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SETHSQUATCH GROW BIG LOG WITH puny hammer

Ok. I'm in the ring. This is really my first year growing from seed and may as well be my first year ever. Last year we had a bag garden (which was pretty weak), and Justaguy contributed a couple of bucket plants later in the season (awesome).

So, just to get this out in the open early, I'm a little OCD. DANGER PLANTS! DANGER! FLEE FROM THE FURRY ONE! My natural tendency is to, well, let's just call it over-love my plants. "You like fertilizer? Well you'll love it straight from the bottle!"

One of my bigger hurdles is to just let the plants do their thing. I mean, I have grown up in a culture of drive-thru instant gratification, which doesn't exactly breed patience… But I'm working on it. Trying to tread gently through the grow instead of STOMP STOMP TEAR BREAK YELL. So far, so goodish?

Well I currently have 93 babies and about that many more in the germination station. Did I mention I like to go all out when starting a project? Does my car need a ejector seat and a rocket engine? Absolutely. Do I need cybernetic appendages and the ability to shoot lasers from my eyes? Most definitely.

Sooooooo. 93 plants. Alive and growing under lights. Here is my count as of this morning.

Scorpion (Moruga) (Justaguy)- 11
Scorpion (Butch T) (Alphaeon by way of Jstaguy)- 7
Brain Strain (Justaguy) - 1
Yellow 7 pot/pod (Justaguy) - 3
Douglah (cmpman) - 8
Fatalii (Pepper Guru)- 8
Avery Island Tabasco - 4
Thai Fire (Justaguy) - 13
Caribbean Red Habanero (Justaguy) - 26
Aji Yellow (Aji Joe) - 6
Naga x 7 pot/pod cross (Justaguy) - 1
Chinese Cabbage, Autumn Torch Hybrid - 3
Unknown pepper - 4

Here is a list of what's in the germination station right now.

Bhut Indian Carbon x Yellow 7 cross (Spicegeist by way of MJdiamond)
Criolla De Cocina (MJdiamond)
Biker Billy Jalapenos
Tabasco
Early Girl Tomatoes
Genovese Basil
Cilantro
Broccoli
Chinese Cabbage Autumn Torch Hybrid
Poblano
Cayenne
Hot Cherry
Dill
Nu mex

My initial germination of the first round of seedlings was done in peat pellets. They came with the tray so I figured I'd use them. NEVER AGAIN. Those things were a real pain in the ass to keep properly moistened. As soon as I could, I removed my sprouts from them and transferred into seed starting mix. Lost a few on the way but nothing to worry about. It's pretty likely I will be sharing some of these plants with some friends the way it is.

I kept my light on 24/7 for the first 2 weeks and then switched to an 18/6 cycle. Right now I am top watering and misting as needed. I was told that top watering helps get rid of all the bad buildups in the soil. Don't know if that's true or not, but whatever. I am trying to base my watering on tray weight. For nutrients I am using Pro Bloom, Liquid Karma, and a weekly compost tea brewed for 24 hours with an air stone in a bucket. All of my water also sits out for at least 24 hours before use to eliminate any chlorine.

Now, I really want to switch soil at this point but I am going to resist. For one, it costs more than I can swing right now.

My setup has evolved from one 2 bulb light fixture to a modified in ceiling fluorescent donated and wired by Justaguy. I drilled some holes, added u-bolts, and used carabiners and chains to hang the fixture from the bar in the closet. This way I can adjust as needed for light height. I can raise one side higher as well if necessary, which is also nice. I have some reflective film on the back wall and closet door to help recapture and reflect some of that escaping light. That's it. My setup.

Here are some pics. I will update with a million questions, and progress as I am able. My next post will probably be showing my outside grow area once the damn rain stops and I can snap some pictures. Anyway, thanks for looking.

Initial setup:




Upgrade:







Peppers 2/29/12 (just one tray but they are pretty similar):


 
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So I stop by and see that his leaves are younger and bigger then mine. Proof that some students go beyond in a blink. I am going straight water, but now have some special stuff he gave me.
 
meatfreak said:
That's looking great, Seth! Keep it up buddy.
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Thanks meatfreak! Means a lot coming from you and your awesome green thumb! Hope you and the budding family are well my friend!

HH81Betterhalf said:
Looking good Seth!!! 93 babies wow you are ambitious for your first big grow.... good luck! Hopefully it all grows big healthy and strong :)
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You know what Betterhalf? You rock. You always have such a great positive energy and a good sense of humor. Your kids (all 3 counting your hubby) are lucky to have you! Thanks for the well wishes!

jsschrstrcks said:
93 - sweet :) thats a lot to take care of inside for a few months.. haha but I'm sure you can handle it.
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We shall see. Hopefully I will be giving the gift of chili to a few friends that garden but have never grown them before. I think I have room for just about that many plants but I have soooo many more germinating at this point.

