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Spicy Chicken's MMXII Grow Log (The Hot Spot Pepper Shack)

Hello everyone!

Planting seeds is still a couple of weeks away yet but thought I would start out with an introduction and let you know a little bit about our place we call The Hot Spot or should I say what others call it, I call it a garden. ;)



Here is a little bit about our hobby farm and how we turned what once was an old abandon farm into our favorite place to be.

This is a family oriented hobby farm located in Northeastern Wisconsin. The farm is about elevan acres in size but we are utilizing only a small portion for the garden. Even though our growing time is short we use every day given to produce some of the best peppers in the state.

We have lived here since 2002 and our garden is just a smidge over 1/2 acre. As each year has passed the pepper garden has grown. Our garden for the year of 2010 had just over 1000 pepper seedlings planted, 2011 2000. Although no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers are used, we are not organically certified and do not claim to be.

The compost that is integrated into the soil is procured from a large organic dairy farm a few miles from our home. The soil is sifted and mixed with the compost to create raised, plastic mulch covered beds, thus giving us the ability to control soil heat, moisture and weeds. As the plant grows, we denude the early buds, giving plants time to become strong and resilient.

After the first denuding, plants are then allowed to grow into a nice leafy foliage that produces great tasting peppers we are happy to be able to share with others.

From our family to yours, Thank you!




I am in the midst of building a grow room with a second story green house where this year I will be able to start the plants. Some of you may have seen the tread in Grow Tech category, might be interesting if you’re ever bored. http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/23974-spicy-chickens-grow-room-and-greenhouse-makeover/f

Worked very hard at it last summer, my wife calls it The Pepper Shack.

A couple of before and after pics.


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As you can see I have a long way to go, but at least I will be able to start the seeds in there, really looking forward to that.

More to come. thanks for looking! SC
 
Jeff,
It's nice to see those seedlings emerging, you do have quite a few to look after. Transplanting is always a process, as you know from your past grows. I like to do that in stages to break up the monotony. Its always an rewarding feeling to move the seedlings on to larger containers!
Keep up the great progress!

Greg
 
Looking good as always! You will have your work cut
out for you at transplant time! I can't wait to see the end
result of all your efforts as the summer unfolds...
 
I love the vids and the music selection. Nice business going there. Another one bites the dust.

Like your tote full of soil method.

30 seconds apiece, so your 100 should take you around 50 minutes. Nice method.
 
Nice idea,

Kind of a factory line process, which helps speed up the process
Was that handle from a baseball bat?

Greg
 
You're a machine Spicy.

Towards the end of the season and the plants are all full of pods do you ever get the urge to run through them? How about fill the bath tub up with pods and submerge yourself? One of my fantasy's. Some day.

Thanks for the very entertaining thread.
 
You're a machine Spicy.

Towards the end of the season and the plants are all full of pods do you ever get the urge to run through them? How about fill the bath tub up with pods and submerge yourself? One of my fantasy's. Some day.

Thanks for the very entertaining thread.
Wow the capsaisin rash that would come from that. I think it would be more in line with such a fantasy if you get in the tub and have a significant other then fill the tub with your peppers.

:rofl:
 
Come on Justaguy, no rash if the pods are just picked and the stem is still intact. :halo: I suppose if a person was nervous they could cover up the more "sensitive" parts or just go topless. I want to take a pic of myself with nothing but my head showing in a bathtub full of pepper pods. Some day.
 
Thanks everyone!

Have you ever been so tired that you can't think, well half the time I don't think anyway, but now is one of those times, one of these days I am going to sleep in till 7 or 8 minutes after four instead of 4am, ya get some real sleep then.
As you can see the plants are turning green again, not quite so panic-ed, and a few shots of "running out of room fast"!

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Thanks for looking, Jeff

will reply to your q's after some sleep, good night ;0)
 
Looking good! You really are a machine! Everything you post is so clever! Some of your tricks are pure genius!

I feel your pain on the up early part. I rise at 3:30 on weekdays...but I usually sleep in 'till 4 or 4:30 on the weekends! lol

Keep up the great work!
Shane
 
Happy to hear they're greening up for you Spicy. The thought of you trashing all of those babies was heart breaking. Hope they continue to do better.
 
With using the top shelf for new ungerminated seed I have just enough room for 8 more flats and then I'm done till the new cellar makeover is finished up and running which I guessing will be in about 2 to 3 weeks. Might have to break out some temporary lighting till than.

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Thanks for looking! -Jeff
 
Looking good Jeff!

The plants have nice uniform growth. I like how your scheme was to plant in stages ,that makes it easier come time to transplanting.
How's the latest project progressing?

