Stupid Jerk's stupid grow log for jerks

I think it is safe to say that my girlfriend now regrets bringing home a cayenne plant this July. It sparked an interest in me that has lead me to spend countless hours reading about gardening, filling the windows and balcony with plants and seedlings, purchasing a grow light, and ultimately joining a community garden. I've decided it is time I start documenting my journey.

Grow list:
7 Pot Congo Yellow (Denniz)
7 Pot Douglah
7 Pot Jonah (Denniz)
7 Pot Primo (socalchilehead)
7 Pot Red (Denniz)
7 Pot SR Congo (socalchilehead)
7 Pot Yellow
Bahamian Goat Pepper (socalchilehead)
Biker Billy Jalapeno (ajijoe)
Black Pearl
Black Cobra (smokemaster)
Bhut Jolokia
Butch T (Denniz)
Butch T x Douglah (Denniz)
Carolina Reaper
Cherry
Chile Tepin (socalchilehead)
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia
Chocolate Bhut x Yellow 7 pot (socalchilehead)
Chocolate Habanero (ajijoe)
Datil
Fatalii
Fresno (Grocery Store Pod)
Jamaican Hot Chocolate (Pogeys)
Morouga Scorpion (Denniz)
Purple Jalapeno
Red Habanero
Scotch Bonnet (Turns out to be an Anuum, so we'll call these Notch Bonnets)
Scotch Bonnet Foodorama (socalchilehead)
Scotch Bonnet Tobago Yellow (socalchilehead)
Scotch Bonnet Tobago Red (socalchilehead)
Surprise Hot Mix (ajijoe)
Thai (Grocery Store Pod)
White Bullet
Yellow Brainstrain (Denniz)



These are plants that I have obtained as adults:

Aji Yellow (smokemaster)
Habanero (home depot)
Peach Bhut (smokemaster)
White Pearl (smokemaster)
Yellow 7 Pot (smokemaster)

I have a limited amount of space, so most varieties will only have one plant in the ground.

Here is a before picture of the garden:

It's a 400 sq foot plot and over half of it was filled with nutsedge. I have since pulled out the nutsedge and hopefully most of the roots. Filled a massive wheelbarrow with all that I pulled out. I tried eating one of the tubers because I read they were edible, but I wouldn't recommend it. It was the consistancy of an almond, but the taste of a dirty pine needle. Maybe they are good roasted.


Growing in the ground is going to be a new adventure that I am no way prepared for. I suppose I need to do a soil test before I attempt to amend the soil. Completely organic is the plan, but I've seen a few tiny green balls in the soil, and as far as I know that means slow release Miracle Gro. On the positive side(I think?) there is a bark mulch that is mixed through the entire garden that has started breaking down throughout. You can see some of it near the pavement in the first picture. Not sure what kind of wood it is.

If anyone has any advice, feel free to chime in. I built a fence with 2x8's around the bottom. I plan on having a 2' wide 8" raised bed around the perimeter along with 3 raised beds in the center. The ones in the center may have to wait a while unless I find someone getting rid of some wood. In the mean time I plan on just mounding the ground up in those areas. I see a lot of my neighbors still have chili plants with ripe or ripening pods on them, but I think I'm waiting until mid January to early February to plant them out.(edit: planted out in March) It hasn't frosted since I moved here, but I supposed it is possible.(edit: It happened this year)

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

nice.... looks all good.. hope all is popping well for you..

 

[StupidJerk]

Plants look really nice, Carson, as did the pie.
I predict an awesome grow-out.

Thanks Jesse, things are starting to get exciting

Carson, that Black Cobra looks nothing like the one I had going last year...will be one to watch for sure! Could be a cool cross! That comeback reaper will be a shrub this summer! Plants are lookin good so far! Keep 'em green buddy!
Shane

Do you have a picture of yours? This one is now starting to get fuzzy. I have another one on my porch that I might put in the ground soon. It hasn't had any trouble being out there every night, and I need to start making more room out there. It seems to have slightly smaller leaves and isn't bushing out at much. I'll get a picture when I can.

nice.... looks all good.. hope all is popping well for you..

