Stickman's 2015 - That's All She Wrote...

stickman · Mar 19, 2015

ronniedeb said:
Belated Happy Paddy's Day Rick. Hope you had a good one. I don't think you could get a more Irish looking dinner!

Thanks Ronan... and there we have it, right from the horse's mouth!

Sawyer said:
Interesting plants you've got going, Rick. The Costa Rican Yellow Pubes have about the thickest stems I've seen on such young plants. And the stems on the El Oro de Ecuador look black.

I don't think I'm quite scientific enough to tell whether the thick stems on the Pubes are nature or nurture John. From what I can see, it looks like it might be plant genetics and/or light levels and wavelengths. The first chiles to hook up only had natural light, which amounted to a little over 10 hours of low-angle sunlight during the day. The Hawaiian Bird Chiles and El Oro de Ecuador hooks look so lanky because they were growing under those conditions for the first week of their lives. When I moved them down to the growbox and they started getting full-spectrum light 24/7 they stopped going for height and started working on leaves. The seedlings that hooked up in the growbox are all very short in comparison. I've noticed that all the pepper seedlings have more or less purple stems after a week or so and I haven't a clue if it's due to the lights, nutrients or both. Certainly the cotys and some of the leaves have a purple suntan from the lights.

I came home for lunch break and see another Chacoense hook next to the first one, and a few Tomato hooks as well... "Sungold" Cherry Tomatoes and "Better Girl" slicers.

meatfreak · Mar 19, 2015

stickman said:
Thanks for the good vibe Stefan! Wow, you have Tomatoes almost ready to transplant outside!? You're surely on the ball my friend. I have a feeling that I won't be able to transplant outside before the end of April if things keep on as they are at the moment, but we'll get there in the end.

Well ready is a big word but they are getting their second set of true leaves. I've actually moved them inside the polytunnel today, the tray is on a table a made couple of weeks ago. So not close to the ground cause of the cold.

stickman said:
Thanks for the good vibe guys! It surely helps... I looked down in the growbox just now and spotted a hook in the C. Chacoense cell so there'll be at least one wild chile!
Yup... the heater in the growbox made a huge difference! They're looking kinda yellow though, so time to mix up a little Epsom Salts solution to help green them up. Kapija seedlings are up to 58 for 80% germination.

Good to see good germ rates, having a heater makes all the difference in the world

I wouldn't bother spraying them with Epsom Salt but rather just transplant them. They got their first set of true leaves already, they will be fine and bounce back once in new soil

ronniedeb said:
Stefan, I presume you're planting them into the tunnel in early April? Is the tunnel frost free or do you not get frost after early April?

Yes I am, Ronan. It's not frost free but the weather is very similar like last year so I'm taking the gamble again. They can withstand some frost but not a whole lot. If things work out I will be even earlier then last season, which will result in early fresh tomatoes again

Had the first ripe tomatoes early July last year.

ronniedeb · Mar 19, 2015

meatfreak said:
Yes I am, Ronan. It's not frost free but the weather is very similar like last year so I'm taking the gamble again. They can without some frost but not a whole lot. If things work out I will be even earlier then last season, which will result in early fresh tomatoes again Had the first ripe tomatoes early July last year.

Interesting. I may be brave, and follow suit. Make some room in the growtent.

stickman · Mar 20, 2015

meatfreak said:
Well ready is a big word but they are getting their second set of true leaves. I've actually moved them inside the polytunnel today, the tray is on a table a made couple of weeks ago. So not close to the ground cause of the cold.

Good to see good germ rates, having a heater makes all the difference in the world I wouldn't bother spraying them with Epsom Salt but rather just transplant them. They got their first set of true leaves already, they will be fine and bounce back once in new soil

I hear ya Stefan... my tomatoes are just starting to germinate now, but there didn't seem to be a need to start them before then since the garden is still mostly coved in snow. The good news is that it's melting a little more each day and should be gone in another week or so. Once the ground is thawed enough to work I'll spade in the compost and amendments, and lay down the plastic mulch to begin warming the soil in preparation for dirt-day.

This winter has seemed to drag on quite a bit, and it feels good to be starting new plant life to stave off the "shack nasties"...

I think the plants were looking yellowed because they didn't have enough moisture... I increased the water ration with nutes added and they greened up nicely. I've been following Dave DeWitt's recommendations from The Whole Chile Pepper Book for water to fertilizer mixing ratios and doing all my watering with that, and the bit of Nitrogen in that probably helped too.

Here's the two Chacoense babies... one up and the other still a hook. I can already see the first hint of true leaves on the eldest, so it looks like these might be fast growers.

