I thought it would be a good idea to try hydroponics this time after growing chiles for 2 years in soil. I decided to grow my chiles in waterfarms and passive hydros.
25.1.2009
This was my name's day as well(a finnish habit for celebrating your own name for no obvious reason). I sowed the seeds in small rockwoolcubes.
The varietes from left to right: Jalapeno, Bhut Jolokia, Short Yellow Tabasco, Spanish Red, Cayenne Long Slim, Aji Cristal, Bangalore Torpedo, Red Habanero, Numex Twilight, Thai Chili, Red Serenade, Bolivian Rainbow, Xmas Chinense.
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1.2.2009
I bought a heating mat from a pet store to optimise the temperature in the germinating tray. On the left is a dead Cayenne Long Slim from the last year.
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10.2.2009
I bought a shelf and some fluorecent lights for the chilis. The germinating has started well.
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12.2.2009
I planted a Spanish Red seedling to its own pot. The outer pot is a bit tight to the inner one so it leaves a perfectly good space for the water on the bottom.
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23.2.2009
The Seedlings are growing. in the lower picture Aji Cristal seedling is being supported by toothpicks.
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24.2.2009
Time to move the seedlings into hydroponic systems. I decided to keep 9 plants for myself. 21 plants were given to friends and relatives. I was suprised to see how eager and delighted people were to get chili seedlings on their window sills.
I planted 2 on waterfarms and the rest on passive hydros.
On Waterfarms: Aji Cristal & Bhut Jolokia
On Passive Hydros: Aji Cristal, Short Yellow Tabasco, Red Habanero, Jalapeno, Cayenne Long Slim, Bolivian Rainbow and Numex Twilight
Aji Cristal
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Bhut Jolokia
Jalapeno
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On the window sill: Cayenne Long Slim, Bolivian Rainbow and Numex Twilight
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Nice diary, easy to follow!
Looks very promising, if you maintain that growing style you will have a great autumn with the harvest. :)
Nice, but the telegram style though... Never mind good to see you here! :)
Yeah. I actually dont know how to put the pictures in the middle so i do it the only way i can. I can also attach max 2 pics per message so bear me with this. But let the story continue...
8.3.2009
While my own chilis were enjoying their stay in hydros, the "friend chilis" were still dwelling at the germinating tray waiting for a pickup. Here's some roots of a jalapeno.
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12.3.2009
The chiles in waterfarms were growing a lot faster than ones in passive hydros. Aji Cristal was growing upwards at a growing rate. At this point the growth accelerated to maybe 1cm/day. Bhut Jolokia on the other hand preferred its small size growing only more leafs and no height.
And as we can see i named the pictures the wrong way around.. Smaller is jolokia.
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12.3.2009
The Spanish Red got lazy at one point and started leaning on the pot. So it kind of got bent doing that..
On the picture below is my chili shelf. Some of you might think growing chiles is quite easy, but i needed advaced engineering mathematics to do that. I dedicate this picture to my schoolmates who used to think buying the books was useless back then.
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21.3.2009
At this point all the friend chiles were taken to new homes (exept the curved Spanish Red). Aji Cristals fast grow rate made me do some adjustments on the shelf. I took off the middle shelf and the germinating tray. I also needed more books to raise the waterfarms closer to light. I thought it was faster to take off the books than to move the shelf up.
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21.3.2009
2 picks from the upper shelf. Jalapeno and Short yellow tabasco growing in passive hydros
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21.3.2009
I measured the growth of Aji Cristal.
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24.3.2009
Oops. I forgot to water the Spanish Red. It did wake up later thou.
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24-25.3.2009
I decided to make experiments with cutting. I cut my second Aji Cristal and Cayenne Long Slim. I admit Cayenne was quite small to be cut, but i just wanted to see what happens.
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25.3.2009
Aji Cristals growth here to see. 4 days after previous measurement it had grown 8 cm
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26.3.2009
Waterfarms: Aji Cristal and Bhut Jolokia
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26.3.2009
When you leave an engineer with chilis, its just no fun without technology. Upper shelf passive hydros became bubblers.
Short Yellow Tabasco was already starting to make flowers. I decided to pick them out at this point.
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I'm very interested to see more passive hydro results, I found it to be much better than expected!
I'd just like to know if it works for other chileheads too!
29.3.2009
The cutting experiment worked. Cayenne Long Slim and the smaller Aji Cristal were making new branches. Time to cut The bigger plant too.
Aji Cristal making 3 new branches
Cayenne making 2 branches
The difference in these plants were conditions. Cayenne was growing on a window sill while Aji Cristal was enjoying the artificial light on the shelf.
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29.3.2009
Time to Cut the big Aji Cristal too. It just didn't fit under the lamp and wasn't growing any brances.
