Stevedesertpepper 17/18 grow log

Hello, all. I decided to start a small indoor garden 2'x3'. So I
could grow a few hot peppers. I also have a second small area for
germinating seeds. Once all my little ones that I have are 6 inchs
or more. I will go to a 12/12 light cycle to double the number of
plants I can grow if need be. I can also put some outside when it
warms up. I plan on having six plants (or 12 with 12/12) each in 
a 5 gallon bucket. 3 pairs of 2 will fit this area just perfectly.
I will try to keep them contained. I use coir and add perlite.
I use Pure blend pro grow and bloom and ph to 6.0. My first six
will be 2 Yellow Moruga, 1 Carolina Reaper, 1 Chocolate Reaper,
1 Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion and 1 Trinidad Chocolate Scorpion.
I have never used led before but so far so good. I use a single
Mars hydro 300 and will add another to this area when needed.
Any plants leftover will go to family, friends or possibly you
if your close enough. I have also started my 2018 crop. I will
sell these simply with a sign in the front yard more for fun
than profit.
 
I planted 01/17/18:
 
9 JAY'S PEACH GHOST SCORPION
9 Bhut Jolokia Red
9 Bhut Jolokia Chocolate
27 Habanero Peach
27 Habanero Chocolate
 

 

[Edmick]

Good luck! Welcome to the forum.

 

[Masher]

Nice list....reading over your post I would guess you have grow experience.

Good luck and happy growing

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

Here are photos of my peppers so far.

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

Thanks for the welcome, yes I have done this before but have limited experience with hot peppers.

 

[Masher]

Thanks for the welcome, yes I have done this before but have limited experience with hot peppers.

No worries you will do great.

I did the same last yr...hid lighting sped things up so fast I had full pods on plants in 18oz solo cups long before outside would allow hardening off and putting outdoors.

It forced plants into shock and then they had to reveg to re set flowers.

Good luck.

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

The two 3" plants in 5 gal. buckets with rims removed are Yellow Moruga.
One I topped at 3" with 12-14 nods, I'll probably keep the top four and
strip the rest once it has enough mass. The other topped itself at the
first nod, its first set of true leaves were one on one side and two
smaller leaves on the opposite. When I saw this I knew something was
up and then it split. I'll let it grow to six inch then I'll top both
stalks. The red coffee can (plastic) is a Carolina Reaper from Ed.
The little ones are a few Chocolate Reapers, Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion,
and Trinidad Chocolate Scorpion.
 

 

[Devv]

Nice setup, and good luck this season!

 

[Genetikx]

Plants are looking great so far, good luck with them!

 

[karoo]

looks like you have it under control.
 
Good to have plants in different stages.  

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

Today I would like to back up and detail the start of my late
2017 peppers. It was a rocky start, It was almost like I had
dismissed all former knowledge of the subject. I started in hast
you can tell by the containers I used to germinate my seeds.
Yes it is possible to grow using almost anything but there is a
reason there are seed trays. Obviously consolidation is a primary
reason, then comes volume. An appropriate sized cell is needed to
contain enough mass to allow it to hold enough water/nut to not
dry out on you and at the same time drying out enough to promote
good root growth before the next water/nut. After getting my act
together, I purchased one seed tray from Greenhouse for my small
needs. I chose a Proptek seed tray, it is a professional grade 
seed tray injection molded and would survive being run over by a  
light vehicle (no joke). Unfortunately after discovering this 
tray, I could only find one online retailer. Greenhouse had only
one size Proptek tray, 26"x13". Proptek makes smaller trays so 
I contacted them directly. Long story short, they have no desire
to sell to you and I. No profite I presume, I'm not trying to 
bash them they have a good product. I took my 26x13 and after
examination I found a perfect cut line directly in half too.
There was no room for error, to either side of the cut line
spelled disaster for a cell or two. I needed the thinnest cut,
so I pulled out my famous handsaw I use for about everthing.
I made the cut and it was almost perfect, only one cell slightly
damaged. I forgot to mention cell size, top/1.38", depth/2.32"
and has root guides. Just the right size for me. Now that I have 
one in use I can tell you the cell of this size needs water/nut
about the end of day two. I filled each cell 3/4 of the way with
a coir/perlite mix, soaked it, placed my seed, added 1/4" of
just coir. Spayed it to wet the surface, so when I watered it,
it would not disturb the seed below. I water my seed tray and
seedlings by using a milk jug that has one small hole made in the 
cap. It gives me good control and does not disturb the surface
like a water can. I did not fill the cells to the top so I could
add more coir later up to the top of the cell or to the false 
leaves which ever comes first. The reason for this is that the 
more stem you have in the ground, the more surface area for roots
to develope from the stem itself and it puts the root ball deeper
for added plant stability. Each time I transplant I go as deep as
the plant will allow and also leave room to add more coir mix.
As you all know once a pepper gets a few nods from a certain point
the (trunk) leaves below are almost useless for gathering light.
These leaves do act as reservoirs for the plants and should not
be removed before the plant has enough mass to compensate for
the loss. I will top my plants low but leaving enough room to go
deeper if transplanted again and a little room to strip the plant
below were it was topped so I don't have to fight leaves to water/
nut. Yes I forgot, the seed tray is a 162 cell. I will post photo
of seedtray and my famous high speed hand saw. Maybe I'll get to
my plants next post. Thank you all for your comments.
 
