The Pacific Northwest GLOG 2015

Roguejim · Mar 20, 2015

chachie09 said:
Got my soil today and got all the pots filled! Not to mention, got the green house filled a couple weeks ago, and things have really taken off! The soil is North County Bounty - SoCo Blend, pics of the mix included. Only got half the pots in place before the rain started on us, the center row and other half will be placed on weds, weather permitting.

Wow, I just saw this! Lots of space between your pots. Awesome property, too. This is going to be really good once your plants start fruiting up. Looking forward to it.

organic pepper said:
Welcome NDToronto,

Jim, I just been watering them with 1/3 strength of EWC tea with some kelp meal. They just had their second watering with it. Kinda holding back for the moment. Talking with the company that makes the nursery potting soil I used when I first planted them, I was informed that it contained time released fertilizers within the mix. Just waiting to get them in compost and go from there with a nute regimen depending on their needs. That area I dug up today where these babies are going was just loaded with earthworms. Really liking that! Adding more compost to that area and turning the soil/compost over more should really do the trick.

Just wanted to say how smart that is contacting the people who make the potting soil before adding nutes. Few people (like me!) would have the foresight to do that. I recently contacted the nute company, but didn't contact the potting soil people. Would have saved me some problems. Lesson learned.

turbo · Mar 20, 2015

A local Seattle news station released the long term weather forecast for 2015. They said the warmth we've had this winter is just going to continue, leading us to a warmer than usual spring, a hot summer like last year, and the warmer than usual weather continuing all the way through December.

Its great news for us PNW growers. Earlier than usual plant out dates, and a much longer harvest season in the fall.

Its sucky news for skiers like me who only got about 10 days in this last winter (normally I get between 40 and 50 days in a season).

ronaldo_fanbelt · Mar 20, 2015

Anybody else thinking of planting out around April 1st? I want to get my babies potted up and in the greenhouse right around then. What do you guys think?

turbo · Mar 20, 2015

I've got 20 extra plants going from what I was planing to plant in late May. So I was thinking about putting a couple of my extras in the ground starting the first week in April, then a couple more each week. If they die, its no loss really. If this warm trend holds like the news said I'm hoping to do the full plant out May 1st.

That means I've got a LOT of work to do in the next few weeks. I still need to prep my main garden and raised bed, and build another raised bed.

Roguejim · Mar 20, 2015

I'm not brave enough for an April 1 plant out. Temps would have to really climb first.

PaulG · Mar 20, 2015

KevinH said:
So who here is gonna risk it and put there plants out side full time?

Oh, man, Kevin, I am so ready. I've been looking at the
long range forecast for my neighborhood on Accuweather,
and still a handful off low-mid 30˚F at the end of March. April
shows 11 days of temps from 35-39˚F scattered throughout,
and the first few days of May show lows in the 40's.

Our 50% frost date here is 14 April and the 90% frost date
is 05 May. For 36˚F, 50% date is 08 May, and the 90% is
03 June. I'd like to plant out earlier, but the reality is I need
to wait till May, and take another look at the forecast. I'll
probably check it every week as it is!

So, planting out on the west side is problematic. Ya pays
your money and takes your chances. Depends on how
much risk you can tolerate, I guess, and on how well you
know the micro climates in your own particular yard.

I hope what they said about the Seattle area holds true for us.

turbo said:
Its sucky news for skiers like me who only got about 10 days in this last winter (normally I get between 40 and 50 days in a season).

I feel your pain, brothah! We like to get in 4 or 5 multiple-
day back-packing/xc ski trips in every winter. Zero this year :mope:

I'll have to learn to ski all over again! :banghead:

Roguejim · Mar 21, 2015

PaulG said:
Oh, man, Kevin, I am so ready. I've been looking at the
long range forecast for my neighborhood on Accuweather,
and still a handful off low-mid 30˚F at the end of March. April
shows 11 days of temps from 35-39˚F scattered throughout,
and the first few days of May show lows in the 40's.

Our 50% frost date here is 14 April and the 90% frost date
is 05 May. For 36˚F, 50% date is 08 May, and the 90% is
03 June. I'd like to plant out earlier, but the reality is I need
to wait till May, and take another look at the forecast. I'll
probably check it every week as it is!

So, planting out on the west side is problematic. Ya pays
your money and takes your chances. Depends on how
much risk you can tolerate, I guess, and on how well you
know the micro climates in your own particular yard.

I hope what they said about the Seattle area holds true for us.

   I feel your pain, brothah! We like to get in 4 or 5 multiple-
day back-packing/xc ski trips in every winter. Zero this year
I'll have to learn to ski all over again!

Yeah, it's looking like I'll be bringing my plants back into the basement. It's raining now, and will continue through the weekend, at least. Highs dropping into the mid-50s. What was I thinking...

chachie09 · Mar 21, 2015

Sometimes its like a band aid, you just have to put them out and hope for the best. Im hoping that by starting my seeds in a greenhouse, they will be a little more acclimated to the cold and will allow me to put them out first or second seek in April.

