CaneDog 2020

2020 is underway, so it's time to start the new season's glog!  Odd times though, as I'm still harvesting stragglers from last season while the earliest of my 2020 starts are already up.  Grow areas are a bit disorganized as a result 
 
This season's grow should be a little more balanced than last season, though I'll still have a ridiculous number of rocotos - many OW's plus a bunch of new varieties - and quite a few carry-over OW wilds, too.
 
A big "thanks" to all who shared seeds with me for this season.  I'm appreciative and excited to have lots of cool varieties in the mix, many of which I got to watch you grow last season and can now try myself.  I think I'm current with everyone, but if by any chance you were expecting seeds from me that may have slipped through the cracks just shoot me a PM.
 
As I mentioned, things aren't super organized right now, but here's a few pics anyway.
 
I planted a few seeds early, just because I couldn't hold off the extra few weeks without planting something.
 
Amarillo de Arequipa Rocoto just popped- Thanks CTB!

 
Ecuador Sweet Rocoto twins - and a big shout out to the two peeps who sent me seeds for these. Both sources germinated and I'm really happy to have them growing.  Disclaimer: they may look overly wet, but these just got sprayed (to avoid HH's) and it's a very porous medium.

 
Put another few rocotos in to soak today.

 
This is a galapagoense that popped a few days back, exactly 100 days after sowing.

 
And this pod contains Jalapeno Zapotec x Purple Jalapeno F1, one of a couple F1 JZ crosses I'll be growing out this season. The other is Tekne Dolmasi x JZ.

 
Finally, I got a solid recommendation on a new media mix I'll be trying out this season in a few variations. The mix is heavy in partially composted bark fines, a fir/hemlock mix as pine's hard to get locally. It's proving to be a veritable mycelium factory.  Bodes well for good symbiosis with the appropriate fungal species this year.

 

 
Heck, they're even fruiting out the drainage holes... 

 
 
That's it for now.  Good luck to all in 2020!
CD

 

[PaulG]

Yes sir they are! I was just remembering the over protective actions I was doing when my ow plants were stressed and I thought I had bugs lol. You saw the stress factors and the neem OD I administered lol... you've showed me to be patient... I'll admit I did go commando-terminator-killem- ask questions later the other day but I knew I had to wait 2 weeks after the neem shower. Its just the little things and I felt like you kinda took me under your wing and stuck with me. Thanks man.

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They don’t call him Dr. McDog for nuttin!

 

[CaneDog]

I fully support a Dr. Kevorkian approach to all aphids.

 

[simp3204]

I think I had a little too much coffee when I made that amazing 4-post!


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[saiias]

Have fun with the guntur sannam plant CD..

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[CaneDog]

Have fun with the guntur sannam plant CD..

 
Thanks, man!   I'm happy I'll be able to grow several of them and know at least a couple people here locally who will be ecstatic at the prospect of taking a few of the "extras" off my hands.

 

[CaneDog]

Well, shoot.  I took a bunch of pictures today so I guess it's time for an image dump
 
Most of these plants are in the 4x2 tent with a single HLG100 for lighting.  I leave the tent open much of the time for air exchange and run an oscillating fan usually once or twice a day.
 
Overhead tent shot

 
This Galapagos Habanero clearly shows the "before and after," from when I transplanted it and moved it over from the T5HO tent.  It responded by stretching, lightening the leaf color significantly, and and busing out lower laterals.  Not quite sure what's going on with it, but it seems healthy.  I'm assuming it's getting a bit much light, but why the stretch?  Anyhow, now it's forking and (hopefully) getting ready to flower.

 
Thai Spaz is starting to get a little crazy.  I decided I wanted more of these given how well they're doing so I dropped about 10 seeds with the plan that I'd get some quicker sprouts by planting more.  The result was 100% germination of 10 in under a week.  Fortunately I know a couple/few people who will help by taking a few off my hands.

 
Orange Spice are podding up - hopefully big chunky calyxs bode well for big chunky poppers!

