Sawyer's 2013 Glog - Last Harvest/First Sauce

I haven't done a grow log before, but thought I'd give it a try this year. I'm growing mostly super hots, so I feel like I'm already behind schedule. Anyone know where January went? No pictures yet, I'll add some later when things (hopefully) start popping.

My setup is a basic home-made 2-tier 1" PVC plant stand. Each tier can accommodate 4 standard 1020 nursery flats and has three 2-bulb T-12 4' 40W fluorescent shop lights suspended above. The bulbs are a mix of Daylight, Wide Spectrum, and Power Twist. (I can't give you a K rating on these off the top of my head.) I use heater mats to try to keep the flats in the comfort zone for germination. They are wired to a dimmer switch so I can adjust the current. Even with the dimmer switch, in the past I've had trouble keeping uniform temperature, so this year I've put a layer of aluminum foil on top of the mats to spread out the heat and a layer of kraft paper on top of that. The flats go directly on the kraft paper. If anyone has any tips or tricks for controlling the temperature of heater mats (without purchasing an expensive thermostat), I'd love to hear about it.

I use standard 1020 nursery trays with 1206 (72-cell) inserts. I filled the inserts to planting depth with Sushine Mix #1 and planted anywhere from 2 (new) to 4 (old) seeds per cell. I then topped off the trays with some peat-based germination mix. I intended to use Fafard 3b germination mix, but didn't want to open a new bag for only four flats. I had a small bag of Miracle Grow and one of Ferry Morse left over from days past so I used one of those, I forget which.

The germination stand is in a back room in the warmest part of the house. As plants geminate and become established they'll be moved, either in whole flats, or potted out separately, to a 3-tier, 5 flat/tier stand in front of a bright picture window on the south side of the house. No lights on that yet and may not need them since the window gets direct sun for several hours per day. I'll be starting a lot of other seeds besides hot peppers, so I can't just leave them on the heater mats 'til plant out.

I started four flats today, one whole flat of self-propagated, pure-strain red Bhut Jolokia and up to 12 cells each of the following (note - I prefer the term 7 Pot to 7pod, but am keeping the 7pod nomenclature here out of deference to the vendor):

(First parenthesis is # of plants from first planting on 2/11, second is # plants/# soaked on 3/4)

Red Bhut Jolokia (my own isolated) (75)
Yellow Bhut Jolokia (PL) (0)
Brown Bhut Jolokia (PL) (1)
White Bhut Jolokia (PL) (8), (15/20)
Yellow Fatalii (RFC) (11), (6/10)
Giant White Habanero (RFC) (7)
Trinidad Scorpion Moruga/Moruga Blend (PL) (10), (28/35)
Trinidad Scorpion Moruga/Moruga Blend (RFC) (14)
T. Scorpion Moruga/Moruga Blend Yellow (PL) (6), (19/25)
T. 7pod Congo SR Gigantic (PL) (9), (2/7)
T. 7pod Large Red (PL) (4)
T. 7pod Large Yellow (PL) (1)
T. 7pod Brain Strain (PL) (10), (2/9)
T. 7pod Brain Strain Yellow (PL) (4), (11/12)
T. 7pod Brown (PL) (17)
T. 7pod Burgundy (PL) (8)
T. Douglah (PL) (5), (4/20)
T. Scorpion Butch T. (PL) (7)
T. Scorpion Yellow (PL) (18)
T. Scorpion Original Strain (PL) (1)
T. Seasoning (PL) (4)

New strains/sources started on 3/4:
Red Bhut Jolokia (PL) (45/50)
Scotch Bonnet Brown (PL) (22/34)
'12 7 Pot Yellow (RFC) (0/11)
'12 Bhut Jolokia Chocolate (PL) (0/14)
Datil (PL) (7/22)
Bhut Jolokia Orange (PL) (15/20)
T. Scorpion CARDI (PL) (7/20)
Tobago Treasure (PL) (8/20)

Started on 3/6:
Red Bhut Jolokia (own isolated) (>50)
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion (CPI) (13)
NuMex Pinata (CPI) (40)
White Bullet Hab (PL) (13)

Unrecorded plant date:
Orange Hab (PL) (2)
TS Cardi (PL) (7)
Dorset Naga (PL) (5)