KevinH · Mar 21, 2015

Yea I am sure it will be late May when I plant out.. I can stick them on a 12/12 here next month to control the growth. I am all ready way ahead of what i was last year.

ColdSmoke · Mar 22, 2015

having fungus gnat issues. spent two hours scraping the top layer of soil off my little containers and re-topping them with perlite. Good thing I bought a huge bag of it. I over-watered last week and the gnats went off like crazy. I cant seem to dry my containers out. been ten days since I watered. I have a fan on them. I guess I just need to be patient. Anything else I can do about the gnats without drenching with a solution? I want to avoid that to dry out my containers.

Not even thinking of planting out until May, probably late ...

PaulG · Mar 22, 2015

Okay just some information passing. This is the link for the NWChiliFest in September.

Would be cool to see lots of folks there this year, 9/11-9/13! C'mon y'all!

Roguejim · Mar 23, 2015

ColdSmoke said:
having fungus gnat issues. spent two hours scraping the top layer of soil off my little containers and re-topping them with perlite. Good thing I bought a huge bag of it. I over-watered last week and the gnats went off like crazy. I cant seem to dry my containers out. been ten days since I watered. I have a fan on them. I guess I just need to be patient. Anything else I can do about the gnats without drenching with a solution? I want to avoid that to dry out my containers.

Not even thinking of planting out until May, probably late ...

Keep one of these in your watering can. http://www.summitchemical.com/mosquito/mosquito-dunks/

Kills the larvae in the soil. Hang sticky tape for the flying adults. Some people put a piece of sticky tape on a toothpick, and stick the toothpick in the top of the soil, like a little flag.

ColdSmoke · Mar 23, 2015

PaulG said:
Okay just some information passing. This is the link for the NWChiliFest in September.

Would be cool to see lots of folks there this year, 9/11-9/13! C'mon y'all!

Too bad it's during one my busiest times of year. I'll never be able to go as long as it's before the 15th of September...bummer

PaulG · Mar 23, 2015

Sorry to hear that. It's yearly event, so maybe in the future….?

ColdSmoke · Mar 23, 2015

If it's after 9/15

KevinH · Mar 23, 2015

use sand.. and the yellow sticky cards.

ColdSmoke said:
having fungus gnat issues. spent two hours scraping the top layer of soil off my little containers and re-topping them with perlite. Good thing I bought a huge bag of it. I over-watered last week and the gnats went off like crazy. I cant seem to dry my containers out. been ten days since I watered. I have a fan on them. I guess I just need to be patient. Anything else I can do about the gnats without drenching with a solution? I want to avoid that to dry out my containers.

Not even thinking of planting out until May, probably late ...

ColdSmoke · Mar 24, 2015

progress...

pot up

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realization of gnat terrorists. weak attempt of secondary control with beer in a glass.
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switch up to the HPS for sharts and gaggles ....I have a HPS ballast and have been using a conversion MH bulb for a couple weeks. I decided to plug in the HPS bulb because it is the bulb that goes with the system I bought. Thanks again Jim...The light is much more pleasing to the eyes, which is nice because I tend to smoke stogies this time of year in my garage which is where my grow set up is. sorry about the phone pics
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Roguejim · Mar 24, 2015

ColdSmoke said:
progress...

pot up

http://

realization of gnat terrorists. weak attempt of secondary control with beer in a glass.
http://

switch up to the HPS for sharts and gaggles ....I have a HPS ballast and have been using a conversion MH bulb for a couple weeks. I decided to plug in the HPS bulb because it is the bulb that goes with the system I bought. Thanks again Jim...The light is much more pleasing to the eyes, which is nice because I tend to smoke stogies this time of year in my garage which is where my grow set up is. sorry about the phone pics
[/URL]">http://

How many hours ON/OFF for the HPS? I'll be very interested in how big they get by plant out.

ColdSmoke · Mar 24, 2015

Roguejim said:
How many hours ON/OFF for the HPS? I'll be very interested in how big they get by plant out.

I believe my timer is set at 19/5. Not getting much vertical growth right now, not sure why. I think the rock wool cubes I germinated in is attributing to the slow start. I'm hoping that they at least helped create a strong root system.

slade122 · Mar 24, 2015

ColdSmoke said:
I believe my timer is set at 19/5. Not getting much vertical growth right now, not sure why. I think the rock wool cubes I germinated in is attributing to the slow start. I'm hoping that they at least helped create a strong root system.

I think that the rockwool cubes do make a bit slower start because they hold a bit more water than a young and delicate baby pepper would like. Give them a bit of time to stretch their legs and make sure they get a bit of food. A rooting stimulator and some bacterial innoculant will help the root expansion. I find that peppers are a bit slow to root, but once they are established they go crazy!

Looking good so far though!