Trippa's 2011/2012 Grow log....

Over the coming days I will be attempting to log my grow so far.

It won't be as big and spectacular as most peoples here (in fact it isn't big or spectacular) but I am proud of what I have done so far with my very limited space and love my chilli's (I am sure) as much as the next person.

I have had a few small problems so far but a Massive thank you has to go out for the help so far from people like Nova, Gas, JR, Micca, Wildfire in helping me get started on growing something other then long red cayennes or other common types and answering my many questions and the generous man JR with his huge contribution to my seed stocks.

Like I said this will be an ongoing process to get this thread up to speed so bear with me while I populate the pages over the coming days ...

 

[Trippa]

Hey Trips, I've been meaning to ask... you use Organic Link fert, don't you? I'm thinking about trying something new next season and at the moment, it's something I wouldn't mind giving a burl. Any feedback on the stuff?

Yeah I think its well worth it Gas. You can certainly tell when the plants need another boost of it (supposedly every 3 months/season but I think probably closer to every 2months with older plants) in their containers and the results are quite noticeable on the plant health within 1-2 weeks of re-application.

Also it is extremely economical only 1 tablespoon (I use an espresso coffee scoop) per 5 litres of Soil roughly (they use pot measurements like 200mm container = 2 tablespoons) So in my bigger buckets they get about 2.5 tablespoons every 3 months and at planting and a table spoon in each of my smaller pots as I am potting up.

So for a 4 litre bucket for $18 from bunnings it has lasted me an entire season and I still have about a third left (but they are due another dose now) I do use liquid amendments of kelp/fulvic/Backyard boost and Worm Juice in 1/2 doses as well though to supplement the slow release action of the organic link.

But I will tweak things for next season to be a little less intensive $ wise as I am hopefully going to be in an actual house by the end of June with more room for some healthier chilli's hopefully.

 

[gasificada]

Sounds like it might be a goer then. Economical and effective = win/win!

Do you know if it affects soil pH at all? I know Dynamic Lifter--what I have been using--supposedly can raise pH over time. (Speaking of which, I still have half a 17kg bag left and am undecided on whether I should use both but just at half rates or something.... I dunno yet.)

 

[Trippa]

pH is 7.2 so roughly neutral mainly due to the high calcium content I assume.

(Link is the MSDS)

 

[Trippa]

So a very sad day for me yesterday but also a time for new beginnings. My wife decided that after a year of having no outdoor living space on our balcony that some of my chilli's had to make way. I tended to agree things had started to look pretty overgrown and it was turning into a shite fight trying to get about and find room to water etc. and I was going to do a cull to make way for some new plants anyway.

So from 60 somethings plants I now only have roughly 15!! But I have set them up much better and I now have the space to repot them into 15-20 litre containers So potentially much healthier and more productive plants and less maintenance!!

Some of the 15 will be culled once the existing fruit on them is fully ripe. Pimenta De Neyde (although I have no idea other then gently squeezing the pods how to tell if they are ripe or not), and Explosive Ember will both be culled at this stage to make way for better eating varieties.

I will update with some final pod shots before the big cull took place yesterday soon. Meanwhile I have some big decisions to make over what will make the final very small grow list this season.

I have kept and plan to over winter (At this stage) the following:

1 x Douglah (Alphanerdz strain) (Still Small) (THSC)

1 x Yellow 7 pot/pod (THSC)

1 x TS Mourouga Blend

1 x Choc Habenero (Jungle Rain)

1 x Choc Bhut (THSC)

1 x Bhut Jolokia Assam (Jungle Rain)

1 x Birdseye HTM (Still Small) (Sourced from pod saved)

1 x NTR (THSC)

1 x Bahamian Goat Pepper (Jungle Rain)

1 x Super Chilli (My Daughters Project so can't get rid of it even if I wanted to) (Still Small) (F2 Seed from THSC original stock plant looks to be growing typical upright habit and shape)

1 x Wild Brazil (Still Small) (Pepper Lover)

1 x Scotch Bonnet TFM (Jungle Rain)

(I plan on culling 1 x Pimenta De Neyde (once pods ripen) and 1 x Explosive ember which I still Have)

I am looking likely to grow from seed and add to replace them:

1 x Orange Lantern (I decided to start afresh even though I had a couple of plants growing they weren't the healthiest specimens but had great looking upright pods)
1 x Naga Morich or Large Red 7 pot/pod
1 x Bonda Ma Jacques or Fatalii (Might replace my Scotch Bonnet with this maybe??)

Can anybody see any yawning gaps in terms of good eating/cooking/sauce making varieties that I should add instead of one of the current ones I am either growing or looking to grow??

 

[Mezo]

Sauce making? add red & orange habs, for stuffing/eating them chilli balls from Wooly`s (im growing lots).

