stc3248's 2014 small wild grow

PIC 1 · Jan 22, 2014

Great updates !
A bit of everything happening.... last seasons plants refusing to give up, volunteers stepping ~~forward~~..up from the ground, OW's, Bonchi's, frozen pods ready to get transferred into some of the best powders, outstanding foodie shots...............hmm....oh.....and the startup of the milds, wilds and the rest of the stuff that you're going to end up planting !
I'm sure it's going to be tough not having extra time this year for the garden, but usually when there's not enough of it the job gets done faster...and who wants to spend all their leisure time digging in the dirt.....right ?.......... :lol:

Jeff H · Jan 22, 2014

Great update Shane. with a little trimming, you can keep those plants small and still producing. My o/w plants in the grow room are doing just that. I keep them trimmed so they don't get to big for hte space, but both my paper lantern and the monzano o/w have pods on them and tons of flowers.

Regarding your sauce: using it to spice up dips or other meals is exactly what I use my Butch T puree for. Way too hot to use as a hot sauce. Just a 1/2 tsp or so in that bowl of gumbo last night was about perfect.

Nightshade · Jan 22, 2014

Looks great I would put that explosive ember into a real bonsai pot because it looks like a perfect one

maximumcapsicum · Jan 22, 2014

Indeed they look fantastic!

Sawyer · Jan 22, 2014

stc3248 said:
John, that's a sauce or powder I am about to tackle...I made some sauce with white pods already, but did't keep it white. Think I may just dry some on low and see how white I can keep it. They White 7s I have turned kinda cream colored at the end, so it'll be a little off-white. We shall see. White wine sounds like a nice addition to a super sauce. Keep me posted how it turns out. I have several gallons of the pods to get through.

Yeah, my GWHs were an off-white as well. I'm growing both the GWH and the W7P this year; hopefully to determine once and for all if they are the same. My White BJs were the whitest of white at maturity for me last year and they make up about half of the purée I'm using as the base of the sauce, ~~W7P~~ GWH being the other half. So the sauce isn't as white as I would like, but close enough for now. I'm growing several other whites this year, so hopefully I can refine the color next go-round. I'll post more details in my glog later, but this sauce primarily comprises white grapefruit juice, onion, and pear. It's a little heavy on the onion right now, which is why I think a sweet white wine may help.

Edit: GWH, not W7P, being the other half of my purée.

Devv · Jan 22, 2014

Thanks for the info on the trunk scraping, I think the wife will like it when you show her the heart you carved.

The wife and I had our 34th this Dec. still hanging...A few years ago I forgot to get her a card for Valentines day, scored a win after a few hours in the woodshop making her a card out of Mesquite with a nice heart engraved in it. Just a small thing, but sometimes they go over the best. Especially when they realize they are in your thoughts.

stc3248 · Jan 22, 2014

JJJessee said:
Nice work!
Are you using any fresh soil, nutes, or particular type of nutes to revitalize the MGMC?
Looks like eventually it would lose it's umpf, especially to re-pod.

Thanks triple J! Yes...I use small amounts of time release and during growth and production I will be using water soluble plant food at least weekly. As they start to come in I will start staging the planters with moss, rocks and...stuff.

PIC 1 said:
Great updates !
A bit of everything happening.... last seasons plants refusing to give up, volunteers stepping ~~forward~~..up from the ground, OW's, Bonchi's, frozen pods ready to get transferred into some of the best powders, outstanding foodie shots...............hmm....oh.....and the startup of the milds, wilds and the rest of the stuff that you're going to end up planting !
I'm sure it's going to be tough not having extra time this year for the garden, but usually when there's not enough of it the job gets done faster...and who wants to spend all their leisure time digging in the dirt.....right ?..........

Greg!!! Good to "see" ya buddy! Yeah...I got a lot of irons in the fire. Second round of pods this week went into the dehydrator! Making progress...now if I just had another two months off I could begin to get caught up! Hopefully I can get this round out of their and another gallon of pods drying before I head back to work on Monday...but first, VEGAS BABY! Yup...just the lady and I off to the tables. Ahhhh...

