bpiela's 2016 Glog

Had a hard time following the weather reports here in NJ this year (actually didn't pay attention) and a frost killed the garden before I could dig up plants and bring them in to OW.  I did grow some peppers in containers so I decided to move the best of them inside.  Thus, I am OW'ing the following:
 
Trinidad Scorpion Chocolate grown from seeds from Baker's.  This plant did well in the container but really never produced any pods.  If I can keep it alive, it will kick butt next season.
Habanero White Bullet grown form seeds from Juanito.  Got plenty of pods from this guy and I am happy to OW it.  Still plenty of pods on it and I plan on harvesting them.
Cayenne Red that I purchased from a local store.  This plant was large for a store bought plant and did great.  I am still getting pods off of it after moving it indoors.  I definitely need to prune it back once I harvest all of the pods off of it.
Aji Melocoton grown from seeds from Pepperlover.  This plant grew true, it was not one of the Aji Penec's that some folks got (including myself) that were mislabeled.  I pruned it way back and the plant still is going strong. I can't imagine an OW'd baccatum. This should be fun.
Some unknown variety purchased from a local store that was mislabeled.  I will post pictures of the pods if anyone wants to guess what it is.  Large pendant pods that grow up and mature red.
Masquerade.  This plant was in a display that was at my father-in-law's wake.  We kept the display and I will do my best to keep this plant going.  These pods go from green to dark purple to red and grow upwards.  Nice plant and it will be a nice memory.
 
Other than that, I did start some seeds today as a first wave kind of thing.  I am using Park's starters as my planting medium.  Each starter block contains 18 cells in a 3 x 6 layout.  I planted three cells of the following:
 
Block 1:  Lindberg Figueroa peppers
Aji Jobito
Aji Llaneron
Aji Margariteno
Aji Pepon
Aji Rosita
Aji Rosita Rojo
 
Block 2: Seeds from peppers I grew or purchased.   The Thai Orange Large is from romy6.  The "Mel Unknown" are seeds from a pod a friend named Mel gave me.  He got the peppers from a trip to the Caribbean.  I have a picture somewhere of what a mature plant looks like and I will follow up with a post.
Thai Hot Ornamental
Thai Orange Large
Mel Unknown
Cumari Do Para
Peri Peri
Trotalino Amoraoso
 
Block 3: More seeds from plants I have grown in the past and a few from Wicked Mike's Seed Train from last season.
Aji Amarillo
Aji Colorado
Inca Red Drop
Criolla Sella
Guajillo
Birgit's Locoto
 
Not going with too many superhots up front.  Next rounds of seeds will get the superhots going.  I am liking the small hot pepper thing hence the Thai Hot Ornamental, the Cumari do Para and the Peri Peri.  I hope to get some CAP 691 seeds from Pepperlover.  Got some of them in a SFRB from Wicked Mike this season and I thought those peppers rocked.

Here is a pic of the Mel Unknown.  The plant grows very big it seems. I just have seeds. That is not a picture of any plant that I have.

 

[bpiela]

Nice setup Ben! Did I see some Hungarian Blacks and Jimmy Nardellos too?

Thanks!  A lot of my plants are still trying to get stronger after my lighting issues.  All of the staked peppers in the garden are plants that got "spindley".  But, on the other hand, some plants did do fairly well and have pods.  Those black-ish peppers in the front are Peruvian Purples.  Got those seeds from the Scorched Seed Train.  To the left on the end of the row, those are Prik Chi Faa.  They are new to me as well as the Peruvian Purples.  I sincerely appreciate all of the positive energy you and others are sending my way!  Before I laid down the thin layer of mulch, I did sprinkle some granular ferts and some Bloodmeal.  I am hoping to see some improvement in a couple of weeks.

 

[bpiela]

In an attempt to totally cheat the Growdown, I received this in the mail today from Cross Country Nurseries:
 

 
Of course, I will not be competing but I will be able to enjoy the pepper with the rest of them, assuming that I am able to grow it properly.

 

[Devv]

In an attempt to totally cheat the Growdown, I received this in the mail today from Cross Country Nurseries:
 

 
Of course, I will not be competing but I will be able to enjoy the pepper with the rest of them, assuming that I am able to grow it properly.

 You will
 
I sure wish my seeds had popped!

 

[stickman]

In an attempt to totally cheat the Growdown, I received this in the mail today from Cross Country Nurseries:
 

 
Of course, I will not be competing but I will be able to enjoy the pepper with the rest of them, assuming that I am able to grow it properly.

 
Heh. heh ... pretty good joke.

 

[bpiela]

Posting some updates.  Plants are greening up and starting to look good.  I took some photos of a few plants.
 
