Since they have such a long growing season and I live in the Pacific Northwest, I think I'm going to grow them in a closet. I understand most peppers grow best under flourescent or high pressure sodium discharge lighting (with both red and blue ends of the spectrum, preferably some heat too). Supposedly watering only once a day will make them hotter because the plants produce more capsaicin under stress. Any tips about soil or containers or anything?
Planning to grow some indoor peppers, need advice. (Now with PICS!)
- Thread starter BatmanNate
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Talking about high intensity discharge lighting and growing things in closets... are you sure those are pepper seeds you've got? 
High pressure sodium lights might grow peppers well, but they do not put out much in the blue end of the spectrum (pukey yellow colored streetlights are HPS, BTW). Mercury vapor spectrum is very spikey, and supposedly not terribly beneficial to plants. Metal halide is more ballanced, and is what is often used for sensitive corals and plants in aquaria. Fluorescent is probably going to be your cheapest and coolest option, IMHO, but my experience is with plants underwater, not with hydroponics or anything like that, so wait for someone else who knows better before making any decisions.
High pressure sodium lights might grow peppers well, but they do not put out much in the blue end of the spectrum (pukey yellow colored streetlights are HPS, BTW). Mercury vapor spectrum is very spikey, and supposedly not terribly beneficial to plants. Metal halide is more ballanced, and is what is often used for sensitive corals and plants in aquaria. Fluorescent is probably going to be your cheapest and coolest option, IMHO, but my experience is with plants underwater, not with hydroponics or anything like that, so wait for someone else who knows better before making any decisions.
Originally posted by: jliechty
Talking about high intensity discharge lighting and growing things in closets... are you sure those are pepper seeds you've got?
High pressure sodium lights might grow peppers well, but they do not put out much in the blue end of the spectrum (pukey yellow colored streetlights are HPS, BTW). Mercury vapor spectrum is very spikey, and supposedly not terribly beneficial to plants. Metal halide is more ballanced, and is what is often used for sensitive corals and plants in aquaria. Fluorescent is probably going to be your cheapest and coolest option, IMHO, but my experience is with plants underwater, not with hydroponics or anything like that, so wait for someone else who knows better before making any decisions.
Thanks for the info! I've seen MH used in aquariums before, and understand it is rather expensive. Flourescents with a timer will probably meet my needs for my "crop". I've seen so many different recommendations on soil, containers, and watering though. Does anyone know of any good places to buy small plants? (I really do mean peppers too, mods please don't lock my thread!
)There is nothing illegal about growing plants using MH and HPS lighting. That's sillyness.Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Originally posted by: jliechty
Talking about high intensity discharge lighting and growing things in closets... are you sure those are pepper seeds you've got?
High pressure sodium lights might grow peppers well, but they do not put out much in the blue end of the spectrum (pukey yellow colored streetlights are HPS, BTW). Mercury vapor spectrum is very spikey, and supposedly not terribly beneficial to plants. Metal halide is more ballanced, and is what is often used for sensitive corals and plants in aquaria. Fluorescent is probably going to be your cheapest and coolest option, IMHO, but my experience is with plants underwater, not with hydroponics or anything like that, so wait for someone else who knows better before making any decisions.
Thanks for the info! I've seen MH used in aquariums before, and understand it is rather expensive. Flourescents with a timer will probably meet my needs for my "crop". I've seen so many different recommendations on soil, containers, and watering though. Does anyone know of any good places to buy small plants? (I really do mean peppers too, mods please don't lock my thread!
I'm not familiar with peppers at all. Are they a short-day plant(ie: they need more darkness than light to initiate flowering)?
You don't want to use HPS for vegetative growth. It doesen't provide enough light in the blue spectrum to promote bushy growth, you'll end up with tall, spindly plants.
Your best bet is probably a Neutral(4000ºK) metal halide. It provides good levels of blues while also providing the reds needed for flowering.
4000ºK vs. 3000ºK
It goes all the way up to 6500ºK... Actually, there are higher.. 10,000ºK, but they are for aquariums & not very useful for horticulture.
Fluorescent can be a good choice, too. It just depends on how hardcore you want to be. It takes a lot of fluorescent lighting to even come close to a 400W MH, though. A good alternative is to use both. The more light the better. You can't have enough indoors; and nomatter how much you have, it won't compare to the sun.
The problem with MH/HPS lighting is that they generate quite a bit of heat. You need ventilation regardless, because plants need to breathe, but if you had a 400W unit or larger, you would definately need to start thinking about an intake/exhaust system. That's one area where fluorescent lights really excel. Plus, they don't suck the juice.
There are smaller wattage MH/HPS bulbs. Depending on how many peppers you want to grow and how big you want them to get, a single 250W MH bulb and fluorescent lighting mounted on the sides could be very effective.
A 400W MH bulb can produce 35 - 50,000 lumens(MH/HPS respectively) in a 2'x3' area. You would need 12-16 4' fluorescent tubes consuming 480 - 640 watts or more to match that ammount of light, but the light is spread out over a greater area.
