Annie's 2014 Glog: FINAL Grow List before new 2014 glog

Began 2013 yesterday morning. 12 hour soak seed soak in potassium nitrate and H202 (diluted) in ice trays. Kept warm on heat mats. Mix is Promix BX with a lot of perlite added. Pre-moistened, then put in 72 cell 6 pack flats and bottom watered on heat mat to fully wet mix with Actinovate, kelp, Biotamax--a sliver--then drained, aerated with fork, then back to mats to await seeds. Lost a few seeds as I'm handier with turkey baster (obviously from seeds left in bulb when clean-up) when it's used for Q or turkey, but have plenty of viable seeds. Trying to prevent damping off. Seeds from Chris, Jamie (Romy6), Ed, Judy (pepperlover.com), peppergal, peppermania, Baker Creek, Trade Winds, Tomato Grower's Supply, My Patriot Supply . . . and my own saved. Now to prevent damping off. Have ordered Pyrethrin to go with Actinovate, lots of fans, soil temps were 85 this morning when wood stove was dying, restoked, back up to 90F, soil temps (sorry, no pic), as while carrying in wood in our ice and snow/ice storm yesterday morning, I fell. Sorta fell. Falling would have hurt less: why do we try to stop the inevitable? This is my first grow of superhots, so please, any suggestions?! Lemme know, please. Right now the domes are on again, but will be slanting them off in a couple days, if not sooner, and always, flats get 20 minutes fresh air in morning. (Freezing but fresh air <grin>.)

Lights and mylar box--other side of shelving unit is large white sheet (and I know the mylar is crinkled). Also there's some diluted Clorox gunk am gonna get off, but for now, I like the idea of diluted Clorox gunk.

Other side lights: fans

Thanks to so many helpful members here. I hope these seeds hook, live long, prosper, aka do not damp-off. Updates, I hope . Peace, Annie

 

[annie57]

If I were to define them they might be XXX rated even though we speak of peppers, lols …
 
I do make two stove top hot sauces and plan on developing a third soon for the JA MoA Scotch Bonnets but I’ve not gotten to the latter yet.
 

 
Yeah, ain't Scott someting? Builds beds, kitchen, recreates Eden and then be, "That'd be over my li'l ole head and don't take much" riiiiiiight. I think we've got him
 
Your descriptions sound passionate but not XXX rated! You do make XXX rated hummus, however!
 
And where be the recipe for a sauce you be hiding from the worlt?
 
Was a guy made a killer scotch bonnet recipe on North Sosua beach. He whipped up that sauce so fast using some patois, "peoquete de eso y . . ."  About the only thing I clearly saw was a whacked mango, some pineapple honey juice, coconut milk, of course, un peoquete de la Mamajuana and splash rum. And the peppers. Had his back turned to me. Dang that sauce was hot, mildly sweet, aromatic in the mouth, had NO bitterness, never took a seed out. His name was Carlos. Yes, brought some Mamajuana dried (I thought) herbs back and they weren't dried . . . molding by time opened them. Tisk.
 
So "I do make two stove top hot sauces and plan on developing a third soon for the JA MoA Scotch Bonnets but I’ve not gotten to the latter yet." blink-blink??

 

[windchicken]

Awesome Bhuts Annie! You are quite a grower!

 

[annie57]

 
Actually I be some dried Apricots would be just the ticket to turn that sauce into a real "Peach" of a sauce

 
Yep, Brotha Bill and have access to them without sulfides. So, do ya think I orta use nearly a pound of peach bhuts? Or: not? lol The taste is so unique to these . . . want to keep that . . . but they're warm!

Awesome Bhuts Annie! You are quite a grower!

 
Hey Gary! Judy/pepperlover sent these. To have gotten this many peach bhuts at once I'd have had to have planted a field of them or at least 5 plants and hope that 2 came true. Or maybe that's an exaggeration since the peach bhut will probably be stabilizing soon. Have saved ton of this seed with hopes that I'll get some true next year.

 

[romy6]

 I am thinking pumpkins. Bill made the best sauce ever using pumpkins  

 

[Devv]

Nice haul on the Bhuts Annie! I love too see the THP pepper love going on!
 
And thank you and Ramon for the kind words, I think I grew a hat size...LOL
 
But I really know nothing about fermenting, I need to study up on it. AND I don't know what the expected outcome is, so how do I know the finished product is correct? Prior to this year I've only made fresh hot sauces, but Rick's recipe cans well with the acidity from the vinegar. So I've made a couple of batches.
 
