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]

@ the video. That was cool. You almost got me but I had a feeling a spidey pic was coming so I treaded very carefully. Your plants look great. Loved the photography. That Goatsweed pic is epic. I cant wait to taste that pepper.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Really like the bug pics...plants and pods are looking great.

 

[gnslngr]

Damn it......took a while to go backwards through page 23, using the "needles eye" bandwidth in Ghana.
Off to a bangin start.........for a damn Aphid parader
Pia is gonna get you for that spider. I just shoo em off some where convenient.I will smear the Brown Rec's though.
My wife just admitted to aphids "only on one or two" seedlings : .......shit, as "they are all doing fine, I just checked em" really means, 9 have aphids, 3 are dead from unknown causes, and 6 are about to dehydrate..... this has me worried for the little guys.

....and I agree with Bodeen. Never leave fish , to find fish.
Have a god one -
DJ

 

[StupidJerk]

That goats weed is going crazy! You're making me regret putting mine on the balcony instead of the full sun of the garden. I had one for the garden as well, but ended up giving it to the nephew. I'll just tell myself the sun is the reason yours is doing so much better.

Keep up the good work.

 

[JJJessee]

That Goat's Weed has a wild look in it's eye's
I'm doing nasturtiums this year, I just found out last year the leaves are edible too -and tasty.

 

[buddy]

[sub]Very nice! Good luck with your 2013 season.[/sub]

 

[romy6]

Where u at man? We deserve an update every 48 hours

 

[stc3248]

Sorry folks...military issues. Got a guy in the Hospital right now and haven't been able to get home...or even on at work lately. He's gonna be fine. Just made an unfortunate desision with regards to morocycle operation...which will cost him some operations. I will get some pics up this weekend for sure!

 

[WalkGood]

Sorry folks...military issues. Got a guy in the Hospital right now and haven't been able to get home...or even on at work lately. He's gonna be fine. Just made an unfortunate desision with regards to morocycle operation...which will cost him some operations. I will get some pics up this weekend for sure!

Shane, no need to rush back, take care of family, business and plants ... come back when you can. Hope all is ok on all fronts and have a great weekend mon!

 

[Devv]

Sorry folks...military issues. Got a guy in the Hospital right now and haven't been able to get home...or even on at work lately. He's gonna be fine. Just made an unfortunate desision with regards to morocycle operation...which will cost him some operations. I will get some pics up this weekend for sure!

Sorry to hear that, business comes first.

Hope he heals fast!

 

[stc3248]

@Bonnie, None are overwinters. @ Rick, I sowed New Years...I think some on New Year's eve. Someone asked about Manzanos...and yes I have one plant, just not the most photogenic yet. She's starting to come around though.

I am back! Weather finally starting to be more cooperative. We've had some unseasonably cold days and the Santa Anna's followed with triple digit wind just inland from me. Not that here, but well above 50 mph. Plants fared well and aside from a couple that got blown over no real damage. Spent the day rearranging some of the containers and adjusting the drip system to fit as well. Oh...and the perpetual pool maintenance thing too. Here are some pics, mainly of the new undergrowth.

Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbon (Pr0digal_son)

7 Pot Congo Sr (SilverSurfer via Pr0digal_Son)

Yellow 7 Pot (Pr0digal_Son)

Yellow Billy Boy Douglah (SilverSurfer via Coheed via Romy6)

??? Don't remember??? Thinking Yellow Brain Strain...

More Pods on the Belize City Scotch Bonnet (Pic1)

One of Romy's Mysteries...these things are in beast mode! Fastest growers by far!

Here is a closeup of one of Romy's broom handle for Annie...not sure which is holding up which?

Yellow Cardi Scorpion (Romy6)

First Pod Ripening...Explosive Ember

That's all for now folks! More tomorrow!
Shane

 

[3/5King]

Everything's looking good Shane. Nice and lush, not to mention bushy. Can't wait to see your garden in full swing like last year.

 

[gnslngr]

those babies are gonna have the "fat and nasties" from all that undergrowth.I that can be an official term now, all new growth under a purposeful main stalk termination , will "undergrowth", from this time and hence forward.
Just making it to the earlier pages......"Manzano Man"!

 

[Trippa]

looking good brother!!!

 

[stickman]

Hi Shane
It looks like the axillary growth is slower than primary, but this isn't a get rich quick scheme... it's a get rich big scheme! Great looking pics of your progress with the trimming experiment, and makes me hopeful of similar results. Cheers!

 

[JJJessee]

Wow, thinks are really podding up nicely and growing like weeds.
I would have guessed that Mystery of Romy was a Goat's Weed.

