AHayastani's ГЛΟГ

I have an urban "garden" on the roof of a house in tropical Chiapas, Mexico. It's the first year that I'm growing plants - mostly Capsicum - in this location. I lived in a temperate region of Europe before, and the adaptation to different growing conditions is not without setbacks. Another issue is that not all material that I would like to use is commonly available here, so at times I have to be more creative than I actually want to be. That being said, it is also unbelievable (for me, at least) to see how some plants manage to grow in this climate even in adverse conditions (despite my bad treatment, that is).
 
I have obtained seeds from various sources (abbreviations in parentheses will be used in this glog): White Hot Peppers (WHP), Towns-End (town), Jayrseyshore Peppers [FB] (jay), Vertiloom (vtl), Badskin (bad), Juan GA [FB] (jga), Semillas La Palma (SLP), Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds).
 
I arrived at this house in january and started my first sowings in february. This glog, however, begins in early June and I will just treat this as "the beginning".
 
 
I re-sowed a few cultivars end May since most or all of my plants of that specific cultivar had perished... My 3 plants of Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion seem to have succumbed to a virus infection, which might have been seed-born. I will soon find out... My Brazilian Mango and Aji Mango Long plants looked depressing, so I sowed the backup seeds. Serrano... I had forgotten to sow them    Trinidad Beans Chocolate, because two out of three plants seem to be reluctant to grow and enter adulthood... Takanotsume is old seed I purchased on ebay, and I'm surprised that anything gets up. Pimenta Moranga and Monster Gum Multicolor (jga) are two cultivars that I was going to sow on March 20, but I somehow lost the seeds... but they recently resurfaced Germination is still OK, even though the seeds were "stored" outside 
 

 
 
I sourced some pequin/chiltepin from the local market, one fruit per tray:
 

 
 
A box of failures... The seed is already old though and has not been properly stored. Cumari Pollux (SLP) is an exception though, and I will await its germination to officially declare the rest as "lost".
 

 
 
Sowed today: Capsicum galapagoense Long (SLP).
 

 

 
 
I had some fun with tomato suckers as well... I put two suckers in water to make them grow roots (cultivar Madagascar) and gave them a baggie of dirt today and placed them with the rest.
 

 
 
I removed some more suckers and put them in water. Hopefully they will make it to tomato plant Three are Midnight Tiger and another Madagascar. The three shoots in perlite below are Aji Tapachula.
 

 

[ahayastani]

Really nice peppers, also various omelettes look mighty fine! Riplette is a good one!

 
Yep! I find omelettes an easy and quick way to learn to know the taste profile of a pepper, and the Reaper indeed is a winner. I really didn't expect it to be so delicious. I thought many were growing it just to brag they were growing Guinness Record holders   I changed my mind though.
 
 

 
Ah that's interesting, I haven't seen any mixtures like that with 1:1. Makes sense with what you have on hand and clearly it's working well for you. I might have to give that a shot the next time I pot up 

 
Miss AHayastani worked before in a region with a similar climate to yours in terms of temperature and rainfall, and they used 2/3 compost and 1/3 perlite for whatever type of plant.
 
Today's harvest
 

1. Pusa Jwala
2. Scotch Bonnet Beth Boyd
3. Scotch Bonnet Beth Boyd "X" (likely a cross)
4. Nagabrains Yellow
5. Reaper x SRTSL
6. MAMP Peachgum Tiger
7. Buena Mulata
8. Aji Mango Long
9. Pico de Paloma Red
10. TS Moruga Yellow or 7-pot Yellow Brain Strain
11. White Jalapeño (though I've never spotted any trace of white)
12. Black Habanero
13. Aji Mango Long "Red" (I assume a cross)

The Jwala will be dried, but the rest hasn't been decided yet...

 

[ahayastani]

A hike through the park
 
These are almost ready for transplant (Buena Mulata and SB Beth Boyd), for the local market
 

 
The new batch looks as if it will be a success. Early birds were up yesterday; 6 days is not bad but not a record
 

 
Basil plants also gives the impression they are in the mood for growing It is my intention to put these grow bags in between peppers. I'm not good in respecting optimal growing distances    and enforcing the distance helps.
 

 
Sweet potato container, spawning out new flowers since a few days. Still no seeds though. I've read somewhere that the day-length has to shorten more for the plants to develop seed. 
 

 

[ahayastani]

A further walk

Saco de Velho. I have a sweet spot for this type of colour changes during ripening.
 

