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]

Thanks DF!  It sure turned out better than I was expecting around early July. 
 
Hopefully we'll all get a great summer in 2021 - I think we're due!

 

[Mildfruit]

Well, some stragglers continue to limp in, but I thinks it's as good a time as any to close down my glog for the 2020 season.  Thanks to all who contributed, whether with seeds or otherwise.  I'll make my last picture post of this King BOC.  Despite 2 previous unsuccessful efforts (failure to thrive and crossed seeds) I managed to get this one to the finish line - shout out of thanks to Mildfruit for the seeds and support!
 
Next up is the off-season season, which will include several varieties that didn't finish up fully outside - after due clean-up and quarantine - as well as some new starts.  Should be a good breather before the craziness starts up again with the new year.
Cheers  
CD
 
 
King BOC

Wow! What a beast you made! You certainly grew a much nicer plant than I did with the same seeds
Im glad the seeds worked out for you, its a real pleasure to see how it should have been

Already looking forward to see what you come up with next season!

 

[HeatMiser]

It was great following your glog this year CD. It was also pretty awesome seeing some of my seeds featured in it, especially after I had to get rid of my plants - it's cool to know some of them are still thriving at your place!
 
Do you already have plans for 2021?

 

[CaneDog]

Wow! What a beast you made! You certainly grew a much nicer plant than I did with the same seeds
Im glad the seeds worked out for you, its a real pleasure to see how it should have been

Already looking forward to see what you come up with next season!

 
Thanks, MF. I was surprised both by how hot these pods are and how gnarly.  Add a very good aroma/flavor and they're really a winner.  Can't thank you enough!  Glad to see how well your indoor grow is going.  Seems like the auto-pots were a good call and everything's looking really healthy.  Can't wait to see that Stripey SRP when it pods up.
 

It was great following your glog this year CD. It was also pretty awesome seeing some of my seeds featured in it, especially after I had to get rid of my plants - it's cool to know some of them are still thriving at your place!
 
Do you already have plans for 2021?

 
Ha ha, yep, I already have a grow list, though I'm sure it will change over the ensuing months. I'm trying to cut back the overall number of plants, but it's not easy.  I'll have the two 10x40 foot plots at our local community garden - up by Bellevue College - and I plan to step those up in 2021.  I already have 4-foot perimeter fencing - unfortunate but apparently necessary now - and will do significant soil amendment before next season.
 
I had to cut back the TX Tepin again.  For whatever reason the Chile Rayado plants have been aphid magnets and they infected it in quarantine.  It's a strong plant though and will bounce back quickly, I'm sure.  Whatever it takes, I'm going to see this one all podded up!

 

[Downriver]

Great blog this year CD. Enjoyed all the info and knowledge you shared.
 
2020 was a great ride. Save me a seat in 2021!

 

[CraftyFox]

I pulled my first Yellow De Seda pod the other day.. But I'm guessing it's not true either. Same shape as the De Sorta, same flavor as the Mini Brown, with that bitter green-ness to it. I may have pulled it a little early, because it was getting a brown streak on it.. There's another decent one hanging that I intend to let go till it softens a bit. The seeds looked nice from the first one. 
No pics because I guess Imgur is overloaded right now?? 

Only 2 DeSorta left hanging.. Going to be sad when they are all gone. The red Thai are flowering like crazy and not setting pods. The aphids have been chased into the aquarium, where the Ladybugs keep them prisoner. Ladybugs are definitely a little more appreciative and rooted when you bring them in AFTER the cold hits. Little spots of honey here and there, along with mists to give them water seem to keep them pretty content.. I have them in two rooms and they stay right around the south windows. Yesterday there was some activity that suggests I will have young soon.

Happy Harvest!

 

[PaulG]

I'd like to know more about your ladybug keeping system.

 

[CaneDog]

I'd like to know more about your ladybug keeping system.

 
Me too.  And I'd like to see pics - get it together, Imgur! 
 

I pulled my first Yellow De Seda pod the other day.. But I'm guessing it's not true either. Same shape as the De Sorta, same flavor as the Mini Brown, with that bitter green-ness to it. I may have pulled it a little early, because it was getting a brown streak on it.. There's another decent one hanging that I intend to let go till it softens a bit. The seeds looked nice from the first one. 
No pics because I guess Imgur is overloaded right now?? 

