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]

Transplant time I received a new job assignment today that will keep me busy for the next two weeks, so no time to loose
 
Peppers being transplanted: Ají Strawberry Drop, Zapotec (jalapeño), Tobago Seasoning, Big Jamaica, Serrano Tampiquiño, Pico de paloma, Pimiento Padrón, Habanada, Cubanelle, Ají Ayuyo (two "normal" seedlings and one "X"), VV7 Scorpion.
 

 
 
After the transplant (about 80%):
 

 
 
Some more jungle...
 

 
 
The neighbour's mangoes.
 

 

 

 

[PaulG]

That is a ton of starts, my friend. 
 
Should be a great grow for you!

 

[ahayastani]

I did some more transplanting yesterday and the day before. I will have very little time available next week and need to plan(t) ahead.
 

 
 
There are ~15 varieties that won't germinate. I thought that low environmental humidity might be the cause or at least part of the problem. I placed plastic bags on top to keep humidity constant. If nothing has germinated by next weekend I might sow them again.
 

 
 
One fushimi and four Craig's Grande jalapeños, transplanted about a week ago.
 

 
 
Seedlings preparing for transplant... A job for mañana, I guess 
 

 
 
Some preparing for an upgrade to 4G, and others still settling in
 

 
 
The 4G-pack... You might notice the spent coffee; they drink a lot 
 

 

 
 
Aji Guyana. I have the impression this will be one heck of a plant.
 

 
 
Sugar Rush Peach, with some flower buds 
 

 
 
Cubanelle, doing well.
 

 
 
TAM jalapeño, with lots of flowers. So far the plant has aborted all fruits after flowering. I guess that was to be expected because the plant is still adapting to its 4G growth bag. Stevia in the corner.
 

 

 
 
 
 
Some non-pepper stuff
I will soon have tomatoes, finally!
 

 

 
 
Ornamental pineapple that is flowering.
 

 
 
I have no idea what plant this is. If you recognize it, please tell me
 

 
 
Heirloom avocado from Chiapas. Pressure from agro-industrial businesses pushes these local varieties into oblivion.
 

 

 

[PaulG]

You are making good progress, D!
 
The Flowering Pineapple is awesome!

 

[ahayastani]

I have finished my assignments and have "invested" my available time in replanting and reorganising the terrace garden, and not so much in documenting the changes.
 
I have two TAM jalapeño plants that are entering the productive phase. Some impressions (by popular request  ) ...
 
 
One plant has more leaves and flowers than the other, but the plant with less leafy growth has two peppers, while the other has only one... I provided a support to one plant. The plastic tubes measure 1m, give or take a few cm. I buy 3m plastic tubes (20 M$/tube, about US$1) and cut them in three equal parts. I drill small holes and slide metal wire through them.
 

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I also found this little fella growing with a Stevia plant... Likely pico de paloma.
 

 
 
 

 

[PaulG]

Pretty cool when little pods throw up plants in your garden!
 
I ike your support system with the PVC pipe.

 

[ahayastani]

I ike your support system with the PVC pipe.

 
I previously used tree branches that I collected in the neighbourhood, but I can't get rid of the idea that I unwittingly might have introduced disease that way into my terrace garden during the wet season. The PVC pipes are an affordable alternative and I should be able to recycle them a few seasons. I'm thinking of growing a bamboo plant (for stakes) when I have some land myself.
 
A few impressions from the garden: C. galapagoensis, Sugar Rush Peach, Aji Guyana.
 
 
C. galapagoensis. Is this what I think it is? Blossom bud?
 

 
 
 
Sugar Rush Peach. I have transplanted two plants to a 4g-growth bag and both are doing well. As with the TAM jalapeño from my previous post, there is one plant that is more interested in putting up a leaf-show, whereas the other is forming more flowers. The leafy plant:
 

 
A slight height difference between the two plants as well (leafy on the left):
 

 

 
A backup plant is setting fruit...
 

 
 
Aji Guyana keeps surprising me. I've got two plants and both have been provided with a support. Beautiful flowers, even more beautiful peppers
 

 

 

 
 
A few non-pepper impressions:
 
Ornamental pineapple. So far three suckers have formed at the fruit base. Add the crown, and this makes for four new plants. Perhaps even some seeds in the fruit...
 

 
 
Palm (Dypsis lutescens) started from seed with arugula at its base. They seem to like each other's company.
 

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Weather forecast (that's °C, indeed):
 

 
 
 
 

 

[PaulG]

C. galapagoense, flower bud. Check.
 
Plants leafing out wonderfully. Check.
 
Pods on plants. Check.
 
Awesome tropical plants. Check,
 
Great weather. Check.
 
Did I leave anything out?

 

[ahayastani]

Did I leave anything out?

 
Yes. The hammock my loving wife bought for me so I could get drunk rest and read "at peace"
 

 
 
Some updates
 
Hangjiao 3 "Solar Flare".
 

 
 
Chile chocolate, heirloom from the Pacific coast (Chiapas-Guatemala). Well adapted to the local climate, I assume, and I have the impression this will be one beast of a plant.
 

 
 
Aji Guyana pumping it up.
 

 
 
Cubanelle, impressive plant. Seems to have switched recently from growing leaves to spawning out flowers. I counted three mini-peppers
 

 

 
 
KS Thai White, starting to throw out many flowers. Waiting for the peppers...
 

 
 
Herald of Bad News Red spider mites. Many arrived a few days ago together with a change of weather. So far I've got everything under control. Nothing a rub with the thumb cannot solve - thus far, at least.
 

 
 
A "gift" from my better half. Which in practice means "sow them". Anacardium occidentale, cashew.
 

 

[CaneDog]

The hammock is awesome!  Hope you still have  time to put your feet up with everything you have happening.
 