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Lainaus käyttäjältä: Saudijoe - huhtikuu 09, 2009, 02:41:22 AP
26.3.2009
When you leave an engineer with chilis, its just no fun without technology. Upper shelf passive hydros became bubblers.
Short Yellow Tabasco was already starting to make flowers. I decided to pick them out at this point.
Heey you an engineer, what kinda field your in. Technology is food for the brain :)
lee
My field is rock engineering and engineering geology.
16.4.2009
Something wrong with short yellow tabasco? It looks like it wants to kill himself. Looks like i need to change water to every pot.
Lower picture shows whats in the bottom of the pot.
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16.4.2009
Aji Cristal in Waterfarm
Bhut Jolokia in waterfarm
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16.4.2009
Jalapeno was feeling good. I've had problems with overfertilizing but this one was growing nicely.
Aji Cristal on the other hand stopped growing and habanero has been slow as well. I think Aji is suffering from overdose of blusana lewantit. A fertilizer u just cant overdose. Well, apparently i can.
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That bottom of the pot looks like that you haven't washed your growing medium well enough.
I agree.. it is a dust from expanded clay which settled down
Lainaus käyttäjältä: tadytomas - huhtikuu 18, 2009, 09:33:46 AP
I agree.. it is a dust from expanded clay which settled down
Actually in that pot the dust you see is grains of slowly dissolving nutricient called Blusana Lewantit. Also there was 2 furniture feet made of rubber and steel trying to increaase the waterspace under the plant.
I did have that clay dust in the bottoms of both my waterfarms thou.
I was wondering whether making my passive hydros into bubblers was a good idea. 3 of 4 plants look like they've had an overdose of nutricients. Could it be that the nutricient used for passive hydros are just not right for bubblers. The nutricient was supposed to be the kind you dont need to change for 3 months. And the passive hydros which stayed passive are looking healthy and definitely not overly nutrified. I'm guessing the bubbling (oxygen?) may have dissolved more nutricients than normally would. Any opinions on this one??
I have similar problems with Blusana Levavit. Except I'm on passive hydros. Today I turned them to bumblers. So let's see what happens...
Lainaus käyttäjältä: CyberDog - huhtikuu 20, 2009, 18:10:59 IP
I have similar problems with Blusana Levavit. Except I'm on passive hydros. Today I turned them to bumblers. So let's see what happens...
Sounds like your repeating my mistake. The plants did start to grow a bit faster when i turned them to bubblers but 3 of 4 stopped growing and look quite ill now. I think the bubbling was making blusana dissolve too much. i turned mine back into passives. Maybe you should try to use different nutricient on the bubblers. I'm intrested to see what happens with your bubbler experiment.
I just put the air cable to water container of these http://www.huuto.net/fi/showitem.php3?itemid=101514209 (http://www.huuto.net/fi/showitem.php3?itemid=101514209) Mine are same except bigger. I was thinking that the roots will get too little air. But now I'm thinking that the solution is too basic. I tested it with baking soda and it didn't fizzle at all. It should fizzle when it's acidic. My Siperian House Pepper (C. Annuum) is growing ok. But has little brown spots on leaves. The CGN 22871 (C. Baccatum) is really bad.
22.4.2009
I'm learning to use the links now.
Aji Cristal on Waterfarm.
(http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2807/img1414o.jpg)
And heres Bhut Jolokia with Aji Cristal on the background. Lately Bhut Jolokia has started bending from the top. The direction seems to vary a bit. I tied it to a small skewer with wire to support it.
(http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8185/img1417.jpg)
Short Yellow Tabasco had its heyday. Maybe it shall recover to glory?
(http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/5862/img1420.jpg)
22.4.2009
Heres my jalapeno. The only healthy survivor of the bubbler experiment moved to window sill today.
(http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/7963/img1462.jpg)
I have plucked off a lot of these flowers. Now i'm thinking of stopping and letting them grow.
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5461/img1467.jpg)
Bolivian Rainbow spent a lot of time in the window sill. Now it has found new home in the shelf.
(http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/7861/img1422.jpg)
Cayenne Long Slim moved to the shelf today. Until today it has grown on the window sill getting only sunlight.
(http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/2351/img1424.jpg)
Here's Numex Twilight in a passive hydro:
(http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/1064/img1460.jpg)
Now alongside Short Yellow Tabasco, there were two other victims of the bubbler experiment:
Red Habanero
(http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9930/img1457.jpg)
Aji Cristal
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8962/img1440nhc.jpg)
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4393/img1442a.jpg)
Those look exactly same as mine. Except mine is much worse. I transfer them to soil. The worse plant wasn't grown any roots on hydro :-[
It's because of nitrogen overdose. I washed the roots and the pot today. Maybe you should do the same? They say that the new leaves that grow will be okay. Lets see if it turns out okay.
