Best pepper to grow

[CaneDog]

Nice list everyone some interesting peppers the
Ecuadorian sweet rocoto sounds very interesting anyone have a vendor for seeds?

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I'll be looking for seeds for the ESR myself soon for next season, but want to be sure to get proper ones.  Atlantic Pepper Seeds lists them, but I've never purchased from them before. I've seen them list a number of less common varieties, but haven't yet heard any feedback from anyone having bought from them.
 
https://pepperseeds.ca/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=663&search=ecuadorian

 

[SmokenFire]

Just chiming in cause I noticed the OP is in Chicago.  It's tough grow any pubescens where we're at.  a lot of flower drop, not many pods - just my experience thus far after growing them for several years.  our weather just isn't all that compatible with them.  they are readily available at most latin grocery stores in the city and burbs though.  I saw orange manzanos at butera last weekend.

 

[boutros]

Just chiming in cause I noticed the OP is in Chicago.  It's tough grow any pubescens where we're at.  a lot of flower drop, not many pods - just my experience thus far after growing them for several years.  our weather just isn't all that compatible with them.  they are readily available at most latin grocery stores in the city and burbs though.  I saw orange manzanos at butera last weekend.

 
About six hours away from Chicago, but I've had much more difficulty growing pubescens here than I did in San Diego.  They are always the last thing to come in for me and didn't get much this year.  The only time I ever had any luck growing them was one year here like four years ago, so have taken a few seasons off even trying.    I need to change my methods.

 

[solid7]

 
About six hours away from Chicago, but I've had much more difficulty growing pubescens here than I did in San Diego.  They are always the last thing to come in for me and didn't get much this year.  The only time I ever had any luck growing them was one year here like four years ago, so have taken a few seasons off even trying.    I need to change my methods.

 
If you grow them in containers, they are painfully slow.  Those who have the luxury of planting in soil, I've seen have much better luck.  Overwinter may be required.

 

[SmokenFire]

 
If you grow them in containers, they are painfully slow.  Those who have the luxury of planting in soil, I've seen have much better luck.  Overwinter may be required.

 
I had three plants in our raised beds three years or so back the last time I had them.  Kept trying to grow them because I love that sweet heat.  Lots of foliage, very few peppers.  What peppers I did get took forever to ripen.  Maybe a total of 8-10 ripe pubes from 3 plants for the entire season.
 
Of course that could be me, but the rest of my plants did (and have continued to do) well so I tend to believe its more our climate not being ideal for that variety.

 

[solid7]

 
I had three plants in our raised beds three years or so back the last time I had them.  Kept trying to grow them because I love that sweet heat.  Lots of foliage, very few peppers.  What peppers I did get took forever to ripen.  Maybe a total of 8-10 ripe pubes from 3 plants for the entire season.
 
Of course that could be me, but the rest of my plants did (and have continued to do) well so I tend to believe its more our climate not being ideal for that variety.

 
You may very well be right.  But there is still a difference again between raised beds, and good fertile soil. (by orders of magnitude)
 
I will say it a million times...  When I was raising gardens in midwest soil, with lots of organic material added in every year, I grew gardens that were unlike anything I've seen, much less been able to replicate in any other environment.  If you have the luxury of real soil, and can even do a bit of conditioning, it really pays dividends.
 
DWB's hay bale garden is an example of that.  I had similar results to his with tomatoes and jalapeno plants in my Wichita Kansas house. 

 

[solid7]

 
I had three plants in our raised beds three years or so back the last time I had them.  Kept trying to grow them because I love that sweet heat.  Lots of foliage, very few peppers.  What peppers I did get took forever to ripen.  Maybe a total of 8-10 ripe pubes from 3 plants for the entire season.

 
I liked your Orange Manzano sauce.  Do you have a sweet Ecuadorian version?

 

[SmokenFire]

 
I liked your Orange Manzano sauce.  Do you have a sweet Ecuadorian version?

 
Yes I have a recipe, but getting the ingredients is tough.  Tree tomatoes are not available around these parts and the frozen pulp is expensive.

 

[boutros]

I remember I used to get tons of Rocotos in San Diego by growing in one specific way-  coco coir and hydroton mix for media, Botanicare CNS17 nutes, in white 5 gallon buckets, eastern (morning sun only, up until noon) exposure, right by the front door of my house.
 
