PIC 1's......Pod Pornage.............2012

Here's the start on my grow log. Well no pods yet but I have to start somewhere, and away we go!

The seeds in the containers are all c.chinense. They were dunked in a germinating solution for an over-nighter on December 1st.
This was the first phase of the germination process with plantings happening every 2 weeks through the month of January.
The annum species and the mild/medium strains will get planted late Jan through early Feb.

Most of these are "Super-hots.

Here's a shot from today, things are looking up and up.

Here's a unique looking seedling. It has 3 cotyledon's and a set of 3 true leaves. The seedling is a Trinidad Scorpion Green, seeds are from Chris (cc). I've seen the triple cotyledon with my Coronong's but not the triple set of true leaves at the same time

Here's another seedling that caught my eye. The leaves are as dark purple as my Dutch.Hot's. This one's the Purple Bhut Jolokia seeds were also from Chris. I know the leaves will eventually turn green.....but right now they look pretty...

Did somebody say "Purple"......Here's one of my overwinters. The Maui Purple. The flowers have set and soon the chili's will form...........yea

And finally another overwinter and was an over-achiever/producer last season. That's why its here. It's's the TS Butch T

More to follow, soon

Greg

 

[Trippa]

Yeah the amount of flowers/potential pods on that is unreal. Hope they all set fruit and that will be one laden branch!!

 

[PIC 1]

Yea she's a good looker.........Top Heavy!

Well of to the grow room, it's time to pot up a few...

Greg

 

[PIC 1]

Happy Holidays everyone!.................Here's a little update...

Here's a plug ready to be potted up. It's always easier to remove the seedling plugs from the inserts when the soils moist.
If the soils dry you'll take a chance of ripping the tender root mass apart.

This is the first group of 72 seedlings to get potted up. (3" pots)

I was fortunate, not only for the "Coffee" but someone had also brought back a few varieties of chilli seeds from Guatemala
This is the "Chile Cobanero"

Here's the progress of the "Purple Bhut"

Here's one of "AJ's" Trinidad Scorpions........These will be some fast growers!

And finally, some new seedlings on the way

Greg

 

[Spankyscolts]

Greg, Hi I'm new to the forum and the hobby. I am gonna be germinating a few hundred seeds in Feb and have been trying to work the process out in my head and I really liked your set up, was wondering if I might ask some questions. First off Ive been trying to decide on what medium to use to germinate. I want to use plugs like rapid rooters because of the ease of use but it looks like you were using some type of seed starter or soil would you mind sharing what you used ? Also I have been told once the seeds turn into hooks I need to get them out of the dome and under a light, how do you handle that. Do you remove from dome into another tray under a lamp or just let them stay in the dome under a light? I mean if you have seeds that germinate early do you just leave them or move them as they pop? It looks like you had near perfect germination. One more question do you put one seed per cell or two? Your stuff looks BEAUTIFUL!! Any help with these things would be greatly appreciated !!
Thanks Again ... Robin

 

[PIC 1]

Greg, Hi I'm new to the forum and the hobby. I am gonna be germinating a few hundred seeds in Feb and have been trying to work the process out in my head and I really liked your set up, was wondering if I might ask some questions. First off Ive been trying to decide on what medium to use to germinate. I want to use plugs like rapid rooters because of the ease of use but it looks like you were using some type of seed starter or soil would you mind sharing what you used ? Also I have been told once the seeds turn into hooks I need to get them out of the dome and under a light, how do you handle that. Do you remove from dome into another tray under a lamp or just let them stay in the dome under a light? I mean if you have seeds that germinate early do you just leave them or move them as they pop? It looks like you had near perfect germination. One more question do you put one seed per cell or two? Your stuff looks BEAUTIFUL!! Any help with these things would be greatly appreciated !!
Thanks Again ... Robin

.........to the forums.

