Growing peppers!

0patience
0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Non Cigar Related
Ok, since I have some questions, I thought since @WaterNerd was so gracious to provide a bunch of us pepper seeds, I would start this thread as a discussion to the brown thumbs like myself who have questions about growing them.

Do I germinate them first, then pot them or directly pot the seeds?

How many to a pot? 

Any tips?
In Fumo Pax
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

Wylaff said:
Atmospheric pressure and crap.
«1

Comments

  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I approve this message.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • rsherman24
    rsherman24 Posts: 7,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I germinate them first.  The super hots take a while to start, but then grow well.  I use Styrofoam coffee cups with 1 seed per cup. 

    My favorite cigar list here

  • Bigshizza
    Bigshizza Posts: 15,659 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You get those biodegradable containers and stick them right in the ground.
  • silvermouse
    silvermouse Posts: 23,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
    and they like extra phosphate, I've heard of folk putting a book of matches in the planting hole for them as a snack.
  • YankeeMan
    YankeeMan Posts: 2,651 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't know if this actually works or not, but my father used to plant his hot pepper seeds closer together than was recommended.  He said that it made them hotter. 

    As I said, I'm not sure if it made a difference or not, but as a young kid, I thought those little finger peppers were hotter than all get out!
  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have 48 seeds of the different seeds that @WaterNerd sent me. Hopefully, since they are in the citrus tree room, they'll start pretty good, as it stays fairly warm in there.
    Hope to see something happening in a week or so? 
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • onestrangeone
    onestrangeone Posts: 2,441 ✭✭✭✭✭
     I will usually deadhead the first batch of blooms and add Epson Salt and compost at that point, about a week or two before harvest cut back on the water for hotter peppers.
  • jgibv
    jgibv Posts: 9,245 ✭✭✭✭✭
    0patience said:
    I have 48 seeds of the different seeds that @WaterNerd sent me. Hopefully, since they are in the citrus tree room, they'll start pretty good, as it stays fairly warm in there.
    Hope to see something happening in a week or so? 
    don't panic after a week.....i've had some varieties that take closer to 2 weeks before they sprout.

    are you using heat mats? 

    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    jgibv said: 
    don't panic after a week.....i've had some varieties that take closer to 2 weeks before they sprout.

    are you using heat mats? 
    I'm not. Should I look into getting some?
    It's usually above 70 in that room because of the fruit trees, so I thought that would be ok?
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • silvermouse
    silvermouse Posts: 23,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
    onestrangeone said:
     I will usually deadhead the first batch of blooms and add Epson Salt and compost at that point, about a week or two before harvest cut back on the water for hotter peppers.
    how much epsom salt per plant and do you dissolve it in water first or just mix it into the compost dry? 
  • jgibv
    jgibv Posts: 9,245 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    0patience said:

    Should I look into getting some?
    Not necessarily....the heat mats will just help the germination process. 
    If you get good results with your setup now, no sense in "fixing it if it ain't broke"!!! 
    But if you're getting poor germination then I'd say you should definitely try the mats.


    I have all of my plants in the basement where the temp hovers around upper 50s - low 60s so they're a "must have" when starting seeds. (After the seeds sprout I turn off the mats). 
    If your rooms in the 70s, it's probably not an issue for you though.

    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • onestrangeone
    onestrangeone Posts: 2,441 ✭✭✭✭✭
    silvermouse said:
    onestrangeone said:
     I will usually deadhead the first batch of blooms and add Epson Salt and compost at that point, about a week or two before harvest cut back on the water for hotter peppers.
    how much epsom salt per plant and do you dissolve it in water first or just mix it into the compost dry? 

    2-3 Tablespoon's , I mostly use it as a top dressing or mix in with the compost
  • peter4jc
    peter4jc Posts: 18,180 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A few years ago I made my own "heating mat"...  found a 1x6, pounded a row of nails at both ends, and wove a string of clear Christmas lights back and fourth.  It gives off just the right amount of heat, and since the neighbor was tossing the lights it cost about zippo.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • WaterNerd
    WaterNerd Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭✭✭
    wow just did a really large write-up and went to post it and got a little message saying once approved it will be posted. Had this happen before and it never got posted :(



    Here's my Ghost Peppers. The seven that are doing great are from seeds I harvested back in 2014. Other will come up. Just takes a long time. Currently I'm using a 6500K grow light with a heat mate in a 32 gallon storage container. I line the walls with foil to reflect as much of the light as possible.

