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Windchicken 2014

Got some sheet pots in from Grower Supply a couple days ago. I got this type so I could pull out the individual containers and replace them if need be, and they fit perfectly in my 11" x 22" Permanest Trays. Anybody in NW Louisiana need a couple of these? If I keep growing the same size garden every season these sheets should last me around 12 years:
 
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These are the only C. chinense I'm growing this year: The NagaBrain, now in its F3 generation, is the happy accident of Florida THP mentor and all-around good guy romy6; seeds for the F2 Chocolate NagaBrain are from the talented and skillful Florida grower Tmudder; Bonda Ma Jacques x 7 Pot Yellow, the F3 generation, is the creation of the THP breeding wizard Spicegeist; Both 7 Pot Yellow and Naga Morich are from THSC seed; Dystopia is a project of North Texas grower joemomma; and Madame Jeanette comes courtesy of the incredibly generous Netherlands grower Meatfreak :
 
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Devv said:
Gary,
 
Those OW's are hangin' just fine!
 
I guess you have a bunch of natural light in your garage?
 
Mine have been outside since Thursday, and from the looks of things they're good until next Friday, woot!
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Thanks Scott! There's one small western window in the garage, and I turn on the overhead fluorescents during the day...Also, every time the forecast is for morning lows above 37ºF or so I set them outside to get some real sun...
 
You're going to have a hell of a grow this year dude!
 
meatfreak said:
How are things with your seedlings, haven't seen an update in a while? Did you place them under the light setup you got last year? :)
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Thanks for asking Stefan. My seedlings are growing crazy slow, and yes, they're under the grow lights--They're still all just cotyledons, at 6 weeks after sowing...The only time I've seen seedlings grow that slowly was when I direct sowed in raw RCW beds, and they became N2 starved very quickly--I'm trying out a new seed starting mix this year, and I'm guessing it doesn't have enough nutrients. A couple days ago I jacked them with a little Liquid MG. I'm not real sure yet, but they seem to be responding....
 
windchicken said:
Thanks for asking Stefan. My seedlings are growing crazy slow, and yes, they're under the grow lights--They're still all just cotyledons, at 6 weeks after sowing...The only time I've seen seedlings grow that slowly was when I directed sowed in raw RCW beds, and they became N2 starved very quickly--I'm trying out a new seed starting mix this year, and I'm guessing it doesn't have enough nutrients. A couple days ago I jacked them with a little Liquid MG. I'm not real sure yet, but they seem to be responding....
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What's temperature of the room? Could be to low which causes the growth to stop but I probably don't have to say this to you. 2 years ago I started out in coconut coir (which had no nutrients) and they did just fine. I believe they don't really need that much nutrients in the early stages.
 
meatfreak said:
 
What's temperature of the room? Could be to low which causes the growth to stop but I probably don't have to say this to you. 2 years ago I started out in coconut coir (which had no nutrients) and they did just fine. I believe they don't really need that much nutrients in the early stages.
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It ranges between 60ºF - 80ºF, and the germ trays are sitting on a large heat mat. Also, the lights are set close, about 3 inches above the soil surface. Everything sprouted just fine, opened up their cotyledons proud and strong, and then...nothing...for 5 weeks.
 
It seems very much like the soil is taking up the nutrients that the seeds had stored inside. I know that sounds real unlikely, but I don't know how else to explain it...I suppose I could be overwatering, but I really don't think so. 
 
Good to hear Gary! I have around 5 of those and oddly enough the latest one to be potted up to one gallon is the one with all the early bud nipping required. It was the last out of the grow box and those lights seem to promote the buds on it I suppose for the extra time in there. I would have had more like that but as space is constantly needed, promoting the best looking recruits forward means less time in there.

I hope you're correct on the BOC. I thought it was the best pepper I tasted last year. It will be exciting!

Mike
 
Sorry about the seedlings.  So much for that seed starting mix from Canada, eh? :confused:   I'm abandoning seed starter mixes, and returning to peat pellets, myself.  They always worked just fine for me.  I had no reason to change other than just wanting to try something new.   
 
