2005 Main Page

The 2005 section of contains information specific to the 2005 growing season, including seed and supplier information, specific plans for indoor germination and transplanting to the garden, and germination and growth data summaries for the Author's 2005 crop of chile peppers. This section of the site also contains topical articles from the 2005 season.

The 2005 crop will be grown in the Coastal Plains of North Carolina, northwest of Wilmington (agricultural zone 8).

Chile (and tomato) seedlings for the 2005 season in a heated germination box under fluorescent lights. Click for larger image (200 kb)	Chile seedlings for the 2005 season, after first repotting, under fluorescent lights. Click for larger image (248 kb)
Potted pepper plants sit in the afternoon shade at 93 days. Click for larger image (199 kb)	Pepper plants in their square foot plot 28 days after transplanting (85-day-old plants). Click for larger image (211 kb)

Bermuda, Anaheim TMR23, Big Bertha, Golden Habanero, Mirasol, Prairie Fire, Thai, Yellow Jellybean, Golden Calwonder, Tepin, Mongrel, Fish Pepper, Marbles, Chicken Heart

Plan for 2005
Seeds for 2005
Grower's Log for 2005
Status Archive

(23 May 2005)
The peppers are outdoors! The 10 plants that remained in 16 oz. cups were transplanted to 6" clay pots and gradually moved outdoors in accordance with the Plan for 2005 on 9 May and 11 May (79 and 81 days). The first plant to flower was a Prairie Fire (60 days), followed by two Bermudas (68 and 70 days). The first plant to set fruit was a Bermuda (70 days). By 23 May (93 days), of 17 potted plants, 53% had flowered and 41% had set fruit, and of 12 plants in the square foot garden, 67% had flowered and 58% had set fruit. The Bermudas were by far the most advanced in terms of fruit size.

Best germination: Prairie Fire at 83%.
Worst germination: Fish Peppers at 0%.
Average (weighted) germination: 59.8%.
First plant showing: 1 Anaheim TMR, 3 Thai, 1 Golden Calwonder, 1 Prairie Fire and 2 Mirasol at 6 days.
First plant standing: 1 Anaheim TMR and 1 Thai at 7 days.
Fastest germination to standing seedlings on average: Thai at 9.5 days.
First plant to show true leaves: 1 Mirasol at 12 days.
Fastest growth to true leaves on average: Mirasol at 13.5 days.
First pots to be thinned were thinned at 18 days: 1 Bermuda, 1 Big Bertha, 2 Anaheim TMR, 1 Thai, 1 Golden Calwonder, 1 Mirasol, 1 Marbles, 2 Chicken Heart.
First plant to flower: 1 Prairie Fire at 60 days.
First plant to set fruit: 1 Bermuda at 70 days.


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