    More photos to follow

    Hopefully my original post will get posted :|

    I'm going to have a pretty big harvest of Ghost Peppers this year. If your interested PM me your info and when the Ghost Peppers are ready I'll send some to you :)
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt
    — Abraham Lincoln


  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    WaterNerd said:
    wow just did a really large write-up and went to post it and got a little message saying once approved it will be posted. Had this happen before and it never got posted.
    Wait. What?
    Since when?

    Ok, ok gotta focus.

    Those look great!
    I hope I have that kind of success.
    Still haven't gotten any sprouts yet, but they are now under the orange tree grow lights

    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's happened to me a couple times. I'm starting to think that there is a few key words the forum triggers a moderation process on. Based on some other posts, I think a few words are pretty innocuous. 
    Join us on Zoom vHerf (Meeting # 2619860114 Password vHerf2020 )
  • Lee.mcglynn
    Lee.mcglynn Posts: 5,960 ✭✭✭✭
    I went through this last year...I grew chocolate scorpions white ghosts,reapers and chocolate ghosts. Honestly I can say buy orchid food to feed them! But yeah start them in small pots work then up to a #5 and then a Home Depot 5gal bucket. If your growning in ground check the ph level of the dirt. Growing certain peppers is a pain and if you don't have the time it's even harder!
    Money can't buy taste
  • peter4jc
    peter4jc Posts: 18,180 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I can attest... @Lee.mcglynn has mad hot-pepper-growing skillz!  He tried to kill me last year, dadgummint!
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bump
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  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Getting started

    https://youtu.be/aDaiFGhxnRY
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  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "Most mortals would wear gloves..."
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Except @Patrickbrick, of course.  He's got sandpaper hands. 

    Just had the Wife roll on some Capzasin on my back and Punisher cigars were a thing on vHerf last night. 
    Post edited by Yakster on
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  • WaterNerd
    WaterNerd Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I always germinate my pepper seeds like this. Works great!


    Growing Chocolate and White Bullet Habanero and Ghost Peppers this year :)


    Here's a pic of my home made greenhouse. Works great and it was cheap to put together
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt
    — Abraham Lincoln


  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Allan, can you share a few more details on construction and use?  I've got some containers like that already. It's that germinating tray heated too?
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  • WaterNerd
    WaterNerd Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here’s everything I use to start my seeds. 31 gallon container, heat mat that I purchased on-line. I found that the heat mat really helps with the germination process. I tried one year without it and it took a lot longer to get the seeds to germinate. Size wise, I just measured the inside of the container and found one that would fit. I went cheap and got one that heats up to about 75-80 degrees but you can get more $$$ units that have a thermostat on them. Grow light. For this size of a greenhouse I went with a 6500K grow light. Works great! One year I tried a non-grow light to try and save a few bucks and yes my peppers grew but they were very thin and small. Grow light normally lasts for 2 seasons. I also have a hydrometer and temp gauge in the container just so I can keep an eye on things. I try to keep the box at 75 – 80 degrees with humidity above 60%

    Here are some helpful links to items I purchased:

    Grow Light:


    Heat Mat:


    Growing trays:

    Pots: Can't find the ones I purchased but will look for them tonight and will post a link. The ones I purchased fit perfectly in the tray above

    I'll post more info on here with photos :)
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt
    — Abraham Lincoln


  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks!
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  • rsherman24
    rsherman24 Posts: 7,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This year while buying the seedling soil, they had bags of worm castings.  I bought a bag and mixed it in, and I have to say this is the best I have ever had my peppers germinate.

    My favorite cigar list here

  • WaterNerd
    WaterNerd Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @rsherman24 Yes worm castings work great! Best price I found was on Amazon Link
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt
    — Abraham Lincoln


  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I hate you guys.
    This area sucks for growing anything. I only got a few peppers last year. 
    Even the store bought ones didn't hardly do anything.

    Although, our lemon cucumbers took off like a weed and we had blackberries, currants, loganberries and blueberries everywhere.
    This year our grape plant should produce some grapes, hopefully.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • Yakster
    Yakster Posts: 31,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They're starting to germinate, moved them to a grow box. 


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