Mine is already in soil. So no luck with that. I'll probably try again at later time when I have to chance to bigger pots. How it can be nitrogen overdose if I only used Levavit at recomended (form the box) way?
Someone talked about a typo or something on some passive hydro fert instructions... I always applied just a little with a spoon, no prob so far.. always easier to add more than overfertilize which can cause a stunting with the growth for a long time!
Lainaus käyttäjältä: CyberDog - huhtikuu 23, 2009, 11:59:45 AP
Mine is already in soil. So no luck with that. I'll probably try again at later time when I have to chance to bigger pots. How it can be nitrogen overdose if I only used Levavit at recomended (form the box) way?
I quess chilis tend to like it less with this stuff as well. I also believe that the airpump made the water move which might have accelerated dissolving of the levantit. After all these problems only occured in my bubblers.
25.4.2009
Today Jalapeno started to bloom
(http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/249/img1480x.jpg)
Seems like you're getting some fresh Jals soon ;)
Just remember, they might be a little hotter than you expect, especially when grown outdoors!
Black Jals (darkened by the sun) will nearly kill you!
Good stuff to give to your friends... "it's just a Jalapeno"... ;)
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Fatalii - huhtikuu 27, 2009, 10:56:33 AP
Seems like you're getting some fresh Jals soon ;)
Just remember, they might be a little hotter than you expect, especially when grown outdoors!
Black Jals (darkened by the sun) will nearly kill you!
Good stuff to give to your friends... "it's just a Jalapeno"... ;)
That's true. My Jalapeño pods were blackened by the sun in GH during last summer and I can tell you those were killer hot Jals indeed. Very tasty with nasty burn... ;)
Lainaus käyttäjältä: wille - huhtikuu 27, 2009, 13:21:26 IP
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Fatalii - huhtikuu 27, 2009, 10:56:33 AP
Seems like you're getting some fresh Jals soon ;)
Just remember, they might be a little hotter than you expect, especially when grown outdoors!
Black Jals (darkened by the sun) will nearly kill you!
Good stuff to give to your friends... "it's just a Jalapeno"... ;)
That's true. My Jalapeño pods were blackened by the sun in GH during last summer and I can tell you those were killer hot Jals indeed. Very tasty with nasty burn... ;)
MMmmm, Jalapeño ... 8) I'm gonna stuff some with cheddar. Have to get a recipe for that.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-Cheddar-Jalapeno-Poppers/Detail.aspx
Lainaus käyttäjältä: lee - huhtikuu 27, 2009, 21:52:13 IP
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-Cheddar-Jalapeno-Poppers/Detail.aspx
Sounds tasty, lee. Can you do that in an oven?
yeah, off course.
Simple recipe.
Slice Jalapeños in half, remove seeds
Fill with cheddar and wrap with bacon. Put them in a fridge for 1 hour and then in oven at approx. 200 degrees C
You see when there done.. Eat and enjoy
You can make a meat stuffing mixed with cheese etc.. whatever you like!
Today i tested the recipe. Tasted very good even thou i didnt have any jalapenos. I cheated and bouhgt Red Serenades from a grocery store nearby. I also skipped the fridge part and didn't precook the bacon either.
The main thing is that it taste's good :)
3.5.2009
I put all the chili's for all water diet for a while. Lets see if it does them good.
8.5.2009
Numex Twilight started to bloom. It actually started earlier already but i forgot to polinate the 2 first flowers so i had to dedicate to grim reaper. New ones came still.
(http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/324/img1546.jpg)
(http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/9569/img1576a.jpg)
8.5.2009
Jalapeños
(http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4057/img1564o.jpg)
(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3120/img1560m.jpg)
31.5.2009
This was the day i've been waiting for. Finally the weather is warm enouhg for moving the chilis outdoors on the balcony. I changed the waters and fertilizers for all of the chilis.
As you can see, theres all shapes and sizes. all seeds sown on the same day.. The big wide one in the middle is Bhut Jolokia.
(http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3042/ulkona7.jpg)
Bolivian Rainbow is in bloom
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7960/ulkona1.jpg)
And its pod
(http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/4775/ulkona14.jpg)
Numex Twilight has some pods as well. Half Yellow, half purple
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2251/ulkona2.jpg)
Aji Cristal has reached heigth of 1 meter. It seems very slender and i wonder if the branches have any capasity for the pods at all. Also the leaves tend to curl up
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9086/ulkona10.jpg)
Bhut Jolokia seems healthy and is nearly 1 meter wide
(http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4248/ulkona9.jpg)
Bhut is AWSOME!
Saudijoe, don't worry about the Cristal... when it's sunny for a little while, it will explode. :)
Saudijoe fantastic set of plants you have there and some real beauty's in terms of health and condition,Well done buddy ;)
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Fatalii - kesäkuu 05, 2009, 09:40:49 AP
Saudijoe, don't worry about the Cristal... when it's sunny for a little while, it will explode. :)
Good to hear. I thought i might have spoiled the crops by cutting the plant few months ago.
