The Gardening Thread

[VolNExile]

Got my sweet peppers trayed up and on the heat mat under my new grow light. Won't catch me not doing peppers in time...again.

Good stuff!

*looks at calendar guiltily*

 

[zhangliao04]

Got my sweet peppers trayed up and on the heat mat under my new grow light. Won't catch me not doing peppers in time...again.

What peppers are you growing?

I’ve got a whole mess of them, but I’m having troubling germinating 2 of the varieties. Even got a heat mat set to 85 F with a humidity dome.

My varieties are:

Jalapeño
Habanada
Poblano
Pepperoncini
Hungarian Paprika
Alma Paprika
Aji Dulce
California Wonder Bell
Carolina Bell
Emerald Giant Bell

None of the Alma have sprouted and only 1 Aji Dulce has sprouted. I’m kinda bummed as I was looking forward to trying them.

 

[VolNExile]

What peppers are you growing?

I’ve got a whole mess of them, but I’m having troubling germinating 2 of the varieties. Even got a heat mat set to 85 F with a humidity dome.

My varieties are:

Jalapeño
Habanada
Poblano
Pepperoncini
Hungarian Paprika
Alma Paprika
Aji Dulce
California Wonder Bell
Carolina Bell
Emerald Giant Bell

None of the Alma have sprouted and only 1 Aji Dulce has sprouted. I’m kinda bummed as I was looking forward to trying them.

How long ago did you plant? Peppers can be excruciatingly slow to germinate.

 

[GVF]

What peppers are you growing?

I’ve got a whole mess of them, but I’m having troubling germinating 2 of the varieties. Even got a heat mat set to 85 F with a humidity dome.

My varieties are:

Jalapeño
Habanada
Poblano
Pepperoncini
Hungarian Paprika
Alma Paprika
Aji Dulce
California Wonder Bell
Carolina Bell
Emerald Giant Bell

None of the Alma have sprouted and only 1 Aji Dulce has sprouted. I’m kinda bummed as I was looking forward to trying them.

I go for weird stuff. Heirloom stuff. Big flavors.

My sweet peppers:
Ajvarski
Lesya
Txorixero
Etuida

Havent started any hots yet. Most of time only do Jalapeno and tobasco or cayene. Just for pepper vinegar.

 

[GVF]

How long ago did you plant? Peppers can be excruciatingly slow to germinate.

Yep. Seeded 2 cups per pepper of 4 varieties. On 3, one of each germinated inside the 3 weeks. Heat mat, plastic wrap top, and grow light. One has yet to germinate. Re-seeded the slack ones last night. The egg plant hasn't germinated yet either.

 

[zhangliao04]

How long ago did you plant? Peppers can be excruciatingly slow to germinate.

Two Sundays ago (8 days). Only reason I am questioning if they will germinate is basically everything else is doing well except for a few. The pepperoncinis and habanadas are about 50% sprouted. Every single bell seed from all 3 varieties sprouted. My jalapeños mostly all sprouted except for maybe 2. Maybe the Alma and Aji Dulce take longer?

I still have them on the heat pad set to 85F with a humidity dome.

Also, my jalapeños are quite leggy even with the grow light. No idea why.

 

[zhangliao04]

Yep. Seeded 2 cups per pepper of 4 varieties. On 3, one of each germinated inside the 3 weeks. Heat mat, plastic wrap top, and grow light. One has yet to germinate. Re-seeded the slack ones last night. The egg plant hasn't germinated yet either.

When do you begin to fertilize your sprouted pepper plants?

 

[GVF]

Two Sundays ago (8 days). Only reason I am questioning if they will germinate is basically everything else is doing well except for a few. The pepperoncinis and habanadas are about 50% sprouted. Every single bell seed from all 3 varieties sprouted. My jalapeños mostly all sprouted except for maybe 2. Maybe the Alma and Aji Dulce take longer?

I still have them on the heat pad set to 85F with a humidity dome.

Also, my jalapeños are quite leggy even with the grow light. No idea why.

