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glog Hadanero's Lanco Pepper Grow 2025

Time for a new glog!

Last year's grow went okay. It could have been better, but I'll take what I learned and try to improve.

In particular, a number of varieties from one specific vendor all failed to germinate or failed really quickly after germination. Before I realized they were specific to one vendor, I started looking for a better heat mat and fan.

My brother gifted me what seems like a much better heat mat and a much better fan, so I'm hopeful that'll help all the seeds/seedlings do better this year. Not necessarily top of the line, but better than what I was working with. Next up, I think I need to upgrade my lights. I'm using some SANSI bulbs that have been good, but I've got my eye on this panel. And I'd like to think about some possible soil improvements.

(None of these are affiliate links, they're just meant to be helpful to other growers that might be interested. If it's better not to include links, @The Hot Pepper, let me know!)

I still don't know how many plants or what varieties I'll be growing, but I know I'll likely rely less on bags and expand the area I use in the berm along the west side of the house. I also plan to focus mostly on chinense and pubescens, though an annuum or baccatum or two will likely get into the mix.

But to kick things off, here's a blossom on an Aji Ayuyo, seeds courtesy of @CaneDog. I started six different winter plants in 8-inch pots just to keep things interesting while it's cold: two of the Ayuyo, Jigsaw from Baker Creek, KSLS from Peter Stanley, Olho de Mutum from @TexasHotPeppers, and Olho Peixe White from @mattspeppers. A couple of these will stay inside come spring, and a couple might get planted out.

So, that's the start for this next glog. Best of luck to the rest of you this season!

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I don't remember where I read that peppers, unlike tomatoes, do not ripen to their potential once removed from the plant. But perhaps they were talking about seeds and spiciness, and not about flavor. We should do some tests in parallel on the same plant, has anyone already done it?
 
SatanicFlatIron said:
I don't remember where I read that peppers, unlike tomatoes, do not ripen to their potential once removed from the plant. But perhaps they were talking about seeds and spiciness, and not about flavor. We should do some tests in parallel on the same plant, has anyone already done it?
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Yes, this is true, and again especially for Rocotos. Last year I had a branch or two break on mine, and I let them hang upside down and ripen and they were still borderline horrid. Appropriately ripening them on the plant yielded far and away better flavor, sweetness, etc. In fact I would argue that to get rid of the bitterness and grassiness completely, they have to be heading into the zone of almost overripe. Last year when I had my first Ecuadorian Red PFH, the fruit tasted like a sweet bell pepper with solid heat, but the flavor didn't reflect all of the hype about them. I let them ripen very deeply until they were a deeper red with tiny wrinkles, and they were sweeter, juicier, and had more complex flavors!
 
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NJChilehead said:
Yes, this is true, and again especially for Rocotos. Last year I had a branch or two break on mine, and I let them hang upside down and ripen and they were still borderline horrid. Appropriately ripening them on the plant yielded far and away better flavor, sweetness, etc. In fact I would argue that to get rid of the bitterness and grassiness completely, they have to be heading into the zone of almost overripe. Last year when I had my first Ecuadorian Red PFH, the fruit tasted like a sweet bell pepper with solid heat, but the flavor didn't reflect all of the hype about them. I let them ripen very deeply until they were a deeper red with tiny wrinkles, and they were sweeter, juicier, and had more complex flavors!
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This is really helpful info, @NJChilehead and @SatanicFlatIron. I've got a pair of Honey Badger pods ripening on the plant - I'll wait to pick them.(Though it's hard to be patient!!)
 
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NJChilehead said:
I let them ripen very deeply until they were a deeper red with tiny wrinkles, and they were sweeter, juicier, and had more complex flavors!
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hadanero said:
I'll wait to pick them.(Though it's hard to be patient!!)
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🫡 I also have a pair of ripe Stolen Yellow rocoto, it's really hard to resist (also because I've never tried them) but I too will wait as long as possible 😢

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SatanicFlatIron said:
🫡 I also have a pair of ripe Stolen Yellow rocoto, it's really hard to resist (also because I've never tried them) but I too will wait as long as possible 😢

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They're close!! I'd say within a day or two of this photo that one in the back gets the green light! Is that a sunken spot on the one in the front, or is it an unripe spot?
 
NJChilehead said:
They're close!! I'd say within a day or two of this photo that one in the back gets the green light! Is that a sunken spot on the one in the front, or is it an unripe spot?
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Good! I honestly don't know what that spot is, whether it's a bruise, BER, or stink bug bites (the latter two are appearing on some peppers). I might pick that one up first, before it gets worse...
 
