CaneDog 2019 Hirsute Pursuit – Rocotos, Wilds & Moar

So, here's the new glog for the coming season.  With the indoor grow culled pretty hard now I can focus more on getting ready for what's ahead.  Hoping for a great year, but I’m already a bit behind - the germinators are packed right now and I've still got a round of annuum seeds waiting for their turn.  I guess it wouldn’t feel much like pepper growing though if everything were going perfect.
 
My focus was going to be rocotos with a side of bonnets and some other stuff, but I found I kept planting more and more wilds. Eventually I just kinda went all-in with them and they took on co-main event status. 
 
I’ll start things off with some pics of some of the earlier pube’s.  There’s not too many at this point. Unfortunately, the vast majority just went into germination.
 
First off, Costa Rica Red.  This is the CRR with flattened triangular pods.  I also have an OW CRR that’s a 3-4 lobed “boxy” variety.  I didn't get true seeds off this one last summer, so I have a few of these growing and crossing my fingers they grow true.

 
Rocoto DeSeda.  These guys were from a bush I’d OW’d a few years in a row, but it didn’t make it through this winter

 
 
Rocoto San Camillo

 
 
Gelbe Reisen Variant.  These are from true seeds off a plant I’ve been growing for a few years that was supposed to be Gelbe Riesen, but the pods are more orange vs yellow, rounder/less boxy, and just a touch smaller. I don’t know if it’s a natural variation or it might have crossed with a Costa Rica Orange, but it's a great plant. I have a few of these started and am curious what comes of them.

 
 
Giant Yellow Rocoto.  Suppose I should pinch that bud off.

 
 
Recently hatched Gelbe Riesen sprouts (the parent plant has been a beast for me for a while now) and CAP 217 Hyper-Pube.

 
That’s it for the rocotos for now.  Will try to post up some pics of the early wilds in a little bit. 
 
CD

 

[PaulG]

Those ladybug larvae are cool little critters! I love to watch them work.

I agree. I watched a whole clutch of them hatch
and spread out during my 2017 grow. Amazing
change from larva to adult.
 
Aren't the ladybird beetle larvae also called 'Ant Lions'?
 

 
Thanks Paul!  Perhaps I should have named the Glog "CD, whatever the heck I happen to be up to today."
 
Really been enjoying your glogs. It's a bit of a bummer to see your plants - which look so perfect - go out into the real world where they'll get some bumps and bruises, but you're so poised for a fantastic season.  And pulling ripe pods already in the PNW!  Well done!
 
Cheers 

From what I see of the PNW grow logs, it looks like a
good season for the area! Should make ChiliFest really
fun this year. Unfortunately, I will be gone that weekend,
so will miss for the first time since 2012
 

 
It does say, "...& Moar."

 
Good catch, Unc!

 

[Uncle Eckley]

Ant lion is a different creature, sort of between a mayfly and a dragonfly. Their larvae are fun and do look similar to CD's ladybug larva.

 

[PaulG]

Ant lion is a different creature, sort of between a mayfly and a dragonfly. Their larvae are fun and do look similar to CD's ladybug larva.

Thanks for that, E.

 

[CaneDog]

Just finished hailing outside and supposed to drop to 46F overnight, but no worries, it's forecast to reach mid-eighties by Tuesday.  

 

[PaulG]

Looks about the same as here, CD. No hail in our
neighborhood yet, but anything is possible. I'm
hoping this weekend we turn the corner to more
summer-like weather.
 
I am rea-DEEEEEE 

 

[nmlarson]

Get 'em! Looking good! Hope the weather settles out.

 

[DWB]

Just finished hailing outside and supposed to drop to 46F overnight, but no worries, it's forecast to reach mid-eighties by Tuesday.  

 

Wow! It's getting to the point down here we'd pay good money to see 46° again.
 
I hope the hail didn't do you any damage.

 

[PaulG]

Egads, DW, you guys have had one hell of a 'Spring'
in the South and on up to the Eastern Seaboard.
 
Seems like the rain and storms just won't let go.
I feel for the people whose lives have been under
water for what seems like a long, long time. And
now looks like it will be longer.

 

[CaneDog]

Agreed Paul  - even our bad weather in the PNW is mild compared to the issues others deal with.  And thanks DWB.  It hit maybe 49F is all overnight despite forecasts of 46F, and despite hailing again this afternoon the plants have taken no damage.  Just a few minutes of kinda soft-landing BB hail is all.
 
I'd happily trade you 10F of our cool for 10F of your warm today.

