Hobbies / Interests

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D3x!

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Hi all,

I know there have prob been a few threads on this already but what are your interests/hobbies, i.e what do you do in your spare time that keeps you occupied/interested?
 
Recently - growing chillis.

I've had an interest in bonsai trees for a while, but because I'm young and impatient, I've never had much luck with them. Well, to clarify, buying a good bonsai is expensive, and sadly the ones you get in the stores, including the bonsai nursery on Witkoppen Road, are all mass produced in China and so are terrible examples.

Anyway, I came across an article on bonsai chillies, which refers to growing chillis as if they were bonsais. Google it. Bonsais can be made from any plant with a woody stem, they just have to resemble trees.

So I planted some chilli seeds on Saturday, I'm waiting for more to arrive in the post. They are in seed trays kept indoors, with heating pads like the kind usually used for reptile cages underneath, to help them germinate. Chilli seeds wont germinate in soil less than 20 degrees C.
 
wallsend said:
Tennis. PS3. watching sport :)
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ah good to see a physical activity to keep you busy, i used to play squash but lost interest :(

Ancalagon said:
Recently - growing chillis.

I've had an interest in bonsai trees for a while, but because I'm young and impatient, I've never had much luck with them. Well, to clarify, buying a good bonsai is expensive, and sadly the ones you get in the stores, including the bonsai nursery on Witkoppen Road, are all mass produced in China and so are terrible examples.

Anyway, I came across an article on bonsai chillies, which refers to growing chillis as if they were bonsais. Google it. Bonsais can be made from any plant with a woody stem, they just have to resemble trees.

So I planted some chilli seeds on Saturday, I'm waiting for more to arrive in the post. They are in seed trays kept indoors, with heating pads like the kind usually used for reptile cages underneath, to help them germinate. Chilli seeds wont germinate in soil less than 20 degrees C.
Click to expand...

my boss is involved in a bonsai club and have helped out a few times, also had a tree but my dogs chowed it and never got another
 
Lots and lots of squash and some action football.
Gonna start drums again and of course...the pub
 
Ancalagon said:
Recently - growing chillis.

I've had an interest in bonsai trees for a while, but because I'm young and impatient, I've never had much luck with them. Well, to clarify, buying a good bonsai is expensive, and sadly the ones you get in the stores, including the bonsai nursery on Witkoppen Road, are all mass produced in China and so are terrible examples.

Anyway, I came across an article on bonsai chillies, which refers to growing chillis as if they were bonsais. Google it. Bonsais can be made from any plant with a woody stem, they just have to resemble trees.

So I planted some chilli seeds on Saturday, I'm waiting for more to arrive in the post. They are in seed trays kept indoors, with heating pads like the kind usually used for reptile cages underneath, to help them germinate. Chilli seeds wont germinate in soil less than 20 degrees C.
Click to expand...

Bonsai chilli? Methinks black pearls would be awesome for this.
 
D3x! said:
my boss is involved in a bonsai club and have helped out a few times, also had a tree but my dogs chowed it and never got another
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of getting another proper bonsai tree. the problem is, anything bonsai takes a serious amount of time. At 26 years old, I think I'm just too impatient. At least with chillis, they grow to maturity extremely quickly. And they are tasty!
 
I grow a couple of cycads, had chillis for quite some time (still have plenty seeds and may grow some again, in Pretoria growing season starts in August but you can plant from mid July all the way to Dec if you don't get frost or don't mind the plant not maturing quickly enough).
 
AstroTurf said:
I grow a couple of cycads, had chillis for quite some time (still have plenty seeds and may grow some again, in Pretoria growing season starts in August but you can plant from mid July all the way to Dec if you don't get frost or don't mind the plant not maturing quickly enough).
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I thought chilli seeds wouldnt germinate in cold weather? Arent most chilli plants killed instantly by frost?

I'm hoping that by planting seeds now, and using the heating pads to help them germinate, I can get a longer growing season. I think South African winter sunlight is enough or nearly enough for chillies, its only the temperature in Joburg thats a problem. I'm doing container gardening only, so I can move the plants in and out. They'll probably stay inside at least until August.