The trick is throwing all this wattage into a closet and still maintaining an adequate environment for the plants to grow. Remember, you're trying to mimic outside. Temperature, humidity, etc all have to be right.
As for soil, I have no idea. You'll have to do some research on peppers to find out what kind of soil the kinds you're growing need. You're also going to need fertilizer, but use it at 1/4th the recommended dosage, especially on young plants.
Good luck!
why you growing them indorrs..cant you just plant them outside?
my mom makes great salsa and we eat them plain as well and she just has them in the garden and doesnt really treat them any different than her other plants.
we live in southern calif if that makes any diff
my mom makes great salsa and we eat them plain as well and she just has them in the garden and doesnt really treat them any different than her other plants.
we live in southern calif if that makes any diff
Evadman
Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
- Feb 18, 2001
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Cool...
/taps sarcasm meter
Maybe if he were growing woodland ivy or ferns.
Plants have this ability called photosynthesis. They kinda need it to feed themselves.
It's all about the lumens, baybe. Remember that 1nd law of thermodynamics? It applies to plants, too.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
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I have many high light plants including a Red Savina habanero. It grows well under a 400 watt Agrosun MH light. I also have a bank of 8 fluorescents and it would do well there too. The difference is that it needs to be much closer to the fluoresents. I suggest about 12 to 14 hour. They will do well in good potting soil and feed often. Pollinate the flowers with a toothpick and you will get fruit.
Hmm.. 12-14 hours to fruit, or to grow from seed-fruit?
Are peppers neutral-day plants? ie: they flower when they're ready & don't require day length manipulations?
Um, if I remember anything from my biology class, I seem to recall that plants need a period of light for photosynthesis, and a period of darkness for respiration. Ergo, it is not beneficial for the lights to be on 24/7.
Geez, who's sarcasm meter needs checking now? I never said that what he was doing was illegal, I was just teasing him about an interest in HID lighting and growing things in closets... Needless to say, when I was looking up stuff on metal halide for my aquarium plants, I had to wade through volumes (well, not really, I exaggerate slightly for comic effect) of internet-literature on growing other things before I found what I needed for my aquarium plants.
But, and I $#!7 you not, if you're not in favor with the local police department, and they happen to notice an unusual increase in your electricity bill, your house might be searched for some things that don't exist. IIRC I read where it happened to a marine aquarist one time... the newsgroup posting should be in some aquatic mailing list archive somewhere on the net.
sandorski
No Lifer
- Oct 10, 1999
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Originally posted by: Eli
/taps sarcasm meter
Maybe if he were growing woodland ivy or ferns.
Plants have this ability called photosynthesis. They kinda need it to feed themselves.
It's all about the lumens, baybe. Remember that 1nd law of thermodynamics? It applies to plants, too.
Nope, any plant. I've grown Thai peppers this way before.
sandorski
No Lifer
- Oct 10, 1999
- 70,621
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Originally posted by: jliechty
Um, if I remember anything from my biology class, I seem to recall that plants need a period of light for photosynthesis, and a period of darkness for respiration. Ergo, it is not beneficial for the lights to be on 24/7.
Geez, who's sarcasm meter needs checking now? I never said that what he was doing was illegal, I was just teasing him about an interest in HID lighting and growing things in closets... Needless to say, when I was looking up stuff on metal halide for my aquarium plants, I had to wade through volumes (well, not really, I exaggerate slightly for comic effect) of internet-literature on growing other things before I found what I needed for my aquarium plants.
But, and I $#!7 you not, if you're not in favor with the local police department, and they happen to notice an unusual increase in your electricity bill, your house might be searched for some things that don't exist. IIRC I read where it happened to a marine aquarist one time... the newsgroup posting should be in some aquatic mailing list archive somewhere on the net.
Perhaps beneficial in the long run, but for crop plants you can do it just fine(might affect quality though).
eh, like I said. A plant's energy is derrived directly from light. The more watts you throw at the plant, the more energy it has to grow. Just because it doesen't die doesen't mean it's growing at its optimum pace.Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: jliechty
Um, if I remember anything from my biology class, I seem to recall that plants need a period of light for photosynthesis, and a period of darkness for respiration. Ergo, it is not beneficial for the lights to be on 24/7.
Geez, who's sarcasm meter needs checking now? I never said that what he was doing was illegal, I was just teasing him about an interest in HID lighting and growing things in closets... Needless to say, when I was looking up stuff on metal halide for my aquarium plants, I had to wade through volumes (well, not really, I exaggerate slightly for comic effect) of internet-literature on growing other things before I found what I needed for my aquarium plants.
But, and I $#!7 you not, if you're not in favor with the local police department, and they happen to notice an unusual increase in your electricity bill, your house might be searched for some things that don't exist. IIRC I read where it happened to a marine aquarist one time... the newsgroup posting should be in some aquatic mailing list archive somewhere on the net.
Perhaps beneficial in the long run, but for crop plants you can do it just fine(might affect quality though).