Only 2 DeSorta left hanging.. Going to be sad when they are all gone. The red Thai are flowering like crazy and not setting pods. The aphids have been chased into the aquarium, where the Ladybugs keep them prisoner. Ladybugs are definitely a little more appreciative and rooted when you bring them in AFTER the cold hits. Little spots of honey here and there, along with mists to give them water seem to keep them pretty content.. I have them in two rooms and they stay right around the south windows. Yesterday there was some activity that suggests I will have young soon.

Happy Harvest!

 
Thanks, Crafty.  Given where the parent De Seda was grown, if it's yellow it could only have crossed with a Gelbe Riesen and, while I couldn't be sure, those big boxy pods would likely change the shape - plus they were a good 30 feet away. Other than that, all the other rocotos at that location were red - it was actually grown right next to a couple Ecuador rocotos.  Hopefully that was just an off pod; I'm not a fan at all of that diluted/bitter/green taste.
 
If you get a chance, it'd be cool to see pic's of your ladybug tank.  Great that you figured out a way to keep them around - I guess the grass stops being greener once you realize it's freezing cold outside   Would be cool to see the red Thai as well.  Hopefully they'll get their acts together and start podding.

 

[CraftyFox]

I'll have to update my pictures a little I guess.. Can't find any of the ones of the De Seda on plant ripe.. Tonight. I saved the seed and they should be isolated, if you want some back. I think I recall you saying you lost the yellow ones?
To say it's a ladybug tank is stretching it a little.. It's my little quarantine tank (5g) I keep about 2 gallons of water in it, usually 50/50 tankwater: tap(gassed) Mostly it's rando duckweed and Demersium(sp) Coontail. Aside from all the aphids, there's a leech or a few and numerous snails, invertebrates, and other arthropods living in there. It's one of a couple tanks dedicated to "feeders" and smaller aquatics, which my son is studying.. I have a piece of driftwood and a slab of limestone to help crawlers free themselves from surface tension and to keep the surface clear, providing interesting studies of crystal formation.. It's amazing the amount of life that can exist and thrive in such a small environment. I'm also fairly sure I seen them eating the string moss or duckweed in the aquarium, but I haven't confirmed it yet. I have a lichen covered oak branch that lays across the tank as well, for any one needing to stretch their wings and get highlighted nicely for their demise. 

Intentionally, upstairs, I mist the wall above the window where they lurk, two or three times a day.. And also the ceiling near the light fixture. I also put little smidges of honey, with a toothpick, in spots where they already patrol, and areas where I want them to patrol. They tend to set roots around the honey, so I'm trying to keep the amounts smaller now. Honey may have an aphrodisiac effect on them as well.. As they started breeding right after the first feeding of it. Outside of that they are left to their own free will, in an effort to enhance what I recall of the winters in an old farmhouse where they were present all winter and active whenever it got warm.
I think expanding on the moisture opportunities near the window and light sources would be an improvement on their overall keeping, but might erode their effectiveness with the pest control. Like the honey feeding, I'd look at this more as a way of keeping them on tap when a pest source isn't present in numbers to sustain their population. Eventually I intend to build a screened-in enclosure for keeping them, just haven't come around to it yet. Then it would be an easy matter to just import the plants in and out when necessary. I was going to use a 5 Gallon w/ hunidity dome, but the Little Brown hasn't been hacked yet and wouldn't fit.

Our Reduvius nymphs are already about half an inch long, and I'd hate for them to wipe out the population.. Since I rarely see them and know there are many in the house every year, I can only assume they operate mainly behind the scenes, like Centipedes, and try to keep the ladybugs from being tempted to enter the voids.
I've been really sidetracked with other things and the peppers are in some serious need of attention again.. Not to mention getting the rest started for next season. 

The 5 gallon (sits under my UFO Burple)

The Upstairs grow area( 2 year old Rocs and Texas Pequin)

And my big haul of Rocs!

Oh, the little Red Thai.. One is Edema-rific for reasons I can't explain. I far from overwater these.. quite the contrary. The tubs are a recent add, to improve moisture retention.. 

Reduvius nymph.. Master of disquise!

 

[CraftyFox]

Here's the De Seda, and uh.. Rooting/Rutting hormone. Way too much honey there.. Bet they are both in the same spot tomorrow. I applied it with a swab.. which I why I say use a toothpick and then only dot it along the area.. Unless you want them to get frisky! 

The romantic overlook

 

[PaulG]

Pretty cool. Herding ladybugs   !