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PeriPeri's Grow Log 2012: South Africa

Hi All,

So I'll give it another try this year. God knows I love chillies and I would love nothing more than to have a bumper harvest... but I suspect the truth of the matter is I do not have green fingers. In fact, give me a chilli and I will be pretty guaranteed to kill it lol That's not negativity talking, that's reality based on last years experiences lol

Last year it was pots. This year its a farm east of Pretoria, here in South Africa. My reasoning for this madness is pretty much like a hunter hunting with a machine gun... out of the thousand seedlings I plant... I must walk away with something lol (I hope).

So I have a pice of land. Good soil down by a river in the african sun.

The planting area has been divided into two sections. An enclosed area (±40mx40m) with shade netting and an open area (±40mx40m). Water is limited, but there is borehole water.

Outside Area:
outside.jpg


Inside Area:
inside.jpg


Temps this time of the year are in the mid to high 30ºC. It's the rainy season, so there is rain and it comes in buckets and hail-stones!

So here are the pics I took of the inside and outside areas Saturday 6/10/2012. It was 37ºC that day. I have a video as well which I took last Sunday when I started the planting (to come). Luckily we have a cold front at the moment, so since monday it has been overcast, cool and we have rain (magic). I think its about 23/25ºC at the moment. I planted on Sunday (36ºC) early morning (24/25ºC) and late afternoon and pretty much watered for the rest of the day. Didn't look like rain at all... but it's here and could not have come at a better time really!

As you can see I have laid out the beds in rows. Planting is at 45-60cm intervals. I am doing a little experiment also with double planting and single planting. I suspect the yield will be lower with the bushes that have been double planted... but who knows. A different climate... maybe results will show different.

On the grow list:

Bishops Crown
PeriPeri (naturally)
Hotazel
Hot Pixie
Thaibo
Thai Dragon
Baby Belle
Cal Wonder
Yellow Scorpions
ButchT
Black Pearl
Naga Viper
White Hab
Orange Hab
Brown Hab
Red Hab
Big Jim
Long Thai
Cayenne
Cheyenne
Jalapeno
Carolina Reaper
Serrano
Pasilla Bajio
7 Pod
Bhut Jolokia
Naga King
Scotch Bonnet
Hungarian Sweet Wax
Cherry Bomb
Boriya Mirch
Brain Strain
Ring of Fire

Still to come...

Angkor Sunrise
Devils Tongue White
Barrakpore
Douglah
Jonah
JonahxButchT
Primo
Naga Morich
Infinity
Goronong
Devils Tongue Choc
Hab Choc

One or two other... but I can't remember.

First lot I planted on Sunday 7/10/2012.... details will follow...

Over and out for now!

PeriPeri
 
Click to expand...
Devv said:
So what is your OW technique?
 
I have a few in containers just for that purpose.
Click to expand...
Hi Scott,
 
Gosh... no technique, just going with gut and feeling really. Couple of rules for me really.
 
1) Trust in nature. Nature has done this a million times over. Let nature do its thing. Have a whisky.
2) Nothing drastic. If you want to cut back and pour chemicals or do anything drastic to intervene... go to point 1)
3) Rest. Let plants that have had a shock rest and find their feet.
4) Avoid excesses: Water, Sun or Chemicals. Avoid drastic action: stripping dead leaves, pruning, removing pods.
5) Don't prune until you see substantial regrowth from outer most nodes (in my case where there has been frost)
6) Have a whisky and chill see point 1)
 
Good points Lourens... in a couple of months I'm going to be attempting to OW the plants I have in root-pruning pots. This is my first time to do this. My plan is to keep them in my cool cellar, which stays at a constant 50 degrees (10 C) all winter, and just give them enough water to keep them green. No nutes until I'm ready for them to grow in the spring. The thing I'm unsure about is how much, and what kind of light I should give them since I have no windows there to let any in. What have you been doing in that line?
 
stickman said:
Good points Lourens... in a couple of months I'm going to be attempting to OW the plants I have in root-pruning pots. This is my first time to do this. My plan is to keep them in my cool cellar, which stays at a constant 50 degrees (10 C) all winter, and just give them enough water to keep them green. No nutes until I'm ready for them to grow in the spring. The thing I'm unsure about is how much, and what kind of light I should give them since I have no windows there to let any in. What have you been doing in that line?
Click to expand...
Hi Stickman, my garages have roller shutter doors that face North (our sunny side here in the ssouthern hemisphere) so early mornings when temps go over 14/150C I open up the roller doors and let the plants get the winter sun pretty much all day. Come sunset I just close things up again. But the thing is also that the daytime temps are in the early 20's... so I am able to do that. Not sure you can do this your side :) I can highly recommend Seaweed pellets if you want to wake up your babies from their winter dormancy.
 
Knowing your green fingers my friend, over wintering will be a sinch for you !
 
