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Operation Golden Garden 2014: Let's Get Started!

**Instead of starting an entirely new GLOG, I decided to tack 2014 on to the end of this one. So if you have already went through 2013's grow, just jump ahead to page 40.**
 
Before you go on, I would recommend you grab a beer or something else stiff to drink.  If you didnt follow my grow last time around, I have the tendency to go on, and on, and on, and on.  Also, I may not be the most "PC" out of the group, so if you are looking for clean language, on topic discussion, and general 'niceness', I am sure that I can point you in the right direction.
 
Ok, now that we got that out of the way....I AM STARTING A FREAKIN GROW LOG!  A quick bit of back story. Since I spent more time in high school partying than studying, I didn't have much of a choice following graduation. I decided to enlist in the Marines (there really isnt another choice) and now here I am 8 years and 5 deployments later.  This last go around I left the first few days of September and just got back yesterday (9 months for all the other 'non studying' folk).  As most of you know, if you want some bangin pepper plants, you need to start early, and May 25th aint early.  So right before I left I cut everything back and prayed to the pepper gods that my plants would make it through winter so I could have something to come home to.  Up until yesterday I thought that they were just taking time to put on some green, but when I walked through the fence to see my dogs, a ritual that I typically do after every deployment, I realized that the plants were not there and instead was four trays of new plants just waiting for planting.
 
Note:  IPhones are not the world's leading video recording devices.  And as a result, I may not be easily heard.  Dont worry, I didn't have much to say initially anyways, I was just a bit more surprised than anything.
 

 
For someone who seems to always talk a bit too much, I didnt have much to say initially.  I was freaking out inside and didnt know if my wife got them or what.  When she told me that the guys from THP did it, i was blown away.  You gotta understand, over the past 9 months Bill (RocketMan) organized a "Operation Hot Sauce" care package rotation for me and my guys.  A bunch of members here chipped in and sent packages of sauces, powders, peppers, and other treats to help make this deployment a bit more enjoyable.  To hear that they ALSO chipped in and GAVE ME A GROWING SEASON pretty much put me over the edge.  I know that I already messaged you guys but I wanna thank RocketMan, Coheed196, Romy6, KingDenniz, Silver_Surfer, STC3248, DesertChris, Sanarda, MuskyMojo, Pulpeteer, WalkGood, DocNRock. Stickman, Annie57, Pic 1, Pr0digal_Son, Jamison, Spicy Chicken, HighHalt, Fremp, SethSquach, 3/5 King, Patrick, Bigoldude again for helping make this happen for me.  And although giving me a garden was WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH, they also gave me a little sumpin sumpin that will help out picking up the last minute things that I need to make sure I have everything I need for the season!
 
So this morning, I got up early because I am still on Afghanistan time, cooked breakfast, and then after the family ate we went out to the garden to plant everything. 
 

 
 
The Peppers:
7 Pot
7 Pot Douglah
7 Pot Yellow
Aji Colorado
Bhut Jolokia
Bhut Jolokia Assam
Bhut Jolokia Yellow
Bonda ma Jaques
Cobra
Congo Trinidad
Fatalii
Jamaican Hot Chocolate
Lemon Drop
Marconi Giant Hybrid
TSMB 
TSMB Yellow
Naga Morich
Safi Red
Trinidad Scorpion
West Indian Red
 
Maters:
Black Krim
Black Pear
 
Oh, and did I tell you that THERE ARE 3 EACH?!?
 
Gettin to work tilling the rows a bit


 
The wife givin me a hand

 
The kiddo givin me a hand

 
Rows Complete

 
And Peppers in the ground!

 
Some goodies from Bill, Jeff and Bonnie (Bill also has goodies in the fridge :cheers:)

 
Parting Shot

 
 
Happy new year Matt! Hope you reign in killer hybrid hauls!
 
edit: I was just thinking about all the wild hybrids out there now and some of the ones you will be growing. Did you ever join AISPES to help stabilize some of the strains? 
 