As far as the free time...I have obligated to another 100 mile run this fall, so I will be spending most of my "free" time out on the trails. The Bonchis I will probably take to work where I can care for them daily. 5 wilds at home...how much time could that harvest take??? :rofl:

Jeff H said:
Great update Shane. with a little trimming, you can keep those plants small and still producing. My o/w plants in the grow room are doing just that. I keep them trimmed so they don't get to big for hte space, but both my paper lantern and the monzano o/w have pods on them and tons of flowers.

Regarding your sauce: using it to spice up dips or other meals is exactly what I use my Butch T puree for. Way too hot to use as a hot sauce. Just a 1/2 tsp or so in that bowl of gumbo last night was about perfect.

Thanks Jeff, that's the plan. I'm hoping I can get the little Bonchis loaded with pods...that would look really cool. I spend hours on Fatalii.net surfing his Bonchis...the ones podded up are so BA.

Yeah...that sauce is growing on me. I had some on some Jambalaya last night and again on a sandwich today. Mmmmm....

Nightshade said:
Looks great I would put that explosive ember into a real bonsai pot because it looks like a perfect one

NS...your wish is my command brotha! Pics to follow!

maximumcapsicum said:
Indeed they look fantastic!

Awww....shucks... :oops:

They look OK...in a month or so they should really start to look cool....well if they make it that long! I may have killed a couple today with all the root hacking going on!

Sawyer said:
Yeah, my GWHs were an off-white as well. I'm growing both the GWH and the W7P this year; hopefully to determine once and for all if they are the same. My White BJs were the whitest of white at maturity for me last year and they make up about half of the purée I'm using as the base of the sauce, W7P being the other half. So the sauce isn't as white as I would like, but close enough for now. I'm growing several other whites this year, so hopefully I can refine the color next go-round. I'll post more details in my glog later, but this sauce primarily comprises white grapefruit juice, onion, and pear. It's a little heavy on the onion right now, which is why I think a sweet white wine may help.

My W7Ps went into to the dehydrator today...along with some sweet lemon and orange slices. I am thinking those flavors with a little sugar in the powder will be amazing...like powdered spicy lemonade!

Devv said:
Thanks for the info on the trunk scraping, I think the wife will like it when you show her the heart you carved.

The wife and I had our 34th this Dec. still hanging...A few years ago I forgot to get her a card for Valentines day, scored a win after a few hours in the woodshop making her a card out of Mesquite with a nice heart engraved in it. Just a small thing, but sometimes they go over the best. Especially when they realize they are in your thoughts.

Yeah...showed her the heart today as I was explaining the presence of all the extra overwinters on the back porch...bought me a little time. Then I let her book that trip to Vegas this weekend and she was all good! Nice save with the wooden card!

Aight...so another busy day around here. Powdered the pods that were in the dehydrator and put another batch in as I mentioned. I also started a couple more Bonchis and put the aforementioned little Explosive Ember in a proper Bonsai pot...'nuff talkin.

Ember on the Rocks...or rock I suppose. Not sure this one will make it. I had to remove the main tap root to get it on the rock, but I left quite a bit of the feeders in tact. We shall see!?!?! If it starts to recover I will start to trim away the smaller roots.

Next candidate...my Goat's Weed.

The base looks nice...with a really nice tangle of large roots to work with.

5# Rootball about to get HACKED!!!

Post trim and stuffed into it's tiny new home...more trimming after this test run and before...

In its new home...

Finally for the Manzano pictured in its 18 gallon container. I transplanted the little volunteer that was in there. :shh:

Post trim...

Now to its Bonsai pot...which is actually an old fountain base that I had drilled out for a previous Bonchi forest.

This trunk is BIG...another that will be touch and go for a while...the rootball filled the 18 gallon container...and now its in maybe a 1 gallon container...we shall see!?!?!

