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

Pulpiteer · Feb 20, 2013

stc3248 said:
I know I got a little carried away last year, but this year's GLOG promises to be MUCH shorter.

I'm trying to catch up and found this little gem on page 2. We're in February and I figure by the end of the day you'll be on page 20. By my calculations, you'll be over 100 before I have a fresh pod. I'll be back, gotta work on catching up...

Edit: Heck ya tops! and page 18 to boot!

stc3248 · Feb 21, 2013

chsy83 said:
Check out what I made this weekend! Again, wouldn't have thought of this unless I saw it on your glog!

57600 lumens!

Glad I could provide some inspiration! That thing is gonna rock! I may have to steal your wire shelf idea right back!

Pulpiteer said:
I'm trying to catch up and found this little gem on page 2. We're in February and I figure by the end of the day you'll be on page 20. By my calculations, you'll be over 100 before I have a fresh pod. I'll be back, gotta work on catching up...

Edit: Heck ya tops! and page 18 to boot!

Hahahaha...jerk....um, I mean...Father Jerk!

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
Woot woot. !!! Good job Shane. I plan on doing The same Great photos. As again ahead of the game as far as plant sizes.

Thaks Denniz! Maybe too far ahead! I had to do some serious shu-fl-in tonight...

DocNrock said:
Awesome update, man! First pod of the season! Woo Hoo! You called it on the volunteers in your last glog. Good call putting the flowers in those beds. And good luck with "safe" gardening! BCSB looks awesome!

Yeah...already got me wondering...did I touch my plants after working out there without bleaching my hands??? Ughhh...I will be sweating it for a while...

PIC 1 said:
Ha........expansion, like a law or accounting firm having to acquire more floors in the building because of the growth.

Man I know what you mean by growth. I just divided 2 trays of 3" pots into 4+ trays of 5.25" pots. I'm slowly using up grow space and bags of medium. I have 40 bags of Bx sitting in the garage. I'm bringing in 3 at a time to warm them up to room temp....some of the bags were still semi-frozen from last weeks purchase.

Your Goats Weed plants are looking stout. Mine are only four fingers tall...ha, a measurement from the old days. But they are ready to be moved to the larger pots. I hope to have flowers on them soon.

I usually don't have pepper volunteer's coming up just tomatoes but my sister always has the "Fish" plants returning to the "sea of green". They are easy to spot because of the white variegation...

Anyways its always a "slice" (no food pun intended in the glogs) to dine-in here...

I need 4 fingers of a single malt right now! Lol...I'm gonna have a bunch of Vols. Just hope to contain.

WalkGood said:
w00t that’s a good thing!

I need that Midas touch, share dem secrets ¬_¬ love dat look on the Goat’s Weed and Belize SB, as well as the rest … every little ting is lookin alright, hmm is that a Bob Marley song, well call me a plagiarist but it’s true! And the flowers pics look great … Congrats on the first pod from your EE …

Pass IDK but will be an interesting read for me. Nice find in the garden \o/

Shane, now that’s the way to run a contest, not even the commercial guys are shipping abroad from the contests they’ve posted here, hats off for dat mon \o_ ... and good luck to all that enter ^_^

You got plenty of Midas down there bruddah! A nice slow grow is great when you got that 365 season! Yeah...I shipped a couple overseas last year. Powders are easy to get through...seeds can be tough.

Pr0digal_son said:
Love the nectar shots! I only see it on some varieties though. I'm not sure if they produce more indoors or if it is just certain ones make more? It's something I want to do some research on and find out.

Cool, I got some other flowers opening now besides the ornamentals. Never noticed it before...will keep an eye. Wonder if its an indoor thing because the bees aren't slurping it up???

Jamison said:
Shane just incredible bud, especially for MG Just kiddin man!

Hmmm...MGsoFU Jamison!!! :rofl:

Works for me!!! Hahahaha...

RocketMan said:
Hummm, never tried, is that nectar hot?

Haven't tasted...I'd bet sweet as sugar.

OK, so since I will be out of town the next three days....here is the weekend update. Well Andy...I may get home late Sunday, so that should give me time for about 10 more updates???
Came home to plants up in the lights again in spite of moving them up Monday morning...has been a great problem to have, but now I am having some choke others out. I shuffled all the tallest ones into one mountain-of-plants tray and banished them to the floor under the outriggers. I am going to have restructure next weekend to give them all some more room. All the big boys are budding up now!!! Here they are...