Devv said:
My brother and Dad are big into golf, me, just no time.
 
I say anything that can give you enjoyable brain time is a positive.
 
Go kick Tiger's ass!
LOL. I got a set of clubs for free from my stepdad's stepdad. lol. They are old and definitely used, but they will get me out on the course to see if I actually like it. I can't wait to get out there.
 
Pinoy83 said:
your babies gonna be spoiled with that
your babies gonna be spoillleddd with this :dance: :dance: :dance:
Hellz yea! They get in there tomorrow!
 
Capsicum Select said:
Those daisycutters are cool looking! They're looking like they are showing some scotch bonnet heritage so they should be super tasty.
 
That is crazy that you are right around 100 for the grow. You will need to open up a business!
 
That's cool that you decided to pick up golf. It's good to have on active sport like that to play. Personally I never got into it but I can see how it would be relaxing to play a course and kick back a few brews!
Yea, I am lookin forward to seein how they turn out. I got the orange ones, but there are yellow and red ones out there. A dude named Matt Arthur created them. About the business, people tell me that ALL the time, but I dont really care bout the money. I just like growing and sharing, maybe one day!
 
peppernovice said:
  Everything is looking awesome Matt. Do you mind if I ask where you got the tent and how much it was? I have a building I'd love to use, but it has little to no insulation. I assume that tent doesn't have any either, but it would be easier to insulate it inside the building, rather than the whole building. I'm thinking about starting some seeds myself. Just trying to figure out how to get it past the wife. I told her I wasn't going to start until after Christmas. 
 
Tim
I got it off eBay, i wanna say that it was like 150, 160 or something. Free shipping so I picked one of from there. I keep it in the right temp range with a space heater and exhaust fan. Worked fine through 20-75 ambient temps.
 
RocketMan said:
 
Man, I thought you were going to say that you just read Carlos Hathcock's book and were going to take up Competitive Marksmanship :(
lol! I dont need any help on that front!
 
stc3248 said:
Wow...killer list! I have heard great things about those starter trays. Interested to hear your thoughts this season! 100+ plants??? You're freakin nuts!!! Great start, can't wait to watch this unfold!!!
Yea man, I know....I always do too much...the wife is already rollin your eyes!
 
Devv said:
Matt,
 
Enjoy your family and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 
Scott
Thanks Scott
 
PaulG said:
Congrats on getting your grow down to 100 plants, Matt   :rofl:
 
Hey.  Merry Christmas to you and your family!
lol, I am havin trouble keepin it there. I just got back from a trip and have 2 pkgs with seeds waiting for me!
 
RocketMan said:
Great looking start Matt, cant wait to see some green showing inside that tent!
 
Happy New Year!
Thanks Bill, you too.
 
Mike-
I never joined AISPES. I thought about it, I just didnt have the time to commit to documenting and the requirements. Maybe in the future, but I am gonna work on stabilizing a few strains for buddies growing some crazy stuff this season.
 
Jeff-
Thanks! Yea, gonna be a good one. Lookin forward to it!
 
So I am back in town after a 12 hour drive with a toddler and sick wife. Drank 2 beers unloading the truck in 20 degree weather, now its onto the single malts and working on the grow list. I have a slew of new hybrids, and am gonna drop some usual suspects and add them to the list. I am gonna mix my soil tomorrow and hopefully get seeds in dirt tomorrow night. The wife got me another heat mat, so that is gonna be a huge help. Ill take pix and document as always, stay tuned to check the updated grow list.
 
stickman said:
Cheers Matt! Looking forward to vicariously checking in on your glog this season...  Hope everybody feels better soon and you all have a happy new year!
They are, it feels great to be back home.
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Nice glog man! Why stop at 100?
LOL. I accidentally planted more than 100....oops!
 
