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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)
 
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Thanks for visiting, Scott.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! (a day late for some) Here's a short update. The second planting is continuing to pop. The OP has been updated to reflect the new totals, but here are the new arrivals since yesterday's update:

(11) TS Moruga
(2) Yellow Brain Strain
(13) TS Moruga Yellow
(5) White BJ
(19) Pinata Jalapeno
(7) Orange BJ
(1) Datil
(4) Brown Scotch Bonnet
(8) Tobago Treasure

Plus a bunch of red bhut jolokia are just starting to pop.

I'm really behind on potting, but today I potted up 18 more to 3.5" square pots, 6 TS Moruga Yellow, 4 7P Douglah, and 8 TS Yellow.

Here's a picture of one of the 7P Congo SR Gigantics potted up last week, along with some red bhuts in the background. It's not looking very "gigantic" yet. Yes, the whole tray is over-watered. I had some fungus gnats and wanted to get some Bt in the pots as soon as possible. This tray is in the sunny window, but I may have to move it back under lights 'til the weather improves again. Plus, a little bottom heating will help dry out the pots.
20rvuo.jpg


And here is an update on a couple of the red bhut OWs. A couple of sunny days really helped, but now we're back in a holding pattern.
295x2f4.jpg


And yeah, bam, just like that, winter is here, again, oh lord. Cool and misty all day. One weather man is talking snow by Wednesday, another says warming trend.
 
Weather Men are a waste of time...I'll look out my front door if I want to know what the weather's like and I'll look at my barometer if I want to know what it's gonna be like..lol

Keep it up! Spring's right around the corner. (We're all gettin' a lil' antsy)
 
Thanks, guys. Here are some new germination numbers since yesterday. The OP is updated to reflect totals; these are just what's popped since yesterday:

(13) PL TS Moruga
(2) CPI TS Moruga (much slower to start than the PL, but seem to be kicking it now)
(3) TS Moruga Yellow
(1) 7 Pot Congo SR Gigantic
(5) White BJ*
(5) Pinata Jalapeno
(4) Orange BJ*
(4) Datil
(3) Brown Scotch Bonnet*
(2) Fatalii
(5) White Bullet Hab*
*freebie from PL

I just realized I've misplaced seeds for 2 different kinds of jalapenos. I'll need to locate those tomorrow as I will be planting my final (I swear) batch of pepper seeds then. I got my last order from pepperlover today. For anyone who read the Borg threadjack in JJJ's glog, I have to say, I think PL may very well be the Borg queen, or at the very least, a high-ranking "recruiter". In addition to the three packs I ordered, Yellow BJ, Pimenta da Neyde, and Giant Mexican Rocoto (my first pubescens), she also included Trinidad Congo Red (not real sure what this is), Cap 1144 (will be my first attempt at praetermissum), 7 Pot Primo (was missing this one, very happy to receive), 7 Pot Original Red (another gap filled), 7 Pot Brain Strain Yellow (time to till new space), and some more Red BJ (or assimilate the neighbors to the cause). Resistance is futile.

I'll be trying three different germination methods for the rocoto, which I'll describe later. I'm also going to test JJJ's hypothesis on cluster sowing, or Borg sowing as Ramon calls it. :) I'm not sure just which strain(s) I'll use for the test, probably the red BJ.
 
Potted up nine 7 Pot Brown and nine Moruga Scorpion today. Found the missing jalapeno seeds, but am going to have to postpone sowing for a couple of days. Gotta make room in the heated germination station.
 
Let your pots dry out in the sunlight. The open air will be good for the air circ. Sometimes under the lights can cause an adverse condition with the humidity.

The Trinidad Congo Red is a wonderful tasting medium heat pepper. I'm a hefty user and abuser with those in sauce making.

Soak the Rocoto seeds in warm water for 2 days. The seed hull needs to soften and swell. I use a germination powder (salt peter) that works wonders on the stingiest seeds......especially the tropicals.I agree with Shane, the OW's will be monsters. I had 20 something last season. They did great. I was too burned out at the end of the season to "redo" the op. I ended up with 3 that I may keep indoors to work on some crossing.

Keep germing the seeds....
 
Those starts are looking great. I too have found that Bt works great for the fungus gnats. Had to look up the Pinata Jalapeno. That looks like a must-grow for next year. You have a great variety in your grow. Really looking forward to the pod pics later in the season! With the numbers you have of each variety, I'm bettting on some impressive harvests.
 