 
Grenada Seasoning, another supposedly no-heat pepper
 

 
Pusa Jwala, ready for harvest. The plant is pumping out loads of new flowers, especially near the top part of the plant..
 

 
Small pepper from a neglected plant... (MAMP Peachgum Tiger). 
 

 
Madre de Rios (seeds: SLP). Still have to ripen...
 

 
Naga Smooky Rainbow, supposedly... I have two completely different phenos, but this is the only plant so far that is growing peppers. This plant has white flowers (with purple rays), while the other pheno I have shows purple flowers (seeds: WHP). Time will tell
 

 
C. chacoense, special taste profile... 
 

 

 

[ahayastani]

I harvested three Saco de Velho peppers today:
 

 
I obtained the seeds from WHP. The image on WHP's website, however, shows a very different pepper. The colour of my peppers is not truly red, but rather a dark orange with a red hue. Taste was good as well; I'd subjectively categorise it as a hotter-than-average habanero with a strong citric smell. Hotness comes on slowly and lingers.
 
I have two other plants but they are not producing yet. I hope at least one of them will be like the "real" Saco de Velho I would also like to compare the red bastard with his yellow pure-blood brethren. I'm not dissatisfied with this pepper in absolute terms, since its taste and appearance is quite good, but I'm still unconvinced whether I should try to stabilise its traits. At least its name (Portuguese for "Old Bag") allows some creative play
 
 

 

[PaulG]

Your pod production is steaming right along, Dieter.
 
Lots of gnarly goodness in the future for you!

 

[ahayastani]

Your pod production is steaming right along, Dieter.
 
Lots of gnarly goodness in the future for you!

 
Yeah, the future looks   
 
I was going to do a lot of work today, but I never catch up with the local weather forecast and was surprised by the remnants of a hurricane that swept over the country. No more strong winds, luckily, just the typical downpour that turns streets into rivers. I managed to pick this week's harvest and took some photos.
 
Let's begin with the harvest  

 

 

1. Buena Mulata
2. Elysium Oxide
3. BTR Scorpion
4. Trinidad Bean Orange
5. Red Savina
6. Trinidad X-Strain
7. SRTSL x Reaper
8. Black Habanero
9. Monkey Face Yellow
10. Chinese Space Chile (supposedly Hangjiao 3, but pheno is off)
11. Naga Smooky Rainbow (I have doubts about pheno though; I will post on this later)
12. Nagabrains Yellow (very small pepper)
13. 7 Pot Burgundy
14. Aji Mango Long
15. Roger's Habanero Giant Orange
16. Scotch Bonnet Beth Boyd "X"
17. KS StarrKist (pheno is off, more in a following post)

 

[Bhuter]

Yeah, the future looks   
 
I was going to do a lot of work today, but I never catch up with the local weather forecast and was surprised by the remnants of a hurricane that swept over the country. No more strong winds, luckily, just the typical downpour that turns streets into rivers. I managed to pick this week's harvest and took some photos.
 
Let's begin with the harvest  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfk8rqJc3J0
 
 

 

• Buena Mulata
• Elysium Oxide
• BTR Scorpion
• Trinidad Bean Orange
• Red Savina
• Trinidad X-Strain
• SRTSL x Reaper
• Black Habanero
• Monkey Face Yellow
• Chinese Space Chile (supposedly Hangjiao 3, but pheno is off)
• Naga Smooky Rainbow (I have doubts about pheno though; I will post on this later)
• Nagabrains Yellow (very small pepper)
• 7 Pot Burgundy
• Aji Mango Long
• Roger's Habanero Giant Orange
• Scotch Bonnet Beth Boyd "X"
• KS StarrKist (pheno is off, more in a following post)

¡Magnifico!
Great job! I really want a Black Hab. Really crossing my fingers that my bonnet turns chocolate.

Man, you have done fantastic work!

 

[ahayastani]

¡Magnifico!
Great job! I really want a Black Hab. Really crossing my fingers that my bonnet turns chocolate.

Man, you have done fantastic work!

 
Thanks I got my seeds from SLP. The fruit is relatively slow to ripen, but my plant got somewhat "brutalised" by a hurricane and fell over. Perhaps the plant's recuperation effort influences the ripening process? Anyway, the plant almost immediately began to form vertical offshoots while the rest reclined from a balcony. Anyway, my reluctance to interfere with the plant's growing habit has resulted in a much bigger plant In the photo below, the parts to the left are the original plant that still carries various peppers. The erect newly formed stems are beginning to flower.
 