Greg
 
Wow great looking plants how many do you plan to keep for final pot up.


thanks.
I am shooting for 2500 superhots and 2500 standard = habs on down, but plants in the dirt will be around 3000 choice units with some back ups in-case mother nature decides she doesn't like me.lol


Looking good Jeff!

The plants have nice uniform growth. I like how your scheme was to plant in stages ,that makes it easier come time to transplanting.
How's the latest project progressing?

Greg

thanks,

A lot of these plants I have never grown before so I have no idea how long for germination or how big they will grow in any given time frame, so just shooting from the hip here and hope I don't have to repot before last frost date.
If you have time which I seem to have very little of these day you can check it out the cellar build here.http://www.thehotpep...ddition/unread/

Cheers, Jeff

Looking good! You really are a machine! Everything you post is so clever! Some of your tricks are pure genius!

I feel your pain on the up early part. I rise at 3:30 on weekdays...but I usually sleep in 'till 4 or 4:30 on the weekends! lol

Keep up the great work!
Shane

Thanks Shane!
What in the heck do you get up at that time of the morning for? early to rise early to bed, and I hate that come summer; going to sleep while its still light out. Reminds me of when I was a child. lol

Happy to hear they're greening up for you Spicy. The thought of you trashing all of those babies was heart breaking. Hope they continue to do better.

Thank Patrick! I sure didn't want to toss em but still learning this new light set up and making some mistakes, O well! growing with these numbers; one has a different outlook on growing.
Many here and I have in the past; know there plants like their part of the family, every stem, every bud, and every pod, unfortunately that is not possible for me, so if I have to toss a few do to my ignorance; well that just sucks but I have lots of seeds. LOL

looking good SC, what size pot are those?

Thanks TFM!

3-1/2 square 4 inches deep, 18 per 1020 flat. most of the time I hate to plant them when there that small do to the lack of a proper root ball, but they were just not progressing in those small cell and had to do something; even if it was wrong.lol seem to be doing quite well considering.

Cheers, Jeff
 
Damn that's a lot of plants! I don't envy your plant out...I have around 115 and I'm only going to keep 3/4 of them. I am still dreading final plant out. I am going to have some plant spacing questions for you in a week or two!

Thanks Shane!
What in the heck do you get up at that time of the morning for? early to rise early to bed, and I hate that come summer; going to sleep while its still light out. Reminds me of when I was a child. lol
I have to be at work in LA at 06:15 and in order to make it I have to leave by 04:30. 03:30 gives me a shower and a couple cups of coffee before I hit the road...and a little time to check the plants! I wish I could get to bed a little earlier...usually not 'till between 10 and 11. Come Friday I am a tired puppy! I get up early on the weekends so Monday I am not having to get back on schedule...and I'm only 41, so I'm still a child!!!

Keep up the awesome grow!
Still looking forward to that greenhouse build!

Shane
 
Lookin great SC! THATS WHAT IM SHOOTIN FOR!! Maybe not on that scale....the wife would kill me....but some green healthy babies. Every time I check this and the cellar thread out I am nothin less than amazed!

Do you prefer the circle cell flats over the square ones? It is funny, I have seen most growers use the circular ones and I never knew I had a choice. Interesting...
 
Nice idea,

Kind of a factory line process, which helps speed up the process
Was that handle from a baseball bat?

Greg



Funny Greg!lol it’s a plunger for pushing meat down the tube of a kitchen-aid grinder attachment. My wife asked me if I had seen it the other day and I told her it must of gotten thrown out by accident, then she saw the vid; so now I sleep with one eye open.lol


You're a machine Spicy.

Towards the end of the season and the plants are all full of pods do you ever get the urge to run through them? How about fill the bath tub up with pods and submerge yourself? One of my fantasy's. Some day.

Thanks for the very entertaining thread.

Ok Pat you’re just not right! Lol. Come this fall I should be able to fulfill your fantasy and I get to put it on youtube. ;O)



I have a fantasy too, it’s in the bath tub but peppers are not part of it, more like 2 or 3 tacos if you know what I mean.

Lookin great SC! THATS WHAT IM SHOOTIN FOR!! Maybe not on that scale....the wife would kill me....but some green healthy babies. Every time I check this and the cellar thread out I am nothin less than amazed!

Do you prefer the circle cell flats over the square ones? It is funny, I have seen most growers use the circular ones and I never knew I had a choice. Interesting...



I like the round ones better for transplanting purposes, easier to make a round hole and the roots have no corners to navigate.lol Personally I really don’t care, but you will save a little dirt with the round ones.



Cheers - Jeff

 
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