Started the 2020 Carolina Reapers today. AeroGarden

This is a seed starting machine or at least it has been in the past.
 
Fingers crossed 1/23/20 @ 4;30pm the seeds are sown!
 
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I used to have one of them and it worked great. My only complaint was that I could only start 6 plants at a time. If you are using it strictly to start seeds, see if they make a seed starting tray for that model. Good luck with the reapers. I've had great success with them in past years.
 
I did this last year for my GrowDown ThrowDown Sri Lankan Chili Red.
 
It did a great job of giving that seedling a good start.  But I couldn't figure out how to get it disentangled from the plastic sleeve.
 
What does everyone else do about that plastic sleeve?  Just cut it off and discard it?
 
I started Poinsettia peppers last year in the AeroGarden and when it came time to transplant I simply snipped the top ring on the plastic sleeves in two places and gently pry then off the plant and roots. 
 
I'll agree it's not cost super effective as 6 pods are $9 but it works so well with so little input its worth it for me and the couple plants I grow yearly. I have 4 self watering 5 gallon buckets, 2 clay planters and a wash tub I use for an herb garden. That's about the limits of my gardening. 
 
I have a 9 pod AeroGarden and was able to buy a 50 pod starter tray for it....works amazing for starting seeds.
In the 50 pod seed starter you do not use the platic cage just the plug itself.
 
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Sizzle Lips said:
I have a 9 pod AeroGarden and was able to buy a 50 pod starter tray for it....works amazing for starting seeds.
In the 50 pod seed starter you do not use the platic cage just the plug itself.
 
 
Glad to know that works well- I just ordered one yesterday! I had a great start to my peppers last year until I damaged half of the plants getting them out of the cages. 
 
So 40 couple days later and I have 4 plants. The left rear was the 1st to sprout and topped a week ago and rebounded with lots of new sprouts. The root mass is about 12" long. The front left plants will get topped this weekend and the rear right plant topped ina week or two. In the middle was a surprise sprout. It only got 2 leaves and is chugging right along. I'll keep fostering it until its ready for a grow bucket. Actually this might end up working out well with peppers at different stages maybe I'll have a constant supply.
 
I brought in 2 self watering buckets I had ready in the shed. Rehydrated them this evening and Saturday my grow light is to arrive. The two bigger plants will get transplanted tis weekend.
 
The second picture is the plant that was topped. If not it would have been 7 or 8 inches high and drowning out the other with big broad bottom leaves. 
 

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Transplanted the 2 larger lants today into 5 gallon self watering buckets.
 
1st pic is the root mass. I used a pair of tin snips to cut off the plastic cages that held the plant in the aerogarden. Cut the care on 2 side a and it opens right up and pulls away from the root mass. 
 
2nd and 3rd pics are topping the 3rd biggest plant on 3/7/20 @ 5:30pm. I'll post pictures in a coulpe days to show the new growth and how the plant rebounds. 
 
 
 

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Plant in the 1st pic was newly topped on 3/7/20. Same plant 3 days later on 3/10/202
 
Plant is really starting to rebound with lots of new growth. 
 
I'll tell you the 1st time you break out the scissors to top a plant it was hard to do. You feel like you are damaging the plant by cutting back all the initial growth. But as you can see the plant is actually thriving and will be healthier, bushier and produce more fruit. 
 

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