Patrick's 2011 Grow Log

Here we are again. I can't believe how fast the time goes by anymore. My pops always said the older you get the faster it passes us by.

I am especially excited about this year, I'm going to try and cross a couple of peppers, on purpose! Haven't made the final decisions yet though.

Anyway, here's a few that I overwintered. The one on the left came from a 7 Pod Barrackpore cutting. It struggled for a bit but the roots are starting to grow so I'm hopeful. Center front is a "large" 7 Pod, center rear was a very robust Dorset Naga and the one on the right is a 7 Pod Primo. The latter three I removed from 5-7 gal pots, trimmed the roots and cut them down to just the stem. They sat in my foyer where they got some limited sunlight through a window. I'm very happy with them.

This is the first tray of seeds I stuck in coco coir last night. I've had success before with this medium as a seed starting mix so see no reason to change. It is nutrient poor so I start using fertilizer at an early stage in the plants life, at a very reduced rate.

Here is what I've started so far:

7 Pod, Brain Strain PRF…………………………..………........ 5
7 Pod, Brown Judy………………………………..………............ 6
Bhut Jolokia, Yellow…………………………………..………........ 5
Pimenta Tiger, AISPES004...................... 5
Trinidad Scorpion, Butch T Judy…………….………...... 8
Trinidad Scorpion, Chocolate AISPES108…....……. 5
Trinidad Scorpion, Morouga HSC……………….……....... 5
Trinidad Scorpion, Yellow AISPES109..……....... 5
Trinidad Scorpion, Yellow 2 SS………………….………..... 5
Trinidad Scorpion, Yellow Morouga AISPES107...…3

Not all of them are in the photo.

They are on a cookie sheet which is on a heat pad. Current temp in the coco coir varies from 75F - 80F. I would like it warmer and may mess with the heating pad settings. I plan on picking up a couple of heat mats tomorrow for more trays.

I have several other varieties to get started and would like to keep my total at under 90 plants.

Here we go!

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Update time. Not real happy with my seed germination rate. Totally confused about it too. I'll have seeds germinating right next to some that aren't. Conditions are pretty much identical.

Experienced the same with some varieties, either fair to excellent germination on most but some types close by never popped a sprout.

 

[patrick]

One of the Trinidad Scorpion yellow AISPES seeds finally germinated, 35 days after I planted it. I was getting ready to toss a bunch of the ones that haven't come up but now I'm going to wait a couple of more days.

I've done some excavating to check out a few of the seeds that aren't doing anything and other than being slightly softer there is no indication of growth.

Think I'll go through my seeds and start a few more. No way is 70 going to be enough.

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Damn, 35 days!!! Usually I only have the patience for 2 weeks but am giving them 20 days this go round.

I started a few more today to try and fill in some holes.

Good luck with the grow and resisting the urge for more.

 

[patrick]

Yeah 35 days. Sure didn't seem that long.

I finally dumped the ones that didn't germinate and started a few new ones. I picked these seeds up the last couple of years and I hope they're still good. So much for resisting the urge.

Brazilian Starfish.....3
Chapeau de Frade.......3
Espelette Basque.......3
Sucre Fuego............3

I've grown the B. starfish before but none of the others. I'll probably start a few more over the next couple of days.

 

[lazienfat]

Good to know the yellow scorps take so long to germ, still waiting for mine. When you grew the star fish do you recall if the stems are very thin? I have sprouted about 6 of them and all of them are very very skinny.

 

[Maligator]

Nice list Patrick and looks like a pretty good germination rate. Congrats! Looking forward to watching your grow log

 

[patrick]

Been a while, I feel like Beaglestorm.

Lazy I only have one B. starfish that germinated so far and the cap got stuck and killed it. Stem looked OK.

Hey Gatorman--good to hear from you.

On with the show!

I am struggling to get into the pepper growing mode. I think it's all the freaking snow and cold weather dragging me down. Finally got around to potting up a few plants, after I burnt several of them by over fertilizing. Got rid of that fert and on to the Chili Focus. According to the label it has all of the good stuff peppers need. Uh-huh! We shall see.

Enough words, on to the photo's!