So right now I'm laying back and taking in the info
 
Friday mañana, now that's a good thing!

 

[annie57]

 I am thinking pumpkins. Bill made the best sauce ever using pumpkins

 
Well, Charlie Brown , I ain't gots no punkins (yet) but could have some in time for the 7 Pod Yellow and yeller brain sauce. (I'm not growing pumpkins but I know a guy who's growing several varieties.) Trade him winter squash for them. Because of timing of harvest, Yellow 7's and brains should be kicking into high gear when his best pumpkins are ready. A great idea  . I swung by hfood store and picked up dried apricots, mango; went straight to peaches at FMarket. Tested pH this morning on sauces with strips and probe calibrated last night and strip read lower but I trust 4.2 on the scotch b. mix. Smoked choc hab, bhut, douglah, some 7 Pod x Naga with jals is reading at 4.4. (Also tested tap water, tom juice, and mango nectar, just to make sure probe was right.)
 

Nice haul on the Bhuts Annie! I love too see the THP pepper love going on!
 
And thank you and Ramon for the kind words, I think I grew a hat size...LOL
 
But I really know nothing about fermenting, I need to study up on it. AND I don't know what the expected outcome is, so how do I know the finished product is correct? Prior to this year I've only made fresh hot sauces, but Rick's recipe cans well with the acidity from the vinegar. So I've made a couple of batches.
 
So right now I'm laying back and taking in the info
 
Friday mañana, now that's a good thing!

 
Judy really did me a solid for sure! And Scott, didn't mean to offend; do what ya doing, hon. What you want to do!! My point was not to push you to do a thing, really! I like fresh sauces! And my address is
 
Hell to the hell yeah on tomorrow is Friday! That d*)*B&ed university done kilt me today! I lost two freaking pair of sunglasses--never lost so much as one pair before--running bureaucratic BULLS***T errands between bookstore and registrar's office (why did I order my kids'/"customers'" books online to have in bstore, if I needed to do all this? New RULES!!) --and then had to fill out a form with campus police esp. for shades. Shades, I tell ya. Again, we live in NC. In Austin, I get why sunglasses are so precious. I mean, they wanted the frame type, composition, lens color, and style. A. Form. Otherwise, were they found, I could not claim them. No; they are not prescription. Coulda bought a pair in time it took to fill out form. (And those were better parts of day.) Until!!! . . .
 
From Ramon/Walkgood:
 

 
AND he sent MoA seeds!   White bhuts, MoA's, Ramon's JA Habs, one of the two babies I done popped in mouth. Nice little firecracker. And the more I look at these pods/powders, the more I think "grilled shrimp and summer flounder." Beautiful stuff Ramon! Thoroughly appreciated, made my day, and will be consumed (probably at a rapid pace) just from smelling the powders!
Thank you, mi hermano!

 

[Devv]

Nice haul from Ramon, he's the mon!
 
Those tiny guys pack some hear for their size for sure!

 

[WalkGood]

Good to see dem girls arrived safely ... hope you enjoy!
 
Scott, I don't or haven't made ferments either, sauce doesn't last long here lol. But all I meant was if you wanted to you could cause you do a lot of other stuff that most can't ...

 

[stickman]

Hi Annie,
   Why not use winter squash in ferments instead of pumpkin? I can't tell the difference between pies made with pumpkin or winter squash... can you?

 

[annie57]

Nice haul from Ramon, he's the mon!
 
Those tiny guys pack some hear for their size for sure!

 
That he is Scott! And that they do! Can't wait. Mentioned shrimp and flounder and got a nod. I bet with those white bhuts and powders . . . I could get a "Wowie!"
 

Good to see dem girls arrived safely ... hope you enjoy!
 
Scott, I don't or haven't made ferments either, sauce doesn't last long here lol. But all I meant was if you wanted to you could cause you do a lot of other stuff that most can't ...

 
Thank you, again, querido! Das de veras!
That was my intent as well to Scott, Ramon. And Scott's also enjoying his well-earned new hat size; I hope. You both astound me wichya smarts.
 

Hi Annie,
   Why not use winter squash in ferments instead of pumpkin? I can't tell the difference between pies made with pumpkin or winter squash... can you?

