Hi folks.
Last couple years I've obtained seeds from some members here. Thanks to griff87, cmpman1974, inolan22!!
This year will be my second grow. Last year I had decent success. Yielded about 10 large plastic pasta strainers full of peppers from about 80 plants in 5 gallon buckets and some (10ish) in raised beds. Choc habs, ghosts, reapers, butch t's, carrib reds, red brain strains, moruga trin scorps. I made a couple huge batches of sauce but most of my peppers are destined for powders.
The glass viles made for great gifts this Christmas. Last year I bought a bunch of indoor equipment. 1k watt digital ballast and 8x8 grow tent, ventilation and nice hood. Living in the Portland OR area, sun can be scarce. Last year was a good year though for gardening. Lots of sunny days. I used soil that turned out to be too heavy and the plants were calcium deficient. I got attacked by stink bugs towards the end as well. Moved about 15-20 plants in to the grow tent late fall (too late). They were not super happy and were struggling to come back. We left for several days and when I returned aphids had completely taken over. It was ugly, so I cut everything down. The soil I used I thought would have been great but it wasn't.
50/50 4-way and dairy compost
with amendments of vermiculite, perlite, gypsum, and lime.
The calcium deficiency was obvious and many blasts of cal-mag didn't help. Many lessons learned.
I found that I wasn't a huge fan of the chocolate habs. They are beautiful and hot, but now I'm more interested in great flavor first, heat and growth/fruit proficiency second. Caribbean reds taste better than choc habs imho. Of everything I grew last year the plain old bhuts tasted the best. Nothing was more proficient that the carrib reds though. I had one plant that was short and stalky, maybe 2 foot tall. It produced something like 150 pods. Absolutely mental! It looked fake. Just stunning.
ok. so.. here we go.
Grow Log 2014
------
Selected varieties
Red Bhut Jolokia (pepper joe)
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia (griff87)
Jays Red Ghost Scorpion (refining fire chiles)
Jays Peach Ghost Scorpion (refining fire chiles)
Red Devils Tongue (inolan22)
Red Fatalii (inolan22)
CGN 21500 (cmpman1974)
--added later--
Jalapeno (unknown)
Pequin
Numex Twilight
Purple Jalepeno
Brown Moruga
7 Pot Bubblegum
Trinidad Perfume
Aji Lemon Drop
Aji Dulce #1
Trinidad Douglah
Trinidad Scorpion Sweet
7 Pod White
Large Red 7 Pod
7 Pod Primo
Giant Mexican Rocoto
Starting in Pro-Mix HP with a little added vermiculite. Placed in hole punched 6oz styrofoam cups in a plastic tub covered with press and seal (cellophane) to lock in humidity for germination. Trays will be on a 48" heat mat (awaiting shipment).
I've got just under 100 starts planted. After they sprout and drop their first set I'll be moving them under a 400watt halide until they are about 4-6 inches tall then on to the 1000watt halide. With any luck by spring they should be good sized. Last year I used peat pots and regretted it. You can transplant them directly and face slow root growth or rip the peat and risk root damage. This year, though I'm not in love with the idea of using styrofoam for anything, I can just rip the cups without fear of root damage.
I've ordered 2lbs of mycorrhizae. http://www.amazon.com/Endo-Mycorrhizae-2-lb-package/dp/B008B04HD2
Going to create a lighter soil mix based heavily on Pro-Mix and use lots of mycorrhizae. Contemplating a drip line watering system as well as some form of greenhouse action outside. Probably just a small hoop house. We'll see on those. That's it for now.
Thanks again to everybody on here. I've been lurking for a long time and have learned a good deal from the members. Guess this is my first proper post. cheers!
-jay
Last couple years I've obtained seeds from some members here. Thanks to griff87, cmpman1974, inolan22!!
This year will be my second grow. Last year I had decent success. Yielded about 10 large plastic pasta strainers full of peppers from about 80 plants in 5 gallon buckets and some (10ish) in raised beds. Choc habs, ghosts, reapers, butch t's, carrib reds, red brain strains, moruga trin scorps. I made a couple huge batches of sauce but most of my peppers are destined for powders.
The glass viles made for great gifts this Christmas. Last year I bought a bunch of indoor equipment. 1k watt digital ballast and 8x8 grow tent, ventilation and nice hood. Living in the Portland OR area, sun can be scarce. Last year was a good year though for gardening. Lots of sunny days. I used soil that turned out to be too heavy and the plants were calcium deficient. I got attacked by stink bugs towards the end as well. Moved about 15-20 plants in to the grow tent late fall (too late). They were not super happy and were struggling to come back. We left for several days and when I returned aphids had completely taken over. It was ugly, so I cut everything down. The soil I used I thought would have been great but it wasn't.
50/50 4-way and dairy compost
with amendments of vermiculite, perlite, gypsum, and lime.
The calcium deficiency was obvious and many blasts of cal-mag didn't help. Many lessons learned.
I found that I wasn't a huge fan of the chocolate habs. They are beautiful and hot, but now I'm more interested in great flavor first, heat and growth/fruit proficiency second. Caribbean reds taste better than choc habs imho. Of everything I grew last year the plain old bhuts tasted the best. Nothing was more proficient that the carrib reds though. I had one plant that was short and stalky, maybe 2 foot tall. It produced something like 150 pods. Absolutely mental! It looked fake. Just stunning.
ok. so.. here we go.
Grow Log 2014
------
Selected varieties
Red Bhut Jolokia (pepper joe)
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia (griff87)
Jays Red Ghost Scorpion (refining fire chiles)
Jays Peach Ghost Scorpion (refining fire chiles)
Red Devils Tongue (inolan22)
Red Fatalii (inolan22)
CGN 21500 (cmpman1974)
--added later--
Jalapeno (unknown)
Pequin
Numex Twilight
Purple Jalepeno
Brown Moruga
7 Pot Bubblegum
Trinidad Perfume
Aji Lemon Drop
Aji Dulce #1
Trinidad Douglah
Trinidad Scorpion Sweet
7 Pod White
Large Red 7 Pod
7 Pod Primo
Giant Mexican Rocoto
Starting in Pro-Mix HP with a little added vermiculite. Placed in hole punched 6oz styrofoam cups in a plastic tub covered with press and seal (cellophane) to lock in humidity for germination. Trays will be on a 48" heat mat (awaiting shipment).
I've got just under 100 starts planted. After they sprout and drop their first set I'll be moving them under a 400watt halide until they are about 4-6 inches tall then on to the 1000watt halide. With any luck by spring they should be good sized. Last year I used peat pots and regretted it. You can transplant them directly and face slow root growth or rip the peat and risk root damage. This year, though I'm not in love with the idea of using styrofoam for anything, I can just rip the cups without fear of root damage.
I've ordered 2lbs of mycorrhizae. http://www.amazon.com/Endo-Mycorrhizae-2-lb-package/dp/B008B04HD2
Going to create a lighter soil mix based heavily on Pro-Mix and use lots of mycorrhizae. Contemplating a drip line watering system as well as some form of greenhouse action outside. Probably just a small hoop house. We'll see on those. That's it for now.
Thanks again to everybody on here. I've been lurking for a long time and have learned a good deal from the members. Guess this is my first proper post. cheers!
-jay
