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

 

[CaneDog]

 
Haha thanks for that nice description of your sampling of the first BOCs, that was a funny read! Thank god for the safety beer, although truth be told, I'm always bit in doubt whether the sparkling drinks help, or just distract from the pain?    I hope the fruitiness came through, and my wife said she finds they smell of blackcurrants which I agree with. Those bigger ones should really do justice and I hope you get to enjoy them; cheers indeed to getting you some BOCs, and even from the original source of Denmark!   
 
And thanks also for the kind words; indeed I've been lucky with some activity lately besides the general harvesting of pods these days. Planning to more or less empty the greenhouse of most of the peppers, and only leave the pubescens until it freezes, and start planting some kale in there to see how that goes. The purple pineapple will be an exciting winter project, and I hope I get some more seeds germinating soon as I'd like to be able to pick the nicest pheno(s) for F3. Not counting on being so lucky that the first F2 to germinate gives me purple foliage and purple pods    

 
Yeah, the beer doesn't do much for me either after I swallow it, but it's at least good for the spirit. I assume enough to actually deaden the pain and I'd be 
 
So, these are officially BOD's?  Works for me 
 
I'll be pulling for the purple F2.

 

[PaulG]

Looks like you are making the best of seasons end, CD.
 
We are scheduled for showers this weekend, then some
more dry weather. I suspect there will be serious pod-splitting
during the rainy sessions. Will probably try to clean off as
many ripe pods was I can before then.
 
Hope you dodge the rain showers, bud, but I suspect
that won't be the case!

 

[stettoman]

Some thanks are due you, 'Dog. I had planted a Mini Brown Rocoto last season and the fruit wound up somewhat disappointing, in both lack of heat and flavor if you remember. I believe you had the same or similar experience.
 
But this? The XL Brown?

 
I seeded the pod today and took a nibble, and WOOOOO-EEEE!! Nice, intense heat, very pleasurable, with that trademark Pubescen flavor and aroma. 

 
A bit fuzzy, sorry. 
 
Definitely growing these again next season!! The placenta popped out easily, producing about 30 nice, plump black gemstones. The second XL pod is still on the plant, under lights, trying to finish.
 
I appreciate you turning me on to these, they're immediately on the Must Plant Again list!

 

[CaneDog]

I'm glad those XLB's came through for you this season, Stetto.  The seeds I received before last season were few and damn uncooperative and caused some real struggle as a result.  Looks like they'll be enough good fresh seed now that will be a more dependable grow going forward - hopefully a bumper crop next season!  And yeah, what a big difference from the mini-brown rocoto. I thought the mini was a cool plant and fun grow and all, but was probably the most insipid rocoto I've ever tasted.
 
Looks like you let that one get good and ripe too.  Those seeds should really do the trick next year.

 

[PaulG]

Nice choco pod, Eric!
 
I felt like I had pretty good success with the XL Brown
this year. About a half-dozen pods so far, and maybe
6-10 smaller ones on the vine beginning to ripen. Haven't
tried one yet.

 

[stettoman]

Nice choco pod, Eric!
 
I felt like I had pretty good success with the XL Brown
this year. About a half-dozen pods so far, and maybe
6-10 smaller ones on the vine beginning to ripen. Haven't
tried one yet.

If they're from the same seed I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised, Paul!

 

[CaneDog]

Nice choco pod, Eric!
 
I felt like I had pretty good success with the XL Brown
this year. About a half-dozen pods so far, and maybe
6-10 smaller ones on the vine beginning to ripen. Haven't
tried one yet.

 
I thought so too, Paul - also with the Ultra Mini Brown! 
 
I didn't get a lot lot of pods on my XLB last year, but I think it has the capacity to be a good producer.  I will say though, that the pods I did get were really nice ones, looking like the one stetto's holding in the pic above and the one you posted a couple days back.

 

[PaulG]

 
I thought so too, Paul - also with the Ultra Mini Brown! 
 
I didn't get a lot lot of pods on my XLB last year, but I think it has the capacity to be a good producer.  I will say though, that the pods I did get were really nice ones, looking like the one stetto's holding in the pic above and the one you posted a couple days back.

Agreed. It's a nice strain for sure.
 
The pods remind me a lot of my Peruvian
Red Rocotos. 
 
Still have to put in a plug for the mini
reds and yellows  

 

[CaneDog]

Agreed. It's a nice strain for sure.
 
The pods remind me a lot of my Peruvian
Red Rocotos. 
 
Still have to put in a plug for the mini
reds and yellows  

 
And don't forget those Red Ecuadors!
 
This is exactly why I always grow too many rocotos  

 

[PaulG]

+1 CD!
 
The Tatiana Yellow has been productive as well.
Wish I had a place I could grow all of the rocotos
together. It would look like candyland!
 
My one disappointment is the Hyperpube X.
Just one pod early on. Never set a flower after   .
 
Peruvian Red, also - only 2 pods so far 

 

[dragonsfire]

lol, glad to see im not alone on the Peruvian Red, one ripe and a couple green ones and the plant is two years old, well was lol.

 

[PaulG]

lol, glad to see im not alone on the Peruvian Red, one ripe and a couple green ones and the plant is two years old, well was lol.