Brown Egg seedlings starting to kick in

It looks like the CAP 267 seedling with the fused cotys will grow naturally after all.

I spent a little time transplanting some of the seedlings with their first set of true leaves into bigger shoes. I haven't pitched the ones that didn't make the cut... maybe I'll repot them onto Solo cups and see if I can sell or trade them.

Sawyer · Mar 21, 2015

Looking good. They'll fill those square pots before you know it.

stickman · Mar 21, 2015

Sawyer said:
Looking good. They'll fill those square pots before you know it.

That's what I'm hoping John.

This is the first time I've started them so late, and I want them to be bigger before dirt-day, so I'm thinking of feeding them some sugar along with the nutes and water... not very much at first, but maybe a tablespoon of molasses per gallon of water.

tctenten · Mar 21, 2015

Rick how often do you feed your seedlings at this stage? How many sets of leaves do need to have before you can give them full strength dose of ferts( I use fish emulsion)?

PaulG · Mar 21, 2015

stickman said:
That's what I'm hoping John. This is the first time I've started them so late, and I want them to be bigger before dirt-day, so I'm thinking of feeding them some sugar along with the nutes and water... not very much at first, but maybe a tablespoon of molasses per gallon of water.

Hey, Rick. That's part of my transplant regime.
I always water in with a molasses/cal-mag mix.
I used to use dry molasses, but couldn't find any
when I needed some, so bought a gallon of liquid.
It should last 7 years!

@tctenten: For what it's worth, after they get their
second set of true leaves, I use a dilute fish fert
every watering.

stickman · Mar 21, 2015

tctenten said:
Rick how often do you feed your seedlings at this stage? How many sets of leaves do need to have before you can give them full strength dose of ferts( I use fish emulsion)?

PaulG said:
Hey, Rick. That's part of my transplant regime.
I always water in with a molasses/cal-mag mix.
I used to use dry molasses, but couldn't find any
when I needed some, so bought a gallon of liquid.
It should last 7 years!

@tctenten: For what it's worth, after they get their
second set of true leaves, I use a dilute fish fert
every watering.

Like Paul, I use very dilute nutes every time I water Terry. The recommended amount is a quarter teaspoon of water-soluble 15-30-15 fertilizer per gallon of water. I just use a two-finger pinch instead of the measuring spoon. It comes out about the same.

Another thing I read in a paper for the New Mexico extension service by Dr. Paul Bosland says that peppers kept at between 40 and 60 degrees will not thrive, and much below that are at risk for freezing. Hence the heater in the grow box...

Trident chilli · Mar 21, 2015

All is looking really good Rick so many varieties ... Brown Egg now has me searching the net .... great glog very informative

Sawyer · Mar 21, 2015

Hmmm. My plants need something, but I haven't been quite sure what. They are healthy enough, just not kicking it like I'd like. I've been using about 1/4 tsp of Peter's soluble 10-30-20 with every gallon, skipping maybe every fourth gallon. My water has lots of calcium in it already, so I don't think Cal-Mag would be good in my situation. Maybe I'll mist them with a dilution of liquid seaweed and Epsom salts. I have some Peter's STEM trace elements I need to add, but it's a hassle to get it to dissolve (takes hot water, then let cool). I'm not sure I've heard of using molasses at this early stage. (Or maybe I have and just forgot.)

stickman said:
Another thing I read in a paper for the New Mexico extension service by Dr. Paul Bosland says that peppers kept at between 40 and 60 degrees will not thrive, and much below that are at risk for freezing. Hence the heater in the grow box...

Word on that. My tortured sticks of OWs are barely hanging on and the temperature has been consistently in that range. I think it actually frosted in that room the last low-teens snap we had. All of my larger Manzanos seem dead (they were on the floor or lower shelf). A regular house plant has leaves showing freeze damage around the edges. And I'm slowly losing more and more of the OW sticks. Come on warmer weather! BTW, Happy First Full Day of Spring!

PaulG · Mar 21, 2015

" Dr. Paul Bosland says that peppers kept at between 40 and 60 degrees will not thrive"

I'm not sure what to think about that, Rick. Even in my greenhouse,
the temps can dip to 48-49 at night, and in seasons past I had it set
even a tad lower - mid-40's. In our cloudy cool weather, highs of
63-64 are common. Of, course a sun break can heat it up to 70's,
so it's not always between 40-60. One of the major benefits is that
there is no wind to chill or stress the plants.

I've had the Manzanos outside under the deck canopy for a week; they
seem to be handling the cool weather without terrible difficulty. Temps
in high 40's to high 50's and low 60's right now.