Roguejim said:
Sorry about the seedlings.  So much for that seed starting mix from Canada, eh? :confused:   I'm abandoning seed starter mixes, and returning to peat pellets, myself.  They always worked just fine for me.  I had no reason to change other than just wanting to try something new.   
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Thanks RJ! If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?  :P I just "could not leave well enough alone" as they say...
 
I think the soil mix is fine…I believe I've figured out the problem…(See below)
 
maximumcapsicum said:
Very similar thing happened to be last year... Seedling growth was glacial. How many hours of light are they getting?
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Thanks Adam! Right now they're getting about 17 hours of light, and yes, the lamps are very close to the soil…But I believe I've figured it out:
 
During the extreme cold weather the babies had just enough "juice" to sprout (the nutrients stored in the seeds' endosperm), but after that they couldn't really grow, because the soil was so cold, especially with the fan on (due to my fear of damping-off). With the evaporative cooling caused by the fan and the damp soil, I'm guessing the surface temp of the soil was probably in the 50ºFs. I was holding them in "suspended animation". Now the weather has warmed up and they should be taking off, but their nutrients are now depleted because they've burned them all up in the 6 weeks since sowing….Hopefully my gentle application of Liquid MG will snap them out of their stupor and get them growing again...

That's my spin on it…for today anyway. Next year I'll have the light stand enclosed in a plastic tent, to retain some heat and moisture.
 
I was going to say root zone temps holding up nutrient uptake like phosphorus which is important for seedling growth and is one of the first nutes locked out with cold root zone temps (usually displays some purpling on the plants themselves). I would also give them a spray of seaweed to get them stimulated again ... (My 2 cents for what it is worth ... Not much probably ;) )
 
GA Growhead said:
Good news there! Jump start the little guys!
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Thanks Jason! I noticed some of the very "slow" seedlings beginning to get true leaves now, and they are nice and deep green. I believe the MG must be working….
 
Trippa said:
I was going to say root zone temps holding up nutrient uptake like phosphorus which is important for seedling growth and is one of the first nutes locked out with cold root zone temps (usually displays some purpling on the plants themselves). I would also give them a spray of seaweed to get them stimulated again ... (My 2 cents for what it is worth ... Not much probably ;) )
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Thanks Trippa! Please don't denigrate your chile knowledge for my sake…You obviously know way more about the particular science of it than I…Now that you explained it I certainly understand my own situation much better now…So thanks dude!  :P
 
Sorry to hear about the seedling mix issue, Gary.  I had a similar experience last season.  
I used a commercial peat/perlite combo, ground up very fine.  The seedlings germinated
great, but after a while the same thing happened at about the second set of true leaves.  
The seedling mix really has no nutrients at all.  Now I transplant as soon as I see cotys
flying so the roots can get into some nutrient rich soil.  My soil was warmer than yours,
but still not optimal, I wasn't using a heating pad then.
 
Good luck getting those sprouts to respond!
 
Thanks PG! And thanks for sharing your experience…I never would have thought about transplanting at such an early stage, but considering the amazing growth of your NagaBrain plants, I believe I'm going to try that next year...
 
Since I began gently bumping my first-sown germ trays with Liquid MG last week, and also the weather has finally began to warm up, the babies are at last beginning to show stirrings of vigor…Almost all of the formerly stunted plants now have true leaves, and they are a nice deep green color. I'll get some pix up soon...
 
meatfreak said:
Happy to hear they bounced back, Gary! Think they wouldn't mind getting their feet into some fresh soil :D
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Thanks Stefan! I know you're right...I just can't get up the nerve to transplant such tender little babies...
 
PIC 1 said:
Gary it sounds like your seedlings are on the right track. The smallest amounts of Nitrogen along the way will give the young ones that healthy broadleaf look.
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Thanks Greg...They're greening up real nice...By the way, everyone here loves the Scotch Bonnet sauce the best...I would buy a gallon in a heartbeat...  :P
 
I just received this breathtaking shipment of Chile Manzano from checkerkitty....Wow, thanks so much Christy! These pods are just amazing! :woohoo:
 
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