Yeah, the PR Rocotos were a bit of a disappointment
this season. Don't know why. In my case, I thought
the aphid infestation and June Suck were too much
for that one, but some of the other rocotos did very well.
 
I have never tried to OW one.

 

[CaneDog]

Orange Arequipa was my biggest rocoto production disappointment, managing only 1 pod. 
 
It was a good one, though, and at least now I'll have seeds to try again.

 

[PaulG]

Mirrors my own thinking, CD.

 

[stettoman]

 
I thought so too, Paul - also with the Ultra Mini Brown! 
 
I didn't get a lot lot of pods on my XLB last year, but I think it has the capacity to be a good producer.  I will say though, that the pods I did get were really nice ones, looking like the one stetto's holding in the pic above and the one you posted a couple days back.

 
My XLB flowered PROLIFICLY, the plant at times looked like a lilac bush. It simply refused to pod up. I "fingered" and q-tipped just about every blossom trying to promote production, but I think the weather was more intent on preventing a good harvest...

 

[CraftyFox]

I forget now when I brought Mini Brown and the rest in, but the De Seda immediately began setting pods indoors.. After just dropping them outside. I gave the De Sorta and MBR a drought to try and stop them from continued flowering and get them to focus on the pods they have. Just watered this one yesterday, and I feel like I've been looking at this same shade of brown for a week now with no change.. Is this it? 
Such a sweet looking natural Bonchi form, I really hope mine taste better than the rest of you have experienced. I doubt I'd get rid of it either way, but I might change my ideas of cloning it. I doubt it though. I could look at this thing all day when it's flowering.. And it does awesome indoors, with no special attention. 
I've got so many varieties I wanted to grow and Pubescens just captivate me. I'm certain I'm going to love the couple of wild species that have been shared too, but I really get stuck on the form of these, and the way they seem to thrive on neglect thru the winter, indoors, even with solid pest pressure. Thanks again for sharing them. 

 

 

[CaneDog]

Hey, Crafty.  I'm glad those are doing alright by you.  That mini brown looks great!   You've done what I did as far as ripening.  I gave them about a week after I thought they'd reached a stable brown before pulling them. Maybe it's worth giving them a little longer to see if the taste develops - or pulling a test one - but either way I hope yours have more flavor to them than mine did.  They're a fun grow and good taste would round them out well.
 
Big thanks to you for the seeds you shared with me.  The Choc Hab "Gurdy" and Piri Piri in particular were big winners this season.  The flavor of the hab was as I remember mine - which is what I was hoping for - and the piri piri has a nice clean flavor with solid heat.  I'll be pulling the final harvest from each tomorrow as we're expected to freeze Sunday.
 
It's going to be all about the indoor season here come Monday!

 

[CaneDog]

It's supposed to freeze overnight so I'll be headed to the community garden plots to harvest and shut down what still remains.  By Monday we're supposed to have sun and warmer temps again, so at home I'll be bringing select plants inside for 2 days then back out again to continue their business.  I hope to get pics of some while I'm moving them back out as many of them are still doing quite well.
 
The indoor season will be taking over soon and I have a head start with a few rocotos.  These are in the HLG100 tent and should be flowering soon.
 
Rocoto DeSeda - with a very first flower.

 
Rocoto XL Brown

 
 
These next two I just brought inside for the anticipated freeze and are the closest to being white-flowered rocotos that I've grown.
 
Rocoto San Isidro - has a fair amount of pale purple

 
Rocoto Sukanya - close to pure white, but not quite 100%

 

[HeatMiser]

I wasn't even aware it was supposed to freeze already! Will be cool to see how your community garden plants are doing.
 
Anyway, great pics as usual CD. Those rocotos look amazing! 
 
I've been meaning to ask - how did the Tepins work out for you? Mine were just starting to flower when the dreaded mites took care of them. I'm thinking about giving them another try next year.

 

[CaneDog]

I wasn't even aware it was supposed to freeze already! Will be cool to see how your community garden plants are doing.
 
Anyway, great pics as usual CD. Those rocotos look amazing! 
 
I've been meaning to ask - how did the Tepins work out for you? Mine were just starting to flower when the dreaded mites took care of them. I'm thinking about giving them another try next year.

 
Hey, HM.  The final visit to the community garden was mostly a flop.  The pods haven't been ripening much over the past few weeks as cold as it is there, but there were a few more since last visit.  I pulled everything up and shut the plots down, while managing to harvest a good bunch of serrano and a few other stragglers in the process.
 
About to rocotos - thanks! - this is my first time growing them under LED's and they seem to be doing good.
 
Tepin in general seem to require a very long season outside for me, but I have a good healthy one of you tx tepin I just brought inside.  It's from the (2013?) seeds you collected wild in Texas, which I think is great.  I pruned it back some and have it in a window for the time being, but it'll be one of a select few that gets cleaned up really well for bugs and put into active grow mode for the off-season season.  Thanks again for those seeds.      I'm psyched to get this one to ripe pods inside and then turn it loose outside next summer for production.  I'll get a pic or two of it up once it's in its new home..
 
Another that's been a slower developer and will get special treatment this winter is the fragilis.  It started flowering recently and I'm hoping it will set pods in its new location in a southern window.
 
Wild Baccatum Fragilis