The gap toward the back is where I had already banished the Pomegranate plants...

Also took the time to pot up the largest of these today...the tall guy in the lower right is one of the Romy Mystery plants...

Overhead of the same ones pre-pot-up. Romy Mystery next to a PI438438...similar growth, but definitely not the same...so the mystery remains.

One of my two worst overgrown trays...the second back is one of the Yellow Billy Boys cool plant...

Nothing in here for scale, but this is the YBBD trunk...thick as my little finger.

Biggest plant by far...PI438638. Crazy bushy sucker...best of all...

Its loaded with these! Gonna be a tough one to keep clean come summer!!!

Here is another impressive stalk...don't remember who this is though??? :rolleyes:

Here are the banished plants in their new home on the floor...Hope they like their new home. May slow them down a bit, but that ain't such a bad thang...

Thanks for checkin in folks and all the kind words...and even for the smart comments. I don't know if I can get away with getting on on my phone this weekend to ckeck on y'all stuff, but I'll try when mama isn't lookin!
Have a great weekend!
Shane

StupidJerk · Feb 21, 2013

Your grow is so organized and professional looking. I've got to ditch the solo cups and invest in some proper trays. I also wish I had done your CFL thing about a month ago. Oh well, there's always 2014.

Thanks for the update, it really helps to see setups like yours.

stc3248 · Feb 22, 2013

StupidJerk said:
Your grow is so organized and professional looking. I've got to ditch the solo cups and invest in some proper trays. I also wish I had done your CFL thing about a month ago. Oh well, there's always 2014.

Thanks for the update, it really helps to see setups like yours.

Yeah...still learning here too. I will probably do the bottom shelf different next year. Doesn't hit the edges as well as it should, still kickin A though. Organization is not my strong suit, but the plants are forcing my hand. If they aren't all in perfect order, they don't fit! I started in cups last year too. They did fine, but were top heavy and prone to falling over when moving them around, plus no matter how I drilled the holes they didn't drain as well as I would like. The square pots are 25 cents each for the small ones and 45 cents for the larger ones. They fit perfectly into the trays and no worries about tipping...an investment well worth making.

oh...and the trays are $1.50 each...

KiNGDeNNiZ · Feb 22, 2013

pomegrantes look good.. they look like goji berries for some reason.... thats a nice problem you have there... did the lights burn the leaves.. or did you get home in time...? heres to these kinds of problems!!!

stickman · Feb 22, 2013

Hi Shane, you're really takin' it to the bank man! Crazy stalks, flowering and plantzillas! Can't wait for your next update... :dance:

DocNrock · Feb 22, 2013

Man, those things are going to take off when they get outdoors! Coming up FAST! Great update!

GA Growhead · Feb 22, 2013

Plants are looking amazing!

STEVE954 · Feb 22, 2013

Outstanding grow Shane! You can banish some of the those bad boys my way!

Pulpiteer · Feb 22, 2013

Made it to the end! Finally, this glog will be like a 100 miler. It's long, but so rewarding...

Your plants look great - and so does all the food. Dang. Just gets me in the mood to get my plants started, which I'll be doing hopefully Monday.
I was worried that the Fataliis wouldn't pop for you, it was suspense, reading through update by update, then, very glad they came up. I hope they grow true for you. Great little peppers they are.

And darn straight it's "Father Jerk" - I worked hard to earn that title :lol:

Jamison · Feb 23, 2013

Holy jeez man...... I'm speechless bro! :eek:

RocketMan · Feb 25, 2013

Dang Shane, what kind of Steroids are you putting into that water? Those are some amazing looking plants!

3/5King · Feb 25, 2013

Love the "Nots" Shane, (and that wooden keg water fountain) I just ordered 4 varieties of "nots" for this year....forgot their names already lol. Plant names are a pita to remember anyway.

Your plants are growing great. You've got them in the optimum conditions. Can't wait to see the garden in full swing.

WalkGood · Feb 25, 2013

Da proof is in da pudding and man you gots that killa pudding coming on, great pic updates ... soon come dat outdoor jungle, sweet!!!

stc3248 · Feb 25, 2013

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
pomegrantes look good.. they look like goji berries for some reason.... thats a nice problem you have there... did the lights burn the leaves.. or did you get home in time...? heres to these kinds of problems!!!

