STC3248, Just Another Grow Log! Holiday Harvest!

Still waiting on the supers...but the rest are sprouted and under lights. This will be my first attempt at supers. Fingers crossed. I am so lost in the labels. I don't know how some of you keep them all straight??? I know I got most of them right...but had a couple random seeds pop up under the starter pellets...lolEdit: This was my STARTING listJalapenoBlack CobraMucho Nacho JalapenoBellPoblanoCaribbean RedChocolate HabaneroAnaheimCayenneTrinidad ScorpionBhut Jolokia Red/Yellow/Chocolate/White/PurpleFataliPequin ChiapasAmigo Diablo Bombay MorichDorset NagaLg Yellow 7 Pot7 Pot RedDouglahBishops Crownand OrnamentalsHere is the FINAL revised list! lol yeah right! Got some slow movers on here...GREEN: planted last night 3 February...didn't soak, so they may take a bit longer than normalORANGE: Planted 25 JanuaryBLUE: Planted 13 JanuaryBLACK: Planted 5 JanuaryFish 0/2Wild Brazil (Cumari) 0/2Tepin 0/2Aji Omnicolor 0/2Yellow Scotch Bonnet 0/2Goccia d'Oro 0/2Red Lantern Habanero 0/2Brain Strain 0/2Billy Boy Douglah 0/2Peruvian White Bullet Hab 0/2Kaval F-1 0/27 Pot Primo 0/27 Pot Monster Infinity 0/2Devil's Tongue Brown 0/2Bhut Jolokia Orange 0/2Black Naga 1/2Bhut Jolokia Purple 4/4 Bhut Jolokia White 4/4 Bhut Jolokia Red 4/4Bhut Jolokia Yellow 2/4 Bhut Jolokia Chocolate 4/4 7 Pot Red 4/4 7 Pot Lg Yellow 4/4 Fatali 4/4 Chocolate Hab 4/4 Bishops Crown 4/4 Pequine 4/4 Trinidad Scorpion 3/4Established Plants:Caribbean Red x5Black Cobra x6Jalapeno x6Mucho Nacho Jalapeno x8Cayenne x6Bell x4Poblano x3Anaheim x3

My 10 year old is responsible for the artwork on the cups!

 

[stc3248]

Your grafting experiments are way good reading, Shane!
Your into a great grow season, for sure! I've lost track of
how many grafts you've got going!

Only 3...I think I am going to "stick" with just these 3 for a little bit...hahaha. At least until I see how they all work out. Graft # 1 (Jalapeno Host/Red Lantern Habanero scion) was more a proof of concept I had an extra of each plant and really didn't think about what type of cross it would make if I got a hybrid shoot??? Just wanted to prove grafting viable. I will cut the roots of graft #2 (Fatalii host/Yellow Bhut scion) this weekend and see what happens. I was fairly certain it was working at this point , And had two good volunteers. Figures this would be a good plant to mess with folks. I could pick me a Fatalii and them a Bhut and start eating I plan to add an Aji Yellow to this plant once it is stuck...then maybe further down the line a yellow 7. I am now worried that the Fatalii wont bud out again. It had started to push out some new growth which is why I decided to use it, but now it has stopped. May just end up with a yellow bhut with a fatalii root system. Hopfully I can force some growth at those fatalii nodes. Last one it the one I mentioned above (Pequin host/White Bullet Hab scion) The pequin was one of the test plants I set out early into the garden, and wasn't doing too hot. The slugs stripped nearly all its leaves, and the cold nights had really slowed the little guy down. I had 4 White habs up, and they seemed like the first two I would really want a hybrid of...I thought I might have cut the scion (each of the scions was a seedling with just Coty's so very delicate procedure) too deeply, but they are both looking good this morning. If I am going to continue doing these things I will need a scalpel and magnifying arm instead of my buck knife/eyeball. Things like alcohol wipes and gloves would be useful as well. I mist each scion several times daily and it seems to be working. Credit to Ken for making me consider the approach graft method, I was set to try a wedge...one of the other possible benefits to this is if the host blooms the scion should start as well. So this may produce some early red habs/white habs for me!

purpling is an indicator of stress, usually associated with sunlight.... But I've read where things like overwatering can cause it as well... Here in FL, its almost always a sign that they are being sunburnt a little bit... I forget the name of the compound that turns the plant purple, but it can be used as a sun burn preventative in people (or so I've heard).