I just cant remember how I grew them successfully for ONE year in Iowa, four years ago.  Successfully enough to save seeds, harvest a bunch, etc.  Do you need to have multiple plants by each other pubes-wise?  I know I never get much fruit set when I have a lone plant somewhere.
 
Also, thanks for the input SmokenFire, Solid7...  to OP-  Agridion I think you know which variety isn't the easiest to grow now, but if you have the space and are willing to experiment, Rocotos and Manzanos are great when you can pull them off.

 

[solid7]

coco coir and hydroton mix for media, Botanicare CNS17 nutes, in white 5 gallon buckets, 

 
FTW!
 
I am not a huge fan of inorganic nutes, but this product is phenomenal when paired with coco coir.  I am rather notorious for pushing CNS17 Grow (I don't do bloom formulas for peppers) on this forum.  It's always nice to see others validate.
 
I have grown many hundreds of plants with nothing but CNS17, on top of coco coir, perlite, and worm castings, at a 7/3/1 mix ratio.

 

[boutros]

Nice!  I think I did use some bloom.  And maybe some Cal Mag maybe tried some Ripe on some other plants.  Also flushing them before picking large batches of pods.  Kinda foggy recollections from back then 
 
The grow really did kill it though, I remember that.  I think it is time to bring it back next year!

 

[solid7]

Nice!  I think I did use some bloom.  And maybe some Cal Mag maybe tried some Ripe on some other plants.  Also flushing them before picking large batches of pods.  Kinda foggy recollections from back then 
 
The grow really did kill it though, I remember that.  I think it is time to bring it back next year!

 
You will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever, need to use Cal Mag with CNS17 products.  It's built on calcium, which is essential for growing in coco coir.  More is not necessary, nor helpful.
 
Since peppers are vegetative and flowering during their entire life cycle, one really only needs to keep a middle of the road nutrient application (a level which keeps healthy growth and pod production - no more, no less).  Grow works start to finish for peppers.

It's a waste of money to grow fruits with "herb" formulations.

 

[boutros]

So like never ever?    
 
I think I used Botanicare something else before the CNS17.  Not sure when I used the Cal Mag.  Am sure I wasted a lotta money back then though...  Def going to try a straight up CNS17 run next season.  Was thinking about taking one season off, but....

 

[Takanotsume]

Been growing my aji pancas in coir + CNS Grow, and while the foliage looks great, the pods have been on the small side. Wondering what it is that's holding them back.
 
I'm also glad people are saying good things about wiri wiri since mine are coming along nicely (Aside from some unexpected mite attacks), though I'm afraid they're going to peter out after their first few batches of pods like everything else I have growing in Pro Mix.

 

[solid7]

Been growing my aji pancas in coir + CNS Grow, and while the foliage looks great, the pods have been on the small side. Wondering what it is that's holding them back.

That's a question for a dedicated thread in a new discussion, with pics.

 

[Agridion]

So since I'm in the Chicago area.  What would u recommend for me to grow here? I don't mind bringing in a few pepper plants to over winter.  These are the Trinadad Moruga Scorpion peppersP I grew this year.  For my first time growing them I think I did orepre well. Unfortunately most of them didn't ripen and where green when I picked them but they are still hella spicy. Overwintering them, the last picture.
 
 
 

 

[juanitos]

i would advise you read PIC1 's grow log, he was in chicago and got large harvests. it seems like your timing is just a bit off, you should be able to grow most any pepper.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/37019-pic-1spod-ography2013/page-1
 
 
1) Best flavor, in your opinion
2) Largest crop per plant (BY WEIGHT)
3) Most culinary uses in the kitchen
4) Easiest to grow  all peppers are pretty easy to grow besides pubes/wilds
5) easiest to harvest. harvesting thousands of tiny peppers is too much labor. 
 
 
1. productive 2. medium+ / heavy pods 3. with good flavor 4. not too hot
scotch bonnet(s), habanero paper lantern (chinense)
aleppo, padron, big jim / sandia aka hatch, joes long cayenne (annuum)
aji amarillo, malagueta (baccatum)