Sawyer, I mean't to tell you earlier that the Trinidad Congo Red is a fabulous tasting pepper that can be confirmed by many here. Heavy producer too! Find WindChickens 2011 or 2012 grow to see.

Later Mike
 
PIC 1 said:
Let your pots dry out in the sunlight. The open air will be good for the air circ. Sometimes under the lights can cause an adverse condition with the humidity.

The Trinidad Congo Red is a wonderful tasting medium heat pepper. I'm a hefty user and abuser with those in sauce making.

Soak the Rocoto seeds in warm water for 2 days. The seed hull needs to soften and swell. I use a germination powder (salt peter) that works wonders on the stingiest seeds......especially the tropicals.I agree with Shane, the OW's will be monsters. I had 20 something last season. They did great. I was too burned out at the end of the season to "redo" the op. I ended up with 3 that I may keep indoors to work on some crossing.

Keep germing the seeds....
Click to expand...

Thanks, Greg. I wish I could put the too-wet pots in the sun. The highs are in the 40s for the next several days, it's more cloudy than sunny, and they're even predicting ice pellets (whatever happened to "sleet"?) tomorrow. As dry as the air is in my house, I think they'll dry out quickly on the heating mat. I'm actually more worried about the ones I potted up last night. They aren't too wet, but the only place I have to put them is on the stand in the front window and that area isn't well heated. I wasn't expecting this downturn in temperature. I may have to put a heater up there, or maybe an incandescent.

Good to hear about the TCR. I hope to expand my sauce-making efforts this year.

Will do on the Rocoto germination. That will give me 4 different methods, 1) regular, sow to mix, 2) damp surface sow, 3) 24 hr cold tea soak, 4) 48 hr warm water soak. I don't have any KNO3 right now, but am looking to purchase a 50# bag (for several different applications).

I am hopeful for my OWs. I'm hoping for some early season pods, before the summer heat and drought sets in. My supply of ghost pepper puree is running low. The RBs continue to leaf out, but I'm worried about the one Naga Morich. It's not looking so hot.

DocNrock said:
Those starts are looking great. I too have found that Bt works great for the fungus gnats. Had to look up the Pinata Jalapeno. That looks like a must-grow for next year. You have a great variety in your grow. Really looking forward to the pod pics later in the season! With the numbers you have of each variety, I'm bettting on some impressive harvests.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Doc. I, too, am looking forward to pod pics, and the sooner the better! Stay tuned for how the Pinatas perform. I want to pickle them with the mixed colors in a single jar.

capsidadburn said:
Sawyer, I mean't to tell you earlier that the Trinidad Congo Red is a fabulous tasting pepper that can be confirmed by many here. Heavy producer too! Find WindChickens 2011 or 2012 grow to see.

Later Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, Mike. Another vote for the TCR, makes me happy to have it. I like the "heavy producer" part, too.
 
It's snowing here! :confused: It's a few degrees above freezing, so I don't expect any accumulation, but still.
 
My Gosh, Sawyer. I just caught up. It doesn't take a big garden to hold a few hundred pepper plants, WHAT I wanna see, is how big your grow room is!

...and 75 Bhut Jolokia???

It's a wonder the ODD police have not pulled you over.

"....Suuhn, Do you have a perscription from a licensed physician to poe-zess 'at many C. chinense plants in the state of Arkinsaw?"


Good read, can't wait for the in-ground shots.




And if your drought gets any of 'em thirsty, just send 'em on over to the Triple J & Arkinsawyer Pepper Pond.

IMAG1258.jpg


I finnished gettin' it dug out, just need a few hundred horses that's had plenty of fiber in their diet for a while.

Continue peppering,
jjj
 
:lol: LOL. My all-things-botanical business name is Cherry Hill Plants (I live on a hill with several wild cherry trees), but I may have to start doing business as Arkinsawyer's Pepper Patch. Oh, and the 75 bhuts is on the low side. I'm seriously considering talking to my organic farmer neighbor about putting in a pepper patch on his place. My "grow room" is just the two stands I've already posted pictures of. I'm way behind on potting up, but hope to get the 3-tier grow stand filled with 15 flats at 18 pots/flat soon. (I've got three flats potted up so far.) Several seedlings are starting to stress from being in the germination flats for too long.

PS - That's a great looking hole in the ground. You'll be growing monsters in there once the horses are finished filling it.
 
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