Stickman's 2014 Glog- That's all folks!

Hi All,
   I've got Manzanos sprouted and my Bhuts, Lotah Bih and Donne Sali seeds planted so it looks like time to leave 2103 behind and begin to concentrate on 2014. Last year I started some of my late-season varieties right after New Year's Day, but our season was too short to bring the pods to full ripeness so this year I started 2-3 weeks earlier.
 
Manzano seedlings...

 
Fruts and Bhuts ...

 
There are many more varieties yet to plant in the proper turn, and I have 4 overwintered pepper plants from 2013 that I'll report on later. Have a great weekend all!

 

[PeriPeri]

Bhutiful me fuend, Bhutiful! Bet that there pizza was a spicy Chelsea bun from hell when it came a knocking on the old porcelain this morning governor!?   Oops you is still eight hours behind me - back to the future on that statement... I bet that pizza will be - ha ha funny that time difference thing - good luck with that then when the time comes 
 
The seedling are looking incredible... tempted to try that rockwool... but scared I may stuff it up
 
The Lotah Bih Rick - do you know anything about it? Is it like a Ghost pepper? Just had a look at what pictures I could find and it looks like a cross between a Bhut and maybe and Sweet Wrinkled Old Man chilli...

 

[Nick08*]

Coming through here is like an advanced course on peppers I never knew existed (which isn'tsaying much for me) but always seeing some new varieties. Can't wait to see them grow up, and learn even more.

Been using rockwool over here, but really considering giving those horticubes a shot as well myself. Only hearing positives. And while I like the rockwool, a pH neutral medium sounds like a win.

 

[PeriPeri]

Coming through here is like an advanced course on peppers I never knew existed (which isn'tsaying much for me) but always seeing some new varieties. Can't wait to see them grow up, and learn even more.

Been using rockwool over here, but really considering giving those horticubes a shot as well myself. Only hearing positives. And while I like the rockwool, a pH neutral medium sounds like a win.

There is a supplier locally here in Joburg... I may have to investigate. Germination really was a problem for me this last time... so it may well be worth a try.

 

[stickman]

Bhutiful me fuend, Bhutiful! Bet that there pizza was a spicy Chelsea bun from hell when it came a knocking on the old porcelain this morning governor!?   Oops you is still eight hours behind me - back to the future on that statement... I bet that pizza will be - ha ha funny that time difference thing - good luck with that then when the time comes 
 
The seedling are looking incredible... tempted to try that rockwool... but scared I may stuff it up
 
The Lotah Bih Rick - do you know anything about it? Is it like a Ghost pepper? Just had a look at what pictures I could find and it looks like a cross between a Bhut and maybe and Sweet Wrinkled Old Man chilli...

 

There is a supplier locally here in Joburg... I may have to investigate. Germination really was a problem for me this last time... so it may well be worth a try.

 
Thanks for the chuckle Lourens.
 
I haven't tried rockwool myself... I really don't want to use a product that doesn't disappear into the soil when I'm done with it, and having to adjust the pH before sowing in it is a turn-off as well.  If you can get the Horticubes in your area I think you'll be charmed. My own personal test was with some Macedonian seeds I got from Nee last year. I didn't have any luck germinating them at all at the time, and I sowed half the seeds in the packet. I put a few in the Horticubes this year and got radicles in just 3 days.

 

[PeriPeri]

 
 
Thanks for the chuckle Lourens.
 
I haven't tried rockwool myself... I really don't want to use a product that doesn't disappear into the soil when I'm done with it, and having to adjust the pH before sowing in it is a turn-off as well.  If you can get the Horticubes in your area I think you'll be charmed. My own personal test was with some Macedonian seeds I got from Nee last year. I didn't have any luck germinating them at all at the time, and I sowed half the seeds in the packet. I put a few in the Horticubes this year and got radicles in just 3 days.

