Stickman's 2013 Glog - Time To Pull The Plug on 2013

I'm pulling things together to get ready for my next growing season. I bought NuMex variety seeds from Sandia Seed company in New Mexico, Hot Paper Lantern Habaneros and Antohi Romanians from Johnny's Select Seeds in Maine and Korean varieties from Evergreen Seeds in California. Due to the unbelievable generosity of a number of THP members I've also gotten seeds to a wide variety of chiles from around the world. Special thanks to BootsieB, stc3248, romy6, PaulG, SoCalChilehead, joynershotpeppers, highalt, cmpman1974, smokemaster, mygrassisblue, Mister No, chewi, KingDenniz, orrozconleche and most recently and spectacularly, Habanerohead with a great selection of superhots and peppers from Hungary!

There are eleven varieties of Hungarian peppers in here, mostly the early, thick-fleshed, sweet ones that range from white through yellow to purple and red.., plus Aji Lemon Drop, BJ Indian Carbon, Naga Morich, Bishop's Crown and TS CARDI Yellow! Now I just have to go through my seed bank and match the space available to what I want to grow. Thanks Balázs!

 

[stickman]

Looking good Rick,
They're all coming up at the same time, that helps with the lighting adjustments.

Thanks Greg. I can't pretend I planned it that way, but I'll take it!

Looking nice there Rick.

What Annuums are you looking at growing this season. Do you have a definitive list yet or is it something you are still mulling over??

Thanks Trippa! We had our Condo Association meeting last night, and now that I know I'll keep the plot I used last year, I'll be starting the ones on the grow list in my profile in about 4 weeks. I'm planning on 20 varieties in addition to the Kapija peppers I've already started.

 

[Trippa]

Thanks Rick I will check that out!!

 

[stickman]

Looking in on my babies this morning I see another hook in the cup with the Jamaican Hot Chocolate, so germ there is 3/5.

 

[WalkGood]

Looking in on my babies this morning I see another hook in the cup with the Jamaican Hot Chocolate, so germ there is 3/5.

Nice hoping I see some soon, planted more last night ...

 

[stickman]

Looking in a little later this morning, I see another Maya Red Habanero hooking up, so I'm at 4/5 for them. It puts me in something of a dilemma though... I planted extra seeds to make sure I got at least one to germinate, and I had better germ rates than I thought I would. Now that they're here I don't want to just pitch 'em, but I will if I have to. Any of you folks from southern New England wanna make a trip to Greenfield, MA so I can hand off my extras?

My spares include 2 Maya Red Habaneros from High Mowing Seeds, 2 Jamaican Hot Chocolate Habaneros collected from pods bought at a local farmstand, a 7-pot Yellow (large) from Judy at Pepperlover.com and 2 Alphanerdz strain Douglahs I got from Trippa. He posted some really gnarly pics of pods from the donor plant this morning.
Cheers all!

 

[georgej]

Looking in on my babies this morning I see another hook in the cup with the Jamaican Hot Chocolate, so germ there is 3/5.

Awesome!
Am I right in thinking they are kinda stubborn germination?
I'd love to try one, everything I've heard about them - seems like everyone falls madly in love for them!

 

[stickman]

Awesome!
Am I right in thinking they are kinda stubborn germination?
I'd love to try one, everything I've heard about them - seems like everyone falls madly in love for them!

Hi G
This is the first time I've planted any of these strains, and only the second time I've planted Chinense varieties, so I don't have a lot of experience with them, but from what I've seen the critical needs are adding enough warmth and moisture to get them to sprout but not so much that they catch a fungus and damp off. Fluctuations in the temps seem to stretch out the germinations too.

I liked the taste of the Jamaican Hot Chocolates I got at the farmstand last year, but I don't think they had quite as much punch as the Orange Habs I grew. It might be because of differences in soil and microclimate, I couldn't say.

 

[georgej]

Nice!
I love orange habs.. I know they are common as muck in the states, not here.
Got fed up of not having any heat and ordered some hab plants from a florist last summer.
He had 2 reds and one orange for me.

Much prefer the oranges, it's punchy and tropical. Had to resist snacking on them rather than cooking with

I wanna try some brown varieties next year. We'll see how my first season goes anyway..