Oh Anthocyanins I believe... they are concentrated and used as flavoring, and are a good indicator that your PH is good as anthocyanins change color depending on PH...

Yeah...I thought that had to do mainly with purpling of the leaves themselves, not as much the stem and veins. I have had several that purpled up initially due to light then once they got used to it they grew out of it, but these aren't like that. Some of the deepest purple parts are in the portions of stem that don't get much light at all??? I gave them all a really good dose of Epsom mist last night, moved the lights up a few inches and started them on an 18/6 light cycle. I will be watching for any changes.

Great minds Shane...

I started three more grafts today... I didn't cut them, just used narrow strips of plastic to tie the two seedlings together (after twisting them).

Hopefully it works.

I was up potting them, and decided to give it a go.

More will be done tomorrow... Figured I'd post the pictures all at once.

I have been considering that myself, its kind of nice having a host that is rock solid though I am also thinking about making approach grafts on the same plant by training limbs of opposite types to cross each other then grafting where they meet to try to get more limbs of the scion species would also up the chances of getting hybrid offshoots at each of those locations. This won't happen for a while, and I just need to concentrate on successful grafts for now.

Sorry for the book,
Hard for me to explain all this without babbling...I'll post pics of the 3(6) amigos later along with one of my side by side soil test later today.
Shane

 

[PaulG]

"Sorry for the book,
Hard for me to explain all this without babbling...I'll post pics of the 3(6) amigos later along with one of my side by side soil test later today."

No apology needed! like I say, it's a good read : )

 

[jsschrstrcks]

My understanding is that any kind of stress can trigger the self defense mechanisms (such as anthocyanin production) in a plant - over or under fert, over or under watering, temperatures, and too much sun (though I doubt too much shade would cause this).

I don't think you over or underwater them... I don't think you're over fertilizing them... which leaves temp (more or less outside your control if you've planted out) and sunlight

haha! Well mine came about as a result of trying to keep the "oh my aching back" pepper seed mix to only two trays... I got soo many seeds! So I was doubling up towards the end when it became apparent that I would have more than two trays would fill.. Since I've been telling people "don't cull, graft".... I figured I ought to take my own advice.

Credit to Ken for making me consider the approach graft method, I was set to try a wedge...one of the other possible benefits to this is if the host blooms the scion should start as well. So this may produce some early red habs/white habs for me!

Thanks brother... Yeah that is another fringe benefit of approach mentor grafting. Might be a good thing for those in cold climates to consider.

I considered crossing branches as well... I even planted some of the bigger plants close together for that express purpose... But considering their age, I don't think it will accomplish anything other than being a cool conversation point for people you bring through your garden... I am on the fence as to whether to follow through on that one or not as a result... its a lot of work for me, and the plant, for something that simply is a curiosity.

 

[stc3248]

Finally got the drip system all done, for now. I keep thinking I'm finished, then test it...then tweak it...then test it...then tweak it. I have more to add once I get more plants in the ground, but the lines are in place so all I should have to do is tap in where I need to. Snapped a few pod pics while I was at it...here ya go!

Still trying to figure out how I want to cover it. Probably plastic with some sort of decorative covering.

2 GPH drippers on these guys...

Soakers on these...

Mucho Nacho

Anaheim

Goat's Weed

Pequin

Yellow Bhut

Red Missile

Another Red Missile

Took some more...and some of my non peppers, but ONLY 10 AT A TIME!!! lol
Things are looking up! Still worried about the weekend forecast, Not supposed to frost, but I am still trying to figure out my insurance plan...

Thanks for looking! Will upload more when it lets me.
Shane

 

[TheAmatureGreenThumb]

Shane that Yellow Bhut looks awesome man. Can't wait to see the pods that thing produces.