 

Thanks Rick... sorry, your pic - I presumed was rockwool... so with the Horticubes the whole plug is planted in the soil? Sounds fabulous... did you add any supplements? - that might be a trade secret and you might have to kill me for it... but thought i'd ask anyway lol

 

[stickman]

 
Thanks Rick... sorry, your pic - I presumed was rockwool... so with the Horticubes the whole plug is planted in the soil? Sounds fabulous... did you add any supplements? - that might be a trade secret and you might have to kill me for it... but thought i'd ask anyway lol

 
Yup... the whole plug is planted in the soil. Coheed shaves the bottom on his before planting but I don't really think it's necessary. The roots don't seem to have any trouble penetrating the foam. As for supplements... I just add a little dilute seaweed extract, molasses or a product from General Hydroponics called RapidStart. What I'm aiming for is to make sure the seedlings have all the trace elements they need and have a strong root system before I transplant outside. Another advantage of the Horticubes (and rockwool) is that if you're one of those people like me who have a hard time trying not to poke at your seeds to see how they're doing, you can just look down the dibble hole on top and see where they are in the process. Looking in on them this morning I see radicles on the Chimayo', Macedonian and Smokemaster Pequin seeds.
 
 
The Lotah Bih is from the Manipoor/Nagaland region in India. It's a Frutascens variety, and if I hear correctly, the Bhut shares some of its genes. I can't really tell you more about it, but Spicegeist might know. I got the seeds from him.

Coming through here is like an advanced course on peppers I never knew existed (which isn'tsaying much for me) but always seeing some new varieties. Can't wait to see them grow up, and learn even more.

Been using rockwool over here, but really considering giving those horticubes a shot as well myself. Only hearing positives. And while I like the rockwool, a pH neutral medium sounds like a win.

 
Hi Nick, and welcome to the zoo! I came here 3 years ago knowing very little about hot chiles... this far north the selection isn't great, but I've certainly gotten an education! Lol! Feel free to ask questions... we all did, and still do.

 

[Penny]

Everythings looking great Rick....especially the pizza!!

 

[stickman]

Everythings looking great Rick....especially the pizza!!

 
Hi Miz Penny... did you finally get yourself dug out?

 

[Penny]

 
Hi Miz Penny... did you finally get yourself dug out?

 
I know eh!! The good thing is that it hasn't snowed here in a few days...thankfully!!

 

[Nick08*]

 
Thanks Rick... sorry, your pic - I presumed was rockwool... so with the Horticubes the whole plug is planted in the soil? Sounds fabulous... did you add any supplements? - that might be a trade secret and you might have to kill me for it... but thought i'd ask anyway lol

 
Here is a closeup of my rockwool, as you can see it looks like blown fiberglass insulation... or rock cotton candy! ...versus stickman's horticubes look more like a foam material.
 

Hi Nick, and welcome to the zoo! I came here 3 years ago knowing very little about hot chiles... this far north the selection isn't great, but I've certainly gotten an education! Lol! Feel free to ask questions... we all did, and still do.

 
Thanks! And I will definitely be taking you up on that, seems I have more questions every day.

 

[Jeff H]

I've used Rapid Rooters (last year) and Rockwool (this year) successfully. I agree that it is nice to peek down the hole, but I had issues with helmet heads because of this too. Last year I would tear a bit off of the bottom to the rapid rooter and shove it in the hole so the seedling had to push it out. Soaked rockwool is pretty easy to crush on top of the seed to close up the hole. Just an FYI in case you have issues with that.
 
Only comment I would make about this is that they are great if you only plan on 1 seedling per cube. If you put a couple of seeds in the hole and both germinate, you will have to cull one since you aren't getting them apart. Better suited for hydro than soil since they really don't decompose IMHO, but since I do a lot of that, I use them. I presume the Horticubes decompose?

 

[PeriPeri]

Thanks Rick & Nick, all new to me - good to know these things. Germination is still a big hit and miss area in my season. This season there has been too many misses!

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

hope things take off.. i wasnt a fan of rootcubes.. dried up too easy without any signs.. hence my 70 moa project failed

 

[stickman]

I've used Rapid Rooters (last year) and Rockwool (this year) successfully. I agree that it is nice to peek down the hole, but I had issues with helmet heads because of this too. Last year I would tear a bit off of the bottom to the rapid rooter and shove it in the hole so the seedling had to push it out. Soaked rockwool is pretty easy to crush on top of the seed to close up the hole. Just an FYI in case you have issues with that.
 
Only comment I would make about this is that they are great if you only plan on 1 seedling per cube. If you put a couple of seeds in the hole and both germinate, you will have to cull one since you aren't getting them apart. Better suited for hydro than soil since they really don't decompose IMHO, but since I do a lot of that, I use them. I presume the Horticubes decompose?

 
If they don't Jeff, they just disintegrate because they're so insubstantial. I've sent an inquiry off to the contact Email at Oasis, the makers of the Horticubes, to ask them to answer this question. If/when I hear back from them I'll post a thread about it.
 