How are you running your grow light? I have a timer on mine. Shouldn't go over 10 hours. They need rest. My light runs on with the daylight and off at dusk. Some peppers may sprout sooner than others. Up to 21 days is normal and mostly typical, however. I always remove hunidity covers as soon as any plant has sprouted. 8 days is pretty fast for most peppers. Maybe you're pushing too hard. Also the type of grow light can be a factor. Make sure you have one with all spectrums. White, blue and red light together. Flourescent can be ok. Exie has had success under flourescent, but she said she is switching to a full spectrum light. This my my second year on a heat mat, and first with a grow light. I usually potted stuff up, and put in my brothers green house and hoped for the best.

 

[GVF]

When do you begin to fertilize your sprouted pepper plants?

I figure the potting soil has plenty to carry it through till I transfer to garden. I won't fertilize anything I pre-start until I transplant to garden. Too tender. I'll throw a handful of 10-10-10 aorund the base when I do, and cover with some straw. My down fall is keeping up with fertilizing long term in the garden. I prob don't hit peppers hard enough during the season. They are hungry plants.

 

[VolNExile]

Two Sundays ago (8 days). Only reason I am questioning if they will germinate is basically everything else is doing well except for a few. The pepperoncinis and habanadas are about 50% sprouted. Every single bell seed from all 3 varieties sprouted. My jalapeños mostly all sprouted except for maybe 2. Maybe the Alma and Aji Dulce take longer?

I still have them on the heat pad set to 85F with a humidity dome.

Also, my jalapeños are quite leggy even with the grow light. No idea why.

Re: the leggy jalapeños: how high above the top of the seedlings are the grow light bulbs?

Edit: nm, I see that GVF already replied.

*back to chasing toddler grandkid*

 

[GVF]

Re: the leggy jalapeños: how high above the top of the seedlings are the grow light bulbs?

Edit: nm, I see that GVF already replied.

*back to chasing toddler grandkid*

Good point though. You don't want the light so far overhead the plants are shooting up leggy searching for it. It is my first year using a light, so I hope i guessed right, but my light is about 14 inches give or take above the tray I think. You also don't want to be too low to keep from burning the seedlings. They are very tender after sprouting.

 

[GVF]

Even if you buy pepper plants, and skip the fun of knowing you did it from seed, you still have to be patient. And they are mostly easy, but can have off years. Last year, couldn't hardly get any. Year before couldn't keep up with the picking. And word to the wise, if you fancy trying Tobasco, be prepapred to harvest. I planted 2 store boughts year before last, and had as many peppers still on them when I pulled them up as I had hrvested for pepper vinegar.

Buying hots is normal for me. I only grow them for pepper vingar for soups and gumbos. If I eat any, they will be out of those jars. So, I may get up to four of Jalepeno, Tobasco, Cayene, Cherry mix. Hot cherry's make a wonderful flavor combo to pepper vinegars. Jalapeno/cayenne/hot cherry has been one of my best vinegars.

 

[GVF]

Re: the leggy jalapeños: how high above the top of the seedlings are the grow light bulbs?

Edit: nm, I see that GVF already replied.

*back to chasing toddler grandkid*

But, you are a seasoned pro at grow lights and starting early. My patience is geared toward getting some warm weather and thowing the seed out. I ordered my heirloom mater plants for a while. But, that got so expensive. I've just really started migrating to seed trays heavily the last couple years. As long as my mater ventures come thru and my green beans produce, I take what I get in stride on the rest of the garden.

You'll be proud of me though. I'm adding a 6 opening grow bag this year for potatoes and carrots and maybe some golden beats. And my wife has asked a few times why we (meaning me) don't do strawberries. I've considered also trying onions, but haven't committed.

We love asparagus, but I've never tried starting a patch. What I've read up on seems to be alot of maintenance ??

 

[zhangliao04]

How are you running your grow light? I have a timer on mine. Shouldn't go over 10 hours. They need rest. My light runs on with the daylight and off at dusk. Some peppers may sprout sooner than others. Up to 21 days is normal and mostly typical, however. I always remove hunidity covers as soon as any plant has sprouted. 8 days is pretty fast for most peppers. Maybe you're pushing too hard. Also the type of grow light can be a factor. Make sure you have one with all spectrums. White, blue and red light together. Flourescent can be ok. Exie has had success under flourescent, but she said she is switching to a full spectrum light. This my my second year on a heat mat, and first with a grow light. I usually potted stuff up, and put in my brothers green house and hoped for the best.