 
Jalapeno Zapatec x Purple Jalapeno are continuing to load up on pods and the pods are reaching decent size for what are early pods from fairly small plants.  The Tekne Dolmasi x Jalapeno Zapotec are setting now too, but I missed taking a picture. 

 
Nothing special happening with this PBSS other than it's looking strong.  Maybe a bit of the lighter coloration since being moved. These guys can produce well and I like the pods.  I'm hoping for a lot from this one.

 

[CaneDog]

Galapagoense is growing slowly, but looking happy enough.

 
Little different angle shows decent lateral branching has started

 
I've been waiting quite a while for these Galapagos tomatoes to sprout.  Tomatoes usually sprout so quickly, but these have really made me wait.  Maybe it's a Galapagos tradition. 

 
My last yellow 7 from my old strain.  Very happy to see this guy doing well with no more seeds to try again.

 
And my last chance at the Cappy's OG Red Brain Strain after giving away the rest of my seeds in a bout of overconfidence.  So far so good with this one.

 
And this Murupi has started to open flowers.  It's a little ahead of it's twin in the HLG100 tent because it didn't get transplanted back when the other one did.  I did, however, transplant it 2 days ago, which doesn't seemed to have affect it so far.

 

 

[CaneDog]

Last bunch of pics for now.
 
Mutant Candlelight.  Funny, I never had any strong desire to grow these for whatever reason, but I'm finding them to be super cool plants and one of my favorites.  The fuzzy, curly, lateral bushiness is awesome.  I've had a hard time getting a good picture, though. May have to invest the time do it right before it gets too big.

 

 
 
Fragilis is in no hurry to grow up, but seems healthy enough so far.  Reminds me a bit of Tovarii at this stage, but not quite.

 
Purple Flower Baccatum variety #1

 
Purple Flower Baccatum variety "Bhuter" - with a new little hook just popping up!

 
And the first flower has opened on my Giant Yellow Rocoto x Rocopica F1.  So far this plant has shown a very rocoto-leaning phenotype (EDIT:  haha, and duh.   )  I keep thinking it's a rocopica, but it's rocoto x rocopica so 75% versus 50% rocoto).

 

[PaulG]

Everything looking great in the emerald city. CD!
 
Some great varieties going there. You should have
a stellar grow this season and I can’t wait to see some
money shots as the season rolls on.

 

[HeatMiser]

Great plants CD! Hope all those buds on the Spaz turn to pods, you're likely to get a good harvest from that one plant alone!

 

[Bookers]

Very nice indeed! Great descriptions and great pics! Successful wishes sent... happy grow and stay safe we're still in a crazy time!!!

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[podz]

I think anything Galapagos would require a special isolation with high humidity in order to thrive. From what I gather, it never rains there but the mists come in heavily a few times every day up in the mountains. Maybe the plants have adapted to getting most of their water needs met through the leaves instead of the roots - sort of like caper bushes living on the mediterranean oceanside cliffs.
 
I've heard of folks actually keeping the Galapagos in the shower room area with an IP44 or higher rated grow lamp and having good results.

 

[CaneDog]

I think anything Galapagos would require a special isolation with high humidity in order to thrive. From what I gather, it never rains there but the mists come in heavily a few times every day up in the mountains. Maybe the plants have adapted to getting most of their water needs met through the leaves instead of the roots - sort of like caper bushes living on the mediterranean oceanside cliffs.
 
I've heard of folks actually keeping the Galapagos in the shower room area with an IP44 or higher rated grow lamp and having good results.

 
Thanks, podz.  I did take a good look at climate and growing conditions at the various elevations before starting the G's and I'll definitely want to be prepared to make modifications based on how things are going.  I usually start the atypical types in standard conditions then watch them to see what might need to be done if they seem off.  That way I'm working off a baseline.  So far the Galapagoense is the only one of a few peppers I'm currently growing reportedly from the Galapagos that doesn't behave exactly like a cultivated one.  The tomatoes I'm not sure about yet.  They seem a bit different than ones I'm used to, but they've only just sprouted.
 
