Sawyer '16 - Memorial Day update

GA Growhead · Mar 21, 2016

Impressive year John!

Sawyer · Mar 21, 2016

GA Growhead said:
Impressive year John!

Well, impressive start, anyway. We'll see whether I can do a better job on follow-through this year than I did last year.

BTW, notice the very good germination (relatively speaking) for the GA Black in Flat #2. Those are seeds you sent to me in 2013 and they've received no special attention in storage. After seeing I'm still getting germination from even older, but refrigerated, Red Ghost seeds, I'll refrigerate everything from now on.

Devv · Mar 21, 2016

It makes me dizzy to see all those peppers sown, you sure will be busy!

Sawyer · Mar 23, 2016

Devv said:
It makes me dizzy to see all those peppers sown, you sure will be busy!

Bolded for emphasis. It makes me dizzy thinking about how much effort this is going to take. Oh well, I need the exercise.

Here are the latest germination results. Flat #1 first:

I had a few losses in this one (light red high-lighting). I had propped up the humidity dome to acclimate the seedlings to lower humidity in anticipation of removing the dome completely. Then unexpectedly got called away from home for a day. Had some dry spots when I got back to it this morning. No critical losses, but I sure have to keep a closer eye on watering.

Flat #2 is still limping along:

I think I'll give it another week and then start resowing the empty cells with more viable replacements.

Flat #3 is starting to kick it, 10 days after sowing:

I'm not sure what's going on with the 7P Caramel, PF3-5, PF3-26. I really hope some of them germinate; I have sauce plans for those. Also, note that PF3-20 really is Caramel Moruga. For some reason it's mislabeled as EOB in the previous PF3 updates. PF3-34 should be high-lighted light green to signify a new germination since the last update.

Flat #4 is just starting to show life, 6 days after sowing:

I find it interesting that germination seems to be proceeding sequentially. May have something to do with the fact this flat is at the end of the germination station next to an outside wall. It may not be as warm on the left side.

Penny · Mar 24, 2016

Yep...you're going to be busy busy busy!!

Sawyer · Mar 27, 2016

Penny said:
Yep...you're going to be busy busy busy!!

Hi Penny, thanks for stopping by. I've still got some of the seeds you sent me back in '13 to start. Hopefully grains remain viable longer than peppers seeds.

Time for another germination update. Pepper Flat #1 is just about finished, I think:

The humidity cover has been removed and these plants are starting to develop.

PF #2 is still barely doing anything at all:

I expected this, due to the age of the seeds. I'm more surprised with the good results in cells 11, 22, & 23. I'm pleased with >50% results for cell 18. I'll give this flat a few more days, then resow with something I need more of, maybe Hatch-style, jals, or red, yellow and brown supers. Heck, maybe some non-peppers.

PF#3 has passed peak germination:

Two weeks after sowing, I don't expect much more germination here. I don't know what's going on in cell 36. I thought I planted only 2 seeds, but have 3 seedlings. Maybe a couple of seeds were stuck together and I didn't notice, or maybe a cracked seed not counted as being planted actually germinated. Or maybe I made a mistake and will have a surprise pepper.

PF#4 seems a little slow getting with the program:

The Ajis are doing well, though. I think I have a temperature problem (too low) with this one.

Pepper flats 5,6,&7 are just starting to show life. I'll post an update for them in a day or two.

Sawyer · Mar 27, 2016

Here's a shot of PF#1. It's somewhat underexposed due to the fluorescent tube right there in front.

And in the middle there, in position 18, are these 4 lovelies:

Papa Dreadie Select Scotch Bonnet

Sawyer · Mar 28, 2016

Had a nice little surprise this morning; a Manzano Amarillo (PF1-1) popped overnight, 20 days after sowing. The germination station temperature has been a little low this year, hovering around 80ºF, but yesterday I boosted the heater pad power a little and overnight the temperature increased to about 86ºF. I guess that was just enough.

Made a less pleasant discovery on the lower shelf, where flats 5-7 are located. The central T8 fixture has crapped out. I can see melting and cracking on the ballast housing. I have spares, but this was a new fixture last year. The T12s on the top shelf are several years old. I've been replacing them with T8s as they give up the ghost.

Devv · Mar 28, 2016

Looking good!

I'd sure like any extra Papa Dreadie Select Scotch Bonnet seeds at the end of the season if you have any. (begging here..LOL)

Keep it green!

Sawyer · Mar 28, 2016

Devv said:
Looking good!

I'd sure like any extra Papa Dreadie Select Scotch Bonnet seeds at the end of the season if you have any. (begging here..LOL)

Keep it green!

That's a 10-4. I've got beaucoup organza bags I plan to use to isolate branches. If that doesn't work, I may build two or three tulle-covered cages to place over plants, or place potted plants into. One way or the other, I'm going to get some isolated seeds.

KiNGDeNNiZ · Mar 30, 2016

Great news on the Manzano ....

My volunteer is setting pods

Sawyer · Mar 30, 2016

Cool. I'm a long ways from pods. I need to remember next year that even if I'm late starting most of my seeds, the manzanos really need to be started early.