 
Rick, I would but already used Red Kuri squash in the smoked choc hab etc. ferment but al otro mano, went to sleep thinking about butternut (we gotta stop meeting this way ) . . . Do you think that say mango--the more I taste those dried apricots contrasted with dried mango, with bite of peach bhus . . . I think the bhuts need mango, while JA Habs need some fresh pineapple, dried mango, dried apricots (and can make pineapple vinegar from peels!) . . . but back to telepathic communication, I had same thoughts last night. I have one med. butternut squash ready, which would be perfect amount for this. Need to half it/bake it on low, >100F a little first to soften. But using Caldwell's, a heated material still works. But just on low until cuttable and some sweetness drawn out. I have several quarts of winter squash canned for pies--they're better than pumpkin, imo, but once pressure canned, no bacteria. (And am gonna have enough JA Habs to do some of your hab sauce since my mother basically took mine. True! Of course I've doused everything I've eaten with it before she took last 1/3rd. Really good on sliced Fuji apples!)
 
PM me, please, Rick, if you wouldn't mind. I have 1 lb. peach bhuts. Don't want melt face sauce but a nice warm one that's versatile and liking the butternut squash idea better and better.
 
Edit: Rick, if you want PM me but already prepped those b-nut squash for the peach bhut. Have almost, 3/4ths pint.

 

[RocketMan]

if you want to keep that unique flavor then I'd just make a puree of the peppers with some mild flavor vinegar, like rice or coconut vinegar, and then just use the puree when ever  you want to add that flavor to something. As for the sauce use half the peppers there and puree the rest to use pure.
 
and I think a Pumpkin/Winter Squash and Apricot sauce might just be the BOMB DIGGITY!! 

 

[stickman]

if you want to keep that unique flavor then I'd just make a puree of the peppers with some mild flavor vinegar, like rice or coconut vinegar, and then just use the puree when ever  you want to add that flavor to something. As for the sauce use half the peppers there and puree the rest to use pure.
 
and I think a Pumpkin/Winter Squash and Apricot sauce might just be the BOMB DIGGITY!! 

+1 on that! Brother Bill's our go-to guy for help in tweaking sauces and ferments Annie... I believe him!

 

[annie57]

if you want to keep that unique flavor then I'd just make a puree of the peppers with some mild flavor vinegar, like rice or coconut vinegar, and then just use the puree when ever  you want to add that flavor to something. As for the sauce use half the peppers there and puree the rest to use pure.
 
and I think a Pumpkin/Winter Squash and Apricot sauce might just be the BOMB DIGGITY!! 

 
Thank you Bill! 1/2 lb. might be more reasonable for the flavored sauce ferment. Or whatever yields 1 very packed pint.
 
Also, already baked, enough to cut, butternut--a pint of that now. About cup each, dried apricots, onions. That would be 3 pints and not using full amount of purified water for Caldwell's or salt. Both only need enough H202 to dissolve. Gonna toss it all carefully and pack in jar with airlock. Was thinking pumpkin pie spice but want to wait on spices because I cook sauces, slap in Oxo or Foley to strain seeds, smooth, and recook. Best for me, just me, to taste then and see what might need.
 
Freeze and think about puree later, as going to try to get JA Hab, lovingly, on to ferment today as well; I can't be rushed to do this stuff. Or "oops" and have to "fix it." Was really thrilled with pH of those already fermenting. (As much as I putzed w/them trying to figure how to do this!) Thank you, Brotha Bill!!
 
If you have any thoughts, on not using full amount of purified H20--Caldwell's calls for 1 cup water. Two tablespoons salt dissolved in 2 cups water. I don't want to add 3 cups liquid. My thinking is that if not "wet" enough to cover, add a little purified water, to cover. If I don't take off lid, yes will heave like supposed to, but probably won't foul airlock if not too full. Thanks so much again!!

+1 on that! Brother Bill's our go-to guy for help in tweaking sauces and ferments Annie... I believe him!

 
Done done, Rick! Butternut's been slightly baked enough for one pint. Dried apricot with 1 cup onion. Pureeing rest of peach bhuts but am gonna freeze for less than month, to get me some breathing room before puree. Soon as I rid myself of last memo sent to admin, going do both peach bhut and JA Hab.
 
Thanks, Rick +1 . . .  ad infinitum.

 

[RocketMan]

Annie after reading your last post that something that might also be good in there would be a couple of Cranberries, just for that little touch of tart sweetness they bring. Just a thought
 
Have a great weekend 

 

[annie57]

Annie after reading your last post that something that might also be good in there would be a couple of Cranberries, just for that little touch of tart sweetness they bring. Just a thought
 
Have a great weekend 

 
You have a wonderful weekend as well, Bill. I hope really tart, fresh pineapple chunks are sorta close to cranberry. Put a few in both.
 
