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Sili Grow 2012

The stakes are higher (hotter) for me this year. My main grow starts in a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd test fire some of these C. Chinense varieties in baggies / coffee filters just to get a feel for germination rates. Baccatums and Annuums start later. My main grow will involve Hoffman's Seed Starter medium in 72-cell flats.

This is a pretty big 'test,' and I'll grow 'em forward if they sprout, then compare with the dirt-born later.

Thanks to those enablers who sent seeds and advice. I hope to let you know how they turn out. I thusly unleash heavenly hellish heat upon thyself.

An unholy out-of-the-ground beginning:

2012%252520start%252520001.jpg


A high tech germination center:

2012%252520start%252520008.jpg
 
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Pr0digal_son said:
Looking good Sil. Reminds me of my grow with low night temps and low humidity. My plants are similar in size. I am holding back on transplanting though. Just a bit. Good luck this year.
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Thanks PrO! I'm tempted to get a humidifier, but not sure how I'd rig it effectively. Next year, I'm thinking of putting my grow station inside a mini-greenhouse--it would help with RH and I could rig lights very nicely.

@Paul G: thanks for all the input. Sorry to hear about the foot surgery--now I know why you're taking the scapel to your plants--they can share the pain. And I can see how maybe it gives you the time to fire up everybody in their Grow Logs. It's much appreciated! Anyway, hope it goes well for you--most body parts need to be in functioning order to garden. (As I conveniently forget how much my back suffers each Spring...)

Okay, woke up to the sound of singing plants! Here's the January adolescent C. Chinenses in their new 2.5 shoes:
2012%2520start%2520223%2520002.jpg


after a few days and a 3/8ths strength (yes 3/8ths!) dose of ferts. (Botanicare Pro Grow, Karma, CalMag, Alaska Fish Emulsion). Yellowing diminished. The Purple Maui is the king pin, with the Congo Trinidads next. Still seeing some leaf curl from the Datils upper left. The Trinidad Scorpion Reds (lower left) took on a little purple when I experimented with 24-hr lighting (cut back to 18-6).

Featured plant of the week: Congo Trinidad--by way of Louisiana-- Thanks WindChicken... :cool:
2012%2520start%2520223%2520007.jpg
 
That is one beautiful tray of starts, S-man! And the congo trin is
a robust little plant - should make a great bush - hope it's a good
producer!
 
Hey Sil,
Your plants are very healthy!. I can see your giving them "the best of both worlds" with the lighting. A good dose of occasional window lighting helps boost the plants.
Those Congo's are some tasty peppers and make a fine sauce.
There's a condiment in Hawaii called "Hawaiian Water" it's usually on the tables in most resturants. I been growing a "bird" chili, seeds from Maui and that's the one I use in that condiment.
Although the "Maui Purple" is not a Hawaiian pepper, it's beautifully ornamental and very usuable in the kitchen. I've, in a pinch also used both the "MP's" and the "Goat's Weed" chili's (when ripened red) in the "Hawaiian Water" style condiment.(Chili's, Rice wine Vinegar, Garlic, Ginger, Sea Salt, Hot Water) Try a splash of that on pretty much anything...

Good luck with the rest of your indoor grow!

Greg
 
Hawkeye said:
They look nice and healthy.Good work!
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Thanks Hawk! Remember, it was the ironing board that provided that first essential leg of support... :cool:

PaulG said:
That is one beautiful tray of starts, S-man! And the congo trin is
a robust little plant - should make a great bush - hope it's a good
producer!
Click to expand...

Yea, those Congos have an attitude, hoping for some big plants and big pods. I was lucky to get some pods last year from WindChicken--they pushed my envelope for heat tolerance but what a great taste. A little powder goes a long ways for me!

megahot said:
Very nice looking glog! Your babies are coming along just fine!!! They look awesome! :)
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Thanks Mega! I geared some of my GLOG for any noobies that might come along, helping with some basics. Man what a pest I was last year pestering everyone. And yea, those babies are making me proud. Will see what turmoil their teenage brings...


PIC 1 said:
Hey Sil,
Your plants are very healthy!. I can see your giving them "the best of both worlds" with the lighting. A good dose of occasional window lighting helps boost the plants.
Those Congo's are some tasty peppers and make a fine sauce.
There's a condiment in Hawaii called "Hawaiian Water" it's usually on the tables in most resturants. I been growing a "bird" chili, seeds from Maui and that's the one I use in that condiment.
Although the "Maui Purple" is not a Hawaiian pepper, it's beautifully ornamental and very usuable in the kitchen. I've, in a pinch also used both the "MP's" and the "Goat's Weed" chili's (when ripened red) in the "Hawaiian Water" style condiment.(Chili's, Rice wine Vinegar, Garlic, Ginger, Sea Salt, Hot Water) Try a splash of that on pretty much anything...
Click to expand...

Thanks very much, Greg! Yep a little window sunlight time for the babies--I can almost hear them say "WTF...Awesome!"
Also, it was your posts with WindChicken last year about Congo sauce that got my obsession started. The drool factor was quite high. (I didn't realize back then you were also a master chef.) The 'Hawaiian Water' sounds great. My wife stocks a bottle of rice vinegar filled with various little peppers...can't wait to try it with some MPs and garlic. Gary also sent some Guampinha might add a beautiful note. Thanks again for your awesome glog and unlimited advice on the Forum--it has really made a difference... :cool:
 
"Yea, those Congos have an attitude, hoping for some big plants and big pods. I was lucky to get some pods last year from WindChicken--they pushed my envelope for heat tolerance but what a great taste. A little powder goes a long ways for me! "

The congo trinidads i started are growing well, too - must be a pretty good variety. I'm not a big heat
freak, but I look forward to trying these out. In general, I really like the growth habit of the chinense varieties.
Thanks for sharing your success story, S-man, always fun to stop over here!!
 
