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

 

[Sanarda]

Great update Shane. Looking really really good my man. Keep up the great shit. Love it

 

[GA Growhead]

Those mystery annuums are looking good. I also think it's cool to have two different phenotypes! Surprise surpise. Maybe they will each give hint to whatever the parents are. Im looking foward to a few things noting variation is expected.
Can't believe how big everything is! Mighty impressive!

 

[Sanarda]

I concur GH. I had two different phenotype a las year with my Thai hot dragon hybrids. One grew upward like a Thai and the other grew long like a hot banana. Very interesting.

 

[Jamison]

Your a grow machine Shane! Unreal man, just insane!

 

[DocNrock]

Freakin' amazing growth, man! And those roots..OMG.

 

[PIC 1]

Great photo's................ those plants do have Hairy Armpits and Legs...............and one plant has a Mustache........................

The tomato starts are nice and stocky. Good like with the currant size tomatoes. They grow like champagne grapes. Its easier to snip a whole cluster off and bowl them than trying to pick them off one by one........they like to cling to their stem.

Get the ole' crank out and raise the lights..the show must go on. Man your plants are growing into "Screaming Trees" ....I just potted some plants from 5" pots tinto 2 gal size. I swear the roots were embedded into the plastic.................ha. They were alittle on the dry side...but healthy.

Shane continue the outstanding updates....

 

[Beehunter]

Your progress is amazing shane! I started my seeds about 2.5 weeks after you and think im about 6 weeks behind already You got that thing dialed in! Love the new light set up!

 

[spicy_echo]

What kind of CFL bulbs are those Shane? I'd like to make a similar light setup.

 

[romy6]

Man Shane your peppers grow faster than my maters . Heading to the depot to get some moisture control MG. : Those maters you started will be hitting the roof of your house by the end of the week.

That mystery annuum has been growing by a goats weed plant for over a year now. Might explain the crazy cross. Or like you said it may have been a cross from the get go. So the mystery may never be solved but I have the right man on the job. Brian (compmodder) is also growing a few so It will be coll to see what you guys come up with.

Thanks for the bad azz updates per usual .

 

[WalkGood]

Shane,
Great update, informative, excellent pictures and a nice read. The plants all look great, can’t wait to see them outdoors. I love the look on the Goats Weed ...
Mon you are a magician in the greenhouse

Great look on the Yellow Cardi Scorpion, btw my favorite taste of Jamie’s (romy6) peppers were the Not Douglah and Cardi Scorpions, so I think you should enjoy dat Cardi, been thinking of growing one myself.

 

[Sanarda]

I agree with Ramon. Best tasting was the Cardi. I finally got two to pop for me. Woooooooooooohoooooooo. So excited

 

[highalt]

Seeing your tomato babies reminds me that it's about time for me to start mine. I've been wanting to try growing some of the currant tomatoes, but have heard they are bad about cross-pollinating other tomato varieties. May try them anyway though. I've heard good things about their flavor, and that they are a pain in the butt to pick.

 

[3/5King]

Nice show Shane! This is your year buddy, those plants are so beautiful. All of your hard work is evidently paying off and I can't wait to see what's to come upon plant out. You need to buy that Goat's Weed a razor! Nothing like having plants outgrow their home...just mean that everything is going better than expected lol. Keep it up Shane!

 

[stickman]

Hi Shane
A question on the Pubiscens... at what point to they start to get hairy? I think I have a Red Rocoto seedling, but I'm not sure. It has a thicker stem than the other seedlings and ATM it's no hairier than the Criolla Sella it's planted next to. First true leaves are beginning to show, but they're pinpoint sized just yet. I decided I really wanted at least one Pubiscens this year, so I started some Goat Weed seeds yesterday.

Oh man... You're into Tomatoes already! Shoot, I won't be sowing Eggplant for another two weeks, and Tomatoes for another three. Keep 'em green Chief!

 

[stc3248]

Thanks everybody! I don't have time to do responses to everyone its been a crazy weekend! Yard sale done a few less plants in the grow room, but still way too many. Gave away a few as well...nice problem to have, but I am not throwing any more soil at the ones I am not keeping!!!

