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

 

[mattspeppers]

 
Got keep busy somehow, unlike some people who must be working overtime just to pull in their crazy harvests. 
 
 
Thanks CTB, you obviously haven't been following my glog from the beginning - http://thehotpepper.com/topic/71003-canedog-2019-hirsute-pursuit-rocotos-wilds-moar/?p=1618231

 
Lol.  Thought that question might come back to bite me.   Totally scrolled right on by without giving it very much thought back then. I've been looking at these fancy macro lenses and cameras the past couple days, so that's where my mind is at the moment.   Those things are not cheap, though.
 
Gonna have to steal your magnifying glass idea.   I'll give you credit, of course!

 

[BDASPNY]

Quick lunch break post. 
 
So, I have pictures of pods for a change. Quick update on my Aji Ayuyo. I have 2 of these and they do well both inside under the T5HO's and outside, whether hot or cool weather.  And they produce well for the size of plant and look cool. Hoping the pods taste great as advertised - they're supposed to be very flavorful.  That middle red one will be pulled for a first taste test next time I water.
 
 
 
And for grins, my BOC. Was in a dead heat with Bonda ma Jacques for the title of worst growing plant indoors, but is TCB outdoors. 
The Bonda ma Jacques is still sucking wind and not worthy of a pic yet, but gradually improving. 
 

 
 love those close up pics. so much easier to enjoy their beauty.
 
 
 
you guys are really making google work with all these pepper types ive never heard of.
 
 
 
that zapotec needs to be a lot less stingy! some people would love to have seeds from it.

 

[CaneDog]

 
 love those close up pics. so much easier to enjoy their beauty.
 
you guys are really making google work with all these pepper types ive never heard of.
 
that zapotec needs to be a lot less stingy! some people would love to have seeds from it.

 
Ha. You can bet I'm all over that!  One way or another I'll get a bunch of 'em.

 

[BDASPNY]

 
Ha. You can bet I'm all over that!  One way or another I'll get a bunch of 'em.

 
 
that's what I like to hear.

 

[stc3248]

 
Got keep busy somehow, unlike some people who must be working overtime just to pull in their crazy harvests. 

I don't know about crazy, but I'll take what I can get! Plants are doing pretty well here, and the harvests should get even bigger each week. Growing the pubes is a slow go fo sho...but once they start to color up you can really pull some numbers off of them too. My wilds over here are producing like crazy, but I have to run out and harvest first thing in the morning because the birds pick them clean every day! Don't mind...I could net them if I really needed more pods I suppose, Have you ever grown goatweeds? They are a super pubescent non pubescens, a real stunner in the garden with crazy pod numbers awesome for flakes...it occurs to me that I should have gone back to review your grow list, but I don't remember seeing them. Keep up the awesomeness over here! I'll check back in this weekend!

 

[CaneDog]

Maybe not crazy yet, but if history is any indication they will be soon. These pics were just ridiculous. - http://thehotpepper.com/topic/68374-harvest/?p=1597524.  Been enjoying seeing people getting solid early season pulls and it's only going to increase as summer really kicks in.
 
I didn't post a grow list, but I have a decent mix this year. At least 15 varieties each of annuum, chinense, rocotos, and wilds, and a handful of baccatum. No goat's weed though. I was going to grow them last season, but never got a good line on seeds and I guess I just didn't think of them this year.
 
Tell you what, after seeing what you did with the smoked yellows, onion and garlic powder and kosher salt I'd be netting every one of those wilds to save every pod I could, That stuff looks awesome. I'm a big fan of the onion/garlic powder combination and plan to give quite a few of my harvests similar treatment. Would be curious what kind of ratios you use as a starting point.
 
Happy Fourth man.

 

[PaulG]

"Would be curious what kind of ratios you use as a starting point."
 
I'd be interested in that as well, Shane.
 
Thanks for asking the question, CD.

 

[Devv]

Been playing catsup around here after the trip. Great stuff CD!
 
I love the pics and the surgery as well! And yes I had to go back and see how you're doing the macro pics. A great idea
 
Those Zaps will do well and they are a tasty pepper, they will provide all the seeds you need as the season progresses..

 

[CaneDog]

Those Zaps will do well and they are a tasty pepper, they will provide all the seeds you need as the season progresses..

 
Welcome back Devv! - hope the trip was a blast and same for your Fourth.  You're sure right about the JZ's!  I harvested 3 more red-ripe pods.  They were just mini/button pods, but the flavor is outstanding. I now have 4 seeds from 4 pods, but like I said, early little pods. I expect better results as the season progresses.
 
 
A quick update on a few things.
 
JZ's - great variety of Jalapeno. Super happy so far.
 
Aji Ayuyo.  Tried the first pod and didn't think of it as anything special in the taste department. Too bad, as it's a strong and colorful variety.  Low-medium heat.  I'll see how it progresses with the season.
 
Crosses.  The Huallago cross (Rocoto Rio Huallago x Rocopica (USDA Cardenasii x UKN Rocoto)) didn't take, but nothing else has shown failure yet. The day after I did the work was very hot compared to recent weather and I had some blossom drop, so results might not be as good as hoped.
 
I did a replacement Hua X and new Giant Yellow Rocoto x USDA Cardenasii and Lucento x USDA Cardenasii crosses quickly today. Figure I'll just keep pecking away at crosses that are interesting as they come available and see what I have at season end.
 
