stc3248, 2013 Grow log, Season's Greetings and Season's End

Well here we go again! Those that saw my grow last year know that I was plagued by virus issues and many other problems, but I was still able to pull off the most amazing grow of my life. By season's end every plant was infected. Some keeled over, but others just kept right on trucking. I learned a ton, and hope to use it to pull off a season without that virus making a repeat appearance. It will be tough. I had huge numbers of pods, and many hit the ground and rotted, so there are sure to be some infected volunteers that show up. My grow this year will be MUCH smaller and focused on the varieties I liked best along with a couple new ones I really wanna try out.


First a couple of my money shots from last year...

I plan to use a similar grow setup to start with...here are a couple pics of how it looked...

My setup evolved as the season began. I started with a single t8 shoplight...the two shoplights and ended up with a single row of CFL's down the center hooked into a 4' power strip the the two shoplights angled in from the sides. The light from the sides really seemed to promote growth at the lower nodes...so for this year...

I bought some more CFL's Mix of 100w and 75w equivalents. The 100w eq were around $10 for 4 at HD and the 75w were $3 for 6 at COSTCO!!! Also bought some splitters for the sockets and here's what the power strip looks like now...

This thing feels like its giving you a sunburn from 6' away...I alternated 100/75 on each side all the way down...Instead of the mylar I am going with foil sided foam sheathing...

My "plan" with this stuff is to make the Shelf unit more of a grow tent type setup. Hoping I can use the lights and a small space heater to maintain a constant temp in the mid 80s. I am also going to "try" to use magnetic tape to attach this stuff so access will be easy. We shall see. May get too warm...but easy enough to vent if need be. I am going to try to keep them indoors much longer this year. I put them out to early last year, and some of the late starts that stayed inside until the night time temps were higher passed many of my early starts that were already in the ground.

My final dilemma is the wife says 20 plants...and I have all these awesome seeds! So I am going to see if the wife's # is sort of like the over the counter dosage...the full prescription strength is double, so I am aiming for 40. I will start almost twice that # though so if you're near SD be watching this glog around plant out, I will be getting rid of some plants...

Well here is the list for now...If something you sent didn't make it I still have them, and will get to them some day. Momma is already pissed!

Wilds
Tepin 15 (seed train 2012)
Pequin Chiapas (Griff87)
Bird Aji (Seed Train 2012)
Cumari (Romy6)
PI 438638 (Romy6)

Annuum
Jamaican Hot Yellow (My Seed)
Goat's Weed (My seed)
Explosive Ember (My seed)
Tri-color Variagata (Seed Train 2012)
Numex Centennial (the next seed train)

Pubescens
Ultra Pube PI 585266 (SocalChilehead)
Manzano (farmer's market)

Baccatum
Yellow Aji from Peru (Paul G)

Chinense
Giant Twisted Chocolate Hab (CMPMAN 1974 Via Pr0digal_son)
St Marteen Marigot Mkt Yellow Scotch Bonnet (Pic1)
Jamaica Scotch Bonnet (Pic1)
Belize City Scotch Bonnet (Pic1)
Fatalii (Pulpiteer)

The Supers
Yellow Billy Boy Douglah (SilverSurfer via Coheed via Romy6)
Yellow Cardi Scorpion (Romy6)
Yellow 7 Pot Brain Strain (Unknown Source probably the next seed train???)
Yellow 7 Pot (Pr0digal_son)
7 Pot Brain Strain (Romy6 Had some from Jamie and got some more from PaulG)
7 Pot Congo SR (CMPMAN 1974 via Pr0digal_son)
7 Pot White (SocalChilehead)
7 Pot Monster Infinity (gnslngr)
7 Pot Primo (MGold via PaulG)
Douglah (Pr0digal_son)
Trinidad Scorpion Moruga (Bakers Peppers)
Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbon (Pr0digal_son)

7 Pot Barrackpore (soon to arrive from DocNrock )
HP22B aka Carolina Reaper (soon to arrive from DocNrock )

Ummm...I count 32ish varieties. May scrub a couple off, but may not!!! Thinking I can get by with the Ornamentals and Wilds as long as I keep them small and Bonchi them to look perdy for Momma???

I think I will skip most all of the grocery store available varieties this year so I can grow more of the good stuff...That's if for now everybody! Hope you all have a great season!!!

Shane

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Great looking powder and salt. Grow is looking good man.

 

[smileyguy697]

Awesome log Shane! Got some great ideas Frome here! Keep up the good work.