 

 

[PaulG]

to THP, Steve!
 
I like your idea of swapping out sets of plants with
a 12/12 light cycle to double the number of plants.
 
When is plant-out time for the ones that go outside
in the warm weather?

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

Thanks, I was reading somewhere and came across the 12/12 in a unrelated article . I didn't research it and still haven't. It just made sense.  If a pepper can produce with as little as six hours of direct sunlight, twelve should be sufficient.
There are but a few places a plant will receive more than 12 hours of direct sunlight discounting polar regions. At my house in summer best light is 8:00am-5:00pm with trees blocking in pm. Nine hours. When I saw the 12/12 light cycle
for the first time, what stood out to me was that. All the peppers I have grown including my two Yellow Moruga and my little reaper that I have now,  have " leaf drup syndrome".  This is my own diagnosis. After about twelve hours of
direct light the heaver leaves drup. First though would be water it stupid. But this is not the cause, if you water that morning it drups. If you water the night before it drups. It drups no mater how much water it has. I use coir, dwc plants might 
not do this. With the leaves druping after approx. tweleve hours of light makes me think the plant is withdrawing and has had enough light for the day. I have also observed my seedling leaves closing up at this time. It could be something
as simple as having more vegetation than the roots can support. I did grow one Bangkok F1 last year and went 12/12 at bloom time, it produced pods and didn't have blooms dropping until it couldn't support any more pods. It went to veg
for a week or two, then started blooming again.

 

[Devv]

I run my lights 16 on 8 off, mainly to hurry them along. I get zero droop. So look at the container size and your nute regimen. I believe you're growing in coir? It most definitely needs a nute program of some sort.

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

Lights are 16/8 now. Moving to 12/12,  once one of each variety is big enough for a 5gal. I feed every time I water with pure blend pro gro, 15ml. gal. Half that for seedlings. I use the recommended amount for coir. I might try 50%  of that, I can't see them needing more. My two yellow moruga are almost black. I also don't want plants having to much nitro going into bloom. I transplanted my little ones. I also have eight chocolate Habanero breaking through the coir after ten days.

 

[PaulG]

I run my lights 16 on 8 off, mainly to hurry them along. I get zero droop. So look at the container size and your nute regimen. I believe you're growing in coir? It most definitely needs a nute program of some sort.

I am running my lights 18/6 right now, will cut back
to 16/8 over the next couple of weeks. I left the lights on
24hrs until the first sets of true leaves showed.

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

I missed your question, Pual. The net says the answer is May 4 for Akron, Ohio. I will go with May 15.  My two yellow moruga are coming along. I plan to make my first cross using a reaper and yellow moruga. My reaper is also doing well.

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

All the little ones are good to go. My 2018 crop is now sprouting and I have one tri-leaf chocolate habanero .

 

[Devv]

Looking good!

 

[Stevedesertpepper]

I have decided to downsize my crop, I was way over my head on this one. I'll keep one carolina reaper, yellow moruga, jay's peach ghost scorpion and one chocolate reaper. The rest will go to my son and friends. Now I won't have to worry about having enough room. I have a tendency to go overboard and ruin a hobby, not this time. I woke up to a surprise this morning my Yellow Moruga is starting to bloom. As soon as my reaper blooms, I will move them close together. Then I will turn down the lights and put some soft music on. I'll introduce a little alcohol and boom. I'll have some little moruga reapers.