Everything from the seeds you sent popped up. With all of those superhots planted I feel sorry for anyone who tries to steal pods from my garden.

I couldn't help myself. I took a gamble and decided to put a few plants in the ground. They are all guys who have been living on my balcony for a while, so they should be used to the nights getting down to around 40. I kind of also just want to see how they do. All of them are plants I have extra of, so it won't be a huge loss if they don't make it.

Here are the guinea pigs:

Manzano:

Thai:

Not sure what this is, anuum that somehow lost its label. If I can't figure out what it is, I suppose losing it won't be a big deal.

Feel free to mock me and tell me I'm a fool.

 

[Sanarda]

Very nice. Its great you can plant out already

 

[stc3248]

These are the ones that were black cobras last season. Seeds were from pods off a nursery plant that had frosted back. I grew them out and ended up calling them a Goat's Weed. I am convinced that the name "Black Cobra" was created by someone as a marketing ploy because is sounds better than Goat's Weed...there are some that may disagree, but anyway. This was early in the season, I have some from later on I have to look up, very cool plant that is now a permanent grow lister...Mid summer last year, I found some seedlings at another nursery...they looked identical to this one.

by the way...think you're about right on time with your in ground starts for your area. Rest of the week is gonna be nice, I am stationed in Seal Beach and live down in Poway.

 

[StupidJerk]

Shane: That second one looks just like the one I have going outside. Now that you mention it the one inside does look different. The seeds were from different pods, so maybe one of them is a cross. You're probably right about the Black Cobra/Goat's Weed. I think they are very similar if they aren't the same plant.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, I have a good feeling that those guys in the ground will do fine. There was only one week this year where I had to cover my plants, and the coldest it got was 33 if I recall. I need to get my ass in gear and finish amending the rest of my plot, time is starting to dwindle.

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

manzano should do well.. they like the cold.. great update and wish your seedlings all the warm luck

 

[DesertChris]

Great grow log!

I saw you were hunting hornworms earlier.
Last season I had a plague of them in my tomato patch. They pretty much left my peppers alone.
Pulled off a couple thousand of the creepy buggers.
I found out that if you use a portable black light (uv) at night, then they glow bright flourescent green light the freaky little monsters they are.
Made hunting them down a piece of cake!

 

[StupidJerk]

Great grow log!

I saw you were hunting hornworms earlier.
Last season I had a plague of them in my tomato patch. They pretty much left my peppers alone.
Pulled off a couple thousand of the creepy buggers.
I found out that if you use a portable black light (uv) at night, then they glow bright flourescent green light the freaky little monsters they are.
Made hunting them down a piece of cake!

I'll have to look into getting the blacklight. My Aji overwinter from smokemaster took it the worst:

Luckily I haven't seen one of those monsters in a while.

Here is the smokemaster Peach Bhut overwinter next to my other overwinter from him, the Yellow 7 Pot that is just now starting to show some new growth is peaking in. The plant between them next to the railing is a Bhut Jolokia:

Speaking of sort-of overwinters, the Reaper I nearly killed with water last fall is making a comeback:

Black Cobra I'm starting to harden off this week, mostly due to lack of room:

Yes, it has a bit of edema.

Datil, Hot Cherry, and Thai in the front. Jamaican Hot Chocolate and Douglah behind them.

Left to right: a Chocolate Bhut leaf is photobombing the Fatalii and Douglah:

Left to right: Aji Joe Chocolate Hab Mix, Scotch Bonnet, and Chocolate Bhut:

Red Hab next to the Aji Joe Choco Hab mix:

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

bump...nice updates

 

[stc3248]

Looking good Jerk! I have some pics of some MONSTER hornworms last season...hate-em. Slugs and aphids too. Your edema don't look too bad, that Black Cobra looks great!