 

[stc3248]

Hibiscus

Black Rose Succulent Aeonium Arboreum

Royal Burgundy...

My son's little cactus garden

Fortnight lily (African Iris)

My Fatalii is my little teacher's pet.

Shane that Yellow Bhut looks awesome man. Can't wait to see the pods that thing produces.

Yeah...I've noticed that the super plants are sexier than the annuum pods! Just had a mini harvest...I pulled the anaheim pod as well as a couple poblanos. Sad day....but I still ate 'em! So first pods of 2012 have been consumed!

Shane

 

[Pr0digal_son]

Finally got a chance to check out your video of the back yard. Get rid of that cat already.Nice bonzai plants...you have a bunch of cool things going on. Keep up the good work.

 

[stc3248]

Finally got a chance to check out your video of the back yard. Get rid of that cat already.Nice bonzai plants...you have a bunch of cool things going on. Keep up the good work.

Thanks! If I got rid of the cat pretty sure the wife would go with it...I'm still weighing the cost vs benefit...

Bad day for the stc glog...My light timer isn't working, so the plants were dark all day, slugs hit a few plants outside, one of my drippers is already clogged up and I am pretty sure the frankenpepper is a goner. Had to get underway today and I wasn't here to mist it every few hours. Coty's are curled up, but the true leaves still look somewhat ok. I am afraid once they no longer have the cotys to feed off of it will be done. The two other are doing great however and I believe the fatalii host on graft #2 is starting to put out a little new growth. I wonder what would have happened if I would have cut the host/scion as deeply on the first graft as I did the other 2? I was certain I killed each of them when I was done hacking and taping, but neither of them even slowed down. I am not giving up hope, but I will be gone all day again tomorrow, and that will probably be the final nail in frankenpepper's coffin.

Been a long day...still having fun, but today was the first time I got home and felt like this stuff was turning into work. Maybe a shiner bock will cure what ails me...

 

[kiddc]

Hope you start more of that frankenpepper. Drips have a tendency to fail and give that 'false' impression that everything's going well, you cant really rely on that too much. But experience is a b!tchy teacher, and there's always next time/season.

The other plants are looking good and you've pods already! Good luck for the rest of the season!

 

[PaulG]

Nice update, my friend - mixing it up with some other species!
The pepper garden looks great; just bring on the sun!

Good luck getting your plant out through to warmer weather,
your overwinters are looking just a tad awesome!
See ya later, Shane!

 

[Beehunter]

Sorry about the bad day. Doesnt sound too bad though. the frankinpepper could still pull through! The dip system should be an easy fix as well. Come to thing of it after looking at your pics im gonna say your day wasnt half bad at all I also had a timer quit working on me but it just in the on position and my plants had no break from the lights for about 36 hours! bout fried them to death! but it all worked out. Stupid timers....

 

[stc3248]

Sorry about the bad day. Doesnt sound too bad though. the frankinpepper could still pull through! The dip system should be an easy fix as well. Come to thing of it after looking at your pics im gonna say your day wasnt half bad at all I also had a timer quit working on me but it just in the on position and my plants had no break from the lights for about 36 hours! bout fried them to death! but it all worked out. Stupid timers....

Well, as I sit here drinking my morning coffee my timer kicked on. I spread some slug bait last night, and that always make me smile thinking that those little bastards are eating themselves to death as I sleep. Best of all the frankenpepper perked up a little (very little) after some TLC last night. I rigged up a new peat pellet around the site this morning in hopes that it would keep it moist throughout the day, so maybe it will pull through after all. As far as the dripper goes that one is the one on the hibiscus I planted for the wife so it could be worse! We are supposed to get rain all weekend, so I got some time to fix it.

Nice update, my friend - mixing it up with some other species!
The pepper garden looks great; just bring on the sun!

Good luck getting your plant out through to warmer weather,
your overwinters are looking just a tad awesome!
See ya later, Shane!

