glog The sun is brutal here. 2025 grow

Here we go for this year. 3rd time's the charm? Started getting seeds into the ground a couple of weeks ago when it decided to rain and then freeze for two days.

Not really trying much new here. I am always finding myself going back to these powders over others. Last year was a huge battle with no rain, wind, no humidity, the never ending sun, aphids, and spider mites. It really does appear that I was extremely spoiled in SoFla with that tropical climate. Learning Texas while working nights for the first 1.5 seasons has been rough. Upgrading from 5gal to mostly 15gal grow bags this year. The misters I've had for a year are finally going to be installed under my grow canopy. As soon as walmart severely discounts promix again some 25 gal bags might get thrown into use.

This year's list:
Sugar Rush Peach
Aji Charapita
Orange Habanero
K.S. Lemon Starrburst
Craig's Grande Jalapeno
Trinidad Moruga Red
Red Savinas
Scotch Bonnet MOA
Thai Birdseye
Dwarf Thai Birdseye
Black Thai
Chilietepin
Sweet Moruga
Pimenta De Neyde
Rocoto Aji Oro
Giant Aconcagua
Hungarian Wax Pepper

As soon as starter trays are available, these are starting
Fetalii
And maybe Gator Jigsaw Purple or Primo x Butch T.

 

[DementedWelder]

That pH correction has to be what's leading to all the rapid side shoot growth. Started doing the same treatment to the indoor rocotos on Sunday. 2 still in starger cells, 3 are in 3.5" pots right now. Not one of them had any hints of side growth Sunday. This morning it looks like side growth at every node has been going on for at least 2 days and now almost identical to the plants outside. No wind, rain, or anything other than 70-78* air has been on those guys.

The citronella plant has pretty much gone all back to green too. Amazing what .04tsp/gal of sulfuric acid can do.

Even the tomatillo that dampened off and regrew roots is joining in on the fun.

 

[DementedWelder]

I am beginning to wonder if anything really did dampen off.

 

[DementedWelder]

Another cold front with 40+mph winds came through, this time the plants were not so happy. Giving it until the end of the week to see what's getting topped and what doesnt need it. The wind spun all the leaves around like tops.

The little chocolate hab in the post above somehow aint dead. Spent a few days toppled over from the bug damage and was left neglected out through the cold front. Despute that it's healed up and is a happy little plant. Was not planning on growinv 2 choc habs this year, but I like how strong this guy is, so it may wind up in a 5gal bag this weekend, or donated to a co-worker.

 

[DementedWelder]

Aphids, high winds, storms, and intense sun. Has been a crazy start to the year. Aphids and other bad insects everywhere around here are just going nuts. Spent a few days at work going around collecting mating ladybugs a few weeks ago. Probably came home with 100 of them. Next day eggs where everywhere and nymphs were hatching within days. Took care of the aphids for a day or two, but then the population just exploded and not a single ladybug in sight after some more high wind days.

Oh well. Gave up being organic this year so systemic pesticides went down over the weekend and that seems to be doing the trick and the few plants aphids were loving are making a comeback. All the lava rocks I out in the bags were removed as well. Gave too many hiding spots for scorpions, ants, aphids, and leaf footed bugs.

The sun is now overhead most of the day. Up over my trailer by 8AM and doesn't hide behind my neighbors tree until about 730PM. More shade net went up at the front to kind of block out that late day sun just besting on the plants closest to my porch. On bright days, which we havent had very many of in the last week, under full sun I was measuring about 120,000lux and 68mol/m^2 DLI. Under the shade net that's dropped down to around 68,000lux and 43mol/m^2. Seems to be just fine. The lack of intensity has definitely helped on moisture retention in the area.

Pods are already beginning to set on some plants. whoooo!
Others still falling behind from all the various trauma they've been through.

And the indoor rocotos are blowing the outdoor ones out of the water. 2 of the 3 are going into larger pots this weekend with some new soil.

 

[dragonsfire]

Suns going to be an issue for sure.
Nice collection you have

 

[DementedWelder]

Thanks.
The additional shade cloth and little rain catches have been doing wonders already. Hopefully that solved a lot of the heat stress issues. We'll see when we get another 100+ days of 100*F and no rain.

 

[DementedWelder]

Of course as soon as I rid the aphids, the spider mites take over. Sulfur spray has been going on and took the shade net down. The next few days are supposed to be 100*F+ with no shade. See how they like that!

Plants are doing great regardless. Almost everything has set multiple pods except some of the youngest of the plants.
Discovered an unknown too. Labelled as Charapita, looks exactly like one of the Burapas that never sprouted. Darn glad I planted even more Charapitas. Indoor and outdoor rocotos have all fruited too.

I wasn't liking how little light the plants were getting anyway with the shade net. This weekend I'm going to cut/tape/sew the netting into smaller segments about 1ft wide and and just string out a giant shade net pergola. I've realized it's not so much the sun, but the lack of cloud cover. Gotta be a happy balance somewhere.

 

[DementedWelder]

The insane heat and sunlight seem to be working. The last two days there's been a noticable decrease in bad bugs and wasps, bees, crab spiders, wolf spiders, and ladybugs are picking back up. Now if I could just find this ant nest to dump gas on I think the bugs will be under control. Measured 107*F at 4:30PM the last two days out at work. Been around 103*F at home.

A lot of the wheat and feed crops have already been lost and the beans and corn look to be on the way out. 2 weeks ago it was just a mass of green in all the fields. Yesterday you could see right down all the rows of crops and browning setting in. Not good.

Maybe the shade net is going to just go back up as is. Heavy watering restrictions are bound to happen here soon unless they give another go at cloud seeding. 5h watering windows 3 days a week currently. As soon as that drops to 1 day a week I may start saving shower water, lol.