 

 
The following picture is Elysium Oxide (seed source: SLP). It also got hit bad by a hurricane and toppled, but unlike the Black Habanero, it did not develop new shoots. It seems to be happy as it is, reclining from the roof terrace... (don't let perspective fool you... the "lower part" is 4 m below )
 

 

[ahayastani]

I have a Poblano pepper plant that's doing well, but pepper size is small. I assume that the container size (4 g) is to blame. Instead of harvesting them to make chile relleno or rajas, I allow them to ripen completely to make chile ancho.
 

 

 
 
The first peppers of the Coyote Zan White are beginning to ripen. I somehow have high expectations for this plant...
 

 

 

[ahayastani]

I've got two different phenos for Naga Smooky Rainbow. Seeds were purchased from WHP (follow the link to see pictures on his website). One pheno has white flowers, while the other has purple flowers. The ripe fruit in the photo below (left) is of the pheno with white flowers. The fruit ripens from a purplish green to green, and further to orange and red. I'm still following the ripening process for the other pheno (right, purple flowers), which sets dark purple fruits straight from the beginning. We'll see...
 

 

 
 
Another pepper with disputed parentage: Scotch Bonnet Beth Boyd, which is supposed to be yellow. I'm quite happy with the red version though, and am planning on stabilising its traits.
 

 
 
Trinidad X-Strain.
 

 
 
Trinidad Beans Orange. This was a very compulsive purchase I just liked the idea of pepper beans...
 

 
 

 

[ahayastani]

Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion. Not sure yet how I"ll name its omelette... לוי-ette, לוית-ette... Fruits look inviting and have received a good deal of tropical sun
 

 

 
 
Pico de paloma, a local variety. Both are supposed to give red peppers, but I'm still unsure about what the plant on the left has planned... It gets a purplish tan because of direct sun exposure, while the peppers from the other plant remain green.
 

 

 
 
7 Pot Burgundy. Seems to be a productive plant, even when neglected 
 

 
 
I'm pretty excited about the following, which is not a pepper. I found some pink Zephyrantes (rain lilly; Zephyranthes rosea I guess) flowers in my neighbourhood and they were setting seed. I collected some and they are already germinating. I'm not familiar with this plant, but I guess that especially southern USAmericans see it a lot. I like crocus flowers, but they are going to suffer in my climate, and Zephyrantes somewhat resembles them.
 

 

[ahayastani]

I got bonus seeds of KS Starrkist (jay). I have two producing plants but they show different phenotypes. I believe the photo belows shows the "correct" type. 
 

 
The other plant has got pollen inserted from the milk man... I haven't tasted the bastard yet, but its productivity isn't bad.
 

 
 
Carolina Reaper.
 

 
Takanotsume, already setting fruit (sowing: 25th May).
 

 
 
C. galapagoense, slow but steady...
 

 

[ahayastani]

Monkey Face Yellow. I'm quite curious about how it will taste
 

 
 
There was a severe storm two weeks ago and some trees in my neighbourhood toppled over. I have been scavenging for broken branches that could be used to make support cages for my plants. I made a test construction for Prik Khi Nu and, even though it looks like $h1t, the plant seems to like it. It has started forming new growth and setting more fruit. Still branches everywhere, so I'll make some more neighbourhood walks.
 

 

 
Seedlings from my last sowing. Two cultivars show bad germination, the rest is acceptable to excellent. 
 

 

[FarWestPep]

I have a Poblano pepper plant that's doing well, but pepper size is small. I assume that the container size (4 g) is to blame. Instead of harvesting them to make chile relleno or rajas, I allow them to ripen completely to make chile ancho.
 

 

 
 
The first peppers of the Coyote Zan White are beginning to ripen. I somehow have high expectations for this plant...
 

 

 
Do you notice a big difference in the flavor of the ripe Poblanos? It's one of my favorites, but I've only ever eaten them while they're green either relleno or in sauces. 

 

[ahayastani]

 
Do you notice a big difference in the flavor of the ripe Poblanos? It's one of my favorites, but I've only ever eaten them while they're green either relleno or in sauces. 

 
I don't think I've ever eaten a ripe poblano... Except for the dried version of course, the chile ancho. I would say that taste difference between a dried ancho and a fresh poblano is very big. Ancho packs a lot of taste, I regularly add it to tomato-based sauces together with guajillo (which is more neutral in taste but adds a little taste-kick).
 
Do I remember correctly that you are growing poblano San Luis ?
 
