2022 Outside-In

[CaneDog]

I notice the Baccatum v. baccatum wilds are very similar in flowering to the Bird Aji, and I think CaneDog's donation to my addiction should be flowering today.

That's great. Sounds like we're on a similar timeline as I had my first flower open today. I have both plants outside now as I just couldn't get on top of the aphids inside. I'd wanted to keep the one inside for easy isolation, but they're both getting the bag method now.

 

[CraftyFox]

That's great. Sounds like we're on a similar timeline as I had my first flower open today. I have both plants outside now as I just couldn't get on top of the aphids inside. I'd wanted to keep the one inside for easy isolation, but they're both getting the bag method now.

Hope the bag works for you. I've been tying mine around the pot with some horticultural tubing, and that seems to be keeping all the little pollinators out effectively.

 

[CraftyFox]

Bird Aji has just been gangbusters inside.. This one is easily twice the size of any of the others from it's group. So many pods! I'm not sure why this one took off like it did, but it left the rest of the group in the dust. I might have a set pod on the others today, but they are just starting.

Couple of the others..

Couple shots of PdN x BMJ Purple, starting to load up some pods.. The colors on these flowers!

 

[CraftyFox]

This is supposed to be a 'Not' PdNxSB7J, I got the seeds from Bhuter in '20, I think. I didn't notice his having the purple tinted corolla, but the flowers look very similar in shape. I have a few of these, but the others haven't flowered yet. I have yet to see a grain of pollen, but it's only just starting to flower. I need to get better pictures of the weird looking stamens.

I think there just might be some PdN in there..

 

[CraftyFox]

Starting to bring in some Elderberries.. Not sure what we have, but there are a few gallons here, just from the driveway group.

Also came across an exceptionally large berry in one of the bunches.. I'll be growing the seeds out from it. I get really large fruit bunches, but the berries tend to be on the smaller side.. This exceptional one was about 5mm.

 

[CraftyFox]

The Harmonia are always at the window, looking for work.. Today I had an assignment. Wonder how long it will take the five of them to clean this off?

Funny thing is, all of my other plants are clean.. So the netting was protecting these suckers from the predators. I went from being able to check the Sonchus for predators on the aphid colonies, to trying to find aphids anywhere in the yard.

 

[CaneDog]

Looks like carnage ahead! I've had that happen occasionally where I bag a branch for iso on one of the deck peppers and there'll be an explosion of aphids under the netting, though I won't see any aphid or predator activity elsewhere in the vicinity.

 

[CraftyFox]

Looks like carnage ahead! I've had that happen occasionally where I bag a branch for iso on one of the deck peppers and there'll be an explosion of aphids under the netting, though I won't see any aphid or predator activity elsewhere in the vicinity.

Up to nine Harmonia in there now.. But they seem more interested in breeding than cleaning up. I've just been taking the Harmonia that show up for work (in the window) and putting them to it. Pretty safe bet those Xochiteco aren't true anyway.. Each of the plants I have is different.

CP-203 is doing great indoors, probably setting about 1/3 to 1/2 of the pods now.. I think the one outside is starting to set them too, but I haven't been back there today.

It's not catching up to the indoor Bird Aji.. Which is setting over 50% of the pods now, without help. I don't think any of the peppers are keeping up with this one, but the Piri-Piri are just starting to take off.

Discovered we'll have to put a fence up at the garden, after all.. I've been doing the mowing around our plots, and all the plots around us, yet someone still decided to mow around and went over a foot into our plot, cutting down a number of the nightshades we were preserving, as well as our beneficial plants. Still a little hot about it, but no getting them back now.

 

[CaneDog]

Bummer about the mowing losses. How did the new plots work out for you otherwise?

 

[CraftyFox]

Bummer about the mowing losses. How did the new plots work out for you otherwise?

We are happy to be there, without a doubt.. Big difference from the other one.
Hopefully we won't have any more issues like that. Mostly, the people are decent and respectful of each other, and the setting is pretty great.. Even connected to a natural preserve.

We've mostly been sorting the one plot out, selectively removing the troublesome dominators, while trying to preserve most of the wild and naturalized stuff already present, and introduce some new ones.
Really wish we could have the sun in the one plot that we do in the mixed one.. The plot we have the peppers in currently is shaded by 2pm. The people next to us are growing a larger, hybrid version of Paper Lanterns that look pretty awesome. I'll try to get some pics next time I go.

Hoping to have a big year there next year.

 

[CraftyFox]

Caught the Harmonia eating their own eggs this morning, and couldn't find a single aphid on the Xochiteco. Hopefully a nice cutback will help it rebound.

 

[CraftyFox]

Thunder Mountain Longhorn 'X'
These were off the train.. Most of the nice sized ones are hot, remind me another hot pepper I've had. These were hot.. Maybe jalapeno-cayenne level. In fact, maybe that's the flavor.. Like a ripe Jalapeno. The pith is a bit hot! The only one of these plants I have that seems to be true (no heat) has thinner, shorter pods and the flavor is a bit bland and grassy. Maybe I just picked it too early.
Not disappointed.. Might even grow these again, in the ground.