My PdN is blooming a bit right now so maybe I'll play around some with crosses involving the anthocyanin production and retention mutations.  My understanding is the production mutation is dominant and retention is likely recessive.  I'd be interested to see if some crosses bore that out.

 

[CaneDog]

Quick shout out to CTB.  Windy out and didn't have time for a decent pic, but...
 
Tovarii #2

 

[mattspeppers]

Awesome!  I bit the bullet and picked up one of those fancy magnifying glasses, too.     Just waiting for it to arrive. Will hopefully have some nice shots to share before too long. 

 

[CaneDog]

Had a bigger post written up with more pictures, but it just posts-to-index and I don't have the time to deal with it.  Here's a couple snapshots of the rocopica which just keeps setting pods despite our lousy weather. I really enjoy this plant and am working with several crosses back into rocoto varieties with it to see what takes and will be worth growing out.

 
Closer up

 
 

 

[Devv]

I think we've all been bitten by the software bug. To me it seems to be tied to a timeout when prepping a post, or the amount of content (number of pics). So I've been posting smaller updates, and more of them.
 
Regardless that rocopica is beautiful. I love that it's loading up...Nice work!

 

[CaneDog]

I think we've all been bitten by the software bug. To me it seems to be tied to a timeout when prepping a post, or the amount of content (number of pics). So I've been posting smaller updates, and more of them.
 
Regardless that rocopica is beautiful. I love that it's loading up...Nice work!

 
Thanks Devv.  If that's going to be the price of posting for the time being, so be it. It's worth it.  But I will be happy when it's all figured out. 

And thanks for the tips!

 

[PaulG]

+1 Devv!
 
I think I am going to grow more pubescens varieties
next season. If this weather is our new normal, then
some chinenses just aren't worth the trouble. 
 
Will those Rocopica ripen to red? My lone Red Rocoto
is also podding up again, at least a dozen new pods.
I need to pick a few ripe ones.
 
Also want to do some seed trading this Fall to get
some new genetics in my favorite varieties. I'll definitely
be looking for some pubescens varieties. Hint, hint 

 

[CaneDog]

+1 Devv!
 
I think I am going to grow more pubescens varieties
next season. If this weather is our new normal, then
some chinenses just aren't worth the trouble. .
 
That's awesome Paul. Your red rocoto pods look outstanding and would encourage anyone to want to grow more rocotos.  How do you like the rocoto heat and flavor profiles?
 
Will those Rocopica ripen to red? My lone Red Rocoto
is also podding up again, at least a dozen new pods.
I need to pick a few ripe ones.
 
I expect the rocopica to ripen to red due to the Cardenasii mother and D nature of the red.  What I'm really curious about is the F2 seeds from the current pods, as the mother was grown in a greenhouse together with various rocotos. The F2 plants may show recessive yellow/orange or, because I know the mother cardenasii was grown next to an XL Brown with the recessive chlorophyll retainer "cl," they could show brown.  I'll grow out at least 4 plants for good odds at pulling recessive traits.  It will be interesting to see.
 
Also want to do some seed trading this Fall to get
some new genetics in my favorite varieties. I'll definitely
be looking for some pubescens varieties. Hint, hint 
 
I have 24 varieties of pubescens growing this season in addition to the rocopica.  Just keep an eye open as things (slowly) develop around here and let me know what you like.  Mi manzana es tu manzana mi PNW amigo.

 

 

[BigCedar]

Hey CD! Ok it's happening.. I can't take it anymore. I'm heading over to Amazon and buying a magnifying glass the second I get done writing this! Every freaking time I swing in here  I'm thinking man... look at those pictures! I need to buy me one of those high tech CD Macro lenses and then I get side tracked and forget about it.. Not this day! Not this time!!    Beautiful shots as always CD. Liking the cross action, talk about some surgical perfection   nice work there! Nice solo-seed! That rocopica doesn't care one bit about our weather does it, love that plant. Are your C Chinese hating our July just as much as mine are? Hope all is well with you buddy.

 

[CaneDog]

Hey BC. Good to see you checking in!   Yeah, my chinense sure weren't loving life for some time around here, especially the scotch bonnets. Things started picking up around the end of June though.  I'm looking forward to visiting the community plots tomorrow as I haven't been there for a week.  With all the new growth I'd seen previously they should be kicking it into gear now.  Plus the rocotos were blooming up a storm last weekend and I'm hoping for lots of set pods.
 
Got a chuckle out of the "surgical perfection" comment thinking back to accidentally breaking off more than one pistil over the course of 12-15 crosses.  I'm using a small pair of fly-tying scissors that are a few years old now and they just aren't getting the job done right anymore.
 
Hope all is good and looking forward to update pics of your grow soon.

 

[Wiriwiri]

Hi CD...I just finished catching up on your beautiful photos and what a delight that was.Such marvelous
& detailed photography.Post 372 of the Rocopica is so lovely,& I like the container as well.
Thanks for posting,it's a delight to see the progress,esp., of the wilds.

 

[mattspeppers]

Damn. That rocopica looks so sweet.  Can't wait for mine to get that big.  
 
And I knew I should have bought a new magnifying glass...Having some issues with the lens not fitting completely and communicating with the body.  Bleh.