 

[GA Growhead]

Digging the salts. I may have to give that go. Thanks for the breakdown.
Your start are coming along nicely!

 

[stc3248]

Ok...so there are three folks that I don't remember posting here before....

Dude those pepper plants look freaking awesome! Your dehydration pics look great and that powder has to be wicked hot! Keep it rocking!

Awesome log Shane! Got some great ideas Frome here! Keep up the good work.

Digging the salts. I may have to give that go. Thanks for the breakdown.
Your start are coming along nicely!

FireEater is the winner! Smiley...just sent you some powders, so don't think you quite need them yet, but GA Growhead since you gave it a whirl too...I got a consolation for ya!
FireEater and GA PM me your addys and I will have it to ya soonest!

 

[SocalChilehead]

Wow your plants have got a kick in their step they look amazing. The powder and salt infusion looks amazing.

 

[DocNrock]

Shane, I put the comparison between the Wally bags and the #5 pot in my Glog. Wally bag wins.

 

[highalt]

Wow! Did you take those plant pics with your new camera? Excellent quality on those photos!!! Can't believe how bushy the plants already are. Mine never look like that until about a month after plant out!

I love the play-by-play on the powders! I was lucky enough to get some of your smoked Manzano powder from last season, and that stuff is just right for me. I add it to just about everything. Romy shared some of Wayrights Hot Salt last year, and that stuff made the best popcorn EVER! Have you tasted the Hot Salt yet? Is it more salt than hot, or vice versa?

 

[stc3248]

Doc I'll have to head over and check that out! Thanks Fernando! Whatcha been up to budy?

Bonnie....I'll get you some more out there one of these days! The salts I made are more hot than salt but now too bad. You can adjust the temp to taste by just using less/more powder and by of course by which peppers you use. I really like them. I have so many different shakers full of stuff its hard to choose!

Here's my Throwdown entry poppers...recipe on the throwdown thread.

yup...ice cream!

and Peanut Butter...

and how 'bout some shrimp!

Chocolate covered Ice Cream and Peanut butter stuffed Poppers, Shrimp Poppers...Lil smokey poppers. I think I gained 5lbs today! Not grubbing for votes, but go over there and check out what everybody has going. Those folks can put some food on the table!

Shane

 

[DocNrock]

Crazy poppers for a crazy game!

 

[megamoo]

Wow you are getting some fast growth on those seedlings! I love the powder posts too, hopefully I will get a freezer full of pods and can do it myself!

Your pro poppers put mine to shame! Dipped in chocolate!!! Brilliant Kudos

 

[Beehunter]

You are the popper pimp! well done shane. The ice cream ones looks pretty awesome!

 

[compmodder26]

I would mash those peanut butter and ice cream poppers. You just hit my favorite flavor combination ever with those, sweet and spicy. Those look absolutely fantastic shane! Beehunter said it best, you are indeed the popper pimp!

 

[stc3248]

Crazy poppers for a crazy game!

Yes they are! Fun stuff...but sure does eat up a weekend!

Wow you are getting some fast growth on those seedlings! I love the powder posts too, hopefully I will get a freezer full of pods and can do it myself!

Your pro poppers put mine to shame! Dipped in chocolate!!! Brilliant Kudos

Thanks! They're keeping me proud for sure! Don't sell yourself short, I took some notes on your poppers!

You are the popper pimp! well done shane. The ice cream ones looks pretty awesome!

Thanks Britt...they were fun to make, and even more fun to EAT!

I would mash those peanut butter and ice cream poppers. You just hit my favorite flavor combination ever with those, sweet and spicy. Those look absolutely fantastic shane! Beehunter said it best, you are indeed the popper pimp!

They were really good. Some folks refused to try them...their loss. Those that did quickly ran back to load up before they were all gone!

Small sprout update. One more of the replanted Fataliis popped this morning so up to 3 of those...and opening the door for a gift plant for someone! The Brain sprout lost much of its Coty's in finally shedding its helmet, so that little dude is up in the air. This weekend I may unplug the germ trays to make room for pot ups to be happening soon. Some of mama's more hearty plants will also get the boot during that time. Here are a few pics I snapped this morning...

The Numex Centennials and Explosive Embers continure to make this shiz look easy! Notice the drama about to unfold to the right of the screen...

HP22B...like a tiny Cobra rising up to put the smack down on its harmless Ornamental neighbors!

