Wild, Indeed, Community Thread

PaulG · Jan 15, 2022

Perhaps we will, @ChilliCrosser!
Here's a peek at the two miniature c. tovari here.

Wow, missed the framing on this one

PaulG · Jan 15, 2022

Getting really wonky flowers on one of the Rocopica.
Had the same narrow, wide-spread petals last season,
but I chalked it up to the intense heat. Guess it's a genetic
trait. No pods set last year, and it's hard to tell if there is any
pollen in these or not.

Full plant. Only three flowers at this time.

The first flower is drying
out.

This is the most opened-up flower. Looks
like there might be some pollen in there.

Has anyone else had this happen with their Rocopicas?

CaneDog · Jan 15, 2022

Those flowers do seem to have more of a cardenasii look to them.

PaulG · Jan 15, 2022

CaneDog said:
Those flowers do seem to have more of a cardenasii look to them.

Maybe I’ll get the chance to compare them to
both c. cardenasii (CGN 20497) and c. eximium
(CAP 500) this season. Which generation are
these? - I started these in 2021. Just wondering
if there still might be some variation in this generation.

CaneDog · Jan 16, 2022

@PaulG Hopefully you'll get to compare them all. I have F3 seeds for an eximium cross rocopica I'm about to plant for this season, but the best F2 still hadn't shown everything I'm hoping for.

Your first seeds were F2's from my original F1 plant. The brown ones may likely be stable as to pod color, but there could be other variance. I still have an F2 plant (brown pods) I've overwintered and there were also a couple red pod F2's that grew very differently, straight and tall without much branching. I thought these (brown ones) were the more interesting ones with the brown pods, lots of branching and the deep purple flowers. The longer more cardenasii type flowers on yours might just be an added plus.

PaulG · Jan 16, 2022

@CaneDog - okay, I grew the F2 and only
got a few late pods. The plants I have now
came from those seeds, some of which I think
I sent back to you, so they are F3 plants going
into their second season.

One question. Right now they are in two-liter
pots. Is that too small going forward? I could put
up to #1 NC pots (3 qts.) or even two-gallons.
I don’ want to go much bigger for OW space
reasons.

CaneDog · Jan 16, 2022

@PaulG - I don't doubt that space is at a premium with all you have going on about now. I think it's well suited to a smaller container. I've had mine in a 5.5" McConkey square nursery pot. It seems happy and produced well enough last season. I'm sure it would be more impressive with additional legroom, but it's bushy and filled out just fine.

PaulG · Jan 16, 2022

@CaneDog - Thanks, buddy. I have my eyes
open for some pots in a true 1-gallon size.
A #2NC is about 1.5 gallons, and the '8-inch'
bulb pan is a bit over 2.5 liters. Want to find
the sweet spot between sufficient volume and
small enough footprint!

I suspect they require a bit more feeding in
the smaller pots?

CaneDog · Jan 16, 2022

It hasn't been a heavy feeder like some, but it does get a little fish now and then. I'd like to re-pot mine into a couple gallon fabric pot ahead of the coming season (mainly to see the plant get bigger), but I'm in the more-plants-than-space boat, too.

PaulG · Jan 17, 2022

I usually pull my plants in the Fall, but this season I
decided to let a couple of wilds go the distance just
to see what their growth habits look like when not
cut or pruned. Both plants are in #10NC pots.

Yellow Pequin. Great symmetry.

At the other end of the symmetry spectrum, Capucinno Chiltepin.

Tons of unripe berries still on the Cap. Chiltepin.
I thought maybe the birds would get after them,
but I have seen no evidence of that. The only berries
I've seen eaten were two on the Cumari c. praetermissum.

PaulG · Jan 17, 2022

I pulled these off the Yellow Pequin. Going to
dry them and see if the seeds are viable
following the winter weather we've had.

They seem to be in pretty decent shape for having
been snowed on and frozen for a few nights. None
of the Capucinno Chiltepin are ripe enough to pick.

ahayastani · Jan 17, 2022

PaulG said:
I usually pull my plants in the Fall, but this season I
decided to let a couple of wilds go the distance just
to see what their growth habits look like when not
cut or pruned. Both plants are in #10NC pots.

They could actually be nice dried stalks for the winter garden. Just a dash of snow, to add contrast

PaulG · Jan 17, 2022

Fork at tip of one of the wild Cumari annuum
branches. The rest are following suit.

PaulG · Jan 17, 2022

Under the lights, Pequin Rojo Chihuahua.

I got the seeds for these off seed train 2020, but they
had no name on them. Does anyone have any idea of
their source? The seeds looked to be a couple of
seasons old then. It is an awesome Glabriusculum,
early to flower, set, and ripen in the Summer.

PaulG · Jan 18, 2022

Good news - definite c. flexuosum hook in one
AeroGarden plug, can see a radicle in the other!

Still no action in the c. lanceolatum or Red Tepin cells.

Wiriwiri · Jan 18, 2022

+1 for the AG....good going Paul...curious ..how long did they take to germinate?
Mind me asking age of the Lanceolatum seeds?

PaulG · Jan 18, 2022

Wiriwiri said:
+1 for the AG....good going Paul...curious ..how long did they take to germinate?
Mind me asking age of the Lanceolatum seeds?

Hey, Sandy! The AeroGarden is always a good
go-to when the chips are down! Seed dropped
on 1/5, hook 1/17 so 12 days. The other seed has
also developed a hook during the day. Both should
be above the sponge level in a couple of days.

The lanceolatum seeds came from Semillas la
Palma in November.

Wiriwiri · Jan 18, 2022

l

PaulG said:
Hey, Sandy! The AeroGarden is always a good
go-to when the chips are down! Seed dropped
on 1/5, hook 1/17 so 12 days. The other seed has
also developed a hook during the day.Both should
be above the sponge level in a couple of days.

The lanceolatum seeds came from Semillas la
Palma in November.

Good call to use the AG then...I believe you got some older seeds then...why is it taking so long?
Would be wonderful to see the AG coming up big with a few Lanceolateum sprouting out
big time...Lord that would be so awesome eh Paul?....fingers xed.

PaulG · Jan 18, 2022

@Wiriwiri - Hope springs eternal, right, my friend?

I will let the lanceolatums go until I can’t stand it
anymore! Word has it that they can take an
inordinately long time to germinate, so I am in
no hurry.

ChilliCrosser · Jan 19, 2022

PaulG said:
Good news - definite c. flexuosum hook in one
AeroGarden plug, can see a radicle in the other!

Still no action in the c. lanceolatum or Red Tepin cells.

Welcome to the C.Flexuosum 2022 club @PaulG

My invitation to the C.Lanceolatum club is also still being processed, apparently they prefer 3 references and a recommendation from a previous owner :-) Have a few batches of them so I'll either end up with none or 20 seedlings in April.

Started some more C.Tovarii seeds yesterday too.