Zimbabwe Piri Purple (@CaneDog ) is varied as well. I have a couple with darker pods and darker stems, and the others with lighter stems and pods.

Also looks like my first isolated Bird Aji is getting close to ripe now.. Not that I'm going to hold my breath with a Baccatum.

 

[CaneDog]

Nice to see your bird aji ripening, especially with iso pods.

I've grown quite a few of the piri piri african devil / mozambique from the seeds you sent me. The ones grown in containers have been quite modest plants, like yours above, but the ones I grew in a raised bed at the community garden were massively productive bushes. Cool to see that the seeds from the one plant that flashed light purple (instead of blackish) before ripening did the same for you.

 

[CraftyFox]

Nice to see your bird aji ripening, especially with iso pods.

I've grown quite a few of the piri piri african devil / mozambique from the seeds you sent me. The ones grown in containers have been quite modest plants, like yours above, but the ones I grew in a raised bed at the community garden were massively productive bushes. Cool to see that the seeds from the one plant that flashed light purple (instead of blackish) before ripening did the same for you.

We are probably going to stick at least one of these Devils in the garden next year. Just saving myself some time by putting them in the 1 gallons for OW. I have one in a 2 gallon, but I'm not expecting a whole lot from them this year.

Those Bird Aji are pretty tasty! Just what I was hoping for. I think the first one was a day early, but it popped right off.. Just a hint of that soapy baccatum flavor they have when unripe.
The freaks aren't putting on anymore pods, despite the one being outside in the mix. The two pods set with pollen from CP-203 seem to be doing fine, perhaps a bit larger already than those Adam had.. Not sure what I want to pollinate the greener one with.

 

[CraftyFox]

Shouldn't be long now.. Last time I grew these, the pods were deciduous, but the plant died and I wasn't sure if it was a real trait or not. Didn't set even half of it's potential, but it hasn't enjoyed the temperature drops at all. I've also got a couple of smaller plants that are just starting to pod up now.
JLH White Habanero

Here's hoping for another month..

 

[CraftyFox]

Made a pretty solid discovery on a whim. The aphids were trying to take over the Greenroom again, so instead of waiting for the eventual tide turning with Orius and Aphidius (which were both present already in numbers) I decided to take the Peach Caterpillar and not only stick it next to the Goldenrod, but stick one of the flowering stems of the Goldenrod right into the plant..

Next day and all of my aphids have magically turned into Orius! Well, it's only magic if you don't know the trick.. Between the many Orius and many other predatory wasps and hoverflies, they also managed to clean every spot of the honeydew off.
No before picture as I only had a video of the initial infestation, which wasn't as bad as the Bird Aji or 203 had them. The 203 is getting the same treatment now.

If only I had checked on this before I decided to lop the big Bird Aji down. Still going to save the more infested leaves and see how many wasps I can get to hatch out for the greenroom..

You can see one of the aphid husks here, from a parasitic wasp. With a clear lid on this yogurt container, it's easy enough to cull the winged adult aphids and allow the wasps free in the room. I usually check them at least once a day, but twice is better. Once the leaves start to mold, I toss them outside into the compost.

 

[CraftyFox]

Before anyone says anything, I understand I'm exposing my plants to thrips in doing this.. But thrips don't do much with Orius present, as it is one of their primary prey. I haven't had a problem with thrips since having Orius, but I do see them occasionally.

 

[CraftyFox]

Aji Largo starting to flower indoors.

These Xochiteco Hybrids turned out to be non-deciduous.
Still waiting on the White Habanero (left back) and Uvalde is flowering again (back center)
The one in the fiberpot is the Serrano hybrid, which looks pretty similar to the Piri-Piri on the left.. Until you taste them.

Feeling a little sour that I let most of the Beetles go.. Wishing I had brought that bunch of eggs to the greenroom. The two Harmonia I have are pretty lazy, so I'm feeling pretty blessed that I have some Orius and Aphidius present in numbers to help check the imminent aphid wave.
Hurry up SugarCane Orange!! I feel like I've been waiting forever for this one.. There were a lot of them hanging, and then the rabbit and dog played tag among them and I lost the majority.

 

[CraftyFox]

Went over to the community garden yesterday, probably making the last harvest of the year. Our boys caught and evicted close to twenty voles, but also noticed they have no struggles climbing over the mesh barrier on the fence.. Something I'll have to think about over the winter.

Here's a shot of one of the more comical captures. We let them all go in the woods, so I'm guessing we'll see them again.

We were hoping to have an abundance of purple podded pole beans, but our trellis got knocked down for the Vole family reunion.. So we only collected a nice handful. Next year we'll plant some along the woodline near the garden and see if that detours them a bit.

At home, things are still going strong. Not getting my hopes up, but it looked like the isolated 203 is starting to color up..
The other Black Naga x Piri Piri Brown is looking to ripen to red, instead of the expected chocolate color. I already had a brown one, so this is a nice surprise.. Here's the brown vs. the maybe red. I really liked the natural habit of the red one, so I hope the pods are deciduous on it as well.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

have you never heard of the Super hot Vole Pepper?