Started on 3/25:
Yellow Bhut Jolokia (PL) - 8/?
Long Choco Habanero (AjiJoe) - 17/42
Pimenta da Neyde (PL) - 14/30
Giant Mexican Rocoto (PL) - 0/40
CAP 1144 (PL) - 0/21
(old) Yellow Habanero (Trade Winds) - 0/24
(old) Jamaican Red Mushroom (RFC) - 0/18
Trinidad Congo Red (PL) - 10/12
Datil (PL) - 9/22 (4 hh)
7 Pot Primo (PL) - 5/18
Early Jalapeno (PL) - 19/36
Cracked Jalapeno (PL) - 33/36
Large Hot Cherry (PL) - 33/36
Surprise Hot Mix (AjiJoe) - 97/144

Edit 4/3: add sources PL=pepperlover, RFC=Refining Fire Chiles, CPI=Chile Pepper Institute
Edit 4/3: (in blue)
Edit 4/29: Edit title (again)

 

[ronniedeb]

Great Growlog Sawyer. Nice plot and plants. Great Wildlife around your place as well!

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, Ronan.  The wildlife can be a real pain sometimes, but I'm still glad it's here.
 
Look what I received in the mail from Dale today:

Thanks, Dale!  I suppose this should really go in a new 2014 log, but I'm just not ready to start that, yet.

 

[Sawyer]

Received 3/4" rain yesterday.  That's a good thing.

 

[WalkGood]

Great giftage, looking forward to da Jigsaw grow ... I think you have a big start on us all with the one you've already started ^_^

 

[Devv]

My seeds were at the PO this morning, gonna drop a few in the dirt tomorrow. I'm thinking this all year growing is gonna cramp vay-kay time...

 

[Sawyer]

Great giftage, looking forward to da Jigsaw grow ... I think you have a big start on us all with the one you've already started ^_^

Yes it is, Ramon.  And the extras are really appreciated, as well.  Check out the Jigsaw pods below.  I've got my fingers crossed that the weather will hold long enough for them to ripen.  And the plant is one of my top priorities to OW and root cuttings from.
 

My seeds were at the PO this morning, gonna drop a few in the dirt tomorrow. I'm thinking this all year growing is gonna cramp vay-kay time...

Woohoo, Scott.  Planting already?  I think I'm glad the winters are colder here; I need time to regroup before I start sowing again.  Oh, and okay, vay-Kay time.  As long as you have your priorities straight.
 
Well, I harvested right at an actual peck of peppers today, mostly 7P Congo SR and RBJ with a few not 7P Reds thrown in.  Spread them out, then forgot to take pictures of them.  (Will do that in the morning.)  Got side-tracked doing portraits of individual pods and plants.  Gonna need some bumps.
 
First up are a couple of nots, not 7P Red and not 7P Burgundy.  These have plenty of heat and are a long-holding, meaty pod.  As far as I can tell, the two plants are essentially the same.  Anyone have any idea what these are?

 
The Jigsaw pods are looking pretty gnarly.  Hopefully, they'll have time to ripen.  (The plant will come inside regardless, when the time comes.)

 
I'm not sure exactly how many Reaper plants I have (10 or 12, I think), but the pods on all but one of them (a Scott's Funky Reaper look-alike) look like these:

 
This is an awful shot, but I was holding the camera upside down and backwards.  The 7 Peach is in the midst of a jungle.

 
I think this is 7P Congo SR Gigantic:

 
This one is definitely 7P Congo SR Gigantic:

 
Bump, please?

 

[capsidadburn]

Beautiful and amazing pods John!  Love the Jigsaw and reaper pods!
 
Mike

 

[Sawyer]

Beautiful and amazing pods John!  Love the Jigsaw and reaper pods!
 
Mike

Thanks, Mike!
 
I've got a lot of these 7 Browns to pull tomorrow.

 
I've probably had my biggest pull of typical Brainstrains (unless the weather holds a long time), but there are still some to be had.

 
Finally found a recipe for sweet pickled jalapeno rings I think I'll like, so I'll be picking these early jalapenos soon.

As well as these Pinatas:

 
These don't really look like typical Butch Ts and there is variation from plant to plant.  Since they never made it past #1 or #2 pots, I guess I'm not surprised.