So I ended up planting 3 flats initially.  I planted 4 seeds (2 cells) of each variety, so that is 108 varieties. I cut down the list to about 80, and then I started planting...I realized that I had half a flat open, so I just opened up the seedbank and started to pick ones I didn't have on the list. Revised growlist below:
 
Sorry for the blurry pic, but this is my planting method. I labeled the cells (see spreadsheet below) A-MM and 1-6. For soil I used supersoil #4 with some dolomitic lime for ph balance, EWC for organic matter, and some added pearlite. I pre-wetted, but it has been a bit of a pain in the ass keeping the soil moist. I almost got that sweet spot where the soil holds the moisture, but next time I will pre-wet a bit more.

 
Here are the flats nice an happy in the tent.

 
And here is my spreadsheet

 
Sorry for the blacked out cells, got some stuff for the guv'ment growin. lol.
 
And the updated Grow list:
 
TS
ButchT
TS Brown
TSMB
TSMB Brown
TSMB Caramel
TS Green
TSMB Satan's Strain
TSMB From Trinidad
TS Yellow
TS Sweet
 
Assam
Black Naga
BJ Hybrid
Naga Viper
Burmese Naga
Cornish Naga
Choc Big Bang Naga
BOC
NagaBrain
Choc NagaBrain
7 BP
7 BP Choc
7 SR
7 Yellow
7 BP Tail
7 Primo
7 Primo Yellow
Madballz Choc
Madballz
7 Jonah
7 BBG
Alphanerdz Douglah
Brain Strain
Inifinity
Infinity Yellow
7 Rennie Chocolate
7 Lava
7 Peanut
Monster Infinity
 
BT X Primo F4
Assam X Brain
Assam X Jonah F3
TSMB X Primo F4
TSMB X Douglah F3
TSMB Choc X Jonah F2
T Viper X Purple Bhut
TSMB X ButchT
TS Large x Assam F2
SB7J
UBSC
UBSC Brown
Naga X 7 Pot
Bhutlah Red Original
Pimenta de Neyde X Bhut
[Bhut X 7 Yellow] X [Bhut Chocolate X Douglah]
[Douglah X Bhut] X Another Superhot
Jigsaw
TSMB X Brain F1
[Morango X Douglah] X [Bhut Chocolate X Douglah]
Bhut chocloate X Douglah F2
Douglah X ButchT Brown
Morango Cross
Naga Suomi x [Bhut Chocoalte X Douglah]
7 X Bhut F2
SB7J Atomic
[Pimenta de Neyde X 7 Jonah] X TSMB
Majah X
7 Brown X 7 Primo #3
7 Evergreen X Purple Myst
7 Douglah Yellow X TS Brown
Borg 9
E03GM F2
7 Wrecking Ball
Wrecking Ball X 7 Brown
Yellow Pixie
Orange Daisy Cutter
Brain Hybrid
Brazilian Ghost
Infinaga
Armageddon F2
Rocoto X
Douglah X ButchT Red
ButchT X Jonah
 
Turbo Pube
Manzano Yellow
Morango
Naga X Tabasaco
Hot White Scorpion Tongue
Choc Hab
MoA
TFM Bonnet
Chaparita Yellow
Giant White Hab Stinger
 
Alrighty, thats about it for now. It should be quiet for a few days and Ill post when I see some babies pokin the surface.
 
That is a great setup and impressive list! I hope that we get some leaks on what those blacklisted items may be.
May your seedlings go by wreckless abandonment for safety and hook without helmets!
-Arrik
 
Even with only 2 of each variety that's an ambitious list! Are you planning on any mild/medium varieties and/or veggies too? Maybe a small raised bed for kitchen herbs for your wife?

Good luck with your grow this year!
 
Nice use of the Grid Reference System Matt :) who says that the stuff we learn in the military doesn't apply to Civilian life?

All right I'm ready to see some green on top of those cells. As Jason said that's a ton of crosses, going to be very interesting watching your grow this year and seeing how they come out.
 
