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TBG's First Chilli Blitz! (2017-18)

G'day G'day!
Welcome to my very first glog, I hope you like it: ;)
 
This is my first time growing peppers seriously. Last season was my first; I grew 3 Jalapenos, 3 Habaneros,  a Naga Viper, Thai Hot, Cap Mushroom Red and an Ebony Fire, all bought from the store at various maturities.
And then I found TheHotPepper around March this year, and if my grow last year sparked my interest, THP nuked it! I've been super keen for this season, and now its started!
 
I started a few seeds of Aji Amarillo for the SHGDTD on the 22nd June, and currently have 2 seedlings, awaiting the third and final to pop.
 
This year, I'm thinking that I'm attempting to kinda try to limit my grow to roughly three dozen plants (even I'm not convinced), but we'll see what happens.
I don't really have much of a grow list, just a list of varieties that I have at the moment and I'd like to grow. 
So here's something that resembles a Grow List, its not set in stone; I'll end up not growing some on here, and I'll end up growing some that aren't on here.
 
-- The Grow List --
 
- Aji Amarillo
- Carolina Reaper
- Naga Viper Purple
- Aji Lemon
- Brazilian Starfish
- Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion
- MoA Scotch Bonnet
- Scotch Brain
- Aji Jobito X BBG7 Choc (Shorerider's)
- Choc 7 Pot
- Malih-helow
- Peter Pepper Yellow
- Rocoto
- Bahamian Goat Pepper
- Cayenne X Bhut (Shorerider's)
- Red/Green Bell
- Habanero Mix (Red Savina & Tiger Paw)
- Prik Kee Nu Suan
- Bhut Jolokia Red
- Corno Di Toro Rosso
- Aji Pineapple
- Trinidad Scorpion CARDI
- Jalapeno
- Trinidad Perfume
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
- Tabasco
- 7 Pot Jonah Red
- Bishop's Hat
- Cap Mushroom Red
- Sugar Rush Peach
- Yellow Bell
- Goat's Weed
- Rocoto Aji Largo
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch-T
 
So yeah, that 36 plant limit is very dubious.
 
But before I go on, I'd like to send out a HUGE THANK YOU to Blitz527, as well as everyone who got on board the Aussie Seed Train, my grow is substantially due to your generosity!
So THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
And now its time to get down to business, The Grow!
 
I started 9 varieties on Saturday (1st July), giving them a chamomile bath and then into the paper towel in the incubator (which only fits 9 varieties)
 
The Bath Tub:


 
The Incubator:




 
 



So the first batch for this season is:
- Naga Viper Purple
- Scotch Brain
- Aji Jobito X BBG7 Choc 
- Choc 7 Pot
- Carolina Reaper
- Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion
- MoA Scotch Bonnet
- Bahamian Goat Pepper
- Bhut Jolokia Red
 
And not forgetting the Aji Amarillo that have already started.


 
You'll notice a few other seedlings in the background, they're from seed I kept from last season's grow, but they all got mixed up. So I decided to sow some of the mixed up stuff back in April to make sure that they were all okay and would actually grow. Three of them have purple foliage, so they must be Ebony Fire. The rest are either Jalapeno or Thai Hot. (There's 6 all up)
I've had them slowly growing on a windowsill since April, but I got my growbox set up yesterday (writing this on the 4th July) and chucked them into it. They're looking happier already!

 
But anyway,
When this lot pops, I'll start the next, and so on and so forth till I declare that I have sufficient Varieties!
 
Here's to hoping for a great season and a great glog, I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I will!!!
 
:cheers:
Thanks for stopping by, I'm looking forward  to sharing my progress with you, I'm aiming for at least weekly.
 
4/7/17 EDIT: Replaced the dodgy photo links, and added some info about some seedlings I've already started.
 
 
PaulG said:
For bug i.d., look here:
 
http://thebeatsheet.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/GoodBadBug-FINALscreen22Feb3.pdf
scroll down to page 20.
 
Listed as: 
 
Red and blue beetle




[SIZE=10pt]Dicranolaius bellulus [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]PREDATOR [/SIZE]




 
Looks like a good bug to me.  Here's some more info:
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_beetles/RedAndBlueBeetle.htm
 
Thanks heaps! That would be the one! Interesting in the second article how it says it has been seen feeding on pollen, because half of the time I see them, they're inside a flower. Glad they're a good bug, because they're all over the place!
 
 
Walchit said:
I keep hoping to see that Borg I just put some seeds down
 
I'll grab a pic for ya sometime soon, its still in a solo cup because I keep forgetting to get potting mix (I'm hoping to put it in a pot to prolong the season.) So its cruising along slowly and small-ly, but its starting to get some buds on it now. I kept some seeds for next season if this one doesn't get to fruit, especially after its late sowing.
 
Walchit said:
The rest of your plants are looking great. When does your season end usually?
 
Thanks!
 
That's a very good question, one which I hope to find the answer to this season! 
 
This is my first decent grow, but I grew about 10 plants in small pots last year, that I bought as adolescent plants. They lasted until late April I think, so I'd imagine that my season should go until then, but depends on when the first frosts start to hit. 
 