Aight...got some powder processing shots too...but will probably wait until tomorrow to get those uploaded. Thanks for checking in folks!!!
Shane

JJJessee · Jan 22, 2014

Beautiful!
That Goat's Weed is gonna be awesome.
It was ALREADY AWESOME!

Which 100? Javalina? Rocky Raccoon?

Devv · Jan 22, 2014

Wow Shane,

I'm sitting on my hands waiting to see how the Bonchis go.

I have one I want to do this with. A Thai that was just a beautiful plant and is thriving as an OW. Dang I feel bad cutting it down to 2"s in height. So I guess now is the time to trim the roots to match and get it a tiny pot?

It's already started to grow again...

maximumcapsicum · Jan 22, 2014

Your bonchis are fantastic. In sure they're going to take off. You can hack away alot more pepper root away than you can get away with when working on tropical trees. I'm sure yours are going to bounce back strong. And your composition is amazing... Big strong trees. Gonna put my little guys to shame!

Pr0digal_son · Jan 22, 2014

Good luck Shane. Don't be afraid to plant too many tovarii seeds, they can be stubborn. I have extra if they dud on you.

What is going on with the growdown? Frutescen tree this year??? I have seed for one that should get 8-10'. A different theme altogether maybe? If it is going to fly, we need to plan something out. I think Feb 14 was a good start date and easy to remember, and October 31 was a good ending date.

Nightshade · Jan 23, 2014

Too cool those are just awesome looking!! Don't worry about the main tap root I heard that in bonsai it is common to remove large single roots like the tap roots and keep feeders

KiNGDeNNiZ · Jan 23, 2014

Guess I can't send you the bbg orange

megamoo · Jan 23, 2014

Nice! Go wilds. Those bonchis already look awesome, can't wait to see them turn into little trees full of chilli.
Women get jealous of all the love that the plants get, its a common problem.
As long as she never suspects the chillis are your one true love, and you can trick her into thinking shes no.1, - you're golden.

PIC 1 · Jan 23, 2014

Had to stop bye here to check on your bonchi's. It's a rewarding feeling to see new growth appearing on old wood. I'm liking those unique shaped and intriguingly colorful pots.

Jamison · Jan 23, 2014

Awesome glog already Mr. Shane! Hopefully I can keep up on it. Bonchis look amazing. Cute little heart you got there, lol. Wifey should like that.

windchicken · Jan 23, 2014

I'm digging that bonchi, dude! My OW Birgit's and the NagaBrain Mother both have that "tree root" look at their bases…hmmm….

I'm kind of jealous of your "restrained" grow…Big grows get to be an onerous chore sometimes…For the last few years I've felt, at times, like a slave to my garden…(classic symptom of OCD :crazy:

)

If I didn't tell you yet, congrats on winning the Birgit's grow-off. That plant is magnificent. Thinking about another variety for a biggest plant contest…The "classic" version Aji Amarillo (Peppermania) grows really fast and tall, and is sturdier than Birgits…I don't know if I have enough seeds to supply a contest or not, but I'll check...

Gary

stc3248 · Jan 23, 2014

JJJessee said:
Beautiful!
That Goat's Weed is gonna be awesome.
It was ALREADY AWESOME!

Which 100? Javalina? Rocky Raccoon?

Thanks JJJ!!! Those Goat's Weeds are stunners no matter how you slice 'em! I am having a rematch with the Chimera...a less known but much more painful than either of the ones you mentioned. Score as of now is Me: 1 Chimera: 1...must have a clear victor!!!

Devv said:
Wow Shane,

I'm sitting on my hands waiting to see how the Bonchis go.

I have one I want to do this with. A Thai that was just a beautiful plant and is thriving as an OW. Dang I feel bad cutting it down to 2"s in height. So I guess now is the time to trim the roots to match and get it a tiny pot?

It's already started to grow again...

Me too Scott...with my patience, I will probably set them on fire before they have a chance to recover and get going. It is the perfect time for you to cut yours back. Actually the perfect time for you would have been in November...Bonchi the in a window on display through the winter then back in the ground come spring to grow and repeat each year. You could have some monsters after a few seasons.

maximumcapsicum said:
Your bonchis are fantastic. In sure they're going to take off. You can hack away alot more pepper root away than you can get away with when working on tropical trees. I'm sure yours are going to bounce back strong. And your composition is amazing... Big strong trees. Gonna put my little guys to shame!

Thank you...too early to tell how fantastic they will be. I have the wire and all that other crap...but I am thinking just trimming will make them look cool enough for now. I have wired Bonchis before and it takes a really long time before the "branches" really set...

Pr0digal_son said:
Good luck Shane. Don't be afraid to plant too many tovarii seeds, they can be stubborn. I have extra if they dud on you.

What is going on with the growdown? Frutescen tree this year??? I have seed for one that should get 8-10'. A different theme altogether maybe? If it is going to fly, we need to plan something out. I think Feb 14 was a good start date and easy to remember, and October 31 was a good ending date.

John I was wondering myself...maybe you should kick it off. I ain't gonna be in on it...but will offer up a prize package of some sort. Maybe I will start a group PM later on with all the major players and see what the consensus is! I didn't really hedge my bets too well with 4 seeds each...I will have to go back through your glog from last year and see what your germ times and rates were for each of these. I keep wanting to start more seeds...those Purple Pequins would sure make a perdy Bonchi plant huh...

Nightshade said:
Too cool those are just awesome looking!! Don't worry about the main tap root I heard that in bonsai it is common to remove large single roots like the tap roots and keep feeders

Thanks! That root over rock sure looks sad this morning...time will tell I suppose!

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
Guess I can't send you the bbg orange

Haha...you know my week spot Denniz! Save 'em for next year brotha!

megamoo said:
Nice! Go wilds. Those bonchis already look awesome, can't wait to see them turn into little trees full of chilli.
Women get jealous of all the love that the plants get, its a common problem.
As long as she never suspects the chillis are your one true love, and you can trick her into thinking shes no.1, - you're golden.

Ha! She's too damn smart for me!!! I keep trying but she's always 2 steps ahead and I am losing ground! We shall see on the Bonchis...the cuter I can make the plants...the more ground I will gain!

PIC 1 said:
Had to stop bye here to check on your bonchi's. It's a rewarding feeling to see new growth appearing on old wood. I'm liking those unique shaped and intriguingly colorful pots.

I dunno about unique shape...or colorful...they were just what I had. Some not traditional "Bonsai" but I don't care...big plant+little pot=looks cool is all I am going for. Stop back by in about a month or so and they should be starting to take shape I suppose...If mama will let me bring them in and put them in the window I could have them setting new pods perdy quick I think!

Jamison said:
Awesome glog already Mr. Shane! Hopefully I can keep up on it. Bonchis look amazing. Cute little heart you got there, lol. Wifey should like that.

Thanks Jamison!!! My initial assault is almost over...back to work next week. Then I'll be back to my normal weekend warrior updates. I hope so...I am skating on some thin ice and I can use all the help I can get keeping her happy!

Aight so I promised some powder photos...didn't do the video but I tried to tell the story. I get asked often to post recipes for my blends and seasoned salts. All I can do is give rough estimates. I almost always use the same main ingredients...Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Salt...the amounts of each will depend on what I am shooting for...so a true "Hot Salt" may be as much (or more) than 50% salt...which seems like a lot, but when you consider that you're using it in place of pure salt to season your food...it really isn't. Most of the time the amounts are roughly as follows...

Was out of sea salt...so went Kosher instead...

A common mistake most folks make is not drying the pods long enough...and yes, I leave the seeds in there. Too much work to take them out for as much as I make...and they powder up just fine. Make sure the pods are completely dry!!! No flex in them, just crunchy...

