We have ventured into uncharted territory–growing sweet red peppers under T-5 flourescent fixtures.
Snake oil, you say?
No way you crazy @@#$’s could grow fully developed sweet peppers under simple flourescents, you scream?
The picture does not lie.
The secret?
1) Good Seed Stock
We obtained Big Red pepper seeds from Sow True Seed
2) Excellent Potting Soil
We moved the healthy seedlings to two different types of soil–McEnroe Premium Lite Potting Soil and Roots Organic Potting Soil. The initial idea was to do a side by side comparison. The two, at this point, are neck and neck with no clear winner.
3) Innovative Nursery Pots
We use Smart Pots, which is a cutting edge nursery pot due to its air pruning of the roots. The fabric of the pot is unlike typical plastic pots, which can confine the roots and cause them to encircle the pot if crowded. In the Smart Pots, the root will reach the edge of the pot and stop growing. This signals for another root to start growing, which is much healthier for a container plant.
4) Tea Once a Week
We started giving the pepper plants a compost tea supplement once a week when they reached six inches tall. We do our own tea in the store and we usually dilute it to 1/4 cup per gallon.
The recipe is as follows (see our section on compost tea for aeration setup):
Worm Castings: 1 Cup
Alfalfa Meal: 1 Cup
Azomite: 1/3 Cup
Nature’s Nog Liquid: 1/2 Cup
Hi-Brix Molasses: 1/2 Cup
Rooters Mycorrhizae: 1 TBSP
a. Mix dry ingredients in a mesh sack and suspend from lid.
b. Add 1/2 cup of molasses.
c. Aerate for 24 hours.
d. Mix at 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup per gallon depending on plant maturity
e. Refrigerate any unused tea.
5) Diet Regiment from the Gods
We are currently using a trial nutrient that we hope to put in our stores soon. The results speak for themselves. All we can tell you is that the nutrient line is inspired by certain mythological deities.
6) We saw the light and it was good…
We have the adults under a sunblaze 28 (which is eight 2 foot t-5 bulbs) for 12 hour increments inside a grow hut called the Sun Hut . The seedlings received the same light treatment.
7) Intimacy
Who says plants aren’t aware of the human touch?
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