 

[stc3248]

Everything's looking good Shane. Nice and lush, not to mention bushy. Can't wait to see your garden in full swing like last year.

Thanks....ME EITHER!!! I keep checking for color on the Goat's Weed pods...C'mon first harvest!!!

those babies are gonna have the "fat and nasties" from all that undergrowth.I that can be an official term now, all new growth under a purposeful main stalk termination , will "undergrowth", from this time and hence forward.
Just making it to the earlier pages......"Manzano Man"!

Never did top them...at least not yet. I just trimmed the lower leaves so that the undergrowth could get more light. You stateside yet?

looking good brother!!!

Trippa! How's your weather brotha? Thanks for the kind words!

Hi Shane
It looks like the axillary growth is slower than primary, but this isn't a get rich quick scheme... it's a get rich big scheme! Great looking pics of your progress with the trimming experiment, and makes me hopeful of similar results. Cheers!

Like I mentioned above...I didn't top them so the lower shoots are not the primary nodes...yet. I did top one yesterday because the tops were just to infested with aphids...we'll see how that one fares??? Hope your results rock!

Wow, thinks are really podding up nicely and growing like weeds.
I would have guessed that Mystery of Romy was a Goat's Weed.

JJJ...thanks. That Mystery plant is almost certainly a cross with a GW. The mother plant's next door neighbor was a GW. There are some differences, but many similarities. I hope this cross has pods shaped like the mama that darken like the GW. Should know soon, flowers are about to open.

Here are a few I took yesterday that didn't get posted...

Here are the two Birgits Locotos that stayed under the lights longer. They were quite a bit behind the other two that have been in the sun (wind, bugs) three weeks ago. I was only going to grow out two, but these look so nice 4 is now the #. They are hardening. The plan is to keep them in 5# until the root ball is set, then prep two more inground spots, or 1 more big enough for two???

Here is one that has been outside in the fight for a bit...

And the one in the ground, that stake is a 12' section of pipe, hope its not enough! The two that have been outside stalled for a while with the cool temps and bug battles, but they are picking up some steam now, so it will be interesting to watch how all four of them stack up in a month or two.

Yellow Aji from Peru (PaulG) this was the very first plant to move outside...several weeks ahead of the others. It also stalled, and was hit by the bugs harder than the rest, but shifted gears and started to shoot up about a week ago. Lacy in the background showing what a rough life she has...

Here is a closeup of her broom handle...Once again don't know which is holding which up???

Almost every plant now has multiple resident Ladybugs and their babies...that coupled with the better weather and some parasitic wasps working the airspace should see some major changes soon...

Some more of Greg's (Pic1) Belize City Bonnets...

Finally...here is Lacy in her helper position in the garden...

A couple nons for ya...

Here is a lily in full swing...before the wind knocked it over. It didn't break, but lost some petals and ain't quite as perdy now.

Last is a Dwarf Sunflower...this dude was grown in a 3# pot I started in the grow room for my daughter who loves them. It's fading already, but the big dawgs are up and she will be able to see them from her window...and maybe from across town when they are at their tallest!

Now I am off to check on y'all's stuff!
Shane

 

[Jamison]

Looking good Shane, really good bud! I'm thirsty for a Fat Tire for some reason

 

[WalkGood]

Shane,
Great to have you back, love the stalks … that certainly corrects the myth that indoor plants have wimpy stalks when they get outdoors. Well if they’re done right as you have demonstrated they’re every bit as good and den some.

Love those Cardi yellows from Jamie (Romy6), super tasty! Great looking pods on Greg’s Belize City Scotch Bonnet, bet they're going to taste great too! I wouldn’t know about any weather or bug set backs other than you mentioning them, cause from the look of all the pictures every ting else looks awesome too!

Keep up dat great grow and I can’t wait to see everything color up like your nons have already demonstrated … yea they look killer. Have a great week mon ^_^

 

[Bigoledude]

Dude, that "Belize City Scotch Bonnet Pod from Pic1" on page #29 looks just like the fist of THE HULK!

The flower on that "Nasturtium" is very unusual. What does the pod look like?

Do you use that 1/4-inch soaker-tube ring connected to your 1/4-inch spaghetti tubing, in all of your pots? Soaker hoses never work here because they add so much lime to our municipal water, that the calcium plugs up the pores.

I'd like to try a ring like that with the 1/4-inch tubing with emitters built into the tubing every 6,9 or 12 inches.

http://www.dripworks.com/category/one-fourth-inch-soaker-dripline

Do you eat the nasturtiums?

We all want a place like yours Brother!