Start with a couple of container shots.  This is one of three Vladan's Beauty's I am growing.  These were bonus seeds from a purchase from Rainbow Chile Seeds.  Small purple plant with small pods.  No pods yet, but plenty 'o purple flowers.
 

 
Next up are two large Blue Mysterys.  These seeds I got from the Scorched Seed Train.  These plants have not had any issues and continue to grow huge.
 

 
In the garden, I like taking pictures of the Purple Cayenne because there are so many pods on it. 
 

 
And lastly, a typical not so focused picture of the CGN21500 that I started late.  Got a handful of pods.
 

 
I guess today's pics were mostly purple but those are the ones doing the best for me.  I do want to post some "whole garden" shots so that I can use it for historical purposes in future years.  Those will be coming soon.

 

[Devv]

looking good Ben!
 
You WILL have a fantastic season for sure

 

[stickman]

Purple works for me Ben... nice job!

 

[bpiela]

Posting full garden pics as of this past weekend.
 
Right-most pic, these are a mix of baccatum and chinense.  In the front, on the right is a night looking Trinidad Perfume.  Outside the fence are my Blue Mystery's and a couple of C. Galapagoense in containers. 

 
Moving to the left, these are mostly annuums with a Wiri Wiri thrown in there.  On the right are a bunch of purple peppers and on the left towards the back are a group of different Thai peppers.  In the back, outside the garden is my OW Fresno in a container.

 
Moving left, this is a bad pic because I have my tomatos in cages in the front and it is hard to see the peppers behind them.  Behind the tomatos here are my frutescens peppers and some odd chinense.

 
Moving left, this is my main chinense row.  That red pepper on the right is a Mortalii.  On the left are mostly Chocolates. 

 
Moving left are the baccatums.  These were started way too early.  Most are doing fine and growing out of their spindley-ness.  In the front is my OW Aji Melocoton.  Just behind it is an Aji Fantasy with a few pods.

 
Moving left, we have the annuums.  This area is doing well.  The large plant in front is my OW Cayenne.

 
Lastly, we have the last peppers I planted including a Peruvian Serlano.  Yeah, those are strawberries down front.  I typically don't get any of those.  The local critters get to them first.

 
And here is a shot of the whole garden.

 

[stickman]

Nice job Ben! It's good to see your plants re-balancing themselves after the stressful time under the lights in early spring. Once things warm up a little more your garden looks ready to rock n' roll!

 

[Peter S]

Your garden looks great!

 

[bpiela]

Weak update today.  The garden is doing fine.  Plants are growing, just not as well as the plants I have over at my sister's house.  I planted about 40 plants at my sister's house and those plants are rockin'.  I don't have a pic of them yet.  Will get one this week.  Been pulling a few pods here and there.  Got a couple of Guajillo and some Jalapenos.  Here is a full garden pic for now.
 

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

     Glad to see things have turned around! Your plot seems to be filling in with green fast. Best of all is that layer of straw mulch you put down. Mulch makes plants and gardeners happy for so many reasons! I just got a thick layer put down yesterday. You were smart and put it down while your plants were still small. 
     Your grow is definitely on the right track now. Keep on truckin'!

 

[bpiela]

Updates!
 
Starting with some of the containers, here are two Orange Manzano's hanging out next to each other.  I have purple buds!  Hopefully, I will get some pods soon!

 
This CGN24360 is pumping out the mini pods all over!

 
Here are my two Blue Mystery's.  They are growing like crazy.

 
Makes me wonder if they are a cross.  Here is a typical blurry closeup of one of the pods.  Are they supposed to be that shape?

 
Into the garden.  Here is an Aji Cristal.  Not from the Growdown.

 
Next is a Chinese Multicolor looking very multicolor-ish...

 
A Thai Hot Spezzano.  Pods grow up and are 2.5 to 3" long.  I got another one growing at my sister's place.  These are great plants!

 
I know this pic is blurry but it got a lot going on.  This is a Habalokia Peach Lavalamp.  Got a few runt red pods.  I would guess the big guys will be red as well.

 
Aji Mango pods growin'.

 
Vladan's Beauties.  Cool little purple pendant pods that grow up in clusters.

 
An Ammazzo from CCN.  Starting to look like the pics on their website.

 
Crazy bud action on one of my tomatos. 

 
Lastly, a Jalapeno Giant.  What do you think is going on with the leaves?

 
Thanks for stopping by.

 

[tctenten]

Everything looks good. Especially those Orange Manzano. I am sure it will be pushing pods soon.