But first, lunch in woman cave. Pizza smothered with MoA garlic infused salt. Can see some of it, but hot pizza just absorbed it like butter:
 

 
Dang, this stuff is good!!! Mmm. Thank you so much, Ramon!
 
Finished JA Hab and Peach Bhut ferments or rather, the ferments after adding stuff to assist in fermentation:
 

 
Ingredients in JA Hab: red homegrown onion, my cousin's homegrown garlic, organic carrots, chopped dried mango, fresh mango, fresh but under-ripe pineapple, 2.5 cups minced JA Habs. Caldwell's starter. Himalayan pink sea salt.
 
Ingredients in Peach Bhut: white Candy homegrown onion, 1 pint homegrown butternut squash, chopped dried apricot, couple under-ripe chunks pineapple, 1.5 cups minced peach bhut. Caldwell's starter. Himalayan pink sea salt.
 
JA Hab was juicier and is already starting some fizz.
 
Many thanks to all and everybody have a fantastic weekend!

 

[Devv]

Just reading and taking it all in! I feel like 'yall are speaking Japanese! So where do I go for clarification?
 
Annie, school starts Monday....looking for a place to hide!

 

[stc3248]

Those lists of ingredients sound spectacular...and that box of pods from Ramon look awesome too! You're living a blessed life Ms Annie even if Ma Nature is being a bit fickle this season!

 

[annie57]

Just reading and taking it all in! I feel like 'yall are speaking Japanese! So where do I go for clarification?
 
Annie, school starts Monday....looking for a place to hide!

 
Hiya Scott! Well if you memorize this thread on fermentation or just decide on what starter you or one would want to use, as they, Rocketman/Bill and CM initially discuss, 1. salt for wild ferment 2. hooch 3. whey (collected from yogurt--I began this using Greek because only kind I could find that stated, "Live and Active Cultures" on carton) or 4. later in thread, Caldwell's vegetable starter.
 
Then you'd just--the easy way--go to a homebrew place as they sell BPA-free plastic wide-mouth canning jar lids, get them to cut, or get them to sell you some grommets and if you have a C-clamp, ask them what size you need to cut the hole in lid to fit grommet into, or a pre-drilled bung will work, and drill hole in lid so the bung will fit. Then pick up some airlocks. All told maybe an investment of 15 bucks tops for maybe 6+ w-mouth lids, grommets (or bungs) with airlocks.
 
With all you have to harvest, I'd get some 1/2 gallon wide mouth canning jars, or quarts would work, gallons would even work. Long as wide-mouth. I got my 1/2 gallon w-mouth jars from Ace Hardware.
 
Now, I did wild ferments with ripe minced Tabasco and salt before this, in gallon glass pickle jars, just thin towel or cheesecloth over mouth, canning ring securing cheesecloth --lots of salt, a little minced garlic . .  . worked, but because it was aerobic not anaerobic, the O2 introduced with just cheesecloth/ring collecting "wild" yeasts in air, there was always a lot of slime/mold I had to collect off top. Even if watching it daily and putting lid on tight, back off a turn once starts bubbling, retighten and repeat the burp of CO2--even if added some lemon juice, or touch vinegar, I always got some yeasty slime on top before it activated. There's a youtube of a guy doing it that way. Part One Here. Part two here. And part 3 here. It's about a 10 week process the way he does it. Not a problem with that. But I think the video explains what's happening with a basic ferment. I don't know if he says to use purified water but always do that, unless you have access to pure spring water, maybe well water would work, dunno. But same deal as with AACTea--chlorine and other chemicals kill beneficials.
 
The reason I like airlocks/grommet or bung--like use for making wine or beer--is that no O2 gets in after you seal the jar.
 
If you have canning salt, sea salt, or even kosher salt--anything but iodized--you could be doing this by tomorrow evening if either picked up some yogurt to extract whey, which is easy, or decide to go with wild ferment. You can use a canning jar lid, slap some Glad-wrap under it--keeping they whey and salt away from metal--tighten and back off, put in a bowl, when it starts bubbling over top, just burp off the carbon dioxide, let it quiet, tighten and back it off again. Repeat. You might be introducing some O2 but early in ferment, that's not a HUGE deal.
 
