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!

 

[romy6]

Shane ,I tried the coffee grounds with no luck. I ended up with the worst mite infestation and aphids too. I wouldn't play around and blast them with some good shiat!

 

[stc3248]

Hey Shane, All your plants are looking very healthy. I like the "goat's weed". That's one that I overwintered this year. It's getting that robust "conical" upward growth also. Those purple bhuts look pretty cool too... Greg

Thanks Greg! My Goat's Weed is showing a bit of yellow here and there right now, but I think its just because I haven't been able to let it dry out real well. Been kind of cool and rainy for a few days.

Yea I am fighting them off the Wild Brazil and jalapeno I am currenting using the Beer trick a couple inces away from the pot in a dug up hole and slugg pellets around the pot yesterday, so I will check their status later today. I am now considering copper tape to fight them off http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=627

Yeah, I'm not sharing my beer with those bastards! lol

Very nice Shane. When can you get them in the ground?

I could probably plant out safely in a couple weeks, but I think I might wait a little extra to make sure. I have some Christmas lights and a thermal outlet I can rig up if I decide to go early, but they're doing so well in their little heated home I think I will keep them in there until I run out of room.

 

[SocalChilehead]

Lol I gave them a king cobra from liquor store or mini market whatever you wanna call it and I gave the rest to the neighbor.

 

[stc3248]

Shane ,I tried the coffee grounds with no luck. I ended up with the worst mite infestation and aphids too. I wouldn't play around and blast them with some good shiat!

Believe me, I'm not one to mess around! Since I am months from any kind of harvest I would even use DDT if I could get my hands on some...(for all you go green folks that was a joke, sort of) I just used what I had on hand. I will wage the real war this weekend on their a$$es. The aphids are under control, I ended up hitting them with some ortho, but it didn't phase the slugs. I think I'm going to put out some sluggo for them, but I really don't have the time to mess with it till the weekend.

Lol I gave them a king cobra from liquor store or mini market whatever you wanna call it and I gave the rest to the neighbor.

Just don't give them Olde English! That's some good stuff!!!

Hope the pic shows up...haven't tried from Facebook before???

 

[MGOLD86]

Just finished reading through your entire log from start to finish. What a great read. I love it when you stumble upon a log that you can't put down.

Hopefully you can get the bugs under control. And I would share my Shiner with Queen Elizabeth, let alone a cannibal slug...

Gonna follow this one!

 

[stc3248]

Just finished reading through your entire log from start to finish. What a great read. I love it when you stumble upon a log that you can't put down. Hopefully you can get the bugs under control. And I would share my Shiner with Queen Elizabeth, let alone a cannibal slug... Gonna follow this one!

Thanks for the compliment Brudda! I would NEVER do anything with my Shiner but drink it...My Aunt lived on a farm in Shiner and I spent a ton of time there as a kid. The only thing that rivals their beer is their sausage! The two together is heaven. If my mother in law shows up with her keystone light I'll gladly donate the whole 12 pack!

 

[PaulG]

Hope you got the slugs under control. I hate those things!
I always keep a can of slug pellets close by for first sign of
them, or when sown seed crops are emerging. They're bad
here in the Spring - tons of little ones. Give me the willies.

 

[stc3248]

Ok...mini update with a few pics of the recent slug damage, and a couple more of some good stuff going on to offset the downers...

Everything looks good from here.....but upon closer inspection...

One of my best looking Bhuts...well it used to be!

Bell Pepper...this one got hit the hardest.

One of the Bell's leaves

My best Fatalii...but look a little closer...

I HATE THEM!!! THEY ALL MUST DIE!!!!

Ok now for the good,

Jalapeno overwinter 5 open and more to follow. Can already see the pods forming!

Cayenne with about a dozen buds close to opening

And I can't give an update without one of these guys in it! I'm really digging these purple bhuts!

Sorry about the blurry pics...a little dark out there. I misted them with strong coffee last night and again this evening. Good news is I didn't notice any new damage. I do plan to buy some sluggo this weekend and let them get all of that they want.

Been using Alaska Fish Fert and they really seem to like it! Everything is greening up really nicely.

