Should we have a fun 2009 grow contest?

We could measure the date from germ to ripe pod. I started a couple fatalii two weeks ago and we would measure the time from then... It would be different for everyone but that way the northern guys who plant late will still have a good chance. Coolest looking pod as well as largest harvest could be included as well.
 
Maybe we should go with something other that fatalii since several members have already started their fatalii seeds. I think its important to have everyone start at the same time. Also the fatalii pods are quite consistant in size so it may be difficult to judge length. Anybody have an idea/solution where everyone is happy? When would be a good starting date. I was thinking maybe the middle of January, like the Jan 12-13th weekend. Is that good for everyone? Does anyone still need to find seeds?
What about hydroponics, are we going to get into seperate categories again this year, or can we just keep it simple and fun?
 
I'm in.

If everyone can keep track of when they start the seeds, or when they first break ground what ever we want to use then it isn't the date of first pod or what ever it's the amount of time involved.

Example: Mine breaks ground on January 20th. One of the contests is first pod. I get my first one on May 20th. Then for the contest my time would be (aprox) 120 days.

We would need to have everybody who enters post the date that their seeds broke ground. So now even the folks who've already got theirs going can play too.

Hope I explained it good enough.

I think Millworkman was thinking the same thing.

Opinions?
 
I vote everybody leaves the starting line at the same time or else pic comparisions will be utterly confusing. We should have the Jalapeno invitation like chileman did last year since everybody has access to these seeds. First pod, biggest pod, most pods per plant, most corking. These grow very fast being annuum and the contest would go quickly.
 
patrick said:
We would need to have everybody who enters post the date that their seeds broke ground. So now even the folks who've already got theirs going can play too.
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One of the main objectives in this contest is to compare plants/tecniques in near real-time, so I think everyone should start seeds at the same time like last year's contest. Otherwise people who start later will be the ones with an advantage having more sun and heat, and it will be complicated to make comparisons. We'll nead a spreadsheet:(
The problem with a jalapeno contest is that everyone is growing different versions and many are hybrids. I also don't want to repeat the same contest when there are lots of peppers to choose from
 
Totally agree now with the same time stuff, makes sense. Same with the jalapenos, most people have different strains so that wouldnt work. I can always start more seeds when the date comes for fatalii, that is not a problem for me so I still vote Fatalii.
 
Omri could help judge?
Questions:
  • What time do we start? GMT?
  • Do we soak seeds before trying to officially germinate? If so, could I start now?
i'm excited to get some great yields from this.
 
I plan on growing several different sources of Fatalli from seed this year so that will work. I still won't start until late January to have a plant out late March. The Fatalli I've grown before was very branchy and broke many limbs due to the weight of the pods. Great great chile though.
 
I don't mean to be a clog in the gears here but if we all start at the same time then the southern folks are going to have a huge advantage. I know we can all start seeds inside and use lights and such but real growth doesn't happen until the plants get into the sun and the temps get hot.

For comparison here are the average temps for Omaha Nebraska and Austin Texas

Month May Jun Jul Aug

OMA 73/50 84/61 88/66 86/64


TEX 85/67 91/72 95/74 96/74

Obviously pepper growth is going to be much better at 95F than 88F.


If we all start with the date seed planted or when it broke ground or what ever then we can compare things at a certain number of days.

Things like height of plant at day 40, or first to flower, first pod, first harvest etc.

Say AJ's fatalii had a flower at day 75 from when he started and mine had it's first flower at day 77 from when I started. The start dates could be different but the period of time when we compare something would be the same.

AJ could grow his plant and measure it at the 50 day point. Then when my plant hits 50 days I would measure it and then we compare to see who had the most growth in the same amount of time.

Does this make sense to anybody else? Or is my head just spinning?
 
POTAWIE said:
Maybe we should just call it a comparison instead of a contest so we can keep it fun amd compare notes.
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that would include me back into things. :)

you could still have a contest, but maybe have a regional one and than a "best overall" kind of thing when October hits or something.
 
We can still call it a contest. If we went the way that I'm describing then folks who have already started can get back in. If they remember the day they planted or what ever it is we choose to be the starting point.

Now if what I'm saying doesn't interest anyone or clogs things up I'm happy to shut the hell up and go along with what ever the rest of you decide.
 
Potawie,

I like the comparison much better.

# seeds sown and # germinated
# days from seeds started (be it soaking or planting)
# days to germination
Size of plant after 30 days, 60 days, 90 days
# days to first flower
# days to first pod

Stuff that will depend as much on climate as skill:
# pods
Weight of all pods

Hopefully, everyone would be as AR as AJ - that is, list type of potting soil or germination media, temps, type of lighting, watering/fertilizing regimens, etc.

I think it would be a great resource guide as well as fun.

Mike
 
patrick said:
I don't mean to be a clog in the gears here but if we all start at the same time then the southern folks are going to have a huge advantage. I know we can all start seeds inside and use lights and such but real growth doesn't happen until the plants get into the sun and the temps get hot.

For comparison here are the average temps for Omaha Nebraska and Austin Texas

Month May Jun Jul Aug

OMA 73/50 84/61 88/66 86/64


TEX 85/67 91/72 95/74 96/74

Obviously pepper growth is going to be much better at 95F than 88F.


If we all start with the date seed planted or when it broke ground or what ever then we can compare things at a certain number of days.

Things like height of plant at day 40, or first to flower, first pod, first harvest etc.

Say AJ's fatalii had a flower at day 75 from when he started and mine had it's first flower at day 77 from when I started. The start dates could be different but the period of time when we compare something would be the same.

AJ could grow his plant and measure it at the 50 day point. Then when my plant hits 50 days I would measure it and then we compare to see who had the most growth in the same amount of time.

Does this make sense to anybody else? Or is my head just spinning?
Click to expand...

I'd say you are lucky to be able to plant outside at all. As the (probably) the northernmost member of THP, I can just dream about this. In a very good summer the temp will peak at about 77 def F, but more likely we won't even se 70. But I'm in anyway, as long as it's fatalii :)
 
Billy,

My daughter was corresponding with a photographer who was visiting your beautiful country this past month. She wrote about having maybe six hours of light a day, and even then it was not a bright day, that the sun never really got much above the horizon.

Thankfully, the amount of sunlight we get each day is increasing.

Mike
 
I live in the northern part of the counry, and here the sun is below the horizon for more or less two months. At noon it's just like dusk :) The good thing is that the sun never sets for two months in the summer. Man, do I miss the summer...
 
How would you all feel about a Bhut Jolokia as the plant. A guy who raises plants for seeds http://www.bhutjolokiaseed.com/ will send me the seeds - 4-5 per participant.

Typically, these seeds are hard to germinate so that would be the first challenge. I'll mail the seeds to anyone who sends me a SASE so we will all be using the same seeds.

What do you think?

Mike
 
BillyIdle said:
I'd say you are lucky to be able to plant outside at all. As the (probably) the northernmost member of THP, I can just dream about this. In a very good summer the temp will peak at about 77 def F, but more likely we won't even se 70. But I'm in anyway, as long as it's fatalii :)
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Where in Norwy do you live? I live in Jokkmokk, Sweden north of the arctic circle and I keep plants outside frome june to late september. Not always successfully, but they don't die from frostbite;)
 
I live in the Vesterålen region, by the coast. Since I'm a first timer when it comes to pepper growing, I was just assuming that outdoor growing was out of the question. Guess I'll have to try it, maybe it works out just fine?
 
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