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

 

[Sawyer]

Great looking pods and plants, Shane.  That group shot wins the blue ribbon at the county fair!

 

[Pulpiteer]

Wow - awesome harvest shot! Beautiful looking peppers, and those infinities look terrifying.

 

[Nightshade]

Wow charapita is a monster producer I will have to look into getting seeds of those and I bet they taste good too

 

[MGOLD86]

Awesome harvest Shane!  Now that is what I am talking about.  Also, really cool to see that BBG 7 pot bleed, hopefully they will go up the stem! 
 
Gonna be a summer full of pod picking ahead of you!

 

[romy6]

  The master of all things Glog related has left his mark again. And it a big fat spicy one at that . 
 
Can't wait to see kinds of sauces you come up with. I know they will be top notch!!!! 

 

[stc3248]

Will get on later with all the specific responses and thank you's...and may even add a couple pics!!! Haha, you all know I got no shortage of those.
 
I did want to talk about the Charapitas though. They were aquired through a seed train, and I only kept a few seeds. I got great germ from the couple I planted and I sent the other two on to another member. I am harvesting seeds though and will be more than willing to share. Tough little pods to seed though! They have pretty thick flesh for such a tiny pepper...The seed count looks pretty good, but is lower than say a tepin or pequin. On to the heat/taste...I ate a handful with lunch on Saturday and they were amazing. First pod was a dud (these are the first to ripen) but the rest were plenty hot. A stingy, right now, in your face type burn which is fairly short lived...and can be easily remedied by grabbing another one or two and popping them like tic tacs. The flavor is very sweet/tart with a hint of lemon and the signature chinense flavor (not overpowering though). Picture a glass lemonade with a handfull of habs mixed in...yet another new favorite and will from now on have a spot in my grow right between my Manzano and Goat's Weed plants. These should be perfect not only for snacking but should be great for sauces and powders with a decent yield from the thick walled little pods. I have my first ferment going (Bonnet Based)  but would love to make a ferment with these little guys!!! MMMMmmmm

 

[Trippa]

They look and sound very similar to the "wild Brazil" I have from pepper lover ... I wonder if they are the same variety??

 

[chsy83]

They look and sound very similar to the "wild Brazil" I have from pepper lover ... I wonder if they are the same variety??


They look very similar (mine are from pepperlover as well), but mine are more corn kernel shaped (slight bulge at bottom of pepper, tapering towards the calyx), whereas, from what I can see from Shane's pics, his are more of a rounded saucer or squished sphere shape. Maybe the difference is so slight to be the result of natural genetic variation, though.

 

[stc3248]

Charles/Trippa...GA Growhead sent me that Wild Brazil which I believe to be from a Pepperlover seed...so I will know for certain soon and do a side by side photo of the pods and a tasting as well. Mine do look more ball bearing to slightly squished sphere, and do not taper. SG also asked about BGH 1725 which are also more elongated and don't color up quite the same, but the growth habit on all of them and the pods look similar enough that I am certain they all jumped out of the same gene pool at some point. I don't have any seeds for the BGH, I may look into getting them for next season along with a few other cool wilds to play with if I am going to be stateside which is still up in the air. 

 

[stc3248]

Hahha! I just knew you would have a hella pull when you came back. They were already so close.
 
Now you have to process them babies, fire up the Shiners and git after it!
 
Glad to see this!
 
Scott

Yeah buddy!!! Thanks Scott! I should have another monster pull this weekend...and hopefully pretty much each weekend from here on out barring a catastrophic event.  Was fresh out of Shiner...so settled for a few Fat Tires as I began the processing...more to follow on that!
 
 

Looking amazing as always Shane! You've got some serious poddage on your hands. I see a packed freezer in your future. Those freakish monster infinities look like jellyfish. Bet those bad boys pack some sting too.

Hmmm....and maybe a few packed SFRBs haha! Send me your addy bro-ham if you want a few! Them infinities have me scared!
 
 

Looking good Shane. Starting to get some big hauls.

Thanks John! So much of what I got going is from seeds you sent...you get much of the credit brotha! 
 
 

Those monster infinities are crazy!
Hope the charapitas are different from the Wild Brazils. Looking very similar.
Massive harvest! Crushing it over there!

Thanks again for the plant GA...will do my best to do it proud! Its final home is in the same corner with my Goat's Weed and two Romy Mystery plants...that should tell you how much I cherish it! Hoping being nestled between all those plants will give it the dappled sun most wilds prefer!
 