I had great germination rates with all but my second to last set of starts??? Don't know what happened there, but I started more in the same tray with them and they have all come up but one brain strain. I haven't given up all hope yet its only been a little over 2 weeks, but I haven't seen any action at all on the germ tray in a few days. I suspect they're pretty much done popping. I could once again use some positive thinking and well wishes on your part that one of the White Habs and a Kaval pop...not too concerned about the orange bhut, I got all the other colors up and running.

Thanks for looking and questions, comments or criticism is very welcome and highly encouraged!
I need all the help I can get...
Shane

 

[stc3248]

Open flowers on my cayenne now! Also, the coffee appears to be working. I have had no new slug damage the past couple days, I've been giving them a light coffee mist every evening. Will keep you all posted. Cooler weather has turned on here, so highs in the 50's, but the plants in the greenhouse are still showing some nice growth. Sun is supposed to come back tomorrow. Temps only back into the mid to upper 60's for the next week or so. Hard to complain...but when we've been getting 80 degree weather for the past several weeks this is a real bummer.

Three day weekend is going to be a bonus. I hope to finally get the irrigation system set up...and maybe prep a few more grow areas. If I'm lucky I just might get my first pod pic of the season!

 

[PaulG]

I notice you caught the "bastiges" before they got into the new leaves.
Nice work, Shane! All your plants look great - they will shake that slug damage off
and come roaring back with your TLC! I had a Cal Wonder bell last year that
looked like a skeleton (snails, but same diff) before I figured out what was
going on. After some treatment and care, it was a great producer.

 

[BigCedar]

I agree with Paul, your plants do look great man. Sorry to see the slugs found em, man I hate those things! I caught some in the act last season... lets just say the crime season wasn't pretty lol. I covered my yard with slug bait after that and every morning I'd come out to dozens of dead slugs. Good luck with the rest of your grow and slug recovery man

 

[stc3248]

Well...the wife just made the thinning out decision easier. She said she would check on the plants in the greenhouse and water them. I was 0 for 2 on those requests and 4 are fried. One was my best looking bishop's crown! I was too sick to look at the other labels pretty sure one was a Fatalii. I just watered the hell out of them and closed them up we'll see what perks up...

photos after dinner...maybe they'll make it...look pretty terrible though. Only 3 are real bad.

 

[PaulG]

Dude - I'm afraid to ask. Plants are resilient, maybe you'll be
surprised. Puttin' out good vibes...

 

[stc3248]

Think they stand a chance....2 of them a pretty good chance one is a roll of the dice...

The one on the right is the Bishop's Crown...it stands the best shot to make it. The one on the left is a Fatalii that was struggling anyway...that's the roll of the dice. Not pictured is another Bishops Crown and a Caribbean red...I'm only keeping 2 each and I have 3 more Fataliis, 2 more Bishops Crowns and 4 more Caribbean Reds...still sucks. The rest look pretty healthy though. A couple leaf tips a little droopy, but they'll be fine.

I told momma they needed a drink today, then I called home from work to remind her to check on them and give them a drink...but her folks called and they went out to lunch instead. Grrrrrrrr ....she doesn't even feel guilty! MURDERESS!

Good news is there are "rookies" that are all lined up looking for some playing time!

The replacements!

Thanks for looking!
Shane

 

[SocalChilehead]

Sorry for your lost, but the replcements look promising and ready to step up. I agree with the Bishop crown look like possible resurrection, but hopefully they both make it. Good luck Shane

 

[PIC 1]

Hey Shane,
your plants will rebound. If they're droopy because of being dehydrated from the sun and/or the reflected heat from the house you can sit them in some flats with 1/2" of water in the morning. Those containers are small and dry out quickly outdoors. Once they get potted the water ing is less of an issue.

My Bishop's Crown plants are getting tall indoors. They're starting to branch out with no lower growth yet. I may pinch the tops back ......they'll need to be moved up into 1 1/2 gal trade containers soon...

Greg

 

[stc3248]

Sorry for your lost, but the replcements look promising and ready to step up. I agree with the Bishop crown look like possible resurrection, but hopefully they both make it. Good luck Shane

Yeah...the BC is going to make it...just lost a few leaves, and that actually might stimulate some growth on the lower nodes...

Hey Shane,
your plants will rebound. If they're droopy because of being dehydrated from the sun and/or the reflected heat from the house you can sit them in some flats with 1/2" of water in the morning. Those containers are small and dry out quickly outdoors. Once they get potted the water ing is less of an issue.

