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

 

[MGOLD86]

DAMN!  Now that is what a harvest should look like man! Congrats on the Congo as well. 

 

[PepTalk]

Epic brother, I think you've hit the Mutha Load!
 
Those Monster Infinity look awesome, how do they smell, taste, BURN!!!!!

 

[PaulG]

Shane!  Those harvest pics absolutely knocked me out.
You are a master grower, my friend.

 

[Sanarda]

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SICK!!!!!!          

 

[RedtailForester]

Badass brother!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is one hell of a harvest!

 

[wahlee76]

That's a hell of a harvest! Do you grow for a hole state?
I hope you got an extra freezer to store those

 

[WalkGood]

I just fell out of my chair, no kidding, your Birgit Locoto is what 10 feet after the posting, hehehe. Holy Jack in da bean stalk mon, you say “It overtook it's steel pipe stake, so I had to duct tape a bamboo stake above that.” I think you’ll soon be needing a fire truck ladder to boot, awesome job brethren!
 
Great pull to boot mon, if you don’t freeze dem you’ll be a happy processing PepperMadMon
 
Great pics … keep dem coming brethren \o/

 

[BrooklynXpat]

Omg - that is absolutely insane. That is the harvest of the gods and damn that pepper tree you got is amazing . That barrackpore is very scary looking, hopefully just as mean tasting.

 

[stc3248]

 

Dang, don't know what to say.  Your plants are amazing.  I wish I had those skills.  Can you give me your asprin, neem, epson salt recipe.  Some of my plants leaves are
starting to get a blight or fungus.

Thanks man...they're doing well! I use a 1 quart (actually 40oz I think) sprayer to which I add 1 Tbs Epsom Salt, 1 Tsp Neem and 1/4 aspirin (uncoated 325 Mg) Mix well and go to town!
 
 

 Loving it Shane. You are a master grower my friend. That Birgy is one tall mofo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude...I am no master. Just getting lucky I think! That Birgit is a freakin animal!
 
 

holy sheet! that's a harvest!
Barrackpores are crazy cool looking!

Thanks! Those Barrackpores are making me proud! Yet another great addition to the grow from Brent! 
 

 

DAMN!  Now that is what a harvest should look like man! Congrats on the Congo as well. 

Thanks Matt! Those Congo's are coloring fast...Two now almost done. They'll have to wait until next weekend though. 
 
 

Epic brother, I think you've hit the Mutha Load!
 
Those Monster Infinity look awesome, how do they smell, taste, BURN!!!!!

Thanks Pep! I ate one last year and the flavor was similar to a Brain Strain but the burn went to the throat BAD. Terrible...I may eat another, but I think I am just gonna sauce and powder most of them.
 
 

Shane!  Those harvest pics absolutely knocked me out.
You are a master grower, my friend.

Awww...shucks! Stop it guys you're making me blush! I have the weather to thank for much of my success...that plus the little bit of knowledge my head was actually able to retain from last seasons lessons learned. Luck mostly I think!
 
 

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SICK!!!!!!          

Thanks Pia! Good to see you! I have been laying off the spider pics on purpose so that you won't be scared to stop by!
 
 

Badass brother!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is one hell of a harvest!

Thanks RTF! They're keeping me busy!
 
 

That's a hell of a harvest! Do you grow for a hole state?
I hope you got an extra freezer to store those

Thanks! I did buy an extra freezer for them matter of fact! Will be putting some in there tonight!
 
 

I just fell out of my chair, no kidding, your Birgit Locoto is what 10 feet after the posting, hehehe. Holy Jack in da bean stalk mon, you say “It overtook it's steel pipe stake, so I had to duct tape a bamboo stake above that.” I think you’ll soon be needing a fire truck ladder to boot, awesome job brethren!
 