 
Of the four or five Orange Bhut Jolokia plants, I like the shape of this one the best.  They also got stuck in #1 or #2 pots.

 
I was disappointed to realize a couple of weeks ago none of my Douglahs even made it past the 3.5" square pot stage.  I moved them up but it's mostly too little too late for this year.  I am getting at least one pod from them, though, so I'm pleased with that.

 
Don't know much about these, yet, but I like the looks of this not White BJ.

 
Most of the White BJs are true to type, though, and I have a lot of these plants, both in pots and in ground.

 
Jury's still out on the Giant White Habaneros.

 
Another bump, please?

 

[Sanarda]

Bump

 

[Spicegeist]

Lot's of peppers.... looking good...

 

[Sawyer]

Bump

Thanks, Pia!  How have you been?
 
I probably have more Moruga Scorpion plants than any other plant except red Bhuts, both in ground and in pots.  Here are some pods on a few of the potted plants.

 
Three of my four MoA plants are podded up pretty much like this first shot:

 
And since this is "pod porn", here's an upskirt shot:

 
Not a very good shot, but I do have some yellow Brainstrains.  Nice big pods, but not very productive.

 
This TS Yellow had me very confused as to its shape for awhile, but then I remembered I isolated a flower with a half a gelatin cap.  I think this must be what resulted.

 
And in keeping with the pod porn theme, I'll end with this TS Yellow:

Lot's of peppers.... looking good...

Thanks for checking in, Charles.  We almost had a simul-post there.

 

[GA Growhead]

Way awesome pod shots!

 

[stickman]

Hi Buzz, I see you're still getting some wicked pod shots... I hope the pulls have matched them too. Good to know the 7-pot Brown pods pack a mean G.I. punch... I'll be giving them respect if I cross paths with any...
 
Continued success to you! I hope you get in most of what you've grown before the season winds down for you.  Cheers!

 

[Devv]

Very nice!
 
Glad to see things are coming around and the pods are beautiful!
 
I planted 3 Jigsaw seeds, my 2014 grow starts in late Oct., but figure I could start these and run them until plant out.
 
BTW your Jigsaw pods look gnarly!
 
Edit: That bottom JS pod looks like a senile old man laughing his arse off

 

[hottoddy]

Nice pics, Sawyer.  I'm trying to add the Jigsaw to my grow list next year.  My T. Scorp Moruga's were not good producers this year, except the yellows.

 

[armac]

nice

 

[Pulpiteer]

Wow, tons of beautiful looking pod shots!  Nice variety too!

 

[WalkGood]

John incredible update, you have your work cut out for you with a soon some awesome harvest. Dam you’re right about those jigsaw pods looking gnarly, what have I gotten myself into, hehehe
 
Great pictures as usual, love da up skirt idea, I’ll bet she burns you for dat, hahaha
 
Have an awesome week brethren!

 

[DesertChris]

Awesome!! Pods are looking great!

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, guys.  I have way more nearly-mature green pods out there than what I've already harvested.  Lows are predicted to be in the mid-30s early next week.  Please, please, please don't frost.
 
Here are some pics of Monday's harvest.  First up is a mixed platter of 20 not red 7P, 10 Brainstrains, and my first pulls of 10 each white BJ and Fatalii.

All of these, plus 10 pods each of 7P Brown, red BJ, and 7P Congo SR went to a local grocer, 80 pods total.
 
Sorry for the unprofessional posing of these shots, but this is documentation, not art.  Here's a pile of 7P Browns.  I'm not even half way through what's out there to pick.

 
These were supposed to be 7P Burgundy, but are about the brightest red pods I have.  Only one plant like this.

 
Some more 7P Congo SR Gigantic (and a couple of brown BJs).  'Til now, these have all come from a single plant, but some of these are from a second plant.  The slightly more dimpled pods are from the new producer and while I didn't compare taste-wise, there is a lot more placenta in the new plant's pods.

 
Still don't know what these are (not 7P), but the plants are prolific.  I think I'll make a sauce of some of these.

 
One 7P Burgundy plant is producing pods like this.  They look more caramel than burgundy to me.

 
These Brainstrains don't look quite right.  The plant these come from is right next to one that produces the typical pods.