 

[stickman]

I don't know how difficult the White Habs are to start, but the ones I've seen are very prolific producers of pods once they get started. (say that one three times fast...)

 

[georgej]

Haha.
I think I saw a thread a while back and everyone was agreed they can suffer helmet head more than average.. Dunno if it's true for all?

 

[Beehunter]

Rick you are the boss! awesome germ rates! Better to have you problem that the opposite one! Hope you find someone to take the extra off of you!

 

[PeriPeri]

Haha.
I think I saw a thread a while back and everyone was agreed they can suffer helmet head more than average.. Dunno if it's true for all?

In my experience I would say so. I have struggled more than others and those that do germinate suffer from helmethead. Naga Viper is another one... magically this year some have come through yay!

 

[stickman]

Had another Yellow 7 and Jamaican Hot Chocolate hook up, so the count is now...

Aji Omnicolor ...................2/10
Aji Criolla Sella .................1/5
Douglah........................... 4/5
Yellow 7-pot...................... 4/5
Maya Red Habanero........ 4/5
Hot Paper Lantern ........... 1/5
Jamaican Hot Chocolate... 4/5
Kurtovska Kapija...............14/15

Low germ rates for the Baccatums, is this usual? Also low germ rate for the Hot Paper Lanterns, but I only wanted 1 or 2 anyway.

Got a freebie from the local hydroponics shop... a sample bottle of General Hydroponics "Rapid Start" nutes. I'll use it to water the babies as long as it lasts and pick up with seaweed extract when it goes.

 

[Stefan_W]

Can't speak with authority about the baccatums, but if they all behave the same way it may just be one of their traits.

The rapid start should help. Let us know if you see any difference

 

[stickman]

Finally finished separating all the multiples into individual Solo cups and noticed 2 more hooks...

 

[georgej]

How did you separate them without damaging them?

Looking good fella!

 

[Trippa]

Can't speak with authority about the baccatums, but if they all behave the same way it may just be one of their traits.

The rapid start should help. Let us know if you see any difference

No its not all baccatums in fact the baccatums I have grown are some of the best germinators. Aji Lemon, bishops crown and dedo de moca and Blondie have all been a breeze to get good germination rates on.

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

Stefan... rick.. when i put rapid start in my aero.. stems a lot thicker... and thicker roots....

without

rick... btw.. in the solo cups all 3 gochus are budding already.. hahah barely like 4" btw you have any recipe for gochujang?

 

[stickman]

How did you separate them without damaging them?

Looking good fella!

Hi G
I used Shane's method... pushed a chopstick into the soil an inch or so away from the plant and pushed it up from underneath until it came out freely. If there was any soil clinging to the roots I left it alone, and I handled them gently by the cotyledons... never by the stem.

No its not all baccatums in fact the baccatums I have grown are some of the best germinators. Aji Lemon, bishops crown and dedo de moca and Blondie have all been a breeze to get good germination rates on.

Hi Trippa
That's good to know... It must have been something I did then... I didn't get the temps in the solo cups regulated properly for a week or so, and that might have stressed them. I've got enough now though, so no worries.

Stefan... rick.. when i put rapid start in my aero.. stems a lot thicker... and thicker roots....

rick... btw.. in the solo cups all 3 gochus are budding already.. hahah barely like 4" btw you have any recipe for gochujang?

Hi DeNNiZ
Wow, that's quite a contrast... Did you start the seeds at the same time and use different nutes to see what would happen?

Good news on the Gochus! Glad they're doing well for you. My recipe for making Gochujang is in my 2012 glog here... http://thehotpepper....260#entry642186

There's a video here...

Hope that helps!

Looked in on the babies this morning and saw another hook in with the Kapija peppers... that makes 15/15, the only perfect germ I've had so far this year. Thanks Misterno, that's some great seed!

 

[Jeff H]

Looking good Rick.

Sucks about the Monzanos not germinating. Any idea what went wrong with them and why your paper lantern germ rate is so low? I've got both growing this year and although I do have a pretty low germ rate with those black seed monzanos, the paper lanterns are doing good.