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Growing chillies in a small apartment
- Thread starter BazBlitz
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Welcome to THP
Since your only going to be growing a few.... splurge on the best. Get yourself some Promix BX Soil and Botanicare Fertilizers (Liquid Karma, Pro Grow, Pro Bloom and Cal-Mag). Set up a feeding schedule and stick to it, then watch them like a hawk for aphids and other evil creatures but otherwise just leave them alone and just let them grow. When in doubt, ask lots of questions here and post lots of pictures and updates.
Since your only going to be growing a few.... splurge on the best. Get yourself some Promix BX Soil and Botanicare Fertilizers (Liquid Karma, Pro Grow, Pro Bloom and Cal-Mag). Set up a feeding schedule and stick to it, then watch them like a hawk for aphids and other evil creatures but otherwise just leave them alone and just let them grow. When in doubt, ask lots of questions here and post lots of pictures and updates.
Jeez, you guys want him to drive a Ferrari and he doesn't even know how to drive a Toyota. Best advice - buy some already started seedlings at the nursery or hardware store and put them in some Miracle Grow potting soil. Read how to transplant seedlings on Google - add water and sunlight and see if you can actually get them to live. Then, maybe next year, you can try starting from seed and going with better soil and all those exotic nutes. Walk before you run.
Who wouldn't want to drive a Ferrari if it only cost a few bucks more than the Toyota? I'm with Beagle get the best soil and ferts. Even at that your only out $50-$60. I grow ALL of my plants on either the bottom patio wall or the upstairs patio and my best producers by far are the ones in the earth box and them my home made earth box.
I initially set it up that way so I can go a couple of weeks between watering, but after a couple of seasons my 5 gallon potted plants produce about half that of those other 6 in the earth box setup. Total cost of my homemade box that's 30 gallons and holds 2 plants is around $25 without soil.
I initially set it up that way so I can go a couple of weeks between watering, but after a couple of seasons my 5 gallon potted plants produce about half that of those other 6 in the earth box setup. Total cost of my homemade box that's 30 gallons and holds 2 plants is around $25 without soil.
I agree get the best consumables (Soil, Ferts, Containers etc) you can afford (as with growing anything) and you'll have the best results.
Also if space is limited you might like to look at growing some of the ornamental varieties first not only for decoration purposes but also to judge how much room they take up for future grows and are easier to tend and train in a confined space.
This way the next season you will know if you can go with bigger/larger growing varieties, and will have got some/any of the issues you might have had out of the way.
Just my opinion. Most of all ENJOY IT!
Also if space is limited you might like to look at growing some of the ornamental varieties first not only for decoration purposes but also to judge how much room they take up for future grows and are easier to tend and train in a confined space.
This way the next season you will know if you can go with bigger/larger growing varieties, and will have got some/any of the issues you might have had out of the way.
Just my opinion. Most of all ENJOY IT!
Last year was my first attempt growing peppers bought from CCN and local nurseries. I had about 55 plants and put them in Miracle Grow or other similar soils and gave them almost no ferts. I ended up with maybe 9 viable plants the rest were stunted, had drainage, PH, bug or heat issues….etc. It bummed me out so much I almost did not want to bother trying again this season. There are so many things you need to lean why not take every advantage you can from the start? I think a seasoned gardener with a super green thumb could have avoided most of the mistakes I made my first year but if your just a normal person that wants to try growing peppers as your first crop ever I think any help would be an asset. Finally, lots of people do like bigt is suggesting and do fine… So luckily, which ever road you take…. you found the place you can ask questions if you do run into problems during the season. Good luck
It's not a matter of money - it's just that the Ferrari is a lot easier to crash, kapish? Miracle Grow especially if you get Moisture Control really holds water a long time, Pro-Mix does not. For a newbie who doesn't watch his plants daily, that can be a problem. And Pro-Mix requires added nutes which most people tend to over do - another Dead Man's Curve possibility. With MG, just plant it and forget about it. Pick ripe peppers at end of season and decide if you want to spend more time with it next year. Kind of a tip your toe in the water moment. Not everybody gets addicted to it ya know. But initial success, even on a mild level, will give encouragement for next year. Failure means more chance of quitting. Sorry for all the metaphors.
This is my first year growing the super hots or more exotic peppers as well, I started out in MG moisture control and then found this awesome forum with all these brilliant people on it. After much reading I did switch to Fafard's soil (can't find pro mix anywhere near here and having it shipped just isnt worth it) I wouldn't say I have the best plants ever or anything but I also only have about 12 plants in 5 gallon buckets. But with all the help I've gotten here they are thriving and producing pods for me. I knew nothing about ferts or nutes or anything when I started out back in april but I now use all the Botanicare products. Anyways I guess my 2 cents is just start out with what you think you can handle and go from there.
I added a fair amount of vermiculite to my soil and it seems even though the mix is the same between my plants, the ones in the Clay pots are doing better, I do have to water them more frequently for sure, but perhaps the clay pots allow the roots to breath better than plastic as well??
All I know is I only have to water once a week in the plastic pots and every 3 days or so in the clay ones...
I really do find all of my plants (peppers and house plants) grow better in plain unpainted clay pots... but they do require a bit more attention as they can go from being moderately OK to dried out in a lot shorter order than plastic potted plants...
I guess also if you get to the large pot size such as a size seen when people use the large white buckets, the clay ones would be considerably heavier and more expensive too.
Oh.. and a Ferrari wouldn't be any easier to crash than a Toyota when driven the same way by the same person... in fact with the technology and more responsive performance it may actually be harder to crash a Ferrari... now if you talk about being a vandal or theft magnet or ease and cost of maintenance.. well then the Toyota would have the upper hand.
But who needs a Ferrari when you can have half a dozen cars and motorcycles for the same cash
All I know is I only have to water once a week in the plastic pots and every 3 days or so in the clay ones...
I really do find all of my plants (peppers and house plants) grow better in plain unpainted clay pots... but they do require a bit more attention as they can go from being moderately OK to dried out in a lot shorter order than plastic potted plants...
I guess also if you get to the large pot size such as a size seen when people use the large white buckets, the clay ones would be considerably heavier and more expensive too.
Oh.. and a Ferrari wouldn't be any easier to crash than a Toyota when driven the same way by the same person... in fact with the technology and more responsive performance it may actually be harder to crash a Ferrari... now if you talk about being a vandal or theft magnet or ease and cost of maintenance.. well then the Toyota would have the upper hand.
But who needs a Ferrari when you can have half a dozen cars and motorcycles for the same cash
As some have mentioned, just keep it simple the 1st go around. Potting soil, a pot that’ll fit on your balcony and a seedling of your choice. Read up on how to water your plant and go from there.
Keep in mind as well that many a pepper plant has met it’s demise from too much “love”. These gals grow pretty well with water and soil alone, so your 80% of the way there by just remember how and when to water em. Halfway through your season, you’ll probably have an idea on whether or not it’s something you dig.
Welcome aboard and happy growing in whatever you choose.
Keep in mind as well that many a pepper plant has met it’s demise from too much “love”. These gals grow pretty well with water and soil alone, so your 80% of the way there by just remember how and when to water em. Halfway through your season, you’ll probably have an idea on whether or not it’s something you dig.
Welcome aboard and happy growing in whatever you choose.