What kind of CFL bulbs are those Shane? I'd like to make a similar light setup.

Mostly 6500k 18 and 23 watts...some 5000k 23's in there as well. Good luck!

Bonnie, never grown the currants before either, but Greg said just let the clusters ripen and clip the whole thing...so that's what I am planning on.

Got some good weather in the forecast and since I was having a hard time keeping the lights at a height that could benefit the smaller plants without burning the tall ones I am rolling the dice earlier than I was planning. Checked the weather earlier and the lowest temp all week was supposed to be 45...got done potting them up and now they're calling for 39 tonight and 41 tomorrow...ughhh. Oh well they're near the house and big enough that I don't think they'd keel over in a light frost, but it would sure make them look ugly and slow them down a bit. The plants are loaded with buds and flowers that I didn't have the heart to pinch, but I'm sure ma-nature will drop them for me.

Last year I kept them all in 5# nursery containers, and had great production, but when I pulled them at the end of the season they were all root bound. So I went much bigger this season. Most of my containers are in the 10-12# range this year with some 18 gallon totes for the largest ones. Here they are...

The 18 Gallon is a Trinidad Scorpion Moruga (Bakers Peppers)

7 Pot Congo SR (Pr0digal_Son) in a 15# nursery container behind a Tepin(Sawdust) and a Goat's Weed in 5# Nursery Containers...

Yellow Cardi Scorpion (Romy6) these containers are around 10ish Gallons...

The Ornamentals are in 2# containers for scale...

Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbon (Pr0digal_Son) still looking perfect...

Haven't shown this guy in a while, Charapita Yellow...he got potted up today to a 5" I'm excited about this variety.

Huge Double leaf on the 7 Pot Rennie (Armac via KingDenniz)

Yellow 7 Pot (Pr0digal_Son)

Here they are in their home for the next couple weeks...hoping that it won't get too frosty so close to the house...Another thing I underestimated last year was the need for stakes. Went with 6' Bamboo this year.

Still got a bunch more in the grow room, but I finally have room for them! Trying a new germ setup, and so far I am really liking it. Just buried the peat pellets in some soil in a tray and put them straight under the lights with the heat mat under and no dome. things started popping as soon as I did??? Gotta go for now...couple pics I didn't post here:
http://thehotpepper....sort_order__asc

Thanks for checking in folks...sorry to not respond to everyone! Will soon!
Shane

 

[Pulpiteer]

Looking great! Glad you potted up to the larger pot size, because I was just thinking that you needed larger plants and probably more peppers than you got last year It won't be long and we'll be watching videos of you trying some of these peppers and in some pain. Those leaves are like the size of your hand already!

 

[stickman]

I wish you luck with your outdoor plants Shane, and hope they make it unfrosted. Good input on pot size too. Cheers!

 

[WalkGood]

Speaking my peace with the “Sun King” to make sure the frost pass you by Everything looks great, plants, pictures and I love the different color pots! I understand and do the same, lately been finding a lot of 10gal nursery pots at landscaping jobs being thrown out so I have a lot of black ones, but hey who cares. Keep dat great grow going mon and loads of luck with the weather ^_^

[06:48] * @WalkGood »» Foobar2ooo ::: Beatles, The - Abbey Road (1969) - 10 - Sun King ::: 0:07/2:26 (•••••••••&bull ::: 381 kbps ««

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[PIC 1]

Shane I like all the green in the 1st photo. Especially the plants but the background looks cool also. We still have snow on the ground yet !

The Carbon looks perfect......a carbon copy of P-Sons from last year !

The larger containers will do you good. I can see huge harvests coming off those plants.

Bamboo will serve the purpose. I use stakes for 2 reasons. It can get fairly windy here even in mid summer.........and for those larger plants that produce "Willowing Branches of Pods". I've actually tied branches from one plant to a stake from another....same with the tomatoes...

Another great update with variety !
Enjoy your week.

 

[RocketMan]

Wow, really great root growth Shane, they're lovin what your doing. Something tell's me that your new chest freezer isn't going to be that empty for long though and as for mama's freezers... Better ask first