Planning to grow some indoor peppers, need advice. (Now with PICS!)

[ShotgunSteven]

If you want a few seeds of some other types to try, I have some from Guam that a friend got for me, and some from a local restaurant.

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve
If you want a few seeds of some other types to try, I have some from Guam that a friend got for me, and some from a local restaurant.

YGPM.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Now with PICS! (Click on closet garden)

Looks great.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Joeyman

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Now with PICS! (Click on closet garden)

Wow you really are growing peppers!! :shocked:

Well, he did only show 2 Pepper plants. Last minute addition?

 

[BatmanNate]

I have a dozen in the mail, those two were just test plants that I rescued from Home Depot.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Ok, saw the plants. Good start, but you haven't nearly enough light.

This gives you a way to estimate light, and has a few good points too

I have one of these, and I use it.

Your peppers should be within 6 inches of the tubes, maybe less.

You have just two tubes in a line. You really should have 3x2 tube banks, but might be able to get away with four at a minimum.

Once you have enough light, you need to keep the soil moist, but not soggy.

I suggest you get 20/20/20 fertilizer, and use it 1/4 strength every time you water.

Use any good potting soil. Petersons makes a good one. Some have a lot of peat in them so I suggest you get the soil good and wet before planting seed.

Keep your plants warm. Peppers HATE cool weather. If you are starting from seed, check out propagation mats. They are like low temp heating pads and provide bottom warmth to the pots which will greatly increase germination success.

I forget anything?



Oh, 14 hrs a day of bright light should be enough

 

Eli grows the weed.

 

[BatmanNate]

Wouldn't lighting requirements differ depending on the power of the bulbs, among other factors? Also, I had sort of an idea. What if sheets of something highly reflective (like tinfoil) were draped down the sides of the fixtures so as to reflect as much light as possible into the plant box area? That would make it more efficient since less light would escape and more could be absorbed by the plants, correct? I have some 20-20-20 that I was going to dilute, but it said only to feed twice a month.

Also, how do you pollenate the plants once they flower? I'm getting a good deal of conflicting info on peppers' requirements for different things on the web, and a lot of it comes down to specific types of peppers having different requirements, I would imagine.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You might be able to move the light just an inch or two from the plants and get away with it, but no matter how shiny a reflector is you cannot make more light than there is.

You really need to check the light level by some objective means, whether by the camera method in the first link I provided or by light meter. It is absolutely (with emphasis) to guess how bright your lights are.

You can use half strength fert. less often. It's entirely a matter of personal preference. What it comes down to is the more light the more water and fert. Just dont go too crazy. Too much isnt good.

I would just take everything you read as a guideline, except for the light. You MUST have enough intensity, and you can figure out exactly what you have and can go from there.

I pollinate by brushing the same toothpick across the flowers. That should take care of it for ya. Sometimes people use a Q-tip, but I think it's all the same.

 

[BatmanNate]

Well I wasn't assuming more light would be created by using reflectors, but merely that the efficiency of transfer would be increased. The problem I could see with the plant being 6" vs. 2" away is that they receive less light because more of it is bled away, their surface area does not occupy the space immediately around the light much of the energy is wasted. This would be like funneling it directly at the plant and not allowing it to escape over the rest of the room. (similar to the principal behind using the hood of the light itself--the light is directed roughly 120 degrees instead of 360 so the intensity is greater underneath as opposed to above)

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Well I wasn't assuming more light would be created by using reflectors, but merely that the efficiency of transfer would be increased. The problem I could see with the plant being 6" vs. 2" away is that they receive less light because more of it is bled away, their surface area does not occupy the space immediately around the light much of the energy is wasted. This would be like funneling it directly at the plant and not allowing it to escape over the rest of the room. (similar to the principal behind using the hood of the light itself--the light is directed roughly 120 degrees instead of 360 so the intensity is greater underneath as opposed to above)

Mylar.

The 2mm stuff, while more expensive, is easier to work with.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Well I wasn't assuming more light would be created by using reflectors, but merely that the efficiency of transfer would be increased. The problem I could see with the plant being 6" vs. 2" away is that they receive less light because more of it is bled away, their surface area does not occupy the space immediately around the light much of the energy is wasted. This would be like funneling it directly at the plant and not allowing it to escape over the rest of the room. (similar to the principal behind using the hood of the light itself--the light is directed roughly 120 degrees instead of 360 so the intensity is greater underneath as opposed to above)

Mylar.

The 2mm stuff, while more expensive, is easier to work with.

Skip that, just get a big magnifying lens

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Well I wasn't assuming more light would be created by using reflectors, but merely that the efficiency of transfer would be increased. The problem I could see with the plant being 6" vs. 2" away is that they receive less light because more of it is bled away, their surface area does not occupy the space immediately around the light much of the energy is wasted. This would be like funneling it directly at the plant and not allowing it to escape over the rest of the room. (similar to the principal behind using the hood of the light itself--the light is directed roughly 120 degrees instead of 360 so the intensity is greater underneath as opposed to above)

Mylar.

The 2mm stuff, while more expensive, is easier to work with.

Skip that, just get a big magnifying lens

I think Amused snagged the last line in your sig there from Ayn Rand, to give credit where credit is due.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Well I wasn't assuming more light would be created by using reflectors, but merely that the efficiency of transfer would be increased. The problem I could see with the plant being 6" vs. 2" away is that they receive less light because more of it is bled away, their surface area does not occupy the space immediately around the light much of the energy is wasted. This would be like funneling it directly at the plant and not allowing it to escape over the rest of the room. (similar to the principal behind using the hood of the light itself--the light is directed roughly 120 degrees instead of 360 so the intensity is greater underneath as opposed to above)

Mylar.

The 2mm stuff, while more expensive, is easier to work with.

Skip that, just get a big magnifying lens

I think Amused snagged the last line in your sig there from Ayn Rand, to give credit where credit is due.

He did indeed, however he and I had a spat. You know how lovers quarrels go :Q