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]

Looks like things are chugging right along for you, CD.  Great pics as always.  Really have that magnifying glass method down.  Digging that little Putapario fruit also.
 
Those Lance fruits look awesome too.  I have one plant that is doing well, but I've kept it on the back deck in mostly shade this summer.  Maybe I'll see some pods this winter

 

[Devv]

A few "lift and shoots" from the garden plots today.  From the scotch bonnet raised bed which is mostly bonnets or bonnet-x's.
 
The chinense season kicked into gear late for me and while none of the plants in this bed are very big (except maybe the BOC) they're growing fast and showing some production.
 

20190824 Plot1.jpg
 

20190824 Plot2.jpg
 

20190824 Plot3.jpg
 

20190824 Plot4.jpg
 

20190824 Plot5.jpg
 

20190824 Plot6.jpg

 

Just awesome production
 
I can't wait until next season, I will have some time on my hands to do things correctly.

 

[CaneDog]

Looks like things are chugging right along for you, CD.  Great pics as always.  Really have that magnifying glass method down.  Digging that little Putapario fruit also.
 
Those Lance fruits look awesome too.  I have one plant that is doing well, but I've kept it on the back deck in mostly shade this summer.  Maybe I'll see some pods this winter

 
Hey CTB. Things are definitely coming along better since August, when the local better weather started. Won't be a banner year for most types, but it's definitely looking good for some.  My indoor Lance's are killing it; not so much the outdoor one though. Hope the pods come through for you on yours. 
 

 
Just awesome production
 
I can't wait until next season, I will have some time on my hands to do things correctly.

 
Thanks Devv.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you can accomplish with your space and all the extra time!  It sounds like freedom isn't too far away for you now!

 

[CaneDog]

A few peppers picked over the last couple days.
 
SLR in the center.  Clockwise from upper right: CAP 1141 (Praetermissum); Large Orange Thai; SLRX; Ayuyo; Scotch Bonnet NOT Alan Boatman; Trilops Ucburun Biber; Fatalii; Turkish Sweet Pepper.
 

 

[CaneDog]

A few shots from the community garden plots.  Things are starting to ripen all around the plots now, so the next few weeks should be awesome.   I'm headed out tomorrow to put up fencing, because theft, which has never been a big problem, is suddenly a big problem this year. Top target has been Jalapenos - you can't get one to last to red ripe - but now that the others are starting to flash color in quantity I figure I need some protection.
 
A few of the BOC have oranged up.  This plant is much bigger and has way more pods than show in the pic.  Been super happy how well it's done outside.

 
Ripe BGoat

 
More BGoats starting/waiting to ripen

 
I've pulled a few Fatalii so far and more are yellowing

 
Scotch Bonnet Alan Boatman x ?

 
Don't remember which this one is, but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be red.  Allowed a higher % of my grow to be acquired OP seeds than I ever have before and paid the price with too many unintended hybrids for my liking. I'll definitely be lessening my OP risk exposure next season.

 
And a baccatum from seeds brought back from peru I'm growing for the first time this year.  Has TONS of pods, but I can never seem to get a good photo of this plant that shows it.

 

[CaneDog]

And a few shots from the home deck and yard.
 
Cappuccino Tepin

 
Flexuosum

 
Bonchi 7P Yellow (looking very orange)

 
Praetermissum CAP 1478

 
CGN Cardenasii - Good production on both Card Accessions, but nothing ripe yet.

 
Eximium CAP 1491 x USDA Cardenasii - really happy this one took

 
Tekne Domasi x Jalapeno Zapotec

 
Purple Jalapeno

 

[CaneDog]

Here are some of the rocoto crosses that took early this season and should be ripening soon. I lost most of two waves of rocoto x rocoto crosses this season due to ensuing heat waves, which was really disappointing - it hasn't been a great year for rocotos here with some fairly extreme weather variations. Most of the early crosses that took had a purple clade wild pepper as the father (cardenasii or eximium) or a rocopica.  Recently the crosses seem to be taking better and, with cooler weather expected, I'm hoping they don't subsequently drop like the others. There's several RxR combinations I very much want to hybridize this season.
 
Aji Largo x Aji Lucento

 
Lucento x Rocopica

 
Lucento x USDA Cardenasii

 
Red Manzana x Eximium CAP 1491

 
Giant Yellow x Eximium 1491

 
CAP 1242 x Eximium 1491

 
And just because I like this pod, a plain old Cusco Rocoto

 

[CaneDog]

In other news...
 
