• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Planting dilemma.

Gotrox

Gotrox

So, here's the deal.
I plan on starting 66 seedlings in the aerogarden.
I may get 6 weeks max before they are too big for such a small area.
I hope to transplant into nursery containers before dirting outside.

Problem. Had a frost on June 1st last year, and though I plan to cover them with a tunnel of some type, the question being-----when to start for a sucessfull grow without risking being to leggy to hold up?

After potting, they will rely on a 2 tube fluorescent till outside.

Current plan is to start sprouting March 15th or April first.

Ideas?
 
You could start earlier than that, and just keep em under lights until you know the weather will keep up. With weather that cold that late in the year, it is likely your growing season is shorter than most, so the bigger you can get the plants indoors, the better off you will be once they are in the ground. I would say Beginning or mid Feb should give you a nice and strong plant come June 1. It also depends on the plant type, as Chinense will take longer to fruit and ripen than most others. Pick up another light from ebay, craigslist, Box store, or find one used to add a bit more 'sunshine' on your babies (you will probably need it anyways with 66 plants).

Another benny of starting a bit earlier is the bigger the plant at plantout, the better it can stand up to the cold. Last year I planted when we had a few weeks of warmth, and no upcoming cold spells, well that changed...a week of rain and sub 40 degree weather. Put me back a few weeks in their growth, but by mid July, I couldnt pick fast enough. I started my seedlings 1 FEB. Next time I am gonna start in mid December and probably plant out 1 May.

I say earlier and more light.

Just my .02
 
I'm with Matt on this one. I invested last year in some bar light fixtures, and used CFL 200W daylight mixed with 100W softwhite (just 1/3 of the lights). I used three of the 4-lamp fixtures hung from chains, and that worked awesomely for me last year. The plants were outrageously healthy, green, hardy, and beautiful. I had 95 plants, and eventually had to invest in 2 more fixtures by the time June rolled around, since they got so big, but for 66 plants, 3 fixtures of 4 bulbs each would be plenty for you. I started in mid-February last year, but bumped back to mid-January this year, since I have only 32 plants this year, and want them to be podding up by the time I plant out in first-second week of June.
 
Hehehe.
Problem being, I already have 8 lights already on my indoor DWC.
Also on this circut is my audio studio and amp, and full tower computer and accessories.
I figured I could slip in another 2 tube, maybe 4 without frying something.
Maybe I am just trying for too many peppers for a small room in a mobile home. :party:
Maybe I'll go for Feb 1 and hope for the best.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top