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Bob's 2019/2020 season GLOG - Thunder Downunder

I had a great season last summer. Plants all over the place. I think I had about 28 varieties and 60 or so plants.
 
All of them were great producers after I got the fruit fly under control. I didn't get any fruit fly the previous year so they took me by surprise and devastated my plants early in the season. I was ready to give up at one point.
 
Some of them are even still giving me fresh pods now in the middle of our winter. Amazing considering we are regularly getting temps down to 0°c overnight.
 
Anyway,
 
This year I am cutting it back a few notches, and will be better prepared for the ff.
 
I am going to rip out all the plants from last season and grow all new varieties this time (except the ones that are in the ground, if they overwinter then they can stay).
 
So I have set myself a goal of 10 varieties. One of each, maybe two of some. All grown in pots. All grown under fruit fly netting.
 
This years grow list
 
Ghost Bhut Jolokia
Yellow Reaper
Thor's Thunderbolt
Aleppo
Bonda Mahala
Pink Tiger
Ma Wartryx
Bad Brains
Lombok
Peach Bhut Jolokia
 
 
 
Tonight I planted the first seeds in the grow tent.
 
A month later than last year, but I had a few trips away planned which would have left them unattended and I doubt they would have survived.
 
 I haven't planted all of them yet because I didn't have enough jiffy pods to start them, but the rest won't be long.
 
Starting off with 5 seeds of each to see how that goes.
 
Fingers crossed.
 
20190723_191806.jpg
 
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Hey Bob, great grow going, especially considering the circumstances.
 
I just read that 42+ arsonists have been arrested and questioned for several of your fires...What. Possible. Sick. Mind. Wants to see that kind of devastation? There' a special caliber of bullet for these people!
 
And by the way, that "mystery" plant of yours looks a bit more like Paul says, if you ask me. Chinense are more waxy and bumply in the leaves on those I've grown...
 
LOL.
 
Nothing is impossible i guess, but I didn't start any baccatum this year so that makes me think chinense. I did get the seeds from trusted sellers, but mistakes can happen. It looks healthy to me anyway so it will be as much loved as any other of my plants.
 
The mystery plant becomes more mysterious.
 
 
As for the arsonists, I hope there is a special place in hell where they can burn.
 
Unfortunately the courts are soft on them.
 
One arsonist, member of the Rural Fire Service, convicted of lighting 17 fires. Was told by the court that he is no longer allowed to play with fire fighting equipment.
 
 
The number of arrests was 183 last I checked, so there are some really sick puppies around.
 
Bit of a harvest this morning.
 
Still not a lot happening as far as pods go yet. Just a few here and there.
 
The Aji Cito are doing alright (the orange ones across the top). From 2 different plants, one giving loads of little ones, the other giving loads of big juicy ones.
 
The rest are Malaysian Green, Peach Bhut, and Aleppo.
 
20200114_091305.jpg

 
 
 
I did see some ants and aphids this morning, they have to go.
 
Nice bunch o’ pods, Bob! 
 
Interesting the difference in phenotype
between the two Aji Cito plants. They
both have their advantages!
 
PaulG said:
Nice bunch o’ pods, Bob! 
 
Interesting the difference in phenotype
between the two Aji Cito plants. They
both have their advantages!
Click to expand...
 
 
I don't know why the difference.
 
Both started last season from the same seeds. The one giving little pods gave me thousands last year the size of the big ones. I still have a freezer full of them. The one giving big pods (loaded this year) but only maybe gave a dozen or so last year the same size.
 
The weather has been a bit funny.
 
We had a week of cooler weather with a little rain which has helped my plants a good deal, even if I am getting smashed by aphids. The smoke cleared for a while with the rain.  Most of the NSW fires have at least had a little bit of rain, with the cooler weather helping the firefighters get on top of things.
 
Thoughts and sympathy for the families of the 3 American firefighters that won't make it home after coming half way around the world to help out.
 
And then we get back to hot weather again. Today has been both. Cool and rain for 15 min, then the sun is out an hour later and the humidity is a terrible. Then repeat. The smoke is back too.
 
 
Anyway, another harvest today. The o/wintered Aji Citos are still going nuts. The 2 different sizes are from  the 2 separate plants. A couple of Aleppo and some Malaysian Green.
 
20200124_142327.jpg

 
I have been taking the smaller Aji Citos in to work, they don't last long there. I have easily taken twice as many as this in so far.
 
Other than the Citos, and the odd pod here and there, not much happening in the garden. Not even many flowers.
 
Nice pile o’ pods, Bob! Good to see
you getting after some harvesting.
 
Also good to see a little rain falling in Oz.
 
Well, the good news is the smoke has finally pretty much cleared.
 
No photos but still getting some Aji Citos.
 
The weather has cooled down a lot too. Some days it is reaching 30°c but mainly mid 20s.
 
The other news is we have gotten some rain. About 3 months worth in the last week and not looking as though it is going to let up for the next 2 weeks. Wild storms with it as well. A huge tree came down in the wind across the road in front of my place the day before yesterday.
 
Drought, fire, and now flood. 
 
My plants are living in a swamp.
 
Feast or famine seems to be the theme for weather
everywhere lately. Really glad to hear about the rain,
but sorry your plants are becoming Swamp Things.
Maybe once this cycle of storms passes, you will get
some nicer weather to finish off the season.
 
We haven't heard much about the fires there, lately.
I imagine some are still burning?
 
Yes, there are still lots burning. The rain hasn't reached everywhere.
 
South East Australia seems to where the wild weather is, and a lot of the fires there are at least contained (not all though).
 
The good news is that a lot of areas that haven't had decent rainfall in years are seeing some now.
 
Thanks, Bob, good to know what's going on there.
The german, japanese and british news mentions
it more often than US news outlets.
 
PaulG said:
Thanks, Bob, good to know what's going on there.
The german, japanese and british news mentions
it more often than US news outlets.
Click to expand...
Keeping a glog while growing hundreds of plants and you still have time to watch the news in 4 different languages? I am truly impressed
 
.
 
Mr.joe said:
Keeping a glog while growing hundreds of plants and you still have time to watch the news in 4 different languages? I am truly impressed
Click to expand...
:rofl:    That’s ridiculously generous, Joe.
 
Fifty plants taxes me, I am already at 48, and the
Second Round annuums are still a month away
from sowing  :crazy:
 
Four languages? Thank goodness they carry the
english language versions on the public broadcasting
channel!
 
Long time no update.
 
Nearing the end of the season here, temps at night are starting to get below 10°c some nights, today the temp maxed out at 16° during the day so I expect a cold one tonight. A few green pods here and there, with the occasional one ripening. Except the Aji cito.
 
The Aji Cito plant is being prolific at the moment. It is the only plant that is doing well. I have started weighing how much I am getting from it.
1.2kg of ripe pods in the last two weeks.
 
A couple of little Aleppo, some Malaysian Green, Aji Pineapple, a misshapen Yellow reaper,
 
20200415_174320.jpg

 
20200427_111153.jpg

 
Citos with a Ghost bhut, and the Mystery of the Mystery plant has been solved - Bad Brains
 
20200501_153212.jpg
 
Hey Bob,
 
It's been awhile. Looks like the Aji Cito really liked you this season. Your weather sound a lot like ours here
 
Carry on buddy ;)
 
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