Of course, warmer is better

stickman · Mar 21, 2015

Trident chilli said:
All is looking really good Rick so many varieties ... Brown Egg now has me searching the net .... great glog very informative

Cheers John!

Sawyer said:
Hmmm. My plants need something, but I haven't been quite sure what. They are healthy enough, just not kicking it like I'd like. I've been using about 1/4 tsp of Peter's soluble 10-30-20 with every gallon, skipping maybe every fourth gallon. My water has lots of calcium in it already, so I don't think Cal-Mag would be good in my situation. Maybe I'll mist them with a dilution of liquid seaweed and Epsom salts. I have some Peter's STEM trace elements I need to add, but it's a hassle to get it to dissolve (takes hot water, then let cool). I'm not sure I've heard of using molasses at this early stage. (Or maybe I have and just forgot.)

Word on that. My tortured sticks of OWs are barely hanging on and the temperature has been consistently in that range. I think it actually frosted in that room the last low-teens snap we had. All of my larger Manzanos seem dead (they were on the floor or lower shelf). A regular house plant has leaves showing freeze damage around the edges. And I'm slowly losing more and more of the OW sticks. Come on warmer weather! BTW, Happy First Full Day of Spring!

As long as the stems on the OW plants are still green and not mummified, they should still perk up when they get enough warmth, light and water. 3 out of 4 plants successfully over-wintered last year despite temperatures like you describe, but they didn't have leaves or do any growing until they got conditions they liked.

PaulG said:
" Dr. Paul Bosland says that peppers kept at between 40 and 60 degrees will not thrive"

I'm not sure what to think about that, Rick. Even in my greenhouse,
the temps can dip to 48-49 at night, and in seasons past I had it set
even a tad lower - mid-40's. In our cloudy cool weather, highs of
63-64 are common. Of, course a sun break can heat it up to 70's,
so it's not always between 40-60. One of the major benefits is that
there is no wind to chill or stress the plants.

I've had the Manzanos outside under the deck canopy for a week; they
seem to be handling the cool weather without terrible difficulty. Temps
in high 40's to high 50's and low 60's right now.

Of course, warmer is better

True... mature plants can take a bit more cold than seedlings, and some varieties can take more cold than others. I've seen some of my Baccatums and the Manzanos take a light freeze without dropping leaves, but they dropped their blossoms and unripened fruit afterwards so they were clearly stressed. Maybe it's the warmer days in the greenhouse that made the difference for your plants?

PaulG · Mar 21, 2015

I think so, Rick. Being out of the elements has to be a bonus.

stickman · Mar 22, 2015

Well, I finished getting the rest of my keepers into bigger shoes. I ended up with 90 plants, and watered them in well with diluted fish emulsion for a little extra nitrogen.

The tray of Kapijas I moved into the auxiliary grow tent with the extras I didn't have the heart to cull. I'll try to find good homes for the ones I don't need, but one way or another, they have to be gone when I repot the Tomato seedlings.

Rairdog · Mar 22, 2015

Looking good! BTW....you got me on a mission to my hand at kimchi and hot kraut. I have napa (Michihli), peppers and garlic growing. I need to get on the radishes.

stickman · Mar 22, 2015

Hi Jim, and welcome to the zoo! Cool that you're gonna try your hand at cultured foods. Pro-biotics seem to be all the rage now, but I've been making/eating them for years. You can use Daikon radish to make kimchi, and I'm pretty sure they're widely available. If they're not in your area, or you want to grow the green-shouldered Korean varieties that stay firm longer when pickled you can get the seeds from this company in Oakland, CA http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seeds_korean_radish.html
They're a great source for Asian vegetable seeds, and I've been giving them my business for the last 4 years with no disappointments.

tctenten · Mar 22, 2015

Plants continue to look good Rick. Wish i was closer, I would buy a few of your extra Kapija plants. That sauce you make with them sounds like something I want to try.

stickman · Mar 22, 2015

tctenten said:
Plants continue to look good Rick. Wish i was closer, I would buy a few of your extra Kapija plants. That sauce you make with them sounds like something I want to try.

I wish you were closer too...

I'm sure you'll like it if you get some homemade Terry. The commercially produced Ajvar is often processed with steam instead of being fire-roasted. It's OK, but can't hold a candle to the stuff made in small batches by families. :drooling:

PaulG · Mar 22, 2015

Rick, I like your little grow tent. I'm thinking about getting one to put on
our deck and hold overflow plants from the greenhouse in the Spring.
I think a 100-watt light bulb would keep it warm enough at night. The
trick will be to keep it from overheating during the day. Here's the one
I'm looking at. There are less expensive ones, but this one seems to
have more features, and I need the bigger size.