Winter Garden Under Lights

[jayb]

Not something I had planned, but following a post from Clumsy I was inspired and got to thinking about how nice it would be to have some chillies growing this winter. As I had already started a seed germination test with the two varieties, Lantern and Alberto's Rocoto I decided not to waste the germinating seeds and grow a couple of them on along with a grow out of Micro Blue Tomatoes I had started to forward the seed I have by a generation.

And from there it has expanded, I've dusted off the grow lights and propagator and set them up. I'm going from not growing any veggies for a couple of years to started lots at the beginning of winter! I'm not much of a winter person, but I'm loving the indoor growing

Chillies and peppers I'm growing
Caldero F1, from previously growing these, they should be neat compact, fast-maturing plants. Initially, one seed germinated so I have sown the remainder of the packet and now have another 6 seedlings.
Aji Cristal, these looked lovely (I think a bit hot for me) might be too tall growing, I have one seedling growing, possibly two.
Lantern, originally from Real Seeds some years ago, perhaps not one I would have chosen for a winter garden, but as I already had seeds started it was a shame to waste them all.
Alberto's, (part of seed germination test) grow quite large and need a long growing season. Perhaps again would not have been the first choice for a winter garden but plants will have the edge next year.

The following Peppers I've not grown before, the first 2 should be in the range 30-40 cm and no bigger, I hope.
Mohawk F1
Redskin F1
The next two I think a bit taller, which is higher than I want but I thought I'd try them to see.
Lemon Dream
Tangerine Dream

Aubergine Baby Belle F1

Tomatoes
Micro Gemma,
Micro Blue F5
Micro Tina
Micro Tom -no show, will need re sowing.

Ginger root

[clumsy]

Love the title. The list is very interesting. You know next year we could grow tall normal stuff in usually seansonal ie spring summer etc. But in winter we should just grow micro veg plants probably start them bit earlier to see if we could harvest at christmas just for fun.

[jayb]

This sounds an excellent suggestion and one I look forward to. The Winter Solstice and or Christmas works for me.

[Galina]

Love it! "I'll only do a quick seed germination test" and all of a sudden there is a fully established winter garden. This made me smile!

[jayb]

me too, I'm easily led

[jayb]

I think I'm out of space already!!!!

[clumsy]

Wow that list just grew. Interestingly the ginger root have you grown ginger before?

[jayb]

Yes, I've tried growing ginger a few times, I can't say I've managed much of a harvest, it just needs better growing conditions than the uk gives, maybe starting it earlier will give it a longer season to do a little better. They do make nice looking plants though.

[jayb]

Progression

Pretty much the beginning


Starting to get overcrowded

These last two pictures are just before I potted plants on

[jayb]

I've thinned the plants down and potted them on (it would have been better done earlier as some haven't progressed as well as they should and some have noticeable yellowy leaves, I left them to settle in a few days and then gave a weak feed) they all fit in, so far under the lights. I'll need to thin it out a bit more when the smaller pots are potted on again.

They look smaller than before! I think mainly due to being potted on deeply. Thank you Clumsy for the advice, some of the chillies did indeed have little roots up their stems already, so they must have known the plan in advance!



Under lights above are the two lots of Micro Blue Tomatoes, 2 each of following, dwarf aubergine, dwarf pepper x 4 varieties, Micro Gemma, Micro Tina, Ginger roots, sticks of Lemongrass, Aji Cristal, Alberto's Rocoto. Also one Lantern Chilli and seven Caldero chilli plants.

Leftover plants will be given the chance to grow on a windowsill if I can find room. I also have some coriander sown and sprouted and what was meant to be rocket but I think only two seedlings have appeared! The tps are in desperate need of potting on and under a different light, I have hopes of putting them all together on one stand, which I hope will conserve space? I have some more miniature and dwarf seedlings sprouted, these are some (I hope) small growing F1 crosses for F2 seed, small growing ongoing breeding projects and a couple of new to me miniature varieties.

[Galina]

Getting busy in your winter garden, what a joy to see. But I get that now the problem starts where to put them for maximum light.

[jayb]

Yes, in my enthusiasm I've been daft with my sowing and it's starting to come home to me, where do I put everything!

[clumsy]

Loving the photo's. Look's like spring all over again. I told people before that chilli plants bit like tomato plants do develope more root on the stem when they are still young and tender plants, I think the issue is more if the stem gets woody but even on the internet when I did research they said it wasn't true the stem will rot.

Plenty of time your chilli plants are doing great as well as other's. I'm sure when you look at everything growing it makes you smile. It does me just looking at the photo's.

[jayb]

Rubbish, as you say, if stems are still soft they will root given the right conditions.

Thank you and yes you are spot on. Each morning and evening I go and check the plants and always see a progress or change, it is so lovely to have things growing at this time of the year. I'm loving my winter garden and it does make me smile and wonder each day!

[jayb]

Eight days on and the plants are settling into their new pots, picture was taken today 13/12.

[clumsy]

Wow looking good.Everything neat and tidy. The aubergine plant doing well. Tomato's in December loving the photo.

[Galina]

Little fruits and more flowers appearing. Magic!

[jayb]

Some buds starting to form on some of the Caldero chillies and I've spied some on a couple of the dwarf peppers! Exciting!

Yes, the Aubergine is looking happy and despite my initial concern has a nice compact growth habit.

[clumsy]

That is great news, the plants are looking really healthy. Looking forward to seeing the photo's of the chilli's forming through the new year. Sometime's you have to give the plants a chance they do surprise you.

[jayb]

Pictures were taken on 19/12/19, everything appears to be steadily growing.



And from the other direction



Even when I think they are not doing much, it's fun to look back and see just how much they have grown in a week.

[clumsy]

What plant is right in front on the second photo?

[jayb]

The tall one is lemongrass, sprouting from a bought-in supermarket stalk, I cut the top off and pushed them into compost in a pot. One rooted and sprouted very quickly the other I think rooted but as yet no new growth of leaves. To the left and slightly behind the lemongrass is a Rocoto chilli.

[jayb]

Picture 27/12/19. It was starting to get a little crowded and not so easy to get to the shorter plants in the back row so I've given them a little shuffle around to make watering easier. The first picture is before the shuffle, the second picture is after.





The tallest plants are now at the back and I have the lights raised up to allow as much light as possible to get to all the plants I should think they average 14 hrs of light a day. I'm trying to remember to give them a feed once a week, they moved up to full strength on their last feed.

[clumsy]

Wow looking impressive. The chilli plants have flower buds forming. The tomato's look like they are getting close to ripen. If the chilli's pollinate you should have a chilli by late feburary.

[jayb]

The first Aji Cristal and Rocoto flower's opened this morning, Yayyy! I think also one or more of the peppers, can't quite see which at the moment. A few of the earlier Caldero flowers yellowed and dropped, but they have some nice big fat buds coming along now. Chillies in Feb, now that would be fun!

[jayb]

I have potted on and reorganized the plants so they all have a bit more space and light, I think the largest pot is 2 litre so still pretty tight. I still have some dwarf tomato plants to pot on and fit in as there are a few gaps yet. The tomatoes are a mixture of grow-outs of mixed generations and some F1 crosses for seed production for this coming season.

Mostly mixed chilli plants, dwarf sweet peppers, aubergine and tomatoes


These are the Dwarf peppers, picture taken a few days ago

On the left-hand side 2 plants each of Lemon Dream and Tangerine Dream. To the right and slightly shorter are 2 each of Mohawk F1 and Redskin F1, these all have at least one pepper growing.

[clumsy]

I can see a pineapple in the first picture very exotic. Those photo would normally be taken in may or june but it's January really impressed.