Re: the leggy jalapeños: how high above the top of the seedlings are the grow light bulbs?

Edit: nm, I see that GVF already replied.

*back to chasing toddler grandkid*

I have a Spider Farmer 1000 EVO 2024 edition. It’s dimmed to 50-60% power per the instructions that came with the light. And it is situated right at 2’ above the seedlings.

Since I’m new to growing peppers I’ve been watching a bunch of videos on YouTube from this couple. Their channel is called Pepper Geeks. They have been really helpful. But they live in the North East so I have to adjust to East Tennessee weather.

Also, I’ve been running the light from ~7AM to ~ 10PM every day. I have read you want around 16 hours for seedlings, but without a timer I can’t get that so I figured what I’m giving them is good enough.

 

[VolNExile]

I have a Spider Farmer 1000 EVO 2024 edition. It’s dimmed to 50-60% power per the instructions that came with the light. And it is situated right at 2’ above the seedlings.

Since I’m new to growing peppers I’ve been watching a bunch of videos on YouTube from this couple. Their channel is called Pepper Geeks. They have been really helpful. But they live in the North East so I have to adjust to East Tennessee weather.

Also, I’ve been running the light from ~7AM to ~ 10PM every day. I have read you want around 16 hours for seedlings, but without a timer I can’t get that so I figured what I’m giving them is good enough.

You wrote 2' - 2 feet, or 2 inches? (Should be inches.)

I do keep my fluorescent* lights 2-3 inches above the plant tops, as the lights put out no appreciable heat and are kind of puny in light intensity. Since you have a Fancy Light Gadget™, I'd go with their instructions, especially since they have you fine-tuning the intensity.

Do you have any means of getting them in bright sunlight? (not outdoors yet.) I don't have this option, as our house has very deep eaves, and there just isn't enough sunlight reaching the sills. If your lights aren't full-spectrum (matching sunlight), maybe that's it? Seems unlikely, though.

If you haven't done so, be sure to ditch the humidity domes as soon as most of the seedlings pop up, or at least prop the domes up to allow good air circulation. Few things are more depressing that watching an entire tray of seedling die overnight (or over-day) from damping-off, a fungal disease.


*I never got around to ordering true growlights, although I may still switch out. My husband is using what we have for his own little projects.

 

[VolNExile]

But, you are a seasoned pro at grow lights and starting early. My patience is geared toward getting some warm weather and thowing the seed out. I ordered my heirloom mater plants for a while. But, that got so expensive. I've just really started migrating to seed trays heavily the last couple years. As long as my mater ventures come thru and my green beans produce, I take what I get in stride on the rest of the garden.

You'll be proud of me though. I'm adding a 6 opening grow bag this year for potatoes and carrots and maybe some golden beats. And my wife has asked a few times why we (meaning me) don't do strawberries. I've considered also trying onions, but haven't committed.

We love asparagus, but I've never tried starting a patch. What I've read up on seems to be alot of maintenance ??

We're in the same position with asparagus, and also some fruiting vines and bushes. It would be super-irritating to have the things finally producing just as we (the humans) up and die!

 

[zhangliao04]

You wrote 2' - 2 feet, or 2 inches? (Should be inches.)

I do keep my fluorescent* lights 2-3 inches above the plant tops, as the lights put out no appreciable heat and are kind of puny in light intensity. Since you have a Fancy Light Gadget™, I'd go with their instructions, especially since they have you fine-tuning the intensity.

Do you have any means of getting them in bright sunlight? (not outdoors yet.) I don't have this option, as our house has very deep eaves, and there just isn't enough sunlight reaching the sills. If your lights aren't full-spectrum (matching sunlight), maybe that's it? Seems unlikely, though.

If you haven't done so, be sure to ditch the humidity domes as soon as most of the seedlings pop up, or at least prop the domes up to allow good air circulation. Few things are more depressing that watching an entire tray of seedling die overnight (or over-day) from damping-off, a fungal disease.