So yeah, I'm predicting that I'll be finishing before May. We'll see what happens!
 
Yet another week-late post!
 
I'll get on top of this catch up cycle one day...
 
Anyway, I finally got a pod haul that wasn't green!
 

 
:rofl: :rofl:
 
I'm really liking these purple beans while I wait for something from the patch.
 

 
Big pods (this is a seed pod for next season)
 

 
While we're off topic, tomatoes are looking good, and nearly ripening.
 

 
So - in The Patch!
 

 
Albanian Red Hot is corking like crazy - just as I hoped! Although I must admit I was under the impression that pods were jalapeno sized...  :shocked:  :shocked:  :shocked:
 


 
Brazilian Starfish is looking groovy! For coolness, it gets 10/10! Funkiest pods in the patch by a long shot! :onfire:
 
Purple Naga Viper is shooting up now - its got buds!
 

 
 
And meanwhile, I've been putting the cucumbers to good use:
 

 
Pickles! :dance:
 
 
That's all for now - updated update to come! (a week late, no doubt! :D)
 
All The Best, TBG.
 
Devv said:
Good stuff going on here!
 
Keep up the good work ;)
 
 
Sinn said:
Pickles look great those peaches behind them look awesome aa well you grow those? [emoji51]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
 
Thanks guys!
 
Good eyes Sinn, but unfortunately they aren't my produce - we buy them from the guy out on the highway, and they are the tastiest, sweetest, juiciest peaches & nectarines ever!
 
Breaking News!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
These pictures were taken this morning, and must be seen to be believed!
 
Now, I haven't been out in the garden much in the past few days, because the weather hasn't been very nice, but we've had a bit of rain, which was a nice change, and saved me having to water The Patch. So, I hadn't been out there in a few days. And what do I see when I go out there this morning?
 

 
The Goats Weed has done it!
 
Here I was expecting the Cayenne X Bhut to be the first to ripen, or maybe the Tabasco or Malih Helow, or, given its huge pods, maybe even the Albanian Red Hot. But no! The Goats Weed comes out of no where and seizes victory!
 
And, interestingly enough, it clearly isn't your typical Goat's Weed.
 
a) pods are wrong shape
 
 
b) Wrong colourisation
 
I'm guessing its a Goats Weed x ??? because the pods go from green, to green-brown to orange-brown to red. if they progress beyond that is yet to be seen. This morning, there was a green-brown, an orange-brown, and a red. Now, as I write this, there is 2 reds and an orange-brown. So they go through their colours quickly, and seem to stop at red. I think that the brownness phase is a remnant of the Goats Weed's black colour. But who knows? Your thoughts are appreciated!
 
But that's not all!!!!!!
 

 
Of all the other plants to be ripening, the Trinidad Scorpion CARDI is there! This was this morning, with a smidgeon of green, but now that green is pale yellow, so tomorrow it should be good for the picking!!! :dance:
 
 
Can't wait to have a sample, but I am slightly nervous as to where my tolerance is at. We'll soon see, but I won't be eating whole pods at any rate!
 
 
There is some other exciting/interesting news, but that can wait till tomorrow, as I plan to do a full update then!
 
Until then,
 
All The Best, TBG. :party:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COLOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :woohoo: :onfire: :rofl:
 
Finally! An up-to-date update! Now, I'm going to have to break this one into a few chunks because of all the pictures, so bear with me!
 
So I think there's about 2 weeks difference between these photos and the last ones? Either way, the Patch is showing no sign of slowing down!
 

 
The plants just keep getting bigger and bigger!
 
I tied up the plants just a few weeks ago, which mostly cleared the path, but look at it now!
 

 
Its a jungle out there! ;)
 
Time for some pod pics, green ones, anyway...
 
Albanian Red Hot - I swear its still getting bigger

 
Jalapeno - I've been picking a few of these green every now and then, an they've got a really nice flavour to them, but negligible heat. And a few of them are quite square?!

 
Trinidad Perfume has some really nicely shaped pods.

 
Brazilian Starfish - still look captivating!

 
And the flowers are beaut!

 
Now, I've been meaning to post up some pictures of the Scotch Brains because they look so interesting. But the other day I realised that I don't think they are Scotch Brains.....
 
Remember back in July, when I first was germinating seeds, that the incubator got knocked and a few of the seeds got muddled up? I think you can tell where I'm going with this, here's the list of the 9 varieties that may or may not have gotten mixed up:
 
Carolina Reaper
Choc 7 Pot
Naga Viper Purple
Bahamian Goat
Bhut Jolokia Red
MoA Scotch Bonnet
Scotch Brain
Jays Peach Ghost Scorpion
Aji Jobito X BBG7 Choc
 
So, although I was fairly confident about 7/9 of those varieties being sorted out (The Goat and MoA were definitely muddled), I think that there was some mixing up. 
 



 
These are all pods from the apparent Scotch Brain plant. I found it interesting that they had tails. And then the pods developed and took on a very, very familiar appearance....
 