 

[CaneDog]

Got some work done at my second (north) plot at the community garden.  Put this plot off at first focusing on the other plot and then didn't have the time to get to it until now.  Had 400SF of this staring at me when I got there.
 

 
This dirt's some really tough digging, which might be part of the reason it didn't get done sooner,
but several hours later I had it all weeded and shoveled over a couple times.  Really happy to have 
this done, and particularly with the heat ramping up to mid 80F's or even 90F over the next few days.

 
I had these annuums with me to plant, but by the time the plot was cleaned up I was ready to check out.  I'll have to come back and dig
and amend the holes and sink them another day. I'll also be dropping some chinense into this plot and all the small-pot rocotos in 
the above picture.

 
And here's the weed load at the end of the day. Should have done it sooner, but good to be done now.

 

 

[PaulG]

Good work on your community plot,
CD. Looks ready to go.

Should be a stellar week, even if a
bit warm. May have to put the shade
cloth back up!

 

[CaneDog]

Spotted this guy on one of the deck peppers tonight.

 
Has some longggg antennae.

 

[PaulG]

A little Jimminy Cricket!

 

[CaneDog]

Snapped a shot of one of my Aji Ayuyo while watering today. It's still pretty small, but producing some decent pods.  The big pod mostly hidden in the center has been around for over a month and I'm hoping it will ripen soon so I can try this one out.  It's supposed to have a good pronounced flavor, but I've heard mixed accounts of the heat from somewhat lower to just above medium hot. Hopefully soon I'll know for myself.
 
https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/ayuyo-chili-pepper/ - "Unlike other chili pepper varieties it is not as hot but more flavorful thanks to a high content of volatile substances such as flavonoids."
 

 

[PaulG]

What color will those ripen to?

 

[CaneDog]

What color will those ripen to?

 
My understanding is they end up red, but they're supposed to go through a progression of lightening from purple to cream and then go through yellow and orange on the way there.

 

[PaulG]

Almost like an Aji Omnicolor, I think.

 

[CaneDog]

OK. The "post-to-index" problem isn't fixed and it's causing me massive issues right now, so bear with me if you see this before it's finished as I piece it together bit by bit. I can't express how frustrating this is.
 
Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out a way to make the post below, but I managed to do it in 2 posts.  I hope it's reasonably easy to follow.
 
Cheers 

 I could sure use one of these right now.
EDIT:  Heck, I could use both of them.

 

[CaneDog]

It's 83F with a slight breeze outside and I have the windows open. Lots of goodness is happening with the indoor tent plants as seems to often be the case when there's good early season weather.  I took a few pics so will do a quick update.
 
The bigger Lanceolatum is budding up now and the slightly smaller one has started to set pods.  I'm a big fan of Lance's and, despite that these guys will be staying in the tent OW through next season, I'll be glad to bank some seeds from them.
See Pic 1, next post.
 
Close up with better look at the buds/pods and the teeth on the leaves - click to embiggen.
See Pic 2, next post.
 
This USDA Flexuosum is setting pods as well (2 at lower middle). I'm particularly happy because it shows no sign at all of any purple influence in the blossoms and it's been entirely isolated indoors. It's on the small size now, but I plan to pot it up imminently and keep it where it is letting it grow and set pods for seeds all summer.
See Pic 3, next post.
 
2 of the USDA Cardenasii cuttings appear to have finally set roots and started growing. The bigger one has put on big growth over the last week and the smaller one seems to be starting out the same pattern. 
 
Other goodness happening in the tent includes June starts of Cumari do Para (the larger sprout) and Rhomboideum that are already 
up and looking good. I'm particularly happy about the Rhomboideum as I planted the last few seeds from a pack that did poorly earlier 
this year. 2 of those 3 sprouts were super weak and died immediately after sprouting and the other never properly developed its roots, 
dying recently - and prompting this recent planting. I really didn't expect a healthy sprout, but this one looks good. 
See Pic 4, next post.
 
Other than that I'm still waiting for a sprout from the USDA Cardenasii seeds I panted in May. In my limited experience with Cards, they sprouted at about the 3 week mark. It's day 18 for these guys and with the recent warmer weather I'm hoping they do the same. Like the CdP and Rhomb, they've just been sitting under the HLG100 on a 1 hour hour cycle enjoying - or possibly not - the ambient temps.
No pic.

 

[CaneDog]

Pic 1

 
Pic 2 - Click to enlarge

 
Pic 3

 
Pic 4