Hey Robin,

I've used everything from "jiffys" to "rockwool" but the easiest is a fine seed starting mix with little or no perlite included. I find "Hoffman's" seed starting mix works well. I use a combo of Baccto, Fafards and Hoffmans. Once the seeds are placed on the medium I'll then sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculate over the seeds prior to moisting. I place my seed flats over a heating mat with a dome. The flats are also placed under the flourcent lights. Once the 1st hooks appear I'll remove the dome and bring the lights within 2" from the top of the seedlings. The combo of the mat with the overhead lights will help germinate the rest. The top of the soil needs to stay moist. It can can dry out if not attended to. I water usually mist the soil twice a day until the remainder shoots appear. I also bottom water the trays to keep the medium moist and the root systems hydrated. I normally only place 1 seed per cell,
Hope that info helps with your start.......there are others here with different methods that work just as well. ....keep in tune on the grow forum, most of your questions will be answered

Greg

 

[Spankyscolts]

Greg Thanks!! Humm so the seeds on top of the soil then vermiculite on top of that. In using soul isn't it hard to dig out the little ones once sprouted? What type of tray are you using that toucan water underneath? I'm new to the super hots, I have started my own plants before but not super hots and not this many ; ) am a little nervous . Do you use a thermostat on the heat mat? And do you cover it. I just picked up some T5's today and am starting to get excited! Man iftar stuff turns out half as good as yours I'd be tickled to death!!

 

[PIC 1]

Greg Thanks!! Humm so the seeds on top of the soil then vermiculite on top of that. In using soul isn't it hard to dig out the little ones once sprouted? What type of tray are you using that toucan water underneath? I'm new to the super hots, I have started my own plants before but not super hots and not this many ; ) am a little nervous . Do you use a thermostat on the heat mat? And do you cover it. I just picked up some T5's today and am starting to get excited! Man iftar stuff turns out half as good as yours I'd be tickled to death!!

I use tapered 72 cell inserts that are place in a standard 11 x 22" flat. I wait until the 3rd true leaf sets appear then I slide the entire root plug out of the cell and repot into a larger container ( usually a 3" pot).

The easiest way to bottom water with this method is to pick up a corner of the insert up and usuing a watering can with a spout, pour enough water in to the flat to the amount of 1/4" from the bottom is showing. That usually is enough water, for your soil/less mixture to wick up and dampen the inserts.

I have a thermastat but I don't use it anymore. I do place a bath towel over the mat. That helps buffer the heat and any diffuses any hot spots from the mat. My soil temp runs about 84 degrees. That's checked with a digital probe thermometer. I haven't cooked any seeds yet...
T5's are some powerful flouros. That should get you going until plant out. Although you did say a few hundred seeds...... ..........how many T5's...?
Good luck with your growing ventures..

Greg.

 

[Spankyscolts]

Greg Thanks again!! Everyone here is so helpful!!
I bought 1 4 ft by 2 1/2 foot 4 bulb T5 used today.
The guy has many more exactly like it, I intend to pick up 3 more. Got a partner will do part of this at his place the balance at mine. The next problem to figure out is how to keep the seed our with so many varities going lol ... But one challenge at a time. Lol ... How many T5's you think I need? Looks like I can get 4 flats under one. Think I'll use a thermometer just to be sure .. Thanks again

Wish you could edit a post that should say keep the seed pure with so many varities going.

 

[Siliman]

Greg, looking fantastic. Just to confirm, you are using T8 flouros with 6500K bulbs at this stage?

 

[roper2008]

Greg those are some healthy looking seedlings. Can you refresh my memory, what are T5's & T8's.
Is that the length of the tubes. I buy the twin pack and it has a number F32T8. So It must be T8's
that I use. This year was the first time I used them. Worked much better than the ones I used before.

 

[JesterJoker]

Greg those are some healthy looking seedlings. Can you refresh my memory, what are T5's & T8's.
Is that the length of the tubes. I buy the twin pack and it has a number F32T8. So It must be T8's
that I use. This year was the first time I used them. Worked much better than the ones I used before.

Its the bulb type.. T5 are a higher output/brighter bulb (but the bulbs are smaller diameter), but T8 can grow them with no issues.. I have multiple dual F32T8, Dual 32 watt T8 bulb ballasts growing peppers and producing pods.

