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Ducatiboy stu said:
Do you get frosts ?

Regardless, cut them back hard after fruiting to a stump, if you get frost then cover in saw dust
I'm thinking of running a few led lights and trying to grow year round.
It's not that cold where I am.
 
If anybody wants some free seeds just message me. They are all hot to my tastes but happy to share.
 
Taken from 'The Complete Chile Pepper Book'.

1495400982170.jpg
 
tugger said:
I'm thinking of running a few led lights and trying to grow year round.
It's not that cold where I am.
You can also go for CFLs and a couple of desk lamps. Most seem to say the 5000k + (cool daylight) in the highest wattage you can get are the ones to go for. I've taken to self watering planter boxes and CFLs to grow my less cold tolerant herbs and its working fine. Now I'll be able to enjoy fresh pesto or Thyme on my pizza year round. Probably.
I picked up one of these off e bay for peanuts. It has yet to short out or catch fire.

61lAcxuZF5L._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg
 
Trouble with growing " under lights " is you need A LOT of light...equivalent of mid afternoon sun

What are you trying to achieve by growing under lights ?
 
I live in a very cold place (on top of a mountain in Victoria) & have a bugger of a time getting chilli seeds to germinate naturally.

I've been thinking I could get them going inside (warm) & growing (under lights) before transferring them outside to the veggie patch once they're established.

Nothing but Rocoto will survive a winter up here & even that's a challenge.

Not such a silly idea..
 
Mine grow all year. 750 m above sea level in north qld, it gets cool here. Some places have the odd frost, we don't thoough.

I was lucky enough the get a kashmiri chilli bush. Great chilli. Put heaps in the dehydrator and have a few jars of dry ones. Hopefully the dropped ones sprout and I get more.
 
tugger said:
I'm thinking of running a few led lights and trying to grow year round.
It's not that cold where I am.
I used lights to plunge into a high yield season by raising chilli seedlings under lights in winter. So they were well established little shrubs by the time Spring came around. Then ween them for the outdoors and sunlight through early spring. When you do this don't put them out into direct sunlight, more like shaded areas and then partial shade for a month then they should be hardy enough for full sun. I did get some early fruit when they were under lights but its just not the same. For interest I've got loads of fruit now and that's good for pickings until late winter. Some breeds go all year round. At this rate I have far more then I can use and give away and to last all year round. Freeze them, pickle them, dry them etc.
 
OK, you've got my attention. That sounds like the ideal proposition for all of my chilli/herb/tomato projects for next year.

Any advice/referrals/info? Gratefully received, as you're in the same sorta geographic region as me.
 
MartinOC said:
OK, you've got my attention. That sounds like the ideal proposition for all of my chilli/herb/tomato projects for next year.

Any advice/referrals/info? Gratefully received, as you're in the same sorta geographic region as me.
Assuming your following on my post.
I actually got given some of those Hydroponic light shades/reflector with the big screw in bulbs fittings you can only get at hydroponic stores.
I didn't use the HID high wattage lights. I used the low wattage fluro energy saver type globes that are around 80 watt.
Sorry I have no internet link. Vaguely I think the shade/reflector ~ $100. 80w Fluro energy saver bulb ~ $50. Its some time ago now. That was good for a little grow space I set up 1m wide, 2m long and only 1m high. Keep the lights as close to the plants as possible. Move the light around to favour lower plants. A perfect temp range environment for germination as well between 20 to 30c.
Oh, and with a little fan for good air circulation. Flat white painted walls or I had white Polystyrene sheat best insulation and light reflection. Because I'm a hobby geek etc...
Scurried through my photobucket archive for example pic.
My first Bhut Jolokia. (Ghost Pepper) raised from seed in winter. This is about 6 months old. You can only see the chilli's when their red but I got at least 120 chilli off the first seasons.
 
Ducatiboy stu said:
Trouble with growing " under lights " is you need A LOT of light...equivalent of mid afternoon sun

What are you trying to achieve by growing under lights ?
The sun is so like 4.6 billion years ago. Get with the times.

That, and you can run lights 24/7. Not sure if need to switch back to 12/12 to get em to flower / fruit though.
 
grott said:
If your paying the electricity rates as in SA each chilli on the bush would be worth a few bucks each. :)
More than what the " other " bush is worth
 
grott said:
If your paying the electricity rates as in SA each chilli on the bush would be worth a few bucks each. :)
I thought you guys were all solar panels and wind turbines in SA. Dont you get your power for free?
 
Danscraftbeer said:
Assuming your following on my post.
I actually got given some of those Hydroponic light shades/reflector with the big screw in bulbs fittings you can only get at hydroponic stores.
I didn't use the HID high wattage lights. I used the low wattage fluro energy saver type globes that are around 80 watt.
Sorry I have no internet link. Vaguely I think the shade/reflector ~ $100. 80w Fluro energy saver bulb ~ $50. Its some time ago now. That was good for a little grow space I set up 1m wide, 2m long and only 1m high. Keep the lights as close to the plants as possible. Move the light around to favour lower plants. A perfect temp range environment for germination as well between 20 to 30c.
Oh, and with a little fan for good air circulation. Flat white painted walls or I had white Polystyrene sheat best insulation and light reflection. Because I'm a hobby geek etc...
Scurried through my photobucket archive for example pic.
My first Bhut Jolokia. (Ghost Pepper) raised from seed in winter. This is about 6 months old. You can only see the chilli's when their red but I got at least 120 chilli off the first seasons.

I can see it know...TRG & the drug squad raid a house, only to find 400 chilli plants grown hydroponically under lights
 
Ducatiboy stu said:
I can see it know...TRG & the drug squad raid a house, only to find 400 chilli plants grown hydroponically under lights
Haha yeah I often get giggles out of that and my 4 X IBC cubicle greenhouses Aquaponics system too. I'd imaging it is in the (Aerial watch) archive.
Nothing to worry about when there is nothing illegal. If I got raided it would be giggle worthy for sure...

Today: Holy Quivering Lips!!!!
The cold snap has started to kill my Trinidad Scorpions so I harvested them. Some are the biggest I've seen.

Trinidad Scorpion 20173.JPG


Trinidad Scorpion 20175.JPG
 
Moved most of my Carolina Reaper under cover and still producing, quickest of my new chilli seeds to germinate was Orange Wonder, well in front of Cayenne and Birds Eye. Will probably sell my Carolina Reaper plants, put 3 White Habanero chillies into a curry and my wife complained it was to hot.
 
Have been thinking about having a stab at some chilli plants just looking at what is out there. Has anyone ordered from this site? http://chilliseedbank.com.au/ or can anyone recommend an other sites.
 
That's a great idea Weal but I like the sound of the "rocoto red" from the site I listed. Specific cool climate chilli apparently. I'll have to have a better look at the supermarket next time I'm there.
 
If I wanted to ferment batches hot sauce using lacto, how cautious do I need to be considering I brew in my kitchen, transfer into a fermenter in my kitchen and prepare yeast starters in my kitchen?
 
Long time no post on the chilli forum....

I would like to trade seeds if I can.
I have seeds:
Chocolate Devils tongue
Bhut Jolokias
Big Jim
Red Habanero
Trinidad Yellow 7 Pot
Dorset Naga

I am after seeds:

Carolina Reaper
Trinidad Scorpian
or other exotic like white Bhuts or other suggestions... what have you got?

I have some powder I can swap for seeds so if you are out of chilli as it's an instant heat fix :)

Powder I have:
Bhut Jolokia
Red habanero
Dorset naga

Cheers lads
 
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