Justaguy said:
So I stop by and see that his leaves are younger and bigger then mine. Proof that some students go beyond in a blink. I am going straight water, but now have some special stuff he gave me.
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Brian, it's the love juice baby! It's yours anytime you want it. (wink, wink) :rofl:
Thanks for your gift today man. Without you, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. I think of you as a brother and your guidance and patience have enriched my life beyond measure. Hell, my son even calls you Uncle Brian. And he should. Ok enough sappy you asshole. See you soon.
 
DEMENTIA JUNGLE

Ever buy a house in the winter from a women who was recently placed into a home for dementia? No? That was just me?

When you buy a home in the winter the yard looks nice and manageable. You don't notice all the hell waiting just inches below the dirt. All types of hell. Like demons with crossbows and bazooka breath. Did I mention that the previous owner had dementia? Well she also apparently had a green thumb. I suspect her whole body was in fact green. What she didn't have was a sense of order. The yard quickly became chaos incarnate.

The first summer in our first home with our infant son was mostly just watch the yard and go "wtf?, really? 25 butterfly bushes that grow 8 feet each season? What the hell is that over there? Did she seriously plant 7000 flowers? Shit."

I don't have a bunch of pictures from that time that aren't of baby vomit and total exhaustion, but I did managed to find one. This yard was basically nothing at the beginning of spring. This picture is from May of 09. It's only one angle. I wish I had more to show you the craziness of this yard. Oh, apparently she liked thorns too which was super awesome when cutting them down. Fortunately my fur offered some measure of protection, however slight. It was pretty enough but required constant upkeep. As new parents the only upkeep we could manage was keeping the boy alive.




So bit by bit, over the past two years, we have been working to bring this yard back to a manageable state. Last year for the township brush collection we had a 7' wall across our front yard. I think they probably shit when they saw it, but to their credit they took it. Justaguy helped move all the stuff with me. It was like two years of digging up stuff and trimming, so it was kind of a big deal.

This is the best picture I have of the wall. It was easily two times the length pictured.




Ok. So I mentioned in my last post that I did a "bag garden" last year. This is what I'm talking about.




I always wanted a garden but knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I learned a bunch and yet I still know NEXT TO NOTHING, but I'm getting there with the help of friends and THP.

So this year, after seeing Pepp3rFreak and Justaguy's gardens last year, I wanted to be more ambitious. I have set out a main plot that is going to have a gentle slope into the hill. dimensions are 23x11ish. Here is a pic. Needs to be pooped on and tilled and then adding some leaf compost. But the lines, they are drawn. All the branches in the background are part of the ongoing cut back and the spring "wall" I will be building in the front yard for the township to collect. I also have a little helper but he leaves his damn tools everywhere...




Here is my secondary plot. Maybe 11x6ish. Gonna put non pepper stuff in there.




Anyway, just wanted to share my situation/long struggle versus the yard to get to this point. Been working on it hard for the past couple years and we still have so much to do.

NEXT INSTALLMENT: POTTING UP!
 
I too had an unpleasant yard... but I was aware of it. See I moved out of my parents when I was 19 into an apartment and well things didn't work out so at 20 I moved back in.... my parents stayed for 2 months then one day they said OK we are moving out and selling you the house. So I started homeownership at 20..... well here's the kicker.... my mom is a yard/garden freak. She had a huge garden with 3 trees and probably 25 flowers in the middle of the backyard as well as 20 rose bushes thrown in the mix..... then the front yard holy crap at least 50-60 different plants/trees/shrubs/flowers.... freaking nightmare. Well the hubby and I finally last year tore out about 65% of the crap in the front and a couple years ago got rid of about 40% of the backyard crap........ I like gardening but not that much cuz she planted high maintenance stuff. Anyway I feel your pain. How big is your yard? Ours is a 1/3 of an acre.
 
RedtailForester said:
With all those toys, you are going to have lots of fun playing with your plants!
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See Dan, that's why it's taking so long. They don't make plastic shovels like they used too... And the little elves that are supposed to be helping are on strike. Damn you little elves!

HH81Betterhalf said:
I too had an unpleasant yard... but I was aware of it. See I moved out of my parents when I was 19 into an apartment and well things didn't work out so at 20 I moved back in.... my parents stayed for 2 months then one day they said OK we are moving out and selling you the house. So I started homeownership at 20..... well here's the kicker.... my mom is a yard/garden freak. She had a huge garden with 3 trees and probably 25 flowers in the middle of the backyard as well as 20 rose bushes thrown in the mix..... then the front yard holy crap at least 50-60 different plants/trees/shrubs/flowers.... freaking nightmare. Well the hubby and I finally last year tore out about 65% of the crap in the front and a couple years ago got rid of about 40% of the backyard crap........ I like gardening but not that much cuz she planted high maintenance stuff. Anyway I feel your pain. How big is your yard? Ours is a 1/3 of an acre.
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I grew up in the midwest. We all had big yards and only one house per lot. Here it's much different. Population density has led to an insane amount of townhouses and duplexes. So, we have like half a house with a shared firewall and roof (which has led to other issues but you live and learn). Anyway, to answer your question, our yard is pretty small and most of the back is on a hill. I'm not sure actual dimensions but I'm guessing like 100'x40' in the backyard. The front is about the same but it's on a hill too. Right now, I am just trying to square up the backyard before it's time to put the plants in the ground. Then, it's on to the side yard and front yard. Hopefully within the next two years I will have the yard the way I want it...
 