 

Biggest single harvest so far this year, looks great

Thanks armac! Yee-Haw! I know them "Big Time" growers pull many more than I...but my modest garden is really doing me proud! I will have more than I can handle soon for sure! Unfortunately I think I may have lost the one and only Rennie I had going. It it still alive but barely. Hope it pulls through.
 
 

Great plant plant and fantastic harvest you have there.
How do the Chaparita's taste? One plant would give me enough peppers for a year

They sure would! Keep in touch and you'll get some seeds!
 
 

Great looking money shots Shane, I hope you're cleaning out the chest freezers of last year's pods to make room for this year's... Some of the varieties like the yellow 7 look huge, not just well-grown!
 
Bummer about the not OSU Blue... the 'maters pictured look more like a green-shouldered variety like Cherokee Purple or Black Tula. Cheers!

Thanks Rick! I think you nailed the Mater in question down. Looking at mine and online pics I think you're on the money! The Yellow Brains are freakishly huge...the plant I gave Denniz is growing the same massive pods. Really cool plant, and another I have saved seeds from. I am already falling behind on this year's grow as far as the processing...Going to try to dabble more in the sauces and hope I can get caught up. There is no way to dehydrate enough from Friday to Sunday to make a dent and the Military frowns on my using their electricity to do it...
 
 

Nice Haul!!!  
 
Those Infinities look the business!!

Great to see ya Tripp!!! They sure do...I gotta get someone to eat one!!!  I nominate Matt!
 
 

 
 
 
NICE!!!!!!!            That's like a Kaleidoscope for a Chile Heads  Eyes.   Well done STC, best Porn on THP 2013 fo show!   
 
I'm with Stickman on the maters,   looks like Cherokee Purple to me.    I grew those the last 2 years.  

Yeah man...its psycho-derelict! Yup think y'all are right...Cherokee Purple! Very nice flavor!
 
 
 
All for now....skipped a few of the Charapita comments...because I think I covered them above. Nightshade...and anyone else just lemme know and I will do my best to get you all seeds at the end of the season! I will reply to a few more and post some pics in a bit.
 
 
 

 

[DocNrock]

Awesome!  Everything is looking well-primed at the Shane residence.  You're not kidding when you say you are going to be a picking fool with two of those Charapitas!  That's a whole hell of a lot of little pods!  Nice haul, and those parmesan-topped baked tomatoes looked excellent!  Welcome back!

 

[Spicegeist]

Charles/Trippa...GA Growhead sent me that Wild Brazil which I believe to be from a Pepperlover seed...so I will know for certain soon and do a side by side photo of the pods and a tasting as well. Mine do look more ball bearing to slightly squished sphere, and do not taper. SG also asked about BGH 1725 which are also more elongated and don't color up quite the same, but the growth habit on all of them and the pods look similar enough that I am certain they all jumped out of the same gene pool at some point. I don't have any seeds for the BGH, I may look into getting them for next season along with a few other cool wilds to play with if I am going to be stateside which is still up in the air. 

 
I've got plenty of non-isolated BGH 1725 seed, if you want any, let me know, it's just sitting here, I probably won't grow it out...
 
I was trying to find some pics of the BGH 1725 I grew last year, but could only find this:

 

[stc3248]

Ahhhh....thanks SG and Doc! My pics got preempted by a nasty text from a Navy spouse accusing their husband of infidelity...which resulted in some late night tracking down and talking to of said Sailor and friend about life choices...I so love my job! Haha, still got the pics, but can't post them for fear of waking up my Barracks roommate. So, posting this sign off from my phone with the lame promise of some pics tomorrow!

Night all!

 

[PaulG]

We'll be patient, my friend!
 
You came home to quite a bounty of poddage, Shane.
Another great SD grow season!

 

[GA Growhead]

Duty first!

 

[stc3248]

Aight...a promise is a promise. Crazy days over here! 
 
 

Great looking pods and plants, Shane.  That group shot wins the blue ribbon at the county fair!

 

Wow - awesome harvest shot! Beautiful looking peppers, and those infinities look terrifying.

Thanks! I do love the big harvest pics...and the infinities, maybe I nominate Andy for the Infinity review! It'll be like the Brain Strain revisited!
 
 

Awesome harvest Shane!  Now that is what I am talking about.  Also, really cool to see that BBG 7 pot bleed, hopefully they will go up the stem! 
 
Gonna be a summer full of pod picking ahead of you!

Thanks Matt! I dunno how far they'll bleed, but any is far enough I suppose! Is Jess ready?
 