EDIT: Care to recommend anything else that would be cool to grow? Part of the reason I'm growing chillies is because they are an interesting vegetable and plant, so I'm not keen to grow carrots or anything. Any easy to grow flowers that the GF might like?
 
Dog training, playing WOW, playing chess (mostly online these days).
 
D3x! said:
well you two obviously need to play chess against eachother now :p

Jouda where do you train dogs?
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In freeway park in Boksburg there is a lady that does training... used to go there but my time is not my own anymore so I train at home whenever I can
 
They germinate fine in mid to end july/august weather, just keep them covered in case of frost.
Recommended is beginning of August (depending on the chilli they take 14 to 60 days to germinate) and you want them growing nicely by summer. I have planted mid July and beginning Aug with no issues in Pretoria, Joburg is a bit colder than Pretoria so I'd say start planting beginning August if you are not using heat pads/desert dens.

An excellent resource for all things chilli is www.chillisgalore.co.uk plenty recipes/ideas tips and tricks and they also do a pass the parcel thing all over the world (box with several types of seeds, take what you want, put some of your own in, send it on).

The mature plants stop fruiting when they hit 14'c or below. They die if they go below 4'c for several hours.

Personally love my cycads, they live forever, low maintenance and are something you can one day give your children or grandchildren.

If you want pretty just go check out your local nursery, plenty pretty things about in August/September, don't buy plants before this as they will problably not survive the winter to summer change and the change in their watering routine.
 
fishing.. really starting to love it been liek 6 months and yet to catch a nice size one.
ps3 and watching series and jmovies
 
AstroTurf said:
They germinate fine in mid to end july/august weather, just keep them covered in case of frost.
Recommended is beginning of August (depending on the chilli they take 14 to 60 days to germinate) and you want them growing nicely by summer. I have planted mid July and beginning Aug with no issues in Pretoria, Joburg is a bit colder than Pretoria so I'd say start planting beginning August if you are not using heat pads/desert dens.

An excellent resource for all things chilli is www.chillisgalore.co.uk plenty recipes/ideas tips and tricks and they also do a pass the parcel thing all over the world (box with several types of seeds, take what you want, put some of your own in, send it on).

The mature plants stop fruiting when they hit 14'c or below. They die if they go below 4'c for several hours.

Personally love my cycads, they live forever, low maintenance and are something you can one day give your children or grandchildren.

If you want pretty just go check out your local nursery, plenty pretty things about in August/September, don't buy plants before this as they will problably not survive the winter to summer change and the change in their watering routine.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate! Am looking at that site now, it looks good.

With my heat pads I think I'll be okay. My only worries are A) getting the moisture level right before the seeds have germinated, and B) once they have germinated, I'm not sure I can give them the temperatures they need indoors. I mean, indoors is still a lot warmer than outdoors, so they will probably never endure anything below 10'C. still, not quite ideal. But hopefully by the time I have an army of seedlings, it will be warm enough for them to move outdoors permanently until next winter.
 
Brewing beer at home.

Om nom nom.

Just bottled my latest batch of Hefeweizen, gonna be ready in 4 more days.
 
Ancalagon said:
Thanks mate! Am looking at that site now, it looks good.

With my heat pads I think I'll be okay. My only worries are A) getting the moisture level right before the seeds have germinated, and B) once they have germinated, I'm not sure I can give them the temperatures they need indoors. I mean, indoors is still a lot warmer than outdoors, so they will probably never endure anything below 10'C. still, not quite ideal. But hopefully by the time I have an army of seedlings, it will be warm enough for them to move outdoors permanently until next winter.
Click to expand...

Just keep the seeds moist (plenty drainage and just water them daily), as seedlings water them every 2n'd day, as adults wait till the ground is completely dry between watering (stick your finger in the pot and see if it is moist or not).
 
Ancalagon said:
Chilli seeds wont germinate in soil less than 20 degrees C.
Click to expand...

That explains why mine dont grow. I've been trying for months. I've tried planting seeds from dried out chillis, from seed packets - nada. The little buggers won't even start to grow. Will need to look at warming them up. Will they germinate inside with no sun?
 
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