Plants respirate 24/7. It's fine to have the lights on 24/7 for vegetative growth, unless it is a long-day plant and you don't want it to flower. Just think of a plant as a factory. As long as it has light, it will just keep on truckin'. They don't need to "sleep".
Police don't have access to your electric bill without a subpeona, and a high electric bill alone isn't enough for them to do anything except investigate you further.
They have to be notified somehow to start the whole investigation off.
It has happened, though, you're right. But everything has to come together just right. First, someone has to call you in. Next, they'll look at your electric bill and compare it to your neighbors. If it's fishy, they'll bring out the drug dogs. If it smells anything in your neighborhood, they'll get a warrant & you'll be searched.
But it all starts with that first call, and if you aren't growing anything illegal, nobody is going to make that first call because the only thing that gives the illegal thing away is the smell.
Oh, oops. Shows how much I remember from biology class then.Originally posted by: Eli
eh, like I said. A plant's energy is derrived directly from light. The more watts you throw at the plant, the more energy it has to grow. Just because it doesen't die doesen't mean it's growing at its optimum pace.
Plants respirate 24/7. It's fine to have the lights on 24/7 for vegetative growth, unless it is a long-day plant and you don't want it to flower. Just think of a plant as a factory. As long as it has light, it will just keep on truckin'. They don't need to "sleep".
That assumes that everyone involved is honest, trustworthy, reliable, etc. Something that can't be assumed in all cases, with police departments as well as other people in general. I'm not certain of the reliability of the source, but I don't have any reason to doubt them, that they were searched, despite there being no evidence (i.e. they weren't growing pot, let alone anything except exotic corals).
Yeah. I've heard a couple stories of it happening. It just means someone in the neighborhood was.Originally posted by: jliechty
Oh, oops. Shows how much I remember from biology class then.Originally posted by: Eli
eh, like I said. A plant's energy is derrived directly from light. The more watts you throw at the plant, the more energy it has to grow. Just because it doesen't die doesen't mean it's growing at its optimum pace.
Plants respirate 24/7. It's fine to have the lights on 24/7 for vegetative growth, unless it is a long-day plant and you don't want it to flower. Just think of a plant as a factory. As long as it has light, it will just keep on truckin'. They don't need to "sleep".
That assumes that everyone involved is honest, trustworthy, reliable, etc. Something that can't be assumed in all cases, with police departments as well as other people in general. I'm not certain of the reliability of the source, but I don't have any reason to doubt them, that they were searched, despite there being no evidence (i.e. they weren't growing pot, let alone anything except exotic corals).
They just picked the wrong house.They'll either use the drug dog, or fly over your house with an infrared camera. Either one, if positive, gives them enough to get a warrant and search. heh.
The state bureau of investigation thought Anand was a terrorist (refer to recent entry in his blog), so I guess with the government, anything is possible.Originally posted by: Eli
Yeah. I've heard a couple stories of it happening. It just means someone in the neighborhood was.
They'll either use the drug dog, or fly over your house with an infrared camera. Either one, if positive, gives them enough to get a warrant and search. heh.
Red Savinas... :Q I don't suppose you've actually ever put them in food? That's just nuts.
The area of space which I'm considering for the plants is insulated yet has excellenet air ciculation. It's between the outside wall of a room and the roof, which slopes down at 45 degrees give or take. If I were to put the rows of plants near the wall, it would be ideal for hanging flourescents from the roof rafters directly over the plants with room still for walking behind them to water. I would put the lighting on an electric timer most likely. Do you have any suggestions on what kind of soil and feed to use for best pepper results? I've confirmed that indeed once the fruit begins to develop you should cut back the watering so as to prodoce hotter peppers. I am thinking I will do 12 plants in 10 inch pots, with the lights cycled on for about 14 hours per day. I will probably water twice a day until fruit begins to develop, then but back to once.
Also, how is the best way to dry one's peppers? Would the oven work? The location I've chosen for the plants is pretty slick, there's a door though the water heater closet and a little bit of a tunnel. Sure will raise eyebrows if the cops ever stop by.
Again, thanks everyone for the lighting advice, info, and links.EDIT:
I ordered my plants.
3459-1 1 AFRICAN PEQUIN (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 BANANA HOT (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 BIRD'S EYE (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 DEL DIABLO (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 HABANERO-FRANCISCA ? (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 HABANERO-ORANGE (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 JALAPEÑO EARLY (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 JALAPEÑO PURPLE (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 SERRANO TAMPIQUEÑO (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 SINGAPORE (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 SZECHWAN (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
3459-1 1 TABASCO (Chile Plants) $1.50 $1.50
Hydro grows faster and bigger. Start them in some cubes, then plant them in pearlite when they have roots. Get yourself a fishtank pump and some hose if you want to go cheap. Have the feeder hoses shoot the base of your plants. You can put all of this on a timer so all you have to do is change your water and nutrients. They make ready made systems with a heart that are really nice also.
Check out the hydro
Check out the hydro
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