 

[PIC 1]

Greg, looking fantastic. Just to confirm, you are using T8 flouros with 6500K bulbs at this stage?

Correct, T8's with 6500k.

Greg

Greg those are some healthy looking seedlings. Can you refresh my memory, what are T5's & T8's.
Is that the length of the tubes. I buy the twin pack and it has a number F32T8. So It must be T8's
that I use. This year was the first time I used them. Worked much better than the ones I used before.

Hey, Roper2008

The T5's are a high output bulb, different ballast output,(more expensive bulb replacement)
Probably the better choice for those looking to use only a few fixtures.
The T8's are the next size up in bulb diameter, next would be the T12's which will be obsolete in the near future.
The T8's are 32w bulbs, I buy packs of ten at a time. I have 100 bulbs total between 4 and 6 bulb fixtures.
The T8's do a nice job, I like the 6500k color temp. That produces a dense amount of foliage.

Greg

Its the bulb type.. T5 are a higher output/brighter bulb (but the bulbs are smaller diameter), but T8 can grow them with no issues.. I have multiple dual F32T8, Dual 32 watt T8 bulb ballasts growing peppers and producing pods.

Yep.....I just started reading your post

Greg

 

[Trippa]

Are they HPS or MH Fixtures lurking at the top of the setup in that pic greg??? How many of those beauties have you got and what wattage are they ??

 

[PIC 1]

Are they HPS or MH Fixtures lurking at the top of the setup in that pic greg??? How many of those beauties have you got and what wattage are they ??

Those are 400w MH (7200k) in that room I have 3 of them. I probably won't need to fire them up for another month or so.
I have a few HPS (600w) elsewhere , but the peppers thrive better with the MH..............that's only my opinion.

Greg

 

[BigCedar]

WOW those starts look nice Greg!

Got enough of em?? my lord! lol They all look perfectly healthy.
Man I am sure jealous of the room you have for all this, that set up would be my dream set up.
Looking great dude. How many plants you shooting for out of curiosity?

Brandon

 

[PIC 1]

WOW those starts look nice Greg! Got enough of em?? my lord! lol They all look perfectly healthy. Man I am sure jealous of the room you have for all this, that set up would be my dream set up. Looking great dude. How many plants you shooting for out of curiosity? Brandon

Well, I may have a decent amout of space indoors.....but outdoors needs to be strategically planned for the full grown plants. Living in the city has its drawback with useful garden space.
My set-up seems to expand every year ( just ask my wife! ), more lights and supplies....
I grow strictly Bio, although Hydro has many benefits in the smaller grow, I'd be limited to the amount of plants I can grow
I'm aiming at about 350, by the time outdoor hardening process takes place, I'll have potted everything up in 1 to 2 gal containers before their final home I'm hoping to keep around 200 for myself. Most of them will be planted in containers, some in raised beds.

Greg

 

[PIC 1]

Hear's the first peppers to appear off my overwinters...

"Maui Purple"......this chili will eventually ripen red

"Long Black Habanero".......This pepper will ripen to a brown/black color with red tinge thoughout the interior........Good tasting fresh......Great tasting smoked...

Greg

 

[Trippa]

Whats the story on the Maui purple?? Taste/growth habit etc?? Is it available commercially??

 

[PIC 1]

Whats the story on the Maui purple?? Taste/growth habit etc?? Is it available commercially??

Hey Trippa,

First off the seeds were purchased years back somewhere online. It's an ornamental, which I grow primarily to sell. It has a cascading growth habit which makes it highly desireable for hanging basket exposure. The peppers ripen red , very thin skin and are best used fresh in the early ripened stage or preferably dryed. I've used them in a typical condiment that's used on the islands called "Hawaiian Water"
We travel to Maui quite often, I've never seen or heard of that variety on the island. Someone probably came up with the fancy "Island Flower" name to make some bucks.
I do have other chilli seeds that I bring back..Thai, "Pele"chilli's, and a Fresno variety which are all good to eat or sauce...

If show is the way to go, then this is an ornamental you might want to grow

Greg .

 

[dogshow]

Looking really good Greg - Awesome !!!!