*I never got around to ordering true growlights, although I may still switch out. My husband is using what we have for his own little projects.

The light is full spectrum LED so 2 inches is way close. The seedling would definitely feel the burn at that point .

I ditched the humidity dome for the seedlings that have sprouted. The ones that haven’t yet are still under the dome with a heat mat underneath. And sadly my house does get sun, but never long in one place. Another reason I have a grow light.

I may try seeding some more of the 2 varieties that haven’t sprouted yet to increase my chance of germination. May be slightly late, but it’s worth trying. And these varieties may take a way longer than the others.

 

[GVF]

We're in the same position with asparagus, and also some fruiting vines and bushes. It would be super-irritating to have the things finally producing just as we (the humans) up and die!

Gurney's has the worlds only season long bearing seedless red grape and it produces first year.

 

[GVF]

The light is full spectrum LED so 2 inches is way close. The seedling would definitely feel the burn at that point .

I ditched the humidity dome for the seedlings that have sprouted. The ones that haven’t yet are still under the dome with a heat mat underneath. And sadly my house does get sun, but never long in one place. Another reason I have a grow light.

I may try seeding some more of the 2 varieties that haven’t sprouted yet to increase my chance of germination. May be slightly late, but it’s worth trying. And these varieties may take a way longer than the others.

I wouldn't worry about a pepper unless it is near or past 21 days. You can also ease your cup open around where you dropped the seed with a pencil or something. And very carefully see if you see a sprout. Then re-seed. I actually did that yesterday on 3-4 cups when everything else had come up.

 

[zhangliao04]

I wouldn't worry about a pepper unless it is near or past 21 days. You can also ease your cup open around where you dropped the seed with a pencil or something. And very carefully see if you see a sprout. Then re-seed. I actually did that yesterday on 3-4 cups when everything else had come up.

I did that with one seed this morning. Gonna look at all of the others tonight and see if I see any sprouting yet.

 

[zhangliao04]

Gurney's has the worlds only season long bearing seedless red grape and it produces first year.

I’ve thought about doing grapes, just haven’t gotten around to finding the ones I want.

 

[GVF]

I’ve thought about doing grapes, just haven’t gotten around to finding the ones I want.

I wasn't planning on it till I saw this one on Gurney's. It's exclusive to them. Called Razmatazz. Best I can tell it's a cross between seedless red and muscadine. Color and sweetness of a red. Ease of growth and season long production of a muscadine. No spraying or anything required. Mine finally shipped and arrives today. Seems to be the perfect home gardener addition to a home orchard.

My bush cherry just shipped yesterday from Washington. A Carmine Jewel. All purpose cherry sweet enough to eat fresh, but also holds up to cooking and canning. Didn't want a cherry tree, and these bush cherries produce quickly. May even get a small crop year 1. Can get it anywhere just about. All the online nurseries. I just found it at this website in Washington for 33.00 plus shipping. All in was cheaper than just the plant everywhere else.

After I get them in the ground I will be set except for strawberries in the fruit world. What I'm looking forward to the most is cooking down some fig preserves. Buttered toast heaven there I say.

2 Apples
2 Fig
1 Peach
1 Blackberry
1 Raspberry
5 Blueberry
1 Cherry
1 Grape

 

[zhangliao04]

I wasn't planning on it till I saw this one on Gurney's. It's exclusive to them. Called Razmatazz. Best I can tell it's a cross between seedless red and muscadine. Color and sweetness of a red. Ease of growth and season long production of a muscadine. No spraying or anything required. Mine finally shipped and arrives today. Seems to be the perfect home gardener addition to a home orchard.

My bush cherry just shipped yesterday from Washington. A Carmine Jewel. All purpose cherry sweet enough to eat fresh, but also holds up to cooking and canning. Didn't want a cherry tree, and these bush cherries produce quickly. May even get a small crop year 1. Can get it anywhere just about. All the online nurseries. I just found it at this website in Washington for 33.00 plus shipping. All in was cheaper than just the plant everywhere else.