Luckily the weather forecast now only has us getting down into the low 40's. Originally it had potential snow flurries and in the low 30's so things are looking up! I will still take some extra protective measures, but I think they're gonna be just fine.

Thanks for the pick me ups!
Shane

 

[richphitzwell]

Grrr walked out and temp dropped 20 degrees from the last time i walked out. Wish you luck man. This is why im waiting until april to harden.

 

[stc3248]

Your classic good news/bad news scenario today...

First for the bad. I thought the little white hab/pequin was ready for some light...

Ummmm, wrong...I have given it a drink and some shade, hopefully it bounces back. This is about how the Jalapeno/Red Lantern Hab looked YESTERDAY but...

Today...

Went into damage control mode on this guy and replaced the peat pellet that had been cut loose. Lets me know that it is still pulling some moisture from underneath, and not stuck. Good news is, even if it doesn't take, I can try again and cut a little deeper next time.

The best of the 3 is the little Fatalii/Yellow bhut. Pretty sure as deep as I went on both host and scion that these 2 are now joined.

Going to give it at least another week, then we're going to find out. I will take it slow and start by carfully digging up the roots to the scion and slowly trimming and letting them dry out. More good news on this one is that the fatalii appears to finally be pushing out some new green at the nodes.

Here are some more good news stories...

Tepin putting out a few buds under the lights

Fish pepper really booming (sorry for the blurry pic)! They are almost ready to pot up or plant out!

This is another soil test...Manzanos, on the right is the Kellogg soil I amended with peat/perlite and on the left is MG moisture control...both doing great and in a dead heat! Still too close to call, but regardless of the winner in this race, I think I figured out how to make some use out of the original soil!

Here's another view...still MG left and amended soil on the rt...cool looking little plants.

Brain Strain bad boy! (I mean it is a bad boy...not a new strain or anything)

This is a gnarly Chocolate Bhut that was repotted after it was really hurting in the old soil...Taking off now and making one cool looking plant! Notice the cat damage on the front leaf. All the leaf curl and awful color isn't present in the new growth just the old...

Grrr walked out and temp dropped 20 degrees from the last time i walked out. Wish you luck man. This is why im waiting until april to harden.

Think were going to be ok though...weather was calling for near freezing, but now only calling for low 40's here. Might get some blossom drop and a little slow down in the growth but I think we're gonna be all right!

Thanks for checking out my Glog folks!
Shane

 

[richphitzwell]

The place where my plants more than likely will be moving in sd is still expecting a foot of snow lol. Anywho like i said i wish you luck. If anything get a tomato wire thinger and some plastic if you are questioning anything. Im sure mine will be fine as they have neen in the ground for a yr.

 

[MGOLD86]

OOOHHH!! Soil tests! I like those!

Those Manzanos (?) look pretty bad ass.

 

[stc3248]

OOOHHH!! Soil tests! I like those!

Those Manzanos (?) look pretty bad ass.

Yeah...from store bought Manzanos. I got 4 of these little dudes. The other 2 are 1 set of true leaves behind.These two popped on the same day in peat pellets. The other two a few days later in a plastic container/paper towel setup. I was really just trying to see if the seeds were viable, and ended up popping 6 of 6. The other 2 went in the ground when they showed taps in the container and never popped up. Been cold at night. was really just a way to see if I could keep them away from the wife ...no such luck. I've been throwing random extra seeds/pods all around the yard to see if they might just pop...lol.

Hello, my name is Shane and I'm a pepper addict...

 

[stc3248]

What a difference a few hours makes! All 3 grafts still kicking!!!

Its going to lose the tip off one Coty, but it'll live another day! Woot! This one's gonna stick too!

 

[PaulG]

Hey, Shane, your plants are looking really first class!
But the news that all three grafts are still in the hunt
is a cake-taker! It's always cool to drop in and see
what magic you're working now!

 

[hooda]

Your manzanos look good. Mine are a bit bigger than yours but I was starting to worry about them as the leaves were crinkly and curling under, but yours look the same as mine. This is my first time growing them, is that normal or should I really be analyzing a possible problem?