You have most good ones covered there Trippa.

Mezo.

 

[Trippa]

Cheers Mezo.

Great thinking I am thinking either maybe Ping or Ball Chillies from THSC and I already have plenty of Red Hab Seeds so that is an easy one and are good yielders!!

Thanks for the great ideas Mezo, its amazing how easy it is to overlook a great variety like the Red Habenero. Great fresh flavour nicely medium heat and fleshy pods with easy care plants unbeatable really

 

[Mezo]

You know what, forget growing any Hab`s,,,,

Im going to have them falling out my **se Trippa, you can have as many pods as you want for free, if you really wanted plants just take a drive over & there yours, ive got lots of Orange & Reds but short on Choc`s.

Ive also got them Ball or Cherry chilli`s growing you can have some of them or again ill have a stack of fruit & you can have as many pods as you want (saves on your space that way).

Mezo.

 

[Trippa]

Cheers Mezo I might take you up on that offer later in the year for sure.
I am thinking of adding Tabasco for Powders and Serrano for Stuffing/pickling/salsas (instead of Jalapeno's) to my grow as well .... ahhh the numbers are creeping up already

 

[Trippa]

Alright a few photos before my culling of plants from over 60 on my balcony to a much tidier and easy to manage 15-final numbers for next season will be anywhere from 16-20 (Plus two gratuitous sunrise and sunset photos taken on different days) not my best work on the chilli photos but It will have to do (plants were looking pretty terrible anyway)

So My plants don't see this but this is what they would see if they were facing east (they are blocked by a wall)

Sunrise over the canals

Po Cheong

Trinidad Scorpion Marouga Blend

Pimenta De Neyde

Yellow 7 pot/pod

Dedo De Moca

Chocolate Habenero

Orange Lantern (transparent in the sunlight)

Blondie

Sunset from the Balcony (my plants do get to see that)

Not much of an update but with the new planting season coming up there will be many more photos to bore you all with.
Hope everyone out there is happy and healthy at the moment
Peace
Trippa

 

[seaman]

wow, very nice photos of plants and landascapes

 

[gasificada]

Awesome shots! Especially that sunrise...

Apart from little bits and pieces of clouds and showers lately, how much beautiful Autumn weather have we been getting?

 

[Trippa]

wow, very nice photos of plants and landascapes

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look and for the compliments !!

Awesome shots! Especially that sunrise...

Apart from little bits and pieces of clouds and showers lately, how much beautiful Autumn weather have we been getting?

Yeah its been great weather ... I love the rain as well to tell the truth ... Winter almost drives me mad here sometimes with the constant blue skies and dry days ... I like the variation at the moment though its been really nice.

Cheers Gas for the compliment on my shots as well ... they aren't my best but you get the idea anyway !!

 

[Trippa]

Well gas judging by the forecast this morning the weekend is not gonna be so good. Looks we are in for a wet one

 

[gasificada]

Yeah, bummer, eh? I spoke too soon!

(Shouldn't complain though, we've had a good run.)

 

[Mezo]

Its been raining all week here (west of you) looks like Monday onwards there`s some sunshine coming?

When you say "culling" your not going to destroy the plants are you Trippa?

Mezo.

 

[Trippa]

Its been raining all week here (west of you) looks like Monday onwards there`s some sunshine coming?

When you say "culling" your not going to destroy the plants are you Trippa?

Mezo.

Already Destroyed Mezo ... soil tipped out into skip bin and plants cut up and put into skip bin as well. It was All done on Sunday morning of the weekend just gone.

To be honest the majority needed to go they were looking really unhealthy and some had developed a weird fuzzy mold over all the underside of the leaves, I simply didn't have the space/willpower to get them back into a healthy state. Plus I like the whole process of starting seeds etc so took the opportunity and just did it. Plus the Wife wanted her balcony space back (she got half)

 

[Mezo]

Plus the Wife wanted her balcony space back (she got half)

Are you not able to hang window boxes over the balcony wall? or do you have them flashy glass walls?

Mezo.

 

[Trippa]

No we have those flashy glass walls and the rules of the apartment states that nothing is to be hung over them (Safety reasons)

 

[Mezo]

No we have those flashy glass walls and the rules of the apartment states that nothing is to be hung over them (Safety reasons)

OK then hanging baskets, are you allowed to do that? thinking up ways of maximizing your growing space Trips.

Mezo.

 

[gasificada]

To be honest the majority needed to go they were looking really unhealthy and some had developed a weird fuzzy mold over all the underside of the leaves, I simply didn't have the space/willpower to get them back into a healthy state.

Yeah, I reckon it's easier just to ditch them too when they get to a certain stage. Heart-breaking as hell, but easier....