MeatHead1313 said:
Awesome list! What's the difference between the SB7J and the SB7J Atomic? The SB7J quickly became one of my favourites when I tried it last season. 
Thanks man. The SB7J is Patrick's pod and the Atomic is a pheno that is in development. A bit hotter, and slight shape variation. I am lookin forward to see how it produces for me.
 
GA Growhead said:
That's a ton of crosses! And many F2s at that!
Hope some crazy cool phenotypes show up for you!
Yea man, I may have gone a bit overboard...lol.
 
Capsicum Select said:
That is a great setup and impressive list! I hope that we get some leaks on what those blacklisted items may be.
May your seedlings go by wreckless abandonment for safety and hook without helmets!
-Arrik
LOL, I am already done with blacking shit out...it takes too much time to censor photos/posts. Bottom line: I am growing (or attempting to grow) a bunch of developmentals for some folks. Ill share what I can when summer comes. And unfortunately I have had my fair share of helmets this go around. What I have found that works ok for me is letting them grow a bit and dry out and then squeezing them when they are fragile.
 
 
stickman said:
Even with only 2 of each variety that's an ambitious list! Are you planning on any mild/medium varieties and/or veggies too? Maybe a small raised bed for kitchen herbs for your wife?

Good luck with your grow this year!
Yea, it got out of hand real quick! Right now I am just thinking this single round. In another month or 2 ill jump in and figure out the veg situation.
 
RocketMan said:
Nice use of the Grid Reference System Matt :) who says that the stuff we learn in the military doesn't apply to Civilian life?

All right I'm ready to see some green on top of those cells. As Jason said that's a ton of crosses, going to be very interesting watching your grow this year and seeing how they come out.
Thanks bill. I got a few pics below. Not all are happy though..lol.
 
RocketMan said:
<door to Glog creaks as it opens>

"Helloooooooooooooo" echos bouncing off the walls, "Matatatatatatat, where are you mannnnnnnnnn?"

"Wowowowowow, no one herererere"

<door creaks back closed>

;)
Just had to reopen it didn't ya!
 
Devv said:
LOL, a +1!
Alright Alright...
 
Sawyer said:
Well, he never said the blacked out cells were planted with pepper seeds.  Seymour...?
Ya caught me!
 
stc3248 said:
Feeeeeed Meeeee!!!
 
C'mon Matt what gives???
lol, alright, you win.
 
Sorry I have been MIA for the past couple weeks, I have popped in here and there, but just haven't had much time to browse the boards much. Work has been crazy, we just picked up a new class with 40 students, I am finishing up my undergrad degree, the kiddo is full on terrible 2 (3 months early), and i am planning an exercise for guys that are getting ready to deploy. I HAVE planted seeds, and REPLANTED seeds...I am guessing that the soil isn't exactly what the seedlings want. The mix may be a bit hot for babies, and there is pretty much zero water retention. Because of this, I have had more than a few drop cotys and keel over. In normal MG fashion, I planted another round of seeds (probably wont be my last) and this time I went with horticubes. They are a new thing (kinda like rapid rooters) and a couple of buddies really like them. So I planted another 104 cell tray (one variety each). I still have a good amount of babies looking good, and hopefully they will stay that way.
 
Here are the horticubers. They look pretty interesting.

 
Some green, some death, a little of everything.



 
Here ya go Shane, this is one of yours.


 
 
Really happy the PN7J is starting purple. I am hoping it stays this way.

 
Morango Cross is also purple, really badass.

 
And the horticubes incubatin'

 
And the updated spreadsheet. Yellow is one of 2, green is 2/2

 
IIght, ill be in and out and hopefully I can updated once more than every 3 weeks...
 
Good to see up and running Matt. I'm getting the same thing with mine. After some great germ rates once they hit the soil they're just don't want to do anything. I think a part of my problem is the trays I'm using. They're causing the cells to stay too wet. I've been holding off on restarting but I'm getting closer and closer to thinking I might have to and go to top watering instead of bottom with these trays.
 
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