And with a few cashew trees, maybe chilling with a little gongo is in your future.

 

[ahayastani]

And with a few cashew trees, maybe chilling with a little gongo is in your future.

 
I had to look up what gongo is... I could have guessed though...
Anyway, I have never even heard of cashew-based liquor, although I'm far from being a specialist. The local drink here - in the coastal plains of Chiapas - is tepache, a fermented drink based on pineapple rind. There are some small-scale hobbyist beer breweries in the highlands. Nothing you should have tried before you die though.

 

[PaulG]

I looked at a map, which city do you live in?
Chiapas sounds like an interesting place.

 

[ahayastani]

I looked at a map, which city do you live in?
Chiapas sounds like an interesting place.

 
Your map ought to show a Tapasomething near the border with Guatemala

 

[ahayastani]

Things are going well in general, with an occasional setback. Some batches did not germinate, the loss of an occasional plant... I've also got a new unexpected enemy: a cat that thinks it can use the growbags for squatting    She has destroyed two plants so far    I've also lost two plants to overwatering    I had little time and misestimated the water requirements of the plantlets. My Morado-plants have all died for no clear reason...
 
So to make up for the losses, I made a final sowing batch. I covered with a plastic bag to maintain humidity high. Temperatures reached 37°C today, so I won't need a heating mat
 
Various seed sources: The Hippy Seed Company (THSC), vertiloom, Texas Hot Peppers (THP), Badskin, rareseeds, Chris Fowler, CaneDog (CD).

• Neil S Scorpion (THSC)
• Chocolate Barrackpore (THSC)
• Carbonero (THSC)
• Mako Kokoo Yellow (THSC)
• Aji Monagre (vertiloom)
• Ramiro Red (vertiloom)
• Fatalii (THP)
• Gator Jigsaw (THP)
• Peruvian Serlano (THP)
• Queen Laurie (THP)
• Mustard Ghost XL (THP)
• Palmyra (THP)
• Matay (THP)
• Black Panther Orange (THP)
• Machu Picchu (THP)
• Aji Cajamarca (badskin)
• Aconcagua (badskin)
• Jimmy Nardello (rareseeds)
• Jalapeño Azabache (Chris Fowler)
• Chocolate Habanero "Gurdy" (CD)
• C. frutescens "wiri wiri" (CD)
• Papa Dreadie Yellow Bonnet (CD)

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These plant should still produce some peppers, though maybe I may not be able to save seeds from them.

 

[CaneDog]

I've also got a new unexpected enemy: a cat that thinks it can use the growbags for squatting    She has destroyed two plants so far 

 
Maybe it's time to plant a cactus or two...
 
That's a big batch of new peppers!  Hopefully they'll produce and ripen quickly in the hot weather.

 

[ahayastani]

 
Maybe it's time to plant a cactus or two...
 
That's a big batch of new peppers!  Hopefully they'll produce and ripen quickly in the hot weather.

 
I wanted to sow them earlier, but there is always something else to do... I sowed the last week of March last year and those plants produced. I'm not very worried about hot, but the more about humid. By late May, early June the rainy season kicks in, creating the perfect circumstances for a wide variety of plant diseases. Well-developed plants can withstand the disease pressure, but for younger plants (such as this last sowing) times will be more challenging.

 

[CaneDog]

Wow, I didn't realized the rainy season kicked in as early as that - I was thinking more around August/September.  I remember you had some issues last year.

 

[ahayastani]

Wow, I didn't realized the rainy season kicked in as early as that - I was thinking more around August/September.  I remember you had some issues last year.

 
It is one rainy season, but with two peaks... Monthly precipitation is highest in June and decreases towards the end of August, but then increases again and culminates in its second peak in September.
 
I translated a to-send-for-publication manuscript a few weeks back that investigated local population dynamics of Brevipalpus mites, and they observed a higher abundance of these mites just prior to the precipitation peaks. I have noticed similar behaviour for other mites but also aphids.

 

[ahayastani]

I have been organizing a part of the terrace garden today: shuffling and reshuffling plants, adding supports, cleaning up, ... and I came across a few peppers
 

Buena Mulata​

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KS White Thai (yeah, I know... no white (yet?)).​

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Shishito​

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Criolla de cocina... lots ​

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Santa Fe​

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Cubanelle​

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Sweet Moruga​

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[ahayastani]

Piment d'Espelette, quite a big plant compared to other annuums sown at the same time. I hope its first peppers is around the corner
 

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Two Benxi plants (Chinese "paprika"). Relatively tall and starting to set flowers.
 

 
 
I believe Bhut Jolokia will be my first chinense to flower. (that would be Aji Panca, thanks to CD for clearing that up - nevertheless, I remain proud and anxious to see my very first ghost flowers/peppers)
 

 
 
Two KS Lemon Starrburst plants. The plant at the left was a backup plant and transplanted to a 4g growth bag at a later time, hence the size difference. I originally planned for one plant, but I changed my mind and decided to grow a second plant
 

 
 
The first bell pepper of Albino Bull Nose. The plant doesn't look as healthy as it should because I overwatered it after transplantation. A second plant has been destroyed by a cat 
 

 
 
KS White Thai. Exciting days ahead. Almost all of its remaining flowers have wilted, so I hope they have been pollinated.
 

 
 
First peppers of ají panca.
 

 

 
 
Pico de paloma with an anti-cat-squat construction  Cannot be beaten for its cost; we'll see about the efficiency 
 

 
 
Sugar Rush Peach is entering the productive phase
 

 

 
 
Cubanelle with several peppers. I tasted a raw pepper yesterday and taste is not bad at all. I will try them sautéed soon
 

 
 
Space Invaders origami from the kids... The plant is Canna. Look at the dust that gathers on the plants. Lots of slash-and-burn agriculture here.