The plants do look somewhat similar now at this young stage...will be a couple years before they're producing. I plan to use a couple for Bonsai and one or two in the ground. None of the leaves burned...but some were into the T8 lights...and although I raised the lights Thursday before leaving for Vegas...they were almost back into them again by Sunday night when I got home. They're growing in FF! I like having the problem...but think I may have to cut back the light cycle to slow them down a little bit.

stickman said:
Hi Shane, you're really takin' it to the bank man! Crazy stalks, flowering and plantzillas! Can't wait for your next update...

Thanks Rick! I may even have a pod or 20 hiding in there...just don't dare pull them out to look! I damage leaves every time I shuffle them at all, and although I know its mainly cosmetic...its still ugly! :rofl:

Got a little update inbound.

DocNrock said:
Man, those things are going to take off when they get outdoors! Coming up FAST! Great update!

Thanks Doc! Speaking of coming up FAST...watched your vid, and will watch more. Really like your "Anyone can drive a fast car, but not everyone can drive a car fast" quote.

GA Growhead said:
Plants are looking amazing!

Thanks Jason! Will be visiting your grow here in a minute! Hope all is well out east!

STEVE954 said:
Outstanding grow Shane! You can banish some of the those bad boys my way!

Steve!!! Come and get them buddy! I will have extras...and probably be getting rid of some in a few weeks! Quite a drive for you though! :rofl:

Pulpiteer said:
Made it to the end! Finally, this glog will be like a 100 miler. It's long, but so rewarding...

Your plants look great - and so does all the food. Dang. Just gets me in the mood to get my plants started, which I'll be doing hopefully Monday.
I was worried that the Fataliis wouldn't pop for you, it was suspense, reading through update by update, then, very glad they came up. I hope they grow true for you. Great little peppers they are.

And darn straight it's "Father Jerk" - I worked hard to earn that title

Andy you deserve a finishers medal if you read it all! Heck...I'm considering hiring someone to type my updates for me! Maybe I should start a cliffs notes all picture version of this thing??? The little Fataliis are looking fantastic...and true or not they'll be enjoyed! I will only keep one in the end so hope I choose wisely!

Jamison said:
Holy jeez man...... I'm speechless bro!

Dang...if that's all it takes to shut you up I'll post some more!!! :party:

Hahaha...I am speechless myself at times in the grow room, but more often screaming at the plants Lee Ermey style..."GROWTH...YOU CALL THAT GROWTH...WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION?"

RocketMan said:
Dang Shane, what kind of Steroids are you putting into that water? Those are some amazing looking plants!

nuttin.... :whistle:

Thanks RM...I'm just one catastrophe away from screwing them all up though. Last year was too soon outside, this year will be too long inside??? We shall see. Can't count those pods before they're harvested.

3/5King said:
Love the "Nots" Shane, (and that wooden keg water fountain) I just ordered 4 varieties of "nots" for this year....forgot their names already lol. Plant names are a pita to remember anyway.

Your plants are growing great. You've got them in the optimum conditions. Can't wait to see the garden in full swing.

Dave!!! I know what you mean about forgetting the names for sure....I try to keep track, and started my "nons" grow thread just to help me remember. I am getting better at growing some of the nons, but every year I try something new, and learn some lessons the hard way. I can't wait to get the plants outside in their final pots drinking from the timer driven drip system on a schedule and autopilot. I may add an inline feeder to the drip system this year, but for the most part it will be the same as last year.

WalkGood said:
Da proof is in da pudding and man you gots that killa pudding coming on, great pic updates ... soon come dat outdoor jungle, sweet!!!

Thanks Ramon! Sure can't wait to get them out there! Won't be long...less than a month 'till last frost date!!! :party:

Aight, here is the update! Came home to one of the Brains from Vincent up and running so two Brains now!!! I also got some more tomatoes up...complete count will have to wait until I can take an inventory this weekend. As I mentioned above, I had to move the lights up again, both on my top grow shelf and the outriggers above the plants on the floor. So every three days or so the plants are in the lights again. This time the lights moved up a full 4" so maybe I can go a week...but I dunno. I've never had plants grow this fast??? Toying with a couple ideas of how to spend a little $$$ I escaped the blackjack tables with...either a T5 setup...or a small greenhouse. Hmmmm....thinking the greenhouse. We shall see! Here is how they looked last night.

Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbon (Pr0digal_son) Plant is huge...I have a few bigger, but none as perfect looking as this bad boy!!!