 

[DocNrock]

At least now I know I can call you Carson instead of Stupid Jerk! Ha! Looking great, man. I still have more catching up to do, but that garden plot looks great! The dog in the dirt cracked me up! The homemade pizza looked awesome. And cool to see someone else using grow bags.

 

[DocNrock]

All caught up now! That Fernando is an awesome dude...great care package! How did your plants fare in-ground? Did you cover them or just let them ride it out? Did you get a nicer pot for the ladyfriend's Black Pearl? Looks like you are going to be rolling in pods come late spring/early summer...especially Peach Bhuts!

 

[StupidJerk]

All caught up now! That Fernando is an awesome dude...great care package! How did your plants fare in-ground? Did you cover them or just let them ride it out? Did you get a nicer pot for the ladyfriend's Black Pearl? Looks like you are going to be rolling in pods come late spring/early summer...especially Peach Bhuts!

The ones in ground are having mixed results. They were all pretty small to plant, but it was either there or on the balcony and I wanted to give it a try. I didn't cover them or anything, just left it up to them to fend for themselves. I think the coldest it got here was 37, and that was only for an hour.

The Thai took it the worst. Not sure what all is wrong with it.

The mystery anuum is doing fine:

Manzano is happy:

The Black Pearl is now on our dresser under a 43 watt CFL. Here is right before I potted it up completely today. As you can see it is sitting in its grow bag inside the pot. I just hadn't gotten around to completely transferring it.

Now completely potted up:

Thanks for stopping by and reading through.

 

[JJJessee]

That pearl is a gorgeous specimen especially those blossoms -truly worthy of dresser treatment.

Regarding the the young transplant and the cool night and I don't know if you've read the AACT thread, but I have a hunch (e.g. wildly speculate) that treating the ground with AACT shortly before and at the time of transplant would reduced transplant shock generally but cold shock particularly.

 

[StupidJerk]

Check out this weird Yellow Brainstrain:

I think I put it a little too close the fan. Here is one that I planted at the same time:

It's starting to get pretty crowded under my light:

My favorite plant right now is this Chocolate Bhut:

Lots of work happening in the garden, I'll update about it soon.

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

looks good... as far the thai.. looks like sun burned... might need a lil less sun....plants look great... =D

 

[StupidJerk]

The 2 4'x14' beds are going to house my biggest peppers, so I'm trying to pay extra attention to them. I've amended one of the large beds with mushroom compost, manure, a massive amount of yard compost that I got from a friend, along with his leftover peat. I mixed it all in with the topsoil and it is full of little creatures. At this point should I also feed it anything? Maybe Seaweed extract? Also, my community garden has a large amendment pile of not-so-composted wood chips. I was thinking of using it as a top mulch, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. What are your thoughts?

That pearl is a gorgeous specimen especially those blossoms -truly worthy of dresser treatment.

Regarding the the young transplant and the cool night and I don't know if you've read the AACT thread, but I have a hunch (e.g. wildly speculate) that treating the ground with AACT shortly before and at the time of transplant would reduced transplant shock generally but cold shock particularly.

Thanks, it is a beautiful plant. I would love to make AACT, but I don't think I want to try to make it in my apartment and drag it to the garden. My neighbors already think I'm weird enough with all the plants I bring in and out, I'm sure they would think I was making meth if I started brewing weird shit in buckets on my balcony and then lugging the batches to my car.

 

[StupidJerk]

Anyone know if this will work?

It is pointing at the light and producing leaves. I can't wait to see how it looks.

This has worked so far and they are fusing.

We put a few non-pepper plants in the ground today. Mostly things getting root bound that I couldn't justify potting up again when there is a garden waiting. This tomatillo is the prime example:

 

[Trippa]

Looking good bro.

 

[WalkGood]

Every ting looks good, interesting reflection in dat Black Pearl's pot