Was glad to see you get your grow going after having several things seemingly conspire against you.  Looks like a smaller grow from you this season, but with the size you grow those pubenscens out back you won't need an army of plants to produce a lot of pods!  Seems like some great projects too that will help keep you occupied during the lock-down.

 

[Devv]

Plants are looking stellar CD!

 

[CaneDog]

Plants are looking stellar CD!

 
Thanks Devv.  I'm in awe of what you've done with your garden. 
 
You've got me about ready to move somewhere around here with plantable land.

 

[podz]

 
Thanks, podz.  I did take a good look at climate and growing conditions at the various elevations before starting the G's and I'll definitely want to be prepared to make modifications based on how things are going.  I usually start the atypical types in standard conditions then watch them to see what might need to be done if they seem off.  That way I'm working off a baseline.  So far the Galapagoense is the only one of a few peppers I'm currently growing reportedly from the Galapagos that doesn't behave exactly like a cultivated one.  The tomatoes I'm not sure about yet.  They seem a bit different than ones I'm used to, but they've only just sprouted.
 
Was glad to see you get your grow going after having several things seemingly conspire against you.  Looks like a smaller grow from you this season, but with the size you grow those pubenscens out back you won't need an army of plants to produce a lot of pods!  Seems like some great projects too that will help keep you occupied during the lock-down.

 
Thanks, man. One thing I have learned up here in the great white north is not to start things too early less they become leggy and aphid infested inside the house :-) Beginning of May is still plenty of time to grow YUUUUGE annuums. Anything earlier and they are taking half the room before you can put them out.
 
Peeps say the G's smell like weed when you squeeze them, is that true? Jukka grows them, so I could just ask for a cutting.
 
I'm no expert on anything, just go by my own experience :-) I like academic articles, for sure, but I still exercise critical thinking.

 

[CaneDog]

I'm no expert on anything, just go by my own experience :-) I like academic articles, for sure, but I still exercise critical thinking.

 
Well said. I had to quote that to add my +1.  
 
 
There's a smell I've heard described as perfume like, that they're supposed to have.  That kind of smell is common in the purple corolla clade peppers, especially cardenasii, and I find it in certain rocotos too.  My galapagoense has it only very slightly, but I've heard with the G it comes and goes.  I notice it most when pruning the plants or when watering, especially if the plants have dried out a little more than usual.  Before the pube group went outside every time I'd water the tent would fill up with that smell.  It's pretty cool.  I wouldn't say "weed like," though.  Maybe those folks had a few special plants tucked in with their Galap's
 
Hey, I was going to hook you up with the cardenasii, but the postal thing got in the way.  If you're still interested - or if anything else I'm growing catches your fancy - let me know and I'm happy to hook you up for next season.  I didn't find the Galapagoense particularly hard to germinate, but if you can get the hookup from Jukka that would certainly make it easier and you might have a chance to get production in the same season.  They're notoriously slow in producing as I understand it, like maybe 18 months from germination being common.

 

[podz]

Thanks, CD, for the consideration regarding the seeds. The Finnish Post is fickle, for sure, but I am even more so. On top of that, I have subordinates who get paid big bucks and they bother me about a new mouse. Seriously. 8 bucks.
 
I totally love your eye for photography. It just rules. You do justice to all us growers with the flick of the switch.

 

[Tybo]

Nice looking plants CD.  I
 
"They're notoriously slow in producing as I understand it, like maybe 18 months from germination being common."  
I wasn't aware of this.  I've been back and forth as to moving mine outside this spring or leaving it in the house.  Maybe Kratky or DWC.  If 18 months is the norm, now I'm leaning more toward keeping it in.  
 
Anyway, nice pics as usual.  And thanks for the info.  

 

[CaneDog]

I don't know that for sure, Tybo, I just hear a lot of people say they weren't able to get them to produce the first season even if you start them way early and that it's usually the second.  This is my first time growing these guys so I'm learning as I go.  Don't remember having heard from anyone growing them in hydro.  It would be interesting to see how they do that way.
 
Good luck. Hopefully we'll be able to get them to produce.