 

[bpiela]

Updates from my sister's garden. Her garden gets 100% full sun all day long. I go over there on the weekends and help out with weeding and whatever else is needed. The pepper plants over there are doing so much better than mine. Almost all of the pepper plants over there are ones that I grew from seed that I gave her. In fact, aside from my sister, I am happy that I have given away over 50 plants to interested people around my home town of Glen Rock, NJ!
 
For starters, I am going to show a plant that she purchased, a Bonnie Purple Bell. Looks great with two big ole peppers!

 
There are two beds that I planted my plants in. Here is one. Lots of weeds in the cinder blocks but I will take care of them this weekend. In this bed from left to right, front to back we have in the front row, a Bonda Ma Jacques, Thai Orange Lg, Shishito, second row back a Fatalii, Bob's Pickling, Super Chile, third row back is a Krootown, NuMex Vaquero, and Zimabwe Bird and in the back row is a Scotch Brains, Thai Hot Spezzano and a Cabai Burong Undu, which is just a large plant.

　
The other bed lays out in a 6 plants by 3 rows. Here we have from left to right and front to back, in the front, a Urfa Biber x White Bullet Hab, CGN21500 x Galapagos Hab, Trinidad Perfume, MA Wartryx, Santa Fe Grande, Kung Pao x Super, second row, Fresno, Ms Junie, Big Jim WR, Guajillo, Peri Peri, Birgit's Locoto, and in the back row, a Pilange, a CAP 1220, Inca Red Drop, Peruvian Giallo Arancio, Thai Adaptive Early, Duke Pequin. Just kinda mixed them all up.

 
Here are some pods off of the CGN21500 x Galapagos Island Hab.

 
And Lastly, some pods off of the Birgit's Locoto. Plenty o' pods!

 

[bpiela]

Non pic update.  Out of the seedlings that I started inside, I planted the best ones in my garden and my sister's garden but there were still some good ones left (and a bunch of not so great ones).  I have kept them outside and have been keeping some care of them.  I decided to give them away to whoever wanted them from town.  I posted on a town facebook page and so far, I have given away 60 plants to people around town.  Hopefully, I am converting a bunch more people into chiliheads.

 

[Devv]

Your kicking it! Plants are looking really nice
 
And kudos for giving away the plants. LB and I always give our excess produce or plants to the blue collar workers we work with, as we both started there. The rest can buy their own..LOL
 
I have this feeling you will have more pepper than the law allows...LOL
 
Keep it green!

 

[bpiela]

Little set back today.  My dog jumped onto the container which has my Aji Jobito growing in it.  Three stems broke instantly.
 

 
Plant seems to be doing fine regardless.  Might take a little longer to get pods.  I might try to take the broken branches and clone them.  I got them in a cup of water right now.

 

[stickman]

Updates!
 
Starting with some of the containers, here are two Orange Manzano's hanging out next to each other.  I have purple buds!  Hopefully, I will get some pods soon!

Lastly, a Jalapeno Giant.  What do you think is going on with the leaves?

 
 

 
That's one healthy-looking Manzano Ben! Are you going to save seeds from it?
 
the pic you posted of your giant Jalapeno looks kinda like Potassium deficiency to me. Given that you've been having heavy rains lately and Potassium is one of the most soluble nutes, that seems most likely... especially if you have sandy soil with very good drainage.   http://www.oliviassolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/nutrient-deficiencies.jpg    If you can get ahold of some clean wood ashes (not from charcoal briquets... those use Alum or other binders to hold the charcoal together) you might want to sprinkle some around your plants and water them in. Don't overdo it though... too many wood ashes will increase the pH beyond what the plants would be comfortable with.  I'd say no more than a cup of ashes to 2 sq. ft. of ground.

 

[bpiela]

 
That's one healthy-looking Manzano Ben! Are you going to save seeds from it?
 
the pic you posted of your giant Jalapeno looks kinda like Potassium deficiency to me. Given that you've been having heavy rains lately and Potassium is one of the most soluble nutes, that seems most likely... especially if you have sandy soil with very good drainage.   http://www.oliviassolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/nutrient-deficiencies.jpg    If you can get ahold of some clean wood ashes (not from charcoal briquets... those use Alum or other binders to hold the charcoal together) you might want to sprinkle some around your plants and water them in. Don't overdo it though... too many wood ashes will increase the pH beyond what the plants would be comfortable with.  I'd say no more than a cup of ashes to 2 sq. ft. of ground.

 
Thanks!
 
On the Manzano, if I ever get pods, I will definitely be saving seeds.  If you are interested, I will definitely send some your way.
 
I appreciate the tips on the Potassium deficiency.  I do have a Chiminea on my patio that we use from time to time.  I guess I can be using the ashes from that in the garden.  Thanks for the helpful hints!