That bhut has some big leaves. Plants looking really healthy!,
Lainaus käyttäjältä: lee - kesäkuu 07, 2009, 22:31:37 IP
That bhut has some big leaves. Plants looking really healthy!,
And its growing two more branches in the middle (you cant see that on the pictures). The leaves are about 25cm. I'm eager to see what happens when they get more direct sunlight. Bolivian rainbows leaves have turned really dark now.
10.6.2009
Some of the plants have encountered problems. Bhut Jolokia, my favourite son, has some pale leaves. I suspect that they have been burnt in the sun. Some of the leaves have started to dry up. Bolivian Rainbow has turned black in the sun and looks quite impressive that way.
Bolivian Rainbow:
(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2599/img1771i.jpg)
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3353/img1772h.jpg)
Bhut Jolokias injuries:
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/1578/img1770x.jpg)
(http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1120/img1765t.jpg)
(http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/7219/img1766k.jpg)
10.6.2009
Some of the plants just refuse to grow. I dont know if they have partially died or if they're just stubborn.
The Red Habanero insists to be a small plant:
(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8881/img1777i.jpg)
The Bonsai-like appearance of Short Yellow Tabasco. A Mystical event decapitated the plant and it lost one of the top branches. Also the water level meter got broken a bit due to the incident. I Suspect a chair fell on it in the wind. Luckily it didnt damage any of the good plants.
(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4540/img1775o.jpg)
Does anyone know what are those damages in my Bhut Jolokia? Hope its not a plant disease..
Hi! That's just heat burns. Don't worry.
BTW, I'd say that yer BR is Nigerian Rainbow :) As beautiful as african girls are :) Glossy, blacky and graceful :)
Maybe i took cloth off the plants too early? Well, good to hear its not a disease.
Nigerian Rainbow? Havent heard of that? Is that some kind of variety of bolivian then? The leaves used to be green for many months until they met the sun. The new leaves it makes start off green as well, but blacken quite fast.
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Jah - kesäkuu 12, 2009, 10:49:52 AP
Hi! That's just heat burns. Don't worry.
BTW, I'd say that yer BR is Nigerian Rainbow :) As beautiful as african girls are :) Glossy, blacky and graceful :)
LainaaNigerian Rainbow? Havent heard of that? Is that some kind of variety of bolivian then?
That's just a joke :)
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Jah - kesäkuu 14, 2009, 20:05:24 IP
LainaaNigerian Rainbow? Havent heard of that? Is that some kind of variety of bolivian then?
That's just a joke :)
Of course.. Lack of sleep seems to have made me stupid :D
Be careful with that. That may cause making a salad of Habaneros. Eating it will lead to drop one of your eyes out. The one growing extremal peppers should be very-very careful about his mental condition.
:D
Those burn marks really indicate you took the shading off way too early!
The color of the BR shows that they get PLENTY of sun... that's very good for the harvest you will get!
That BR is really STUNNING :D
1.7.2009
A setback for growing. I had to move the chilis back indoors because of the repair works on the balcony. im also leaving to tour the europe for 1,5 weeks and the watering is left to my brand new ex-girlfriend who is moving out of the apartment.. Im terrified to see what is the chili survival rate when i come back...
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Saudijoe - huhtikuu 28, 2009, 22:47:59 IP
Today i tested the recipe. Tasted very good even thou i didnt have any jalapenos. I cheated and bouhgt Red Serenades from a grocery store nearby. I also skipped the fridge part and didn't precook the bacon either.
I decided to do the same, with blue cheese used instead of cheddar, to my two Red Serenade (produced by a plant germinated by Saudijoe) pods that the plant managed to produce. I too cheated a bit and bought Fatalii's Aji Cristals from grocery store and made one of them my control sample. I hope that your plants will survive the period of drought.
That Bolivian Rainbow is a beautifull plant when its full of pods
I came back from my european tour-holiday. Meanwhile the big Aji Cristal started blooming and Bhut Jolokia has produced a number of flowerbuds that i´m unable to count.
Funny to see that a growth explosion happened indoors. I moved the plants in front of a window that gets sun from dawn until 13.00.
So i guess they didn't die afterall.
Did you visit A'Dam?
Lainaus käyttäjältä: lee - heinäkuu 13, 2009, 23:49:36 IP
Did you visit A'Dam?
We planned to but got tired of driving that day and stayed at Rotterdam instead.
Our route was Copenhagen-Roskilde-Bonn-Reims-Rotterdam-Helsinborg-Gothenburg. The germany-france day was touring the riversides of Rhein and Mosel and the french countryside.