Here is one a bit taller...around a foot or so??? [background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]Trinidad Scorpion Moruga (Bakers Peppers) Both of these are in the "smaller" category that remained on the shelf...the ones banished to the floor are still a bit bigger but this guy is really shooting up all of the sudden??? Think it will end up as one of my biggest plants.[/background]

Here is one of the ones I potted up on Thursday night...Jamaican Scotch Bonnet (Pic1). It's gaining some steam and will be a fast mover over the next few weeks. Hard to believe this if from a 6 year old seed!!!

PI438638...I pictured this guy just this past Thursday...but it is such an amazing plant I had to show it off once again.

Here's a peek under her skirt!

Remember the cotyless Brain Strain from Jamie (Romy6) finally starting to pick up some pick up a little steam now that it has a few true sets soaking up the lights.

Here is one of the Manzanos...slow starters, but will catch and pass most of the others before long. Last year the one I had in a 17# pot was more rootbound by season's end than most of the supers in 5# containers.

isn't he best pic...but here is how the Belize City Scotch Bonnet (Pic1) is budding up...gonna be a great one thanks Greg! All the big plants are budding up now. :dance:

Finally...We spent some time driving around Vegas with my oldest looking for some cityscapes for her photo class...here are a couple.

This was from the top of a parking garage off Freemont Street...she gets all the credit for the pic.

This one is from another parking garage off Flamingo...once again her photo. I get a little credit for acting as the tripod by holding the camera firmly on top of the cement ledge while she set it up and during the capture. Wind was howling and it was ccccold!

Thanks for checking in errybody! Will be surfing your glogs tonight!
Shane

Dshlogg · Feb 25, 2013

Sick new lighting rig man! That had to cost you about $200 bucks to set up though. It sure cranks out some lumens too.

Your plants look awesome. Huge leaves and so dense. Those things are gonna be trees this summer!

Cool cityscape shots, and what a town to take them in. I gotta get my wife out to Vegas soon. She has never been and I'm sure she'll enjoy it. Neither of us gamble but Vegas has a lot to offer besides gambling. I'm more into quiet vacations but I gotta keep momma happy right? Anyway, killer pics bro!

stc3248 · Feb 25, 2013

The one pictured above on this page is Charles' take on my ghetto setup...My total cost if you parted mine out including bulbs would be about $120...but I already had the two shop lights, most of the adapters and most of the power strips so my cost for this season was around $60. I caught all the CFLs on sale around $4 for 6 bulbs...my main shelf puts out more lumens than a 4' 8 lamp T5 with similar wattage. Think the T5s would send more down to the plants with their mirrored reflectors focusing more light on the target??? Mine is working very well though! The biggest bonus to my setup is the cheap CFLs...they are regular price $6 per 6 pack and T5 bulbs are pricey...may jump on that T5 bandwagon soon???

Pulpiteer · Feb 26, 2013

That Indian Carbon is a gorgeous plant :clap:

stc3248 · Feb 26, 2013

Pulpiteer said:
That Indian Carbon is a gorgeous plant

Thanks Andy...its definitely trying to become a teacher's pet...here is another pic.

Here are a couple more that I didn't post earlier...

Another shot of the TSMB in its spot...This thing is suddenly in beast mode wanting to outgrow everything!

Same plant top down...guess one of the leaves did get a suntan before I moved up the lights.

Here is one of the Peruvian Ajis from PaulG...they are all doing a weird leaf curl thing but growing like weeds.

Another flower shot from the PI438638 from Jamie (Romy6)...

Here is the top grow shelf with the newly transplanted babies amongst their beasty big brothers...

Numex Centennial Flower...

Still with prime real estate are these Nasturtiums in a hanging basket for mama...

Here are my son's potatoes trying to take advantage of all the grow shelves...

OK errybody...gotta be up at 4 so time for some shut eye! Happy growing!
Shane

stickman · Feb 26, 2013

Hi Shane
With results like you're getting, why buy T5s? You can make your own reflector out of cardboard, aluminized mylar and duct tape that will work just as well as polished sheet metal. Four 23 watt CFLs have nearly the same lumen output as a 100 watt T5, and if you lose a bulb, your output is only reduced by 25% instead of 100%. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I can see why guarded optimism is your position on your grow so far, but I have faith you'll have some real monsters this year! Forget the T5 lights... you're gonna need another chest freezer instead! :party: