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Growing Manzanos in a hot climate

CheriLBW

CheriLBW

While making my first seed order yesterday I decided to try the Manzano Amarillo that PepperLover.com Offers.
 
After ordering I was informed that they do not like heat ( thank you Wicked Mike), I live in South Carolina... It gets hot.
 
So should I start these really early, like December, so they can go out during my coolest time of the year? They will live in pots so moving them inside if we get an unusual cold snap in early spring is doable.
 
What are your experiences growing these peppers? 
 
Thank you,
Cheri
 
P.S. sorry for the flood of questions I am sure to ask. I tend to jump in with both feet, then realize I should have asked questions first.
 
Great question, i tried growing the orange manzano this year, and it put on flowers all season but none of them would set. Finally about a month ago i got 3 peppers to set and they are still very green.  We have had a few light frosts but my plants have survived but calling for lows around 30 this weekend so not sure.  I really would like to have some success with these next year but not really sure what to do either.
 
I will also be trying manzano amarillos from pepper lover next season for the first time.  I think in cases like this its best to grow them in an area that gets great morning light (the cool part of the day) and a lot of shade in the mid to late day.
 
So for us in the northern hemisphere that would mean full exposure from the east and full shade from the south and west
 
I grew manzanos and rocotos in zone 5a with limited success the past two summers, and I think it's mostly because we had a lot of heat.  Plants took a long time to pod and even longer to ripen.  Lots of dropped flowers.  For the production I can't spare the room in the garden, especially because I can get good quality orange manzanos readily in local markets.  One of my favorite peppers though, thick walled and meaty with a nice sweet start fading to good heat.  :)  
 
I tried both a Rocoto and a Manzano a few years back. I didn't get pods the first year, but I overwintered them and got a few pods the second year. As we are well aware, these peppers don't do well in hot, humid SC.
 
kentishman said:
I tried both a Rocoto and a Manzano a few years back. I didn't get pods the first year, but I overwintered them and got a few pods the second year. As we are well aware, these peppers don't do well in hot, humid SC.
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Should I maybe plan to keep them strictly indoor after our short cool season?
I can set up lights, and we never have our ac set cooler then 75 ( we both hate any cold). Sounds like an experiment waiting to happen :)
 
It depends on the variety. Some do much better in the heat then others. From my limited experience the reds do better in the heat.  I had one variety this year that was in full sun in a black pot on the driveway that set so many pods it was crazy. And earlier then all my others, I had ripe pods in August.  Then I had others that would only set pods in partial to full shade. 
 
FreeportBum said:
It depends on the variety. Some do much better in the heat then others. From my limited experience the reds do better in the heat.  I had one variety this year that was in full sun in a black pot on the driveway that set so many pods it was crazy. And earlier then all my others, I had ripe pods in August.  Then I had others that would only set pods in partial to full shade. 
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Interesting... makes me want to pick up a red variety... which one were you growing and where did you acquire the seeds from if  I might ask?
 
I have to agree with FPB. My red pubes seem to be the fastest and most productive.
 
On pubes in general
 
Start really early. Now thru jan.
Shade from midday and afternoon sun is important.
During the hottest part of the season 1-2 hours early morning sun is plenty.
Cooler early and late season they can take more sun.
A calcium rich soil is important and or supplement with some form of calcium.
 
Most important, BE PATIENT, nothing is slower than waiting for pubes to ripen.
 
Also, I have seen full shade plants produce pods. Although some sun is better.
I grow in a very hot climate (Sonoma), but also a very long season with few freezes in the winter.
The last two years mine have ripened pods right thru Jan. and Feb. with nights in the mid 30's to mid 40's.
 
Hope this helps.  :P
 
I grew Equadorian Orange Rocoto this year in Ohio (Zone 6) I kept the plant under a shade tree the whole summer and it never got more than 4 hrs of direct sunlight.  It did ok, Harvested a couple dozen peppers and plant is still in my greenhouse now ripening the last few stragglers.
 
I tried canarios this summer, they bit the dust at 110 F. Before that, they weren't growing much a over 105 F. Now I have Ecuadorian red rocotos, they are growing faster in the cooler weather but hung in there at 107 F with minimal problems & slower growth. Smokemaster suggested I try them and they seem to be chugging right along. Curious to see what production I get out of them next year. They're just a few inches high right now.