I made a fist and this is what happened...they're ready. Took me 3 days to get them this dry with the temp set at 105...lower works fine, but takes longer, higher and you'll change the final color of the powder and may even add a "roasted" flavor...which is OK but these were smoked and that was the flavor I wanted to come forward. You can bump up the temps on brown pods or thicker pods Jalapenos/Manzanos or any chocolate pods) to 110 or 115 without changing the flavor the thicker walled ones to cut dry time, and the brown ones because the powder is gonna be brown anyway and the higher temps won't hurt the color. One more note...in my drier the uppermost trays dry more quickly...so I rotate them a couple times a day if I am here.

All the pods in the Food processor...you can pulse a bit as you add pods to make more room. This is 4 trays worth hit with the FP for about 20 seconds. Here you have flakes at which point you can stop or you can go to the coffee grinder if you're making a powder, if you're making a blend/salt this is when you add your goodies.

Garlic on left, onion on right and in the back salt...

A side shot to show you how much pepper flake is in there...

I hit it for another 30 seconds in the FP and then into the Coffee Grinder (CG) looking like this. You can see the FP leaves the seeds and salt pretty much in tact...

After one cycle of the CG set the the finest/largest settings it looks like this. You may have to gently rock the CG back and forth to make sure it all gets hit evenly. I pour this into a bowl for now as I get through the rest of the mix. Make sure you don't overload your grinder...a little at a time will get you there, and if you're doing a lot of powder...make sure you take breaks to let the CG cool off. These two tips will save you from buying new CGs every couple months...I have had this one for two years and its still rockin. (If you're just making a powder...you would put each bowl though two cycles and then done.)

Since this is a blend, and you saw how rough it came out of the initial round in the FP...much of the salt with be at the bottom of the FP...so to ensure even flavor throughout the batch I put it all back through the process again....FP for about 30 seconds and 1 more cycle through the CG...this time as I finish each bowl in the CG it goes into a baggie.

Here is the finished bag of Hot Salt...a Superhot Blend consisting mainly of Monster Infinity and Primo Cross pods...With some Yellow Brain and Douglah for good measure. Its HOT but really tasty.

Happy to answer any questions...

Jeff H · Jan 23, 2014

Nice description Shane. That reminds me, I'm out of all of my salt/onion/garlic/pepper blends. Time to make some more. I have some roasted potatoes on the menu for tonight. They could really benefit form some hab/ghost seasoning salt.

stc3248 · Jan 23, 2014

windchicken said:
I'm digging that bonchi, dude! My OW Birgit's and the NagaBrain Mother both have that "tree root" look at their bases…hmmm….

I'm kind of jealous of your "restrained" grow…Big grows get to be an onerous chore sometimes…For the last few years I've felt, at times, like a slave to my garden…(classic symptom of OCD )

If I didn't tell you yet, congrats on winning the Birgit's grow-off. That plant is magnificent. Thinking about another variety for a biggest plant contest…The "classic" version Aji Amarillo (Peppermania) grows really fast and tall, and is sturdier than Birgits…I don't know if I have enough seeds to supply a contest or not, but I'll check...

Gary

Damn Gary...you snuck that one in on me! Didn't see that it had popped up above my post! An Aji would be a great contender!!! Not sure we want to do back to back Baccatums though??? I grew a Bishop's Crown year before last and that thing got massive too...I like both of y'all's ideas...I will go up and start a growdown PM right now to plan this out.

The small grow is kinda nice...not really sweating it much. The Bonchi's will fill as much more time as I want to put in...and if not...they'll just grow out of control until I get to them. I already feel less stressed and the season ain't even rolling yet!

Jeff H said:
Nice description Shane. That reminds me, I'm out of all of my salt/onion/garlic/pepper blends. Time to make some more. I have some roasted potatoes on the menu for tonight. They could really benefit form some hab/ghost seasoning salt.

Haha...get to work Jeff!!! Pic or them taters didn't happen!