Only reason I advocate fermenting is that you can honestly mix jalapeños, serranos, with habs or Reapers or bhuts or Tabs, or all of the above, and you taste that ferment in about a week and half, and you can blind taste test the difference between a jal and a serrano as the taste is enhanced--heat is smoothed, but taste is enhanced. Fermenting adds a depth of flavor that fresh sauce doesn't. But I love fresh sauces too!
 
You could ferment some salsa--use same mixture as you would for good hot salsa--do it small batch and if so, use like 1-2 tablespoon whey to a quart with 4% salt by volume--1 tablespoon good canning or sea salt be enough for quart, again using only purified water, and let it run a week, taste it. Put regular lid on with Glad wrap to keep "stuff" off metal and just burp it for a week. You'll taste the difference. A bunch of poblanos--roast 1/2th--put 1/2 fresh in--and that is a pepper that is so deep, fermented. Yum.
 
Main thing is: have fun with it, experiment, and there are no hard-fast rules, since people have fermented foods for thousands of years to preserve them. And just use your nose: if it smells like a waste treatment plant, don't eat it! But if you want to try this, PM me. We can learn from each other! If not, fresh sauces are just fine, hon! No pressure here!! But I think you'd probably like it a lot. Also, a lot of people don't cook ferments but I do. They don't because they just store in frig after however much time in ferment; not cooked as ferments are loaded with probiotics. Anyhow, again no worries, pressures, or anything else! But the fermentation thread on here and those youtubes clarify a good deal. Much peace, sweetie!

Those lists of ingredients sound spectacular...and that box of pods from Ramon look awesome too! You're living a blessed life Ms Annie even if Ma Nature is being a bit fickle this season!

 
Shane, I need to come over and see the quarter ton of pulls you got today!! (Just a good bet. ) Indeed: Ramon's powders rock. Have plans for those MoAs!
 
Oddly, peppers are pulling through weather, finally. I went straight to JA hab plants today after the ferment begins, and collected an easy 4 lbs. of JA Habs. Gonna smoke, make powders, maybe small batch fresh sauce. I had 1/2 lb. left from same collected last week after putting 2.5 cups in ferment--should have used them all, but while sweet, those chillren are warm. Those peach bhuts are misnamed aside from color: hot and the heat hangs around a long time. The choc habs and stuff you sent, much of anything remotely brownish, smoked, went in that other sauce I sampled when pH tested other day, along with my, Jamie's douglah, a choc bhut or so, 7 Pod Brown x Naga and jalapeño?--dang--hot but so good. Just really deep, smokey. Hey: had to taste the sample! And pH is 4.4 so, letting it ride. Hope you're up for tasting some newbie fermented sauces later!
 
How are your ferments coming along? Esp. that salt ferment. Very curious about your salt ferments. Peace to the Poway mucho pepper pod market!

 

[stickman]

Hi Annie and Scott,
   A good reference book on LAB fermentation is "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz. He's recently expanded this in another book called "The Art of Fermentation" that has a lot of troubleshooting info in addition to the recipes. The author has a social axe to grind, but take what you need and leave the rest. Cheers!

 

[stc3248]

Haha...I almost posted a come by and pick it and its yours for this weekend...almost! I got so much sheet to do.  "HONEEEY, YOUR son has football weigh ins tomorrow at 0930" "HOONEEEY, we have a house warming party to go to between 5 and 6 tomorrw" "Honey the backyard looks like crap...you really need to do something about it." Will be a big pull...when if I can get around to it...Not to mention all out of several powder varieties...up at 0500 slicing peppers to put in the dehydrator, made a mistake and ate something WAY too hot last night...all out of tums...spilled cup of poorly placed water near coffee machine cord. Military "cover" soaked...bill from someone I can no longer make out...drenched...feet, legs, front of pants...look like I peed myself...almost needed new coffee maker. Eff cutting up peppers...sitting down for a bit, drinking some coffee and seeing what my online friends are up to. 
 
Soooo...whatchaup2 Annie?  

Ohhh...I dunno how the ferments are doing...I was busy taking son to practice, mixing up enough nutes to hand water the plants with, grilling all the food for mamas diet, ran out of propane...filled propane...time to pick up son...time for dinner, "Honnney, where do you wanna go for our Anniversary next year??? Bahamas$$$, Costa Rica$$$, Hawaii$$$$$$$, Brazil$$$, Mexico$$..." "Well since YOUR daughter is graduating we need to take the kids too"...oldest is 18 (adult) $$$$$$$$$$$$$....