I grow them in 75% shade outdoors year-around and my summers can get up to 124 F in the shade, so I'm always experimenting for heat tolerance.
 
Any advice you can get from Smokemaster on Pubes is worth its weight in gold. He's is a bit of a pube guru. IMO
 
Use your climate to your advantage.If you have to start seeds in November for a February plant out,so be it. Also,pick smaller podded varieties,they seem to be more prolific.

I am in zone 5a and start my seeds in March with pods ripening late August, early September. Their season is not much longer than some supehots and baccatums.


Don't be afraid to experiment. Plant them in different spots around your yard. Try a few different sized pots,inground,etc.
 
hogleg said:
Any advice you can get from Smokemaster on Pubes is worth its weight in gold. He's is a bit of a pube guru. IMO
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The day he suggested that variety was the day I ordered the seeds. Clearly, he knows much better than I do so I made the most of the information. So far, so good!
 
Noah Yates said:
Interesting... makes me want to pick up a red variety... which one were you growing and where did you acquire the seeds from if  I might ask?
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My best producers this year were rocoto Lima market # 1 and rocoto San Isidro. I have extra seed of both if you need a couple to grow. Just send a pm
 
I also was browsing Peperlover the last couple of days and found a few rocoto's that I was literary getting ready to order tonight. All the ones I tried in the past grew but never fruited. So is the general consensus that these descriptions below indicating easy growing or tolerance for hot weather are embellished? Thanks!
 
 
Locato - From Bolivia, The most productive Rocoto variety we seen (it does not stop producing flowers and pods). This Rocoto pepper is a true treasure for many reasons. For example, it is very productive, early, relatively small plant, does well in containers, tolerates heat even here in the south, and keeps producing all summer long. The medium-to-high hot pods have thick flesh tasting like tropical fruit with low surge contents. One of the best Rocotos peppers for picking. 
 
Río Huallaga Rocoto - From Peru, a very productive, hot, and flavorful Rocoto variety. This pepper is one of the few Rocotos that adapts really well to any harsh growing conditions and does really well in containers. The short productive plant sets early fruits turning golden-orange in color all summer long. 
 
Aji Oro Rocoto - Absolutely one of the most amazing Rocoto varieties we experienced among 30 kinds of Rocotos. This variety has it all. Very very productive, tough plant sets fruits all summer long under any growing conditions. What is even more interesting, is that this variety is very small only 12-18 inches tall by 20-30 inch wide which means it is a great variety for growing in pots or baskets. The bright yellow pods are very juicy and among the hottest Rocotos we ever planted
 
Peru Bitdumi Rocoto - Another rare Rocoto variety which is exceptionally prolific, tasty, and tough, which can be grown at any climate. This variety sets fruits earlier than many other red varieties which make it perfect for growing in the short season regions. 
 
I would always recommend starting rocoto in December or January for northern hemisphere growing, despite your summer heat conditions. I currently grow in NOVA, and have been harvesting rocoto since April. My Pubescens have lived through a few late Spring frosts, 95°+ summer temps with high humidity, 4 fall freezes, and keep on pumping out pods. I have never grown rocoto in extreme heat, like 110° in the summer, but they are a very resilient species of plant, and I am constantly amazed at their ability to survive just about aything to produce those sweet, juicy, and spicy pods. I would agree that the cultivars that produce smaller pods would probably be best to survive in the extreme heat. The best part of your grow could be once your plants are well established, and the heat cools down, like August/September. You will have a ton of rocoto popping up for the fall.

I already started some extra rocoto for next season this August/September.

Jump in feet first, start your rocoto early, and you will have great success. Also, grow your rocoto in 5 gallon+ pots with plenty of drainage, and grow them close to each other, so the branches overlap. You will get way more pods this way, plus the leaves from each plant will shade the other ones if they are stuck in the sun all day.

I just picked these peppers this morning, including the rocoto. Your summers probably aren't that much hotter than in Virginia, but you probably get at least an extra couple of weeks to start and finish your Pubescens season.
 

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