. That will get more air and light to the bottom of the plant and keep you from feeling discouraged. Nature's way is pretty successful, so sometimes it's better just to relax and enjoy the view!
 
Almost everything is green.  I'm seeing more buds and flowers.  I've had no major disasters.  Shouldn't this be enough for the greenhorn? Yes
 

Thinking about trying one of these. Figure the cost is comparable to what I'd spend on tulle bought locally plus some PVC for framework, but this is already sewn shut, built to collapse and spring open, and has zip flaps. Bothers me a little that I can't know how fine the mesh is before I buy it, though..  I'm not wild about the blue trim, either, but the one I found with white trim costs ten dollars more.  It can be blue for ten dollars.  Maybe I can cut off the lace..
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07F8RCMPJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1550420749&sr=8-6&keywords=pop+up+mosquito+net+tent 
 

 
This looks great. I've been searching for an isolation tent for some PdNxBMJ plants in #3 pots. this looks like it would be perfect. I wonder how it reacts to sun exposure?

What's the plan/thinking?  Multiple varieties of plants in a single larger enclosure cut off from pollinating insects?  Hand pollinate for hybridization or simply let them self-pollinate for true seeds?  Consider the effect of wind blown pollen negligible despite them being somewhat close together?  If the mesh is small enough for mosquito it seems that would be more than enough for most all pollinators.
 
I'm leaning toward buying a bolt of tulle and either bagging whole branches on plants in the ground or whole plants in containers with maybe a single stake holding it above the plant and just draping loosely then bunching at/under the bottom.  Might look at paint strainer bags instead of making the branch bags myself because that seems like a pain.  I used small bags last year and I definitely want to change to a bigger looser covering. I bought some paint strainer bags, and some party / wedding favor bags for single pods/branch tips. Another good net might be the reusable vegetable bags they sell in super-markets. Here's a couple of pics:

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Thanks, Paul!

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Took way too long to realize this, but I'm only getting the intumescences on plants in coco/perlite.  The plants in jars are all but entirely unaffected (one of them, the oldest by far, has just the slightest touch of it on a few leaves).

 

[Walchit]

Trent L said something about coir doing something weird to to the potassium uptake or something. I have been feeding my plants more often, I use organic-ish nutes, so I don't think I have to worry about salt build-up.