This Flexuosum is doing great and setting masses of pods. This is the variety with a flash of purple in the flowers.

 
Tovarii continue to put out masses of flowers and tons of pollen, but literally 1 in 50 is setting a pod. Thankfully 500 / 50 = 10, so I'm not without pods, I'd just like to see better numbers. STC posted that I should expect strong production to start in year two, but with the plants looking so good I keep expecting them to throw the switch any day now.

 
I have 3 Blue Mystery, 2 of which including this one are isolated.  This is the least robust of the 3, but even it has started to set pods.

 
Lastly, I didn't notice until today (despite previously collecting pollen from it) that the big purple jalap flower from yesterday's pic is a double. I used the pollen for cross attempts with Jalapeno Zapotec and Antep Aci Dolma flowers. Yep, that's q-tip fuzz on the flower.

 

 

[podz]

Really sucks that somebody is stealing your jalapenos from the community plots. Might not even be another plot tenant doing it. Theft is never right, but maybe consider the perspective that somebody is so hungry that they are willing to steal food from gardens. Maybe you could leave them a note written in a couple of likely to be understood languages that "please don't steal my jalapenos and I will buy a bag of them from the store and leave them here for you on such and such date" :-) You can buy a bag of fresh jalapenos from the store for what, surely less than 4 bucks a pound?
 
Very interesting caps on that mutant brown rocoto of yours. Have you seen something like that before?

 

[CaneDog]

I appreciate your thoughts podz - and your good humor.  It's a good practice to consider things from the perspective of others and not just our own.
 
I've thought about this a fair amount. I think it's unlikely another tenant is doing it. It's a pretty close group with everyone knowing most everyone else. Aside from empathy for their fellows, a member getting seen stealing would have a lot to lose.  In previous years the theft was in isolated occurrences and I considered both that there are immigrants who visit the gardens regularly who don't speak the language well and are likely unfamiliar with what we locals understand inherently and that there are people who simply need food.  However, I still felt it likely many if not most knew what they were doing and weren't doing it out of necessity. The garden does major contributions throughout the year to food banks so there is definitely an awareness of need.
 
This year it's different.  It's happening much more often and it seems more methodical.  I consistently see people walk up toward the gardens and then notice me working my plots and suddenly look up at the sky intently for a moment then turn and walk the other way.  The second to last time I was there a lady in her mid 40's with a big purse acted that way upon seeing me.  After she left another member told me he saw her purse was full of produce when she quickly got into her Mercedes and drove away.
 
The solution seems to be tall enough fencing to be an reasonable obstacle, but I've held off on that because I see so many families walking the gardens and teaching their kids about growing plants and people appreciating connecting with nature and I've not wanted them to have to do that through a fence.  But right now it's just too much and, unfortunately, a fence of bird netting will be going up on Monday.

 

[CaneDog]

Very interesting caps on that mutant brown rocoto of yours. Have you seen something like that before?

 
I've seen those calyx ridges before if that's what you mean, but I don't remember seeing them as consistently symmetrical as these are. It's a cool look. The pods are overall great looking little pods and almost identical to one another.  Even the plant has a very balanced look to it.  All this is causing me to reconsider and maybe try to find enough space to grown some F2's next season.  Jeez, always more plants I want to grown than time and space I have.  

 

[podz]

Well, damn! Not the Mercedes lady! Maybe her car payment is so high that she can't afford food :-) j/k, good luck with the fence.

 

[dragonsfire]

Some one stealing the fruits of ones labor is just nasty, bad enough if critters do it but someone who should know better just has no Morals. I don't think is going to get better, With prices of food sky rocketing (at least here) people will be more tempted. Looked at a butternut squash in the store $3/lb, same as onions and potatoes, that's ridiculous, I put the squash back.

 

[nmlarson]

A few shots from the community garden plots.  Things are starting to ripen all around the plots now, so the next few weeks should be awesome.   I'm headed out tomorrow to put up fencing, because theft, which has never been a big problem, is suddenly a big problem this year. Top target has been Jalapenos - you can't get one to last to red ripe - but now that the others are starting to flash color in quantity I figure I need some protection.
 

Good looking plots! I miss mine.