NJChilehead said:
Last year when I had my first Ecuadorian Red PFH, the fruit tasted like a sweet bell pepper with solid heat, but the flavor didn't reflect all of the hype about them. I let them ripen very deeply until they were a deeper red with tiny wrinkles, and they were sweeter, juicier, and had more complex flavors!
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NJChilehead said:
If it's fully yellow, it's ready! Go ahead and pick it, and let us know what you think!
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Done! 🙂

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Note: I first removed the brown parts.
Aromas: yellow bell pepper, peach, apricot, sweet watermelon, mango tip, slight herbaceousness of fresh grass, light orange peel. Very fleshy, soft, watery, and slightly mellow. Almost neutral, vegetal flavor, with a spicy, bittersweet kick (back of the throat and tip of the tongue, then front of the tongue, then cheekbones). Clear yellow bell pepper flavor, and little else, vaguely physalis in the aftertaste. I'm a little disappointed with my second rocoto (last year's "manzano rojo" had more flavor, given the same ripeness, and it was also purchased at the market). The flavor was exactly what you described, a bit bland as a normal bell pepper... I'll try leaving them on the plant a little longer to see how they evolve!
 
SatanicFlatIron said:
Done! 🙂

20250731_153000.jpg
20250731_171030.jpg


Note: I first removed the brown parts.
Aromas: yellow bell pepper, peach, apricot, sweet watermelon, mango tip, slight herbaceousness of fresh grass, light orange peel. Very fleshy, soft, watery, and slightly mellow. Almost neutral, vegetal flavor, with a spicy, bittersweet kick (back of the throat and tip of the tongue, then front of the tongue, then cheekbones). Clear yellow bell pepper flavor, and little else, vaguely physalis in the aftertaste. I'm a little disappointed with my second rocoto (last year's "manzano rojo" had more flavor, given the same ripeness, and it was also purchased at the market). The flavor was exactly what you described, a bit bland as a normal bell pepper... I'll try leaving them on the plant a little longer to see how they evolve!
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Sounds like my De Seda. Which one is this? The Stolen Yellow?
 
SatanicFlatIron said:
Yes it's the Stolen yellow. I'll make a comparison with De Seda too (I see some green fruit hanging).
I'm also curious about hadanero's ripe honey badgers!
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I'll try one tonight! I picked a bunch today, and the last few I ate were a couple days ago.

Also, a quick update as I just picked several random peppers from around the garden:

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Up top, I've had a nice bunch of Padrón peppers on my one plant, then that little bowl of Honey Badgers, then there's 4 KSLS, and the three yellow Goronong. Along the bottom, I've got a few Sugar Drop Orange peppers (I really like the two I've eaten so far), an Aji Oro Rocoto, a single Papa Dreadie (though the plant is loaded), and a pair of totally unripe Saint Lucia Scotch Bonnets that fell off as I was checking out the plant. Those SL Bonnets are low growing, but packed with pods as well.

Overall, most of the plants are filling up with pods yet to ripen, though the Er Jing Tao has only one small pod so far. Several blooms, but just the one pod.
 
Alright, some tasting notes on a couple of pubescens:

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Aji Oro: thick walls and a hearty placenta. I tried a bit with the placenta removed and it was sweet, similar to a red Bell but a bit sweeter. Then I tried a bit with the placenta, and found the heat. Still sweet, but with a good, strong heat level without being overwhelming at first, but it lasts and lasts. I recommend checking @NJChilehead 's tasting notes as I think he's got a better example of the pepper. I've still got a lot to learn on growing a good pubescens.

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Honey Badger: Also decently thick flesh. A bite of just the flesh is like eating a fresh pear. That's the flavor. Very sweet and juicy. Also, with the placenta, it gets very hot. A bit hotter than the Aji Oro, I think, but it also hit different--further back in the mouth before spreading forward. The heat feels sharper, somehow. And it doesn't last as long.

I think I prefer the heat of the Aji Oro, but really like the fruity flavor of the Honey Badger. This Honey Badger plant is really productive, though, and so I'm going to need to think of a sauce for them. Maybe something with blueberries? Or something with paste tomatoes. Hmm...
 
All right, so the label on the seed train packet read "Beth Boyd Scotch Bonnets" but this doesn't look right. Maybe a T-Rex or some sort of Bhut Jolokia? Nothing's ripe yet, so it may be too early to tell. In either case, the plant is healthy and the pods look like they're going to be good and hot, so no complaints here.

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