 

Thanks Rick & Nick, all new to me - good to know these things. Germination is still a big hit and miss area in my season. This season there has been too many misses!

 
I hear ya brother... timing is everything here in the north, and if a product is affordable and effective in getting a crop in the ground in time to reasonably expect a good harvest, I want to know about it! The window of opportunity to start seeds here is often a narrow one when you're talking about long-season crops that take more than 100 days to maturity. Sure, I could start seeds in the fall and grow them indoors under lights, but the price of electricity ratchets up the overhead too much for my budget if it goes on for too long.
 
 

hope things take off.. i wasnt a fan of rootcubes.. dried up too easy without any signs.. hence my 70 moa project failed

 
Sorry to hear that DeNNiZ...   I know how much it hurts to put all that effort and expense into a project only to have it come to nothing. Reading up on the literature that Oasis has on their products, I see they made Horticubes and Rootcubes for 2 different applications... the Rootcubes have a smaller cell structure so they hold water better and contain a small amount of nutes aimed at getting cuttings rooted faster. The Horticubes are intended for starting seeds, so they drain better to keep from waterlogging and drowning the embryonic plants. The larger cell structure allows roots and root hairs to penetrate it more easily and it contains no nutes, so it's up to you what you feed the seedlings once the cotys have fully developed. Once I've really soaked the Horticubes I keep a quarter inch of water in the tray they're in so they stay moist. The foam material does a good job of wicking up the water the plants need and draining any excess as long as there isn't any more than a qarter of an inch of water in the bottom of the tray.

 

[Spicegeist]

 
Yup, I'm pretty sure they are from you Charles. Thanks for getting back to me on them. I like unfussy plants, and these sure seem like it from your description. Cheers!

 
Well, mostly, they may need some bamboo shoots for support when they get bigger, the plants tend to blow around easily in the wind...

 

[stickman]

 
Well, mostly, they may need some bamboo shoots for support when they get bigger, the plants tend to blow around easily in the wind...

 
I hear ya Charles... I learned the hard way a couple of years ago when a squall snapped off one of my two Poblanos flush with the ground before any of the pods could get to useable size... and it was Loaded! Now the S.O.P. is to stake all my peppers and tomatoes, regardless. We live on top of a flat-topped hill that's open on the west, north and east sides... no windbreaks there.

 

[Nick08*]

Interested to hear what you find out from Oasis...

 

[Devv]

Wow miss a day and things go nuts here.
 
Glad to see the plants are thriving! You're most definitely going to be squeezing things together at plant out. But with your short season I feel you can get away with it, yours grow and set, unlike here where the heat stops pod production.
 
Keep up the good work rick! You're on your way to a killer season!
 
BTW I have just one doe tail, I only got out there twice due to some issues in the family. I'll be sending this week.
 
Take care!

 

[stickman]

Interested to hear what you find out from Oasis...

 
Cheers Nick...
 
 

Wow miss a day and things go nuts here.
 
Glad to see the plants are thriving! You're most definitely going to be squeezing things together at plant out. But with your short season I feel you can get away with it, yours grow and set, unlike here where the heat stops pod production.
 
Keep up the good work rick! You're on your way to a killer season!
 
BTW I have just one doe tail, I only got out there twice due to some issues in the family. I'll be sending this week.
 
Take care!

 
I think you're right, Scott ol' buddy...   At the last minute I went a little nuts and threw in some wilds I hadn't planned on originally, but WTH... you only live once, eh? 
 
I appreciate you passing along the Doe tail! There's nothing like it for tying saltwater streamer flies. The hair on a Doe's tail is longer and finer than a Buck's and has more action in the water.
 
Looking in on the seeds in the Horticubes after work, I see radicles on the Brown Egg and Shane's Wild Brazil...
Two days after sowing the Annuums I see radicles on the Almapaprika, Chimayo', Serrano Tampiqueno, meatfreak's Jalapeno Ciclon, and Jalapeno Coyame... Shane's Pequins should hook up tomorrow or Wednesday!  Woot!
 
Seeing Jericson's process for his dried, infused pepper blend reminded me that I have some Ajwain seeds in my spice collection, and for the heck of it, I sowed some of them in a few Horticubes to see if I can get a plant going...

 

[maximumcapsicum]

Looking great Rick! Wish I had something substantial to add about the horticubes, but this really is just a learning season for me, and this is a great place to learn! Can't wait till the next round of pics!