 

  The master of all things Glog related has left his mark again. And it a big fat spicy one at that . 
 
Can't wait to see kinds of sauces you come up with. I know they will be top notch!!!! 

Jaimie my man...I am gonna try at first to take a page outta you and Bill's book...A little smoke with a little twist!
 

Here are some of the subjects. These are some of the Jamaican Habs from Greg. Some look true to the Bonnet name. 
 

Here they are combined with some Belize City bonnets and a couple other peppers, cukes, onion and Tomatoes ready for the smoker...
 

Smoked mashed with just a few Goat's Weed and Brain Strains...So I am thinking of "My Brain on Jamaican and Belize Weed+Smoke" Haha...threw in some yogurt whey to get things started and we'll have to see if it's bubbling when I get home!
 
 

Awesome!  Everything is looking well-primed at the Shane residence.  You're not kidding when you say you are going to be a picking fool with two of those Charapitas!  That's a whole hell of a lot of little pods!  Nice haul, and those parmesan-topped baked tomatoes looked excellent!  Welcome back!

Haha...thanks Doc! I don't mind the picking. It's therapy for the weeks of dealing with...ummmm. Let's just say some junior military folks don't make the soundest decisions. I have two of them plants too! Plus the Wild Brazil GA sent me is already half podded up, the Pequins haven't started ripening yet...and the Goat's Weed, Two of Jamie's Mystery plants which aren't wilds but put out a billion or so pods a week...and now the Birgits are starting to ripen and them damn things are gonna need a pod exorcism (Andy I may need your help with them) "Feeeed me Seymore!" Never seen anything like them! Life at Casa De Shane is definitely good my friend! Just wish I could visit more often!

This is one half of one pull off the two mystery plants...I did two pulls worth this past weekend. Along with a load of Yellow Brains...so three cycles through the dehydrator, and I still had pods from the latest pull to put in the freezer and bring to work. The two pulls of mysteries made a full quart bag of powder...they're like a freakin factory!
 
 

 
I've got plenty of non-isolated BGH 1725 seed, if you want any, let me know, it's just sitting here, I probably won't grow it out...
 
I was trying to find some pics of the BGH 1725 I grew last year, but could only find this:
 

Yup...I'll be wanting some of those!  Some Charapitas back at ya if ya wish...and anything else you like the looks of brotha! Thanks!!!!!! I really do love them wilds. Something about them. They ain't the hottest, or sexiest, but something special about these little untamed dudes that makes them as cool as any super-duper over marketed wonder pepper...and cooler than most! I go out and walk the garden inspecting all the plants for a half hour...then I'll spend 20 minutes just staring at the Charapitas...ahhhh home tomorrow, home tomorrow, home.....TOMORROW!
 

 
 

We'll be patient, my friend!
 
You came home to quite a bounty of poddage, Shane.
Another great SD grow season!

We got Doc up there for the patients...the rest of us wanna see dem pics!!! haha Great to hear from ya buddy! How's life up in Paulywood?
 
 

Duty first!

I will do my best to do my duty...standing the watch is an Honor! Sometimes I have to take a break and repeat that Mantra over and over to get back to that realization though. 
 
Leave you with a few pod shots...

Yet another plant produces pods the right color...Doughah (Coheed) Another one I am really stoked about. My Douglahs last year were nots...these first couple are smallish first pods...but their big brothers are right behind them...
 
and close out with some reaper shots...Plant two looks to be the money plant!

 

 

 

and a small ripe one...
 
Thanks for bearing with me errybody...I should have another big pull this weekend. We'll just have to WAIT and see I suppose. The weekend is upon us! See you folks tomorrow afternoon!
Shane

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

Nice pod shots Shane. And the money even better. As for the mater sorry man. eBay. .

I did get some true osu maters but they've been hit with mites as well. I did get some and will harvest for seeds alone. Ad will plant some. Who says we can't have maters in SoCal in November.

How's the BBG7??

I have 2 of each rennie. The only one with 3 pods is from tex 12 grow. My other 3 have tha damn fungal. See some pod exchanges in the near future ?

 

[Pulpiteer]

Nice!  That "my brain on Jamaican weed" looks nice - how'd it taste?  Or is it still seasoning?  An infinity would absolutely destroy me - worse than last year's brain strain, I've had no fresh pods this year.  You could run a puke timer to see how long I could make it is about all...  Great looking shots!

 

[PaulG]

That Reaper is grim, indeed!  
My mouth burns just looking at the pics!
 
4.0, brother!

 

[Sawyer]

I love it when a plan comes together.