Great pull to boot mon, if you don’t freeze dem you’ll be a happy processing PepperMadMon
 
Great pics … keep dem coming brethren \o/

Ramon!!! Not quite...but won't be surprised if it tops 9 by the weekend! I will have to level the area around the plant to get any higher on the ladder...hopefully I need a bigger ladder soon!
 
Well...I don't know what the heck you call it, but there is wet stuff falling out of the sky??? So I spent most of the day processing pods, and still have 4 grocery bags full....what a wonderful problem to have! 
 
So, I have tons of powder, and I am still powdering more, but the dehydrator can only do so many at a time. So I am diving into the ferment thing feet first! For those that haven't read it...Bill (Rocketman) has a fermenting thread stickied to the top of the Sauce Making forum. I finally started to see some action in the jar I put away last weekend, but it was moving real slow so I went back to review...made some adjustments and BAM...just like that thinks started to cook in there! That was all the motivation I needed to get my arse in gear!
 
So...here are the pics of the process.

Used plain yogurt in a funnel with a coffee filter to collect the whey. I started this dripping first, then prepped a batch, used some whey, added some new yogurt, prepped a batch and kept rotating that way until done and it worked very well.
 

First batch was Yellow Brain Strain...1 jar smoked and 1 jar straight up. These pods are from the plant that produces the monster sized pods...and they went in the smoker.
 

Here are the Brains from the other plant. These pods have a more regular shape and are freaking stunning...
 

See!!!
 

Ready to get mashed and messy!
 
Next I mashed up some of one of my new favorites...the Romy Mystery!

Same basic recipe...Garlic, Onion, Carrots and a whole lotta peppers. I was still smoking the rest of the pods so not all the pods are in there just yet...
 

Here is the mash...mmmmmm.
 

Here they are all done...in the measuring cup is the brine...2 cups warm water + 2 tbs salt. I cleaned the Jars from the mess I made the best I could and then poured in the brine until they were completely covered...
 

Here they all are...the two on the left are a little leftover Yellow Brain mash added to some Big Jims and Sweet Snacking peppers...everything the same, but instead of the carrots I substituted some leftover sweet corn I cut off the cob....??? We'll see...the pint jar that is very light colored was a little leftover mash from the Green Chiles to which I added even more corn and some carrots to hopefully make it mild enough for mama and the kiddos. Little worried about head space on that one...it might make a mess! Left the lids loose to allow gas to escape as the magic happens!
 
Hope all you all's weekends were as awesome as mine!
Shane

Brooklyn:
"Omg - that is absolutely insane. That is the harvest of the gods and damn that pepper tree you got is amazing  . That barrackpore is very scary looking, hopefully just as mean tasting. "
Thanks Brooklyn!

 

[WalkGood]

Great job on the ferment start … can’t wait to see da finished product

 

[3/5King]

Got damn Shane! That California sun combined with your Hulk thumb has provided you with the perfect pepper storm....it's hailing PEPPERS! It's a good feeling when things turn out.....I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER..
Oh and can you say delicious! BOOM

 

[Trippa]

Yeah that's a harvest ....    Unreal ... healthy looking and tasty looking ... love your work 

 

[millworkman]

 

[Pr0digal_son]

INDEED! I feel like Marty Feldman.

 

[wahlee76]

That looks very tasty indeed. You just mash them? If so, how do keep them from going bad? I usually just mash them and add a little vinegar.

 

[PaulG]

Great mash tutorial, my friend!

 

[Sawyer]

Awesome.  What do you do with the left over yogurt after you collect the whey?

 

[PIC 1]

"Every picture tells a story".........and your photography does just that !
Very colorful and inspiring...
Shane your WAY  ahead of most growers with your pepper processing............maybe some of the Aussies, too.........
Tzatziki Sauce with the left over Yogurt ?

 

[Sawyer]

Tzatziki Sauce

??? -> google -> wiki -> Oh!  I've had that.  Had a Persian roommate once in college and he would make that.  Didn't remember what it was called, but it was good.

 

[armac]

looks tasty, in a very hot way