First up is a tray of 3 oz cups at the potting up station ie., kitchen table. Actually they're on a chair. Some Choco Habalokia, yellow Trini Scorps, Madball Z 7 Pod cross, orange Bih Jolokia and Choco Bhut Jolokia.

Here's why I'm moving them up. Lots of roots beginning to show. I'm sure they could stay in the cups a while longer but hey, why wait to give them room to grow.

Smartest thing I've done is to put the lights on chains/twine so they are adjusted easily. Must have stolen that idea from someone here.

More to come......

 

[patrick]

Next is a close up shot of a Chocolate Habalokia. I am a sucker for thick stems. I've been keeping the lights pretty close, I want bushier plants this year.

A shot of several plants in the 20 oz cups.

And a slightly closer look.

Some of them have a dry look on the top. After I watered them in good I went back and topped them all off with more of my growing medium

What I'm using is Pro-Mix BX with added perlite, worm castings and Alaskan humus. It's a little heavier than last years mix but it seems to hold moisture well and allow the excess to drain. We shall see.

 

[wayright]

Your plants look wonderful Patrick! I really like the 20 oz cup idea.

Kevin

 

[Beaglestorm]

Nice Patrick, your plants look very healthy. I am going to pot up 100+ plants this weekend ready or not. I need to switch to a fertilizer like chile focus.. my with is complaining about the smell of the fish emulsion. LOL

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Looking good P.

You making any tea with those worm castings?

 

[patrick]

Thanks guys.

No tea yet S.S. but it is on the schedule. Any recommendations on brew strength?

 

[Silver_Surfer]

I'd start with 2 cups in a 5 gallon bucket with air stones, add a quarter cup of molasses and let it brew a few days. You'll have to determine if that is enough through use, cause worm castings quality can vary a lot. You can always dilute it more if needed after the brew, but it won't burn a plant. Be sure and use it within a few hours after you turn off the aeration.

 

[Sandgroper]

Looking great Patrick, my Brazilian Starfish are about 3 foot tall with flowers only just starting to appear. They are a really lanky, big leafed plant.

Good luck and I hope it warms up for you soon. Its over 40C and humid here today, perhaps I could send you a bit of our weather.

 

[lazienfat]

Darn that helmet head, mine be looking much better. Are you using two cups as a bottom watering mechanism? Thats a great idea!

 

[patrick]

Lazy that's a darn good idea but the bottom cup is actually used for the runoff. I keep a marble or something of similar size between the cups so there is room for the excess water. If the excess water gets deep enough I imagine the roots would suck it back up.

 

[Sorellina]

Ciao Patrick-

I agree about the weather being a real downer. Once Duane's peppers started to germinate, I found enough motivation to get downstairs and start readying cell-packs and trays for my own sowings. Your babies look great now and I always look forward to what you've got growing. Thanks for the photos, too. We can all use some of those to get us through. Last day of February, though!!

 

[Dibs]

Lazy that's a darn good idea but the bottom cup is actually used for the runoff. I keep a marble or something of similar size between the cups so there is room for the excess water. If the excess water gets deep enough I imagine the roots would suck it back up.

I might have to steal this idea lol, ive been just letting it leak all over the inside of the aquarium i keep mine in while indoors.

Looking great so far btw Patrick!

 

[Beaglestorm]

UPDATE! UPDATE! We want an UPDATE!

 

[patrick]

Man, fell all the way back to page 6. My apologies gang.

Things seem to be going pretty well for the most part. I did have to trash the four plants I tried to over winter though--freaking aphids. When the soil warms up and you add a bit of water they seem to just take over a plant. Can't take the risk of the sap suckers getting onto the new plants.

Speaking of the new ones here comes my favorite part--pics!!

Group shots up first:

Now the cool stuff:

I set a goal this year of having bushier plants, ie., more branches, less height. I've had some leggy plants the past couple of years and wanted to try something different. I think I've succeeded so far.

Along with more branches of course comes more nodes. More nodes means more peppers. Think I read that somewhere.

Plus when you slow down the vertical growth you tend to get thicker, sturdier stems. Man I love a good thick stem!

This particular thick one is a Trinidad Scorpion Morouga:

More to come...