Here is the little Brain that is in trouble. I have been really lucky and had one cotyless and one almost so survive...Longshot but who's betting on the trifecta?

Looky looky at Jamie's Mystery annuum...going into beast mode already! Growth rate second only to the Ajis. This one's gonna be fun to grow. I think I will give one of these the same super-growth treatment as the growdown plants I am entering...

Here's the overhead shot of the Ornamental tray.

The Chinenses look like lettuce!

Little wider shot of the same tray...

Here are all the big boys...and some not so big, but give 'em a few weeks.

A few for the Non lovers out there...

A couple container Lilies...they'll be making the move outside shortly...

Last (and least in my book) a tray of Zinnias. They're gonna get a spot on the floor that the Lilies vacate. Gotta make room on the shelves for the peppers!

Thanks for checkin in folks. Happy Monday! Hope to be home tomorrow night to give these guys (and myself) a drink!
Shane

 

[compmodder26]

Here is the little Brain that is in trouble. I have been really lucky and had one cotyless and one almost so survive...Longshot but who's betting on the trifecta?

Wow that is crazy. I've got two brain seedlings are struggling compared to the others as well. They have extremely tiny cotyledons with one of the seedlings refusing to spread them out. They are just standing up at ~70 degree angle. All of my brain seedlings died on me last year. I'm beginning to wonder if the brainstrain species is just prone to weak seedlings.

 

[DocNrock]

You think you've got a month and a half indoor? Those guys are going to be full-tilt-boogie in a month and a half! Very nice. Love the HP22B analogy...cobra about to put the smackdown on the ornamentals...nice! One trifecta, coming up! Oh, seeds got here today! Thanks!

 

[stc3248]

Wow that is crazy. I've got two brain seedlings are struggling compared to the others as well. They have extremely tiny cotyledons with one of the seedlings refusing to spread them out. They are just standing up at ~70 degree angle. All of my brain seedlings died on me last year. I'm beginning to wonder if the brainstrain species is just prone to weak seedlings.

I dunno, but I don't like it! My brain's last year started with tiny cotys but looked healthy. They tool a little time to get moving too...we shall see. I have several that fold and unfold their cotys while their trying to adjust to the light, think that is sorta normal...ish.

You think you've got a month and a half indoor? Those guys are going to be full-tilt-boogie in a month and a half! Very nice. Love the HP22B analogy...cobra about to put the smackdown on the ornamentals...nice! One trifecta, coming up! Oh, seeds got here today! Thanks!

Hope you're right on the trifecta...I think I see a tiny bit of growth at the node??? Hard to tell. I will be starting pot up soon on the larger plants...might be able to wait two more weeks, but some may go ahead and get it this weekend. It will depend on how much room I can free up by shuffling the non-peppers around and maybe adding a couple more shelf bracket outriggers....I am also getting close to gifting some out in the next week or two which will help. Biggest issues are the three germ trays and the big 12-15" pots on the floor with mama's stuff in them...grrrr. Think in a week the snapdraggons can go in the ground they're fairly hearty and will be along the south side of the house. The lily's will harden on the back porch then go around the pool deck which acts as a giant heat sink so is fairly frost free. Geez...I got a bunch of crap to do! All that and I need to prep some GIANT holes for what I hope is a monster grow down plant, the Romy6 mystery pepper (want to see if I can make it an 8-10ft tree), and some really big sunflowers...I want to try to get some up over 20' with seedheads over 24"...succeed or fail, should be fun.

 

[Sanarda]

Plants look super healthy. I see we are in the same boat with some babies not having heads . I have two with no coytls. And in my second batch of seedlings one is coming up with a helmet despite me putting it deeper into the soil. SOOOOO frustrating. My problem pepper is the naga morich. I killed all three i purchased from CCN last year. and I just checked and one of my seedlings is dying. UGH

 

[Dshlogg]

Awesome glog man! Love your powerstrip grow lights with homemade reflectors. If had more room I might "borrow" your design.

Your pics great too! Very sharp and vibrant.

You have got to be the king of poppers though. The shushi poppers were awesome and the chocolate covered peanut butter poppers are pure genius.

Hope you have a great year. Keep up the good work!

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

That food looked sooooooo goooood!!!! Your grow is doing amazing too. You are kicking some serious butt again!!!

 

[WalkGood]

Shane, I think you’ve outdone yourself; I would love to try out your creative poppers, not only do they look great in pictures, dem look delicious mon! Everything else looks great as usual and getting bigga by the day, can't wait to see the pod pics down the road