Wow.... good luck hope it turns out how you want it too. I am very glad I have a single family home my closest neighbor is 200' away. My step dads from over there and he's lived in Washington now for about 25yrs and is shocked at the population growth over there.

Keep it up! At least you have JAG close for help and support. :)
 
MOVING ON UP

All right. I'm coughing like a chain smoking coal miner. It's awesome. I don't know about you, but right before I get sick I have one day of super-sethsquatch like strength and energy. It may be the antibodies amping up or some survival mechanism to prepare for the whole convalescence… Whatever it is, it sure as hell helped me accomplish some objectives quickly, many of which were unrelated to growing. For instance, I managed to snag an eagle from the sky with chopsticks. FU miyagi son. My squatch foo is strong. Like the odor from a skunks ass. Hi-yah!

So, I did pot up a few of the Aji Yellow peppers. I also moved my whole operation into the "tool room". Here are some pics. Gonna go cry in the fetal position now and beg the great ROBITUSSIN for mercy.
















BIG thanks to MJDiamond for the survival blankets and some cool seeds!

Finally, happy birthday to my son Miles! My mini-squatch garden helper! 3 years old and full of tricks!
 
The mad scientists lair! Jungles are MUCH harder to maintain-every year with mine ..early spring its :flamethrower: :snooty: we just reach a state of equilibrium, and then the green sets in ,and all is good :cool: .I am gonna be hands full too...the pepper fever is merciless in its ferocity!Good luck in your jungle!
 
RedtailForester said:
Your plants are looking great brother!
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Thanks! I'm very happy with them so far. Without THP and all the knowledge here, I would be lost in spice.
Justaguy said:
Bro you will find with the smaller area those lights should do a good job of heating. See you later today for the munchkin party. :D
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I hope so, that room is a good 10 degrees cooler than the closet is. We shall see...

gnslngr said:
The mad scientists lair! Jungles are MUCH harder to maintain-every year with mine ..early spring its :flamethrower: :snooty: we just reach a state of equilibrium, and then the green sets in ,and all is good :cool: .I am gonna be hands full too...the pepper fever is merciless in its ferocity!Good luck in your jungle!
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gnslngr - you totally get me. I'm just gonna grow as much as I can till I run out of room.
It's really nice to have a lair for my minions :rofl:
So, true to course, last year 4 plants, this year over 100, next year??? :eek:
 
Lots of stuff going on lately. Been busy with everything including my plants. Pepp3rFreak and Justaguy came over yesterday with the tiller. Pepp3rFreak tilled for a few hours on both beds. Awesome.




The main bed is the pepper bed (pictured above). I am going to be doing 6 rows of 8 plants each. Right now, this is my thinking...


ROW 1
5 tabasco
brain strain - 1
naga/7 cross - 1
bhut/yellow 7 - 1

ROW 2
scorpion moruga 4
scorpion butch t 4


ROW 3
fatalii - 4
crh - 4

ROW 4
thai fire - 2
MYSTERY pepper - 1
poblano - 2
biker billy - 2
criolla - 1

ROW 5
yellow 7 - 2
cherry - 2
aji yellow - 2
cayenne - 2

ROW 6
douglah 2
CRH - 2
fatalii - 2
poblano - 2

Then I'm going to add 6 containers to the mix with the following.

CONTAINER
scorpion butch t
scorpion moruga
fatalii
crh
aji yellow
tabasco

So I have about 50 more plants than I need. Shit. Damn you compulsion! Damn you!

Anyway, potted up some thai fire and CRH. Everything is looking good. Now that I have my final list, I can start working towards the plant out. It's funny, I remember last year at one point towards the end of the season Justaguy and I were so sick of harvesting and processing peppers, we just wanted the season to end. Well, here we go again! WOOT!

I leave you with some pics. The first pic is of some chinese cabbage I'm growing, the rest are (some of) my plants.















Thanks for looking. Chili cheers!
 
Looking great Seth! Are these some of the ones you thought you fried? They don't look abused at all. This weather is great isn't it? I tilled a couple rows today and planted some cold weather crops. I wouldn't be surprised if they still get killed off by some heavy frost, but if they don't, it will definitely be worth the 2 hours effort to have fresh veggies in Late April/Early May.
 
No kidding - a very ambitious start! You have really dived in with
both feet, Seth! The plants look great - your first time jitters seem
unwarranted!
 
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