Sawyer · Mar 30, 2016

No new germination in Flat #1 since the last update three days ago, other than the one Manzano Amarillo, so no updated graphic for that one. PF #2 has sent up a few extras of whatever had already shown some life, with one new variety, a single BOC:

I think I'm ready to start culling and disposing of old seeds. Maybe I'll just dump the lot of them in a cold frame and (maybe) have some late mystery plants.

PF #3 has pushed up quite a few additional sprouts, though still nothing from the completely missing 7Pod Caramel and AR Reaper.

PF #4 is doing well, 13 days after sowing, though there are some dead zones.

Possibly a victim of older seeds or too cool temps on one side of the flat. I am glad so many orange habs have germinated; I think I have a market for those.

PF #5, #6, & #7 are all starting to come into their own, though still spotty.

These flats were all on the lower shelf, which is harder to heat than the upper shelf. Once I figured PF-1 was finished germinated, I swapped it with PF-5, moving that one to the upper shelf. I'll swap 6&7 with 3&4 before long. PF-2 will get replanted and kept in the warmer space.

Plantguy76 · Mar 31, 2016

Sawyer said:
No new germination in Flat #1 since the last update three days ago, other than the one Manzano Amarillo, so no updated graphic for that one. PF #2 has sent up a few extras of whatever had already shown some life, with one new variety, a single BOC:

I think I'm ready to start culling and disposing of old seeds. Maybe I'll just dump the lot of them in a cold frame and (maybe) have some late mystery plants.

PF #3 has pushed up quite a few additional sprouts, though still nothing from the completely missing 7Pod Caramel and AR Reaper.

PF #4 is doing well, 13 days after sowing, though there are some dead zones.

Possibly a victim of older seeds or too cool temps on one side of the flat. I am glad so many orange habs have germinated; I think I have a market for those.

PF #5, #6, & #7 are all starting to come into their own, though still spotty.

These flats were all on the lower shelf, which is harder to heat than the upper shelf. Once I figured PF-1 was finished germinated, I swapped it with PF-5, moving that one to the upper shelf. I'll swap 6&7 with 3&4 before long. PF-2 will get replanted and kept in the warmer space.

I vote for dumping the old seeds in the cold frame & hope for mystery plants!
Great progress so far John I am waiting for my order form totally tomatoes still.
I probably will sow my remaining tomato flats then an the list will probably be trimmed down do to space .

Maligator · Mar 31, 2016

Quite the impressive list. Looking forward to watching your progress

Sawyer · Mar 31, 2016

Plantguy76 said:
I vote for dumping the old seeds in the cold frame & hope for mystery plants!
Great progress so far John I am waiting for my order form totally tomatoes still.
I probably will sow my remaining tomato flats then an the list will probably be trimmed down do to space .

Thanks Jason! I'll probably do that; I have just the spot for a cold frame. I've also been saving those little pepper packets from the pizza place. I planted some one year and they came up with a very high germination %. Maybe I'll have a pepper plant giveaway to generate local interest.

I've yet to plant my tomatoes. Things keep interfering. Maybe today.

Maligator said:
Quite the impressive list. Looking forward to watching your progress

Hey Mali, thank you! And thanks for stopping by.

Sawyer · Apr 3, 2016

Not much new to report in Flats 1-4, except one of the '13 Douglah seeds in PF2 has popped. I think my biggest disappointment here is that none of my 7P Caramel have germinated. These were from a variant of PL's 7P Burgundy and I do have a couple of those up, so maybe the caramel will reappear. These color variations seem to be fairly common.

Flats 5, 6, and 7 are where the action is now:

Some disappointments, but by and large, I'm happy with the results. I moved all these flats to the warmer shelf, so there may yet be some filling in of gaps. I really hope more of the jalapeños pop; I need a lot of those.

Plantguy76 · Apr 3, 2016

Golden Ghost Hybrid
ATTRIBUTE
Type of Pepper Hybrid Hot Chili/Paprika Pepper
Scoville Rating Unknown
Resistance/Tolerance High yields of smooth, glossy, dark yellow-orange fruit on a large bush type plant. Has slightly less, yet still fiery, pungency compared to Ghost (bhut jolokia). Golden ghost grows much better in open fields and has improved flavor.
Fruit Size (Length" x Diameter") Average 2.5"
Relative Days 95
I think this is probably the paprika usedhttp://www.rareseeds.com/leutschauer-paprika-pepper/
The question is what did they cross it with a golden bhut Joloikia?
They also had the fungcide thiram on the seeds only ones that did.

Sawyer · Apr 3, 2016

As far as I know, all the paprikas are C. annuums. Who knows what the other half is? Still, sounds like an interesting variety. Growing out the seeds from it next year should yield some interesting results, too.

Plantguy76 · Apr 10, 2016

Hi John been house setting for mom but checked my plants before I left .
I've been getting good tomato germination an had one lemon Drop pepper up as well
I need to do a figure of my pepper germination results but I have a good balance of scotch bonnet varieties and different Baccatums .
Your 2 Arkansas Peach ( seed stock form you was form Paul he sent you 2014) are doing well with some variation.
I have one that will be a huge plant full & stocky the other is little compared to it's sibling .
It still a good size any ideal what gen these will be ?
I plan to make a jelly called River Styx form the pods an copper river tomatoes this fall.
Anyway hope your grow is going Well an you get lots of pods