I don't know this online tienda, but it offers a decent selection of dried chiles:
 
https://www.despensamexicana.es/Chiles-Secos-cae.html
 
The chiles of the brand "Tajin" are of good quality. Or google for Mexican shops in your locality. I found a "tienda Latina". If you like the commercial product, you can dry your own chiles as well It's considerably more time-consuming though. I would have harvested the chiles in the photograph already three weeks ago, and they still need some extra ripening time. And I don't know about the drying... I have dried Pusa Jwala and Red Savina in the sun and it took about 3 weeks. But it's rainy season...

 

[CraftyFox]

 
Do you notice a big difference in the flavor of the ripe Poblanos? It's one of my favorites, but I've only ever eaten them while they're green either relleno or in sauces. 

I don't have a ton of experience with Poblano, but the hottest ones I've had were red and the flavor seems more mature.. IMO. I'm one of those jerks who will dig thru the whole bin looking for any with a hint of red on them.. Then let them mature for a few more days, which is still not as hot and tasty as the wee couple I've had fully ripe from the farmers market. I do have more fingers and toes than I can count the number of times I've cooked with them.

 

[FarWestPep]

Ahayastani for whatever reason I'm unable to quote and respond directly despite trying a bunch of times..
 
Yeah, the flavor on fresh poblanos is nice and smooth. I've made mole with ancho a couple times in the past, but I don't remember the color beyond it being dark  . That was also before I took an interest in growing my own peppers so I wasn't really paying much attention. A big reason for me starting to grow peppers was because of poblanos and I'd like to do more with them in the future, especially with sauces like yourself. I'd also like to introduce the flavor profile to my wife cause I think she'd dig it.
 
You remembered correctly, I'm growing San Luis and standard poblanos. So far only one pod on the standard and I'm not expecting much from the San Luis for a while because of transplant shock, but I'm excited to compare the flavors once I've got something to harvest.
 
Thanks for sharing the link, I'm definitely going to use that in the future to supplement my own production. I actually just ordered some spices for pickling from another store, although they didn't have much in the way of dried chiles so this will be good to know about.
 
I dried some guindillas in my kitchen earlier this year, and they turned out okay, but I had to toss some of them because of mold growth. Ever thought of getting a dehydrator? I've been thinking of getting one to make it easier to dry peppers and fruits though I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

[FarWestPep]

Crafty Fox,
 
I'd love to try a poblano with some extra heat. I'll need to let some of mine turn red before I pick them this year. I wish I could do some pepper digging too, one of the things I miss about the living in the US is being able to find places like that where they sell poblanos and other varieties. How have you cooked the poblanos in the past?

 

[CraftyFox]

Haha.. I've probably used Poblano about every way you shouldn't. I use them in skillets, stir-fry, and eggs.. All of which have much better alternatives. I really like them diced, with onions, seared hard in the skillet with butter.. Until their essence is nice and concentrated, but not totally crispy. Then I spread it out and cover the works in a dusting of powdered mushroom, allowing it brown a bit before slowly adding in a block of cream cheese, allowing it to melt.. Ever so slowly adding milk.. other spices, building it into a nice sauce that I use on a number of chicken dishes, especially rice and noodle bulked ones. 
Sometimes I substitute milk or cream for the cheese, depending on the end dish. This just always sticks in my mind as a sauce pepper, but maybe I'm not versed enough with it. I know I've got a lot to learn about which peppers are best which way and how to get it done. So far I'm 0:2 on ferments.. That's my next hurdle. 
I've heard they are great stuffed, but I've never made them that way. And please know that when I say 'hot', we aren't talking about anything really serious.. Not in my experience. 

 

[ahayastani]

I often use poblano (green) for preparing rajas:
 

• First, remove the skin (tatemar)

(Just watch what he does...)

• Remove the seeds and cut up the peppers. I prefer long and thin slices but sometimes I dice them in tiny quadrilaterals.
• Skillet with oil > add garlic, followed by onion (thin slices, like the pepper; 3-4 peppers and one large or two small white onions)
• Add chorizo (same (eyeballed) volume as onion).
• Add pepper when chorizo and onion have formed an homogenous paste.
• Leave on low fire for at least 15 min. Stir regularly. Add salt near the end.
• For an extra taste kick, add cilantro as you add the peppers.
• Provecho.

This is a simple but time-consuming dish to prepare. Guaranteed success with my carnivorous other half... I make it as a side dish, e.g. rice, rajas, chayote and steak.