Carolina Reaper?!?!?! They look more Reaper-like than most of the Reapers that I've ever seen, so that's where I'm putting my money.
 
But now the question is, if the Scotch Brain plant is a Reaper, then what is the Reaper plant??? And if these two are muddled, then what about the Purple Naga Viper, and Aji Jobito X BBG7 Choc? I guess only time will tell, although the Jobito X BBG7 does look right, although there is a bit of a difference between the two plants.....  :think:
 
I'll leave it there for Part 1 of this update - Part 2 to follow!
 
 
 
Part 2!!!
 
The Trinidad Scorpion CARDI plant is loaded with pods

 
We'll take a look at the pod I harvested soon.
 
For now, the container plants are as happy as the Patch

 
And, Walchit! here's the Borg 9!


 
I really need to get it into a pot, I'll be looking at overwintering it, as I probably have a better chance of harvesting from it next time around than this season.
 
The 'maters are getting close to ripe, quite plump.

 
But lets get to some colour!
 
As you may recall, the Goats Weed is a Goats Weed X, I think.

 
As you can see here, it goes from green to green-brown to orange-brown to red. Funnily enough, its never brown, it just gets a hint of it during the ripening.
 
We'll leave the Goats Weed for now, and look to that ripe Scorpion!
 
Well, the pod was a bit of a runt, but that's only expected from the first pull.

 
But it was unfortunate, because I found this:

 
So it didn't look like I'd be eating it, but I cut it open to see the damage.

 
So that was a bit dissapointing, but there'll be plenty of other pods to make up for it!
 
Like this Goats Weed!

 
It looks more bird-like here, but I wouldn't have a clue what its crossed with.
 
But the inside was really interesting...

 
That looks like bloody capsaicin oil!?!?!?! placenta was also more yellow-orange than I expected.
 
So, I ate it, of course, but half at a time. I wrote down a few notes, here's what I said.
 
 
So there were 3 placenta bits, 2 in 1 half, 1 in the other. I ate the one with 1 first. Now, as soon as its in your mouth, you sense the heat. But when you start chewing, it hits you. It really hits. Its just BAM! there is zero build here, just all of a sudden, your entire mouth is feeling the burn. And its a good burn too, this half is definitely hotter than the quarter of a Habanero I had a while back. There's not really any location for this burn, but its all in the mouth,all over, none in the throat, but I particularly noticed my interior cheeks feeling it. It really caught me off-guard, and so had me scrambling for a glass of milk within nearly 30 seconds. the burn lasted a bout 1-2 minutes,and then you get a feel of the flavour. Now, I'm not at all experienced with chillies, so this maybe how Goats Weed normally tastes, but I was surprised by the flavour - because it had a really distinct flavour, the classic, fruity, Habanero taste. The only way I can describe it is fruity, and Hab-esque. Which is really good. All up, this was a surprising chilli for me, with unexpected heat and unexpected flavour. but both heat and flavour are really good. Its hot enough to bring tears to my eyes, but not tears of torture. And you can't go wrong with that fruity flavour. I'm really looking forward to more of this chilli!
 
So there you go!
 
That's all for this update, glad I finally to up to date, as usual, any questions, comments or concerns are more than welcome!
 
All The Best, TBG.
 
Nice! Plants and pods are looking good! Although I suspect that your Purple Naga Viper may have gotten mixed up as well. Mine have very dark purple, nearly black stems and branches, and some purplish/black coloration on the leaves too. But the one in your picture looks completely green. Although I suppose it might just be a result of instability in the strain. Either way, it looks quite different from what I have.
 
Plants all look very healthy TBG. Amazing how quick they have grown. Like I said you gonna need a bigger patch man. Two more months in there and you will be going in with a machete to pick pods
 
BlackFatalii said:
Nice! Plants and pods are looking good! Although I suspect that your Purple Naga Viper may have gotten mixed up as well. Mine have very dark purple, nearly black stems and branches, and some purplish/black coloration on the leaves too. But the one in your picture looks completely green. Although I suppose it might just be a result of instability in the strain. Either way, it looks quite different from what I have.
 
Cheers! Yeah, I've been a bit suspicious of the Purple Viper, because it doesn't have the purple. I thought that maybe it might come along later, but I'm doubting it now that I know of other mix ups.
 
Devv said:
The garden looks great Nev!
 
And the color! Congrats! From now on more and more of that.
 
Enjoy the fruits of your labor ;)
 
Thanks Scott! I'm really looking forward to sampling all these chillies - most I've never tasted before!
 
KAOS said:
Plants all look very healthy TBG. Amazing how quick they have grown. Like I said you gonna need a bigger patch man. Two more months in there and you will be going in with a machete to pick pods
 
Cheers! I'm especially impressed by the ones in the middle row, as they've mostly overtaken the front row in size, after being transplanted afterwards. I'm thinking that maybe it was the different compost mix I used to prep the soil, the one in the middle and back row was a manure based blend, while the other was composted wood chips & stuff I believe. Either way, everything is doing great, but some doing more great than others! :D
 
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