As far as the theft is concerned, try sprinkling some corn starch around like it looks like you've spread a pesticide such as Sevin. Even empty a Sevin container and toss it near the jalas. The theives will walk right past those plants. First, I tried flour, then realized gluten is a lot more difficult to wash off than corn starch, which will usually get rinsed off in the rain.

 

[Devv]

Thanks Devv.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you can accomplish with your space and all the extra time!  It sounds like freedom isn't too far away for you now!

 

Well I'm ready! Halloween is my last day I have already started prepping a 15x40' addition so we can do crop rotation. The goal has always been winter garden in half, summer in the other and flip each season.

 

[Devv]

A few shots from the community garden plots.  Things are starting to ripen all around the plots now, so the next few weeks should be awesome.   I'm headed out tomorrow to put up fencing, because theft, which has never been a big problem, is suddenly a big problem this year. Top target has been Jalapenos - you can't get one to last to red ripe - but now that the others are starting to flash color in quantity I figure I need some protection.
 
A few of the BOC have oranged up.  This plant is much bigger and has way more pods than show in the pic.  Been super happy how well it's done outside.

20190906 BOC.jpg
 
Ripe BGoat

20190906 BGoat.jpg
 
More BGoats starting/waiting to ripen

20190906 Goats.jpg
 
I've pulled a few Fatalii so far and more are yellowing

20190906 Fattys.jpg
 
Scotch Bonnet Alan Boatman x ?

20190906 NABs.jpg
 
Don't remember which this one is, but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be red.  Allowed a higher % of my grow to be acquired OP seeds than I ever have before and paid the price with too many unintended hybrids for my liking. I'll definitely be lessening my OP risk exposure next season.

20190906 Reds.jpg
 
And a baccatum from seeds brought back from peru I'm growing for the first time this year.  Has TONS of pods, but I can never seem to get a good photo of this plant that shows it.

20190906 JsAji.jpg

 
Talk about pod density! That's just crazy!
 
It's shame someone would steal your work. Inject some X-Lax into some of those Jals...LOL
 

 

[CaneDog]

Well, damn! Not the Mercedes lady! Maybe her car payment is so high that she can't afford food :-) j/k, good luck with the fence.

 
hahaha.  that's exactly what occurred to me when the guy stressed she left in a Mercedes.
 

Good looking plots! I miss mine.

As far as the theft is concerned, try sprinkling some corn starch around like it looks like you've spread a pesticide such as Sevin. Even empty a Sevin container and toss it near the jalas. The theives will walk right past those plants. First, I tried flour, then realized gluten is a lot more difficult to wash off than corn starch, which will usually get rinsed off in the rain.

 
Thanks, I really enjoy the gardens and many of my neighbors.  This is the first year the theft has been enough to wear on me.  I remember you posting about experiencing that kind of theft before yourself, so no surprise you have good ideas!  That one might land me in a little trouble though as the gardens are organic only

 

[CaneDog]

Well I'm ready! Halloween is my last day I have already started prepping a 15x40' addition so we can do crop rotation. The goal has always been winter garden in half, summer in the other and flip each season.

 
That's freaking awesome on both counts!  Sound like you won't have any trouble finding things to do with the newfound time.
 

Talk about pod density! That's just crazy!
 
It's shame someone would steal your work. Inject some X-Lax into some of those Jals...LOL

 
I was super happy to see the chinense kick it into gear so hard recently after a slow early to mid season, especially the bonnets, which really languished but are now cranking 'em out.  
 
Great idea on the jalaps - I can just imagine their faces when it strikes     
 
Thanks for the laugh!

 

[CaneDog]

Been struggling to get a decent picture of the Peruvian red aji and noticed it from a different angle yesterday.  Good angle on the plant, but not a great background.  Like most baccatum (at least in my climate), this guy seemed to really up its game later in the season.  Got a late start with it unfortunately, but next year I'll try to start one on time and see how big it will get.
 

 

[BDASPNY]

wow those plants up above are loaded, that's impressive.
 
 
really sorry to hear about the theft, esp from someone who obviously can afford to buy their own.  if they were starving it would be different.  its a lot of work to have someone walk in and steal your bounty.
 
 
those close up shots are a work of art.
 
love those rocoto's  I need to acquire some seeds to grow next year.  only type I was able to find locally was a manzano, which was great for stuffed peppers. im wondering if ill need some sunshade to grow these in my area.  I know all but the aji limon did well in direct sun this year. the leaves would wilt on any hot day so ive had to baby them all season. hoping they thrive in the coming month as it cools down.