My Bishop's Crown plants are getting tall indoors. They're starting to branch out with no lower growth yet. I may pinch the tops back ......they'll need to be moved up into 1 1/2 gal trade containers soon...

Greg

Only 1 that may be done is the fatalii. I moved them inside under the lights last night. That fatalii wasn't too healthy anyway. It was one of the ones I used in my soil tests and it never did make a full come back. The leaves on it were dry and crispy when I woke up, so I clipped them and we'll see if it puts out growth at the nodes??? It was going to be one of the ones I didn't keep anyway, so now its just an experiment in whether or not I can give it cpr. If it does come back, it might actually be healthier than it was before.

 

[romy6]

Man Shane that sucks about your losses. I now how you feel when it comes to the wife and our chili plants. I have my buddy come over and take care of my plants if I have to go out of town.

Jamie

 

[stc3248]

Man Shane that sucks about your losses. I now how you feel when it comes to the wife and our chili plants. I have my buddy come over and take care of my plants if I have to go out of town.

Jamie

That's the problem...I got no freaking buddies! At least not that live around here. I drive to work 100 miles each way and leave at 4:30 and don't get home till after dark. Pain in the a$$! I took the closest transfer I could get to try and keep the kids in the same schools. Regretting my decision a bit at this point. I know they're just plants...BUT THEY'RE MY PLANTS DAMN IT!!! lol. I'll get over it, momma is trying really hard to take care of them...so I'm not too pissed. I got extras of everything that was real bad. I just may end up with 1 Bishop's crown instead of 2.

On a separate note, I have been meaning to stop at this local Mexican grocery store that I pass on my commute just to check and see what they had in the produce section. They had the usual suspects...Poblano, Jalapeno, Cerrano, Orange Habs and even some Arbols. I did find a couple nice surprises though. Some Chilaca and some Orange Manzano's (which I purchased). This was at the beginning of my commute, and as I merged onto I-405 I decided what the hell...how hot can these little bell looking peppers be anyway??? Big mistake on my part...the burn was pretty impressive, but manageable until it hit my empty stomach...OMFG I almost puked. I had to pull off and hit Subway for a sandwich. I felt like my stomach was trying to eat itself!!! Well, I recovered and once I got home I harvested those little black seeds...and put 4 in jiffy pellets. LOL The wife said NO MORE, but what she don't know might just hurt her when I make a few poppers out of those bad boys! (fingers crossed they sprout)
Try to get some pics up tomorrow.
Shane

 

[stc3248]

Here we go! Plant out has begun...probably too early, I put out a couple test plants that are supposed to be cold hearty to see how they fare in the ground. I also got my first couple pods and about a dozen more on the way! Blooms have set and begun to fade on several plants. Mainly my Cayennes and Jalapenos, but I also got the first flower open on my goat's weed with a bunch more just behind....I potted a couple up today as well. Too much wilting going on in the afternoons even with the greenhouse open and the fan on high. Hoping that potting up will help the water go a little further for them.

First bloom to set on the Goat's Weed...

First Pod of 2012!!! Jalapeno

...and the second!!! Cayenne

Some of the plants got to enjoy the 75 degree day. All overwinters except the Cayenne in front which was my first hook of the season.

The latest starts trying to catch up!

Pequine in the ground! Hope it makes it...I got several more if not.

Goat's Weed...another test plant. We'll see.

One of the 3 tomatoes I set out today...along with some pole beans climbing the tree.

And last a purple bush bean I stuck in a rotted timber today...
I know the last couple aren't peppers...but they need some love too! I'm chalking them up to "garden prep" because they are like my canaries. If they die, its not time for the rest of my peppers to go out yet!

Cooking with gas now! All the overwinters and annuum starts are loaded with blooms. I think I am going to pinch the ones on my Mucho Nacho Jals for a while and just use the ones off my other Jals until they get a bit bigger. I'm a couple weeks from my full plant out. If these do well this week I might plant a few more next weekend though. I also added about 10 mounds for planting today, and am on the way to HD and my nursery for supplies (and maybe a new grill!!!) for the final pot up to the 5 gallon containers in a couple weeks. I am also going to look for a few grafting supplies and try to build a frankenpepper just for fun...heck, I might even try grafting some peppers onto my tomatoes too. Google that one...pretty cool stuff.

Thanks for looking!