I have just received my shipment from Grant... wow, we are going to have some awesome variations this season! Stay tunes!
 
Hi J, All quiet on the western front. OW plants are coming along steadily. Still in the grips of winter here. It should be getting warmer here soon... but we are still getting frost in the mornings :(
 
Germination has started and is in full swing. Loads of new varieties... too many - as usual! Having some very bad germination results and an unwanted guest in my propagator than eats the tops off my seedlings at night - which is really annoying. But yea... as soon as that frost shifts in the morning, you will be getting loads of activity from me on this site for sure.
 
For now its still a go slow!
 
Good to hear the seeds from JR arrived all good lourens... Can't wait to see some of them .... By the way I have 2 south African reapers up up and away at my house ... Cheers!!
 
Nice work on the product promotion.  I'm especially envious of the greenhouse, it looks great.  I need to get myself something just like that.  I'll probably end up making a ramshackle version.  For hardening off etc.  Can't wait to see your new glog if its anything like this one.  :)

I know what you mean about wanting spring to hurry up and get here as well! 
 
Aaah I see,yea,things are the oposite here on my side,started school last wednesday...and I got a heating mat/pad...so I'm going to start my seeds soon...so let's just say,with all my projects and homework I have,its going to be VEEEEEEERY busy,good luck (: can't wait to see that list
 
Trippa said:
Good to hear the seeds from JR arrived all good lourens... Can't wait to see some of them .... By the way I have 2 south African reapers up up and away at my house ... Cheers!!
Click to expand...
Hi Trippa, they didn't arrive the first time round, but grant is an amazing stand up guy... he sorted another shipment superfast! Glad to hear the Reapers are working for ya. The plants they came from where right on the mark with the look and hell they were hot lol
megamoo said:
Nice work on the product promotion.  I'm especially envious of the greenhouse, it looks great.  I need to get myself something just like that.  I'll probably end up making a ramshackle version.  For hardening off etc.  Can't wait to see your new glog if its anything like this one.  :)

I know what you mean about wanting spring to hurry up and get here as well! 
Click to expand...
Hey Megamoo, Thanks for dropping in my friend. I think a greenhouse is every chilliheads dream... I unfortunately have to move it from where it is as my girlfriends mother does not want it in her garden - bummer lol... lots of practice assembling it - I will be a professional at putting up greenhouses just now lol
 
PeriPeri said:
Hi Scott,
 
Gosh... no technique, just going with gut and feeling really. Couple of rules for me really.
 
1) Trust in nature. Nature has done this a million times over. Let nature do its thing. Have a whisky.
2) Nothing drastic. If you want to cut back and pour chemicals or do anything drastic to intervene... go to point 1)
3) Rest. Let plants that have had a shock rest and find their feet.
4) Avoid excesses: Water, Sun or Chemicals. Avoid drastic action: stripping dead leaves, pruning, removing pods.
5) Don't prune until you see substantial regrowth from outer most nodes (in my case where there has been frost)
6) Have a whisky and chill see point 1)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response!
 
I see whiskey is the key! No problem here!
Usually I can grow all year, but have never tried to OW, very few frosts and can bring them in the house when needed IDK about the ones in the 20 gal bags...gonna have to figure that out...maybe use the tractor and put them in the shop
 
Looking forward to updates!
 
Devv said:
Thanks for the response!
 
I see whiskey is the key! No problem here!
Usually I can grow all year, but have never tried to OW, very few frosts and can bring them in the house when needed IDK about the ones in the 20 gal bags...gonna have to figure that out...maybe use the tractor and put them in the shop
 
Looking forward to updates!
Click to expand...
Hey Scott,
 
Great Scott!!! Those are massive plants! A tractor and a crane no doubt! lol My plants are small compared to that. Sounds like your climate in Texas is similar to ours.... I think our altitude may be higher, so we get colder night time temps at 4000ft above sealevel.
 
Chat soon
 
Hi Lourens, Glad to hear things are progressing with your starts and OW plants. Bummer about the nocturnal feeder that's topping your seedlings... any idea what it could be?
 
The harvest is pretty much in full swing here, the Manzanos are the last holdout, and I hope to see results from them in a couple of weeks. Cheers!
 
stickman said:
Hi Lourens, Glad to hear things are progressing with your starts and OW plants. Bummer about the nocturnal feeder that's topping your seedlings... any idea what it could be?
 
The harvest is pretty much in full swing here, the Manzanos are the last holdout, and I hope to see results from them in a couple of weeks. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Hi Stickman - thanks for popping in! You are in full swing my friend... amazing grow you got going on there! I have no idea what it is... but it seems to have stopped now. I seem to think it might have been a mouse possibly.
 
My new Grow Log is up and running. No pics yet but 2013/2014 has started yea!!
PeriPeri's Grow Log 2013/2014: South Africa is on
 
Ha..........back to back...side to side.........paralleling posts..........way to over lap the new season !
 
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