After I get them in the ground I will be set except for strawberries in the fruit world. What I'm looking forward to the most is cooking down some fig preserves. Buttered toast heaven there I say.

2 Apples
2 Fig
1 Peach
1 Blackberry
1 Raspberry
5 Blueberry
1 Cherry
1 Grape

I’ll check both the grape and cherry bush out. I’ve been wanting to add to my berry production: 6 blueberry bushes from 3 varieties (Premier, Brightwell, and Pink Lemonade) and thornless raspberry bushes (Joan J.). Those raspberry bushes produced a ton last year and started overtaking my blueberries so I moved them further away. I’ll have to deal with runners amongst the blueberries now, but that’s fine. I also got stuff to build a trellis for the raspberries this year (they are starting to come up now).

I bought 2 peach trees from Arbor Day Foundation (Belle of Georgia and Contender). From a lot of reading these 2 seem very resistant against late frosts for a peach tree and will pollinate each other. So I’m excited as this will be my first adventure into fruit trees.

 

[GVF]

I’ll check both the grape and cherry bush out. I’ve been wanting to add to my berry production: 6 blueberry bushes from 3 varieties (Premier, Brightwell, and Pink Lemonade) and thornless raspberry bushes (Joan J.). Those raspberry bushes produced a ton last year and started overtaking my blueberries so I moved them further away. I’ll have to deal with runners amongst the blueberries now, but that’s fine. I also got stuff to build a trellis for the raspberries this year (they are starting to come up now).

I bought 2 peach trees from Arbor Day Foundation (Belle of Georgia and Contender). From a lot of reading these 2 seem very resistant against late frosts for a peach tree and will pollinate each other. So I’m excited as this will be my first adventure into fruit trees.

Not sure where you are located but both of those peaches are very good. My locally owned garden center steered me to Contender for this area on the Cumberland Plateau. The Contender actually self pollinates but benefits from a second peach.

I've got one Pink Lemonade Blueberry. My step son loves his. Plus 2 Tifblue and 2 Climax. My raspberry is a Caroline planted a few months ago. My blackberry is a Sweet-Ark Ponca thornless also planted recently. More of a central trunk bush than a brambler. Only thing I've had in the ground for a while is a Gala Apple that hasn't had a pollinator in several years so never set fruit. THe pollinator died. Just replaced it with a Liberty. So hoping to get a few apples this year off te Gala.

Nice thing about the bush cherry is it caps out at about 6 foot. Carmine Jewel is a bush, not a nanking cherry. A regular nanking dwarf bush/tree is a tart. THe Carmine Jewel is a bit sweeter.

 

[zhangliao04]

Not sure where you are located but both of those peaches are very good. My locally owned garden center steered me to Contender for this area on the Cumberland Plateau. The Contender actually self pollinates but benefits from a second peach.

I've got one Pink Lemonade Blueberry. My step son loves his. Plus 2 Tifblue and 2 Climax. My raspberry is a Caroline planted a few months ago. My blackberry is a Sweet-Ark Ponca thornless also planted recently. More of a central trunk bush than a brambler. Only thing I've had in the ground for a while is a Gala Apple that hasn't had a pollinator in several years so never set fruit. THe pollinator died. Just replaced it with a Liberty. So hoping to get a few apples this year off te Gala.

Nice thing about the bush cherry is it caps out at about 6 foot. Carmine Jewel is a bush, not a nanking cherry. A regular nanking dwarf bush/tree is a tart. THe Carmine Jewel is a bit sweeter.

I’m in the Alcoa/Maryville area. The late March/April frosts we tend to get is one of the reasons I chose these 2 peach varieties. Wanted freestone, sweet, and self pollinating. And even though these both are self pollinating my research came back that both of these varieties benefit from having a second peach tree of a different variety. And since both varieties set fruit and produce at the same time they should be good together.

Have you found that you need bird netting and a trunk cover for your peach tree?

This year I plan on no peaches and just trying to focus on tree/root growth. Pluck all flowers that emerge (if any actually do) and fertilize them for growth.

My in-laws have 2 dwarf cherry trees. I may have to wait until next year, but I’d like to eventually try a cherry bush/tree.