Congos are great, Paul. Chicks dig it when you are doing the Congo.

Well, PaulG has me in the mood for slicing and dicing, whirring and stirring and experimentin. Since I hate to murder almost anything, I followed his lead and did the Siliman Soloman on some plants. He's got all kinds of ungodly tests going on his G-log, so I'm doing a simple one. This one is to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, you can hack right through pepper roots and they live to tell about it.

The main test is to see if Rootone helps the victims recover more better after surgery. I use it on Plumeria cuttings and it works great, so why not? Half of the plants got the Rootone treatment.

A sample victim--appropriately named Fatalii. You've all done it--grow two plants in one tiny cell. Do you murder one or double up your good fortune? Hoping to live:
2012%2520start%2520223%2520008.jpg


Here's the sequence:
2012%2520garden7.jpg



And spoon in the lucky survivor (baby spoons are perfect), using a juicy 'slurry' of ProMix BX to back fill:
2012%2520garden6.jpg


Cut off the cotys, then fill right up to that level. The droplets are a final rain from mister to settle and clean everything. I keep everything really wet during the pot up. The little Cumari has been cut off because it grew too close to its brother for surgery. So it is just a cutting--good--another test! It got Rootone and went back into a small cell. Everybody else gets a new 2.5-inch home.
2012%2520garden8.jpg




And the final result after an hour of surgery, I feel like I did a good deed for the plant world, saved a lot of lives. By the way, blue painters masking tape works great as a marker and comes off easy. (Has born date, pot up date and circle R for Rootone treated.)
2012%2520start%2520223%2520029.jpg



Next time someone gives you grief about having too many plants in cell, show them this. Peppers are tough.
Now move along...nothing to see here...everybody's fine... :cool:
 
Hey Sil,

I like that idea with the extra sprouts, good idea to keep the little ones misted since they can hydrate through the leaves, also.
That's how I do it with the clones. Humidity is a plus, but since your seedlings have roots it doesn't matter as much.
Try to avoid strong light for those at first. When the leaves reach up for more then you can place them as close as you normally do. Too close too fast can shock them.
One of my favorite sauces is made from a combo of Trinidad Congo's and Caribbean Reds.........that's my goto with pizza.
Your stuff is looking great!

Greg
 
Greg, I'm glad I spotted your post. I did have them in subdued light for the first half-day, but somehow in the shuffle they made it to full bore light for a few hours yesterday. So far, so good!

I'll be hitting you up for Congo sauce recipe if/when I get pods. Also perhaps your 'Calypso sauce' if I can get my Scotch Bonnets to get going. They are my slowest growers, required a re-plant, so they are behind the C. Chinense curve.

thanks again.... :cool:
 
Beautiful babies Ken! You, sir, are an artist!

Good luck with them...Looks like we're all doing the Congo this year!

I just noticed your post to Greg...Scotch Bonnet, at least Beth's "True Jamaican", is a slow starter. Just give them the same care and attention as the others and everything will even out in the long run...
 
windchicken said:
...Looks like we're all doing the Congo this year!...

Yep, thanks to you Gary! My plan is still in effect--to spread your Congo progeny around a few select hobby growers locally. It didn't take much prodding after the powder I made from your pods. It's funny how most people don't consider eating peppers with Habanero or above type of heat, but when it is powder or flakes added to a recipe, they can get on board! I can't wait to delve more into the sauces from those bad boys.

...Scotch Bonnet, at least Beth's "True Jamaican", is a slow starter. Just give them the same care and attention as the others and everything will even out in the long run...

Good to know--I'll give them all the time I have available! It always seems like the clock is ticking here in Idaho to get the peppers up and running.... :cool:
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Siliman said:
Yep, thanks to you Gary! My plan is still in effect--to spread your Congo progeny around a few select hobby growers locally. It didn't take much prodding after the powder I made from your pods. It's funny how most people don't consider eating peppers with Habanero or above type of heat, but when it is powder or flakes added to a recipe, they can get on board! I can't wait to delve more into the sauces from those bad boys.
Click to expand...

Cool! It's gratifying to think about all those people getting turned onto Congo chiles. I just never get tired of them...The heat level and flavor are just about perfect for me...

I know what you're saying about folks being more willing to try processed chiles than fresh ones...Very few I know will try one of my fresh Scotch Bonnet pods, but they seem to really enjoy the Scotch Bonnet puree with fresh lime juice, which is WAY hotter than fresh pods (highly concentrated). Go figure...

I put it in plastic squeeze bottles, with the squirty nipples, maybe that's it. I love those things...
 
@ windchicken--I've got a couple of Sriracha style squirty nipple bottles and pirated a plastic bear honey container so far. The SB puree + lime---ahhhhhh yes, sounds outstanding.

@ coheed--So true, great to see all the "babies"---except for PIC 1's family. His have already graduated from high school and several are getting advanced college degrees. Then you have STC, SS Tupperware and others in the southern climes--they drop seeds on the ground, instant babies all underfoot, and have grand-daddys growin year round also.

@ MGold--who doesn't enjoy a good nipple squeeze from time to time? Re gardening: I've been sticking plants in the ground for 20+ years, but just my second year doing it for reals with the indoor seed growing thingie. I didn't realize how much I didn't know... :cool:
 
Hey S-man! Those seedlings are going to take right off! Great
idea to test the Rootone and see if it really helps. Will be fun to see
if the little Cumari goes for ya, as well! Glad to see you jumping in
with both feet - spice up the glogosphere a little! The starts look great
in any case.
 
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