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  #21  
Old 07-28-2010, 08:01 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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How are the peppers doing StrangGuy?

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  #22  
Old 07-31-2010, 07:05 PM
StrangGuy StrangGuy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GpsFrontier View Post
How are the peppers doing StrangGuy?
Hi GPS,
They are doing great. I have just posted a video over on YouTube to give an update. I added a few things as they are getting larger and requiring more water and nutrients.
Have a look. YouTube - Hydroponic Bell Peppers

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StrangGuy
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  #23  
Old 08-01-2010, 02:44 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Thanks for the video StrangGuy,

Wow! They have grown sense the last pictures, they look healthy also. Although I'm at a loss to figure out or explain why some are larger than others, unless they were not planted at the same time. I really like your in-line carbon filter, and fresh water replenishment system. I don't know what size that reservoir is (looks like about 20 gallons), or how often you change the nutrients. But what ever it is seems to be working.

How tall are they now, the tallest ones look like they are about 3 feet (but I could be wrong). How many plants did you wind up with? Also, I'm wondering if you know how much water the plants are drinking daily. Wondering if I was close in my estimates, but with the water replenishment system you probably cant keep track (I assume). I also really like your trellis system (netting I understand). Can you reach the peppers in the middle of it all?

P.S. I think I asked you this before, but what are you going to do with all those peppers?
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Last edited by GpsFrontier; 08-01-2010 at 02:56 AM.
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  #24  
Old 08-01-2010, 04:00 PM
StrangGuy StrangGuy is offline
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Hi GPS,
Yes, they have grown very well and have large lush green leaves. Since germination, I have always had some plants taller than others. I selected the tallest and best looking 24 plants when I decided what plants to keep in the system. Some started fruiting earlier than others. I followed the pinch off rules discussed for most of them. It seems that the ones that started fruiting first are now the shortest.

I had a pump failure about 6 weeks ago due to the reservoir getting too low. The plants were in the hot sun most of the day and wilted to nearly nothing. They all survived but every mature leaf had to be trimmed off. They survived with only the small new leafs, they were basically sticks. So I’m really lucky to have them now. This is where the carbon filter replenishment system came into play. Pumps are expensive and I don’t want to lose my crop from something like that. This could also be a reason for some being taller than others. You’re dead on, the tallest ones are 3’.

I change the nutrients every week. I have 24 plants and the reservoir is 28 gallon. I cut off the replenishment system on Friday night and when I dump on Sunday afternoon I still have about 7 gallons left. So that would be (28-7=21 gallons consumed in two days or 10.5 per day) / 24 plants would equal about 0.4375 consumed by each per day. Or we can just round it to a half gallon per plant per day for a good average.

The nylon netting is nice. I got it from Amazon really good price for a large amount and it is 7” squares so it is easy to get your hands into. I have been just layering it over them and letting them grow through it. I have the system up on my deck and the winds can be really strong when the afternoon thunder storms come in. It is secured at the four corners but nothing secured the center. All of my center plants are leaning over by quite a large degree. It doesn’t seem to hurt anything. Reaching inside is not an issue. I have access to the front any back, reaching only 2 feet to the second tube from either side. My current issue, there is too many large leaves to see what I have. But the leaf coverage is important in this hot Georgia sun to protect the peppers.

I’m going to eat some, give some to close friends and take the rest to a local farmers market if a lot matures at the same time. I am also going to experiment in freezing some for the winter. I read that if you slice them up you can lay them on a cookie sheet, separated and place into the freezer for one hour. After that you can put them into a freezer bag. They would then be loose and you could just take out what you needed per meal. If anyone else can validate this or give another good preservation method for bell peppers that would be appreciated.

Thanks,
StrangGuy
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  #25  
Old 08-03-2010, 05:38 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Thanks for the reply StrangGuy,
Sorry to hear about the pump disaster, amazing how fast the plants wilt and die (with hydroponics) when they don't get there water. Glad they came back to life though. I have had similar problems with the water level getting too low and the plants don't get watered like they need. I even forgot to plug the pump back into the timer after a nutrient change a few times (but no pump failures yet though).

Sounds like I was close anyway on the water uptake estimates. Figuring that they could drink up to 1-2 gallons per day each, for plants that were 3-4 feet tall (depending on heat and humidity). Looks like about half the plants are about 3 feet tall now, and still growing. So I wouldn't be surprised if they wind up drinking as much as a gallon per day (each) a month from now.

I agree the peppers are better off protected by the foliage from the hot direct sunlight. But I think spacing the plants farther apart would also allow the side shoots to grow farther out, allowing them to get much wider and producing even more peppers. That would still protect the peppers from the sun. But anyway, it looks like you are going to be eating a lot of peppers for a while. Do you have any thoughts on your next crop in this system. Are you going with peppers again? Something else, or even thinking of a combination of plants? I imagine you'll want a winter crop of something next.

As for the freezing technique you mentioned, it does work. We do it all the time. I haven't done it with peppers, but we do it with fruit like blueberries and strawberry's (even meat like pork chops sometimes). It's just a mater of freezing each individual piece when there not touching, that way the moisture in them freezes before they touch, and then wont stick together when you put (and store) them all in the same bag. But you need to keep them completely frozen all the time. Don't forget to put them right back in the freezer as soon as your done, or the slightest thawing will create moisture that will make them stick together when it freezes again. Also they wont last forever in the freezer. Unless they are vacuum sealed, there still subject to getting freezer burned. But they should last a few months in there anyway.
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Last edited by GpsFrontier; 08-03-2010 at 05:44 AM.
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  #26  
Old 08-25-2010, 09:46 PM
StrangGuy StrangGuy is offline
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Hi GPS,
I am all out of peppers now and hydro system is cleaned up for fall crop with new seeds germinating. I ended up with so many peppers so rapidly that I filled 8 gallon bags with the freezer method and gave some to all friends, family and coworkers. Also, the netting started to really pull into the middle because I only had it supported at the corners. Most plants were so heavy that they just fell in towards the pull.
Great first crop and it proves that anyone can do this with the proper research, planning, execution and plant TLC.
Thanks again for everyone’s advice!

StrangGuy

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