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capsichem

Hello everyone. As you can see I am new to the forum. I mentioned in my hello post that I have been stalking here for a while but I have some questions that really motivated me to join. So here is the quick back story.

I just started growing this season and it started simply enough with a 6 pack of cherry bomb peppers from the local feed store. Then a some sweet bananas then some cayennes, jalapenos, and anaheims from seed, then some more less common ornamentals from seed then an aji dulce.... you all have experienced this and know. Well anyway being my first season I have made lots of mistakes but I think im on a solid path now and thanks to our huge growing season I think it will be ok.

Now to the point. I wanted to grow tepins and was supposed to get some seeds 2 months back but never did so I was bummed. Then, yesterday at the farmers market I found a lady selling tepins ~3' tall and loaded with flowers and pods for $2 each. So I got two. Is this a score or did I just really want these?

Second, one of the Tepins looks like two plants fused right at the soil line as it has two main shoots each leading to a main fork. Is this a fused plant or something else? Any special instructions if it is?

Lastly, any special tips or tricks for growing healthy productive tepins? one is in a 10 gallon smart pot and one is in a 5 gal landscaping pot.

Thanks and sorry for the long post.
 
Nice find! I have several one-year-old tepins I grew from Chile Pepper Institute seed...they all exhibit the plant habit you described: The main trunks "fork" just above ground level. Also, sometimes they sprout new branches near the ground which grow quickly, overtopping the main bush.

Big pots are good. These plants are very robust, almost bulletproof, so its hard to mess them up. My problem is the birds don't leave me many pods!
 
3 foot

Thanks windchicken
Since I moved both of them to new larger pots I planted them a little deeper than they were originally, this shouldn't be a problem for the forked one, since the fork is now under soil, should it?

One of the plants had several 6" shoots growing from the very bottom so I cut them and put them in some moist perlite to see if they will root.
 
nice find and good luck with yer grow show us some pics we love pepper porn around here :cheers:

o and LOL @ a 3 inch plant loaded with flowers and pods :P
 
Very good find and in pots that you can leave them in all season. I tried tepins for first time and have some VERY small ones but don't think they will amount to anything.
 
Oh I forgot to say "Welcome to the forum!"

I don't see a reason why burying a plant past the lowest fork would cause a problem. I would leave it like that and see what happens.

As for the cuttings, you may find that if you put them in a glass of water for a couple of weeks they will develop the rootlets sooner. I don't really know for sure, because I've only ever rooted thyme and basil. And ficus trees, but that's how I always did it.
 
Tepins are extremely hardy and you can do with them what you want.
I do this:

tepin1.jpg


that turns into this:

tepin5a.jpg
 
I didn't store the plant. I pruned it back to what you see, replanted it in hydro and in less than 6 mos (picture 2), the plant had fruit.

What it shows to go you is that it's hard not to have a healthy tepin.
 
Major score there capsichem!:)
It would be nice if you posted pics on them.:)

How hot is a tepin?
Are there any mediumhot variety?
If so it could be a fun thing to grow next year.
 
i have two in my garden right now that a Mexican friend gave me seeds, he harvested them from a wild growing plant near his summer home in Mexico, they look great, one is a little leggy and about 2 1/2 feet tall but very healthy, i think they taste pretty good too, i cant wait till they fruit, i started them around Christmas time so i think i should have some by maybe August or September :dance:

thanks your friend Joe
 
Tepins are pretty picante but easy to control because the fruit is small.

The Mejicans say "arrebatado".....it's pretty picante, but the heat goes away quickly.

Tepins are prized in Mejican markets and everybody cooks with them when they are in season.
 
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