I have seeds ready for 2022. Will start by reviewing varieties from past seasons, then discuss what I am growing in 2022.
2019:
Orange Habanero: delicious. Will grow again at some point.
Shishito: Nice peppers, but will not grow again.
2020:
Trinidad pimento: excellent pepper, will try to keep my freezer permanently stocked with this variety
Trinidad perfume: Nice pepper, will probably grow periodically in the future.
Red foodarama scotch bonnet: I enjoyed this pepper, but I preferred both of two red varieties I grew in 2021, will not grow again. Of note, taste had minimal resemblance to the foodarama yellow.
Foodarama yellow scotch bonnet: Nice scotch bonnet with classic Jamaican scotch bonnet flavor that you would get in a Walkerswood product. Consistent disk like shapes.
Lemon Drop: Beautiful peppers, but did not like the flavor much. Will not grow again.
2021: total of 15 pepper plants
Bahamian Goat (2 plants) - Really enjoyed this variety. Beautiful pods with interesting shape, color, and pearly white interior. Productive plants. Nice flavor with lots of both fruity and floral character. Made excellent jerk seasoning. Will definitely grow again. I enjoyed to fully ripe pods, but the green pods were not my favorite.
Congo yellow (2 plants): Most productive variety for me this year. Nice large pods. Excellent taste both green and fully ripe. Nice floral taste, pairs very well with Trini dishes.
Congo red: (2 plants) Good productivity, but less productive than the yellow for me this year. Pods had a tendency to turn soft before fully ripening. Taste was very similar to the congo yellow, and excellent both green and fully ripe. The yellow pods were longer, while the red pods wider. Both had nice large pods. Will probably grow the congo yellow in the future, while I explore additional red varieties.
Red antillais: (Two plants) Average productivity. Nice beautiful pods. Has relatively minimal floral flavor. I tend to prefer aromatic peppers, but I found the flavor of this to be very good, and useful for the times that I am not looking for the strong floral flavor. Of this year's varieties, the antillais pepper was nicest in my hot chocolates. Ok green, but prefer ripe with this variety.
Foodarama yellow scotch bonnet: (One Plant) Much better productivity than last season. Ended up an average producer compared to other varieties. Nice flavor, works well for Jerk seasoning. Good both green and fully ripe. Nothing wrong with this variety, but I will try probably try growing the MOA and TFM varieties in the future to see how they compare.
Jamaican Hot Chocolate Habanero: (One Plant) I enjoyed the color of these. High heat, otherwise flavor was average to me, and did not really stand out.
Grenada seasoning pepper: (two plants) Good seasoning pepper with nice habanero flavor. Average productivity. Prefer to use these fully ripe rather than green. For cooking, I slightly prefer the Trinidad pimento and Trinidad perfume seasoning peppers over these. Might grow again.
Venezuelan Tiger: (One Plant) Nice beautiful plants. Average productivity. Large pods with lots of purple sun-tan coloring when green. Pods lack chinense taste. Fruity, somewhat sweet, nice tasting pods - similar to a bell pepper. Pods taste good both green and fully ripe. Really nice plants, but probably will not grow again.
Aji Cachucha (One Plant) and Aji Cachucha purple splotch (One Plant): Purple splotch was more productive and was a better looking plant. Both types have nice fun pod shapes. Both lack chinense flavor. Both were better fully ripe rather than green. Will not grow either variety again
2022:
Refining Fire Chiles Order: will grow two plants of each
1. sugar rush stripey
2. aji fantasy
3. thunder mountain longhorn
4. fish pepper
5. congo black habanero
6. Trinidad pimento
7. Aji dulce
Refining Fire Chiles Free samples: will start two of each variety, but only grow one of each
1. Black scorpion tongue
2. Aji Colorado
3. Wiri Wiri
4. Yellow Siam
Rareseeds.com order:
West Indies Red Habanero, will grow two plants
That makes 20 plants. I am tempted to grow some of my old seeds from 2021, congo peppers, red antallais, and goat, but it is nice to save some excitement for 2023, and 20 plants should be more peppers than I can consume, with plenty to give away to friends.
2019:
Orange Habanero: delicious. Will grow again at some point.
Shishito: Nice peppers, but will not grow again.
2020:
Trinidad pimento: excellent pepper, will try to keep my freezer permanently stocked with this variety
Trinidad perfume: Nice pepper, will probably grow periodically in the future.
Red foodarama scotch bonnet: I enjoyed this pepper, but I preferred both of two red varieties I grew in 2021, will not grow again. Of note, taste had minimal resemblance to the foodarama yellow.
Foodarama yellow scotch bonnet: Nice scotch bonnet with classic Jamaican scotch bonnet flavor that you would get in a Walkerswood product. Consistent disk like shapes.
Lemon Drop: Beautiful peppers, but did not like the flavor much. Will not grow again.
2021: total of 15 pepper plants
Bahamian Goat (2 plants) - Really enjoyed this variety. Beautiful pods with interesting shape, color, and pearly white interior. Productive plants. Nice flavor with lots of both fruity and floral character. Made excellent jerk seasoning. Will definitely grow again. I enjoyed to fully ripe pods, but the green pods were not my favorite.
Congo yellow (2 plants): Most productive variety for me this year. Nice large pods. Excellent taste both green and fully ripe. Nice floral taste, pairs very well with Trini dishes.
Congo red: (2 plants) Good productivity, but less productive than the yellow for me this year. Pods had a tendency to turn soft before fully ripening. Taste was very similar to the congo yellow, and excellent both green and fully ripe. The yellow pods were longer, while the red pods wider. Both had nice large pods. Will probably grow the congo yellow in the future, while I explore additional red varieties.
Red antillais: (Two plants) Average productivity. Nice beautiful pods. Has relatively minimal floral flavor. I tend to prefer aromatic peppers, but I found the flavor of this to be very good, and useful for the times that I am not looking for the strong floral flavor. Of this year's varieties, the antillais pepper was nicest in my hot chocolates. Ok green, but prefer ripe with this variety.
Foodarama yellow scotch bonnet: (One Plant) Much better productivity than last season. Ended up an average producer compared to other varieties. Nice flavor, works well for Jerk seasoning. Good both green and fully ripe. Nothing wrong with this variety, but I will try probably try growing the MOA and TFM varieties in the future to see how they compare.
Jamaican Hot Chocolate Habanero: (One Plant) I enjoyed the color of these. High heat, otherwise flavor was average to me, and did not really stand out.
Grenada seasoning pepper: (two plants) Good seasoning pepper with nice habanero flavor. Average productivity. Prefer to use these fully ripe rather than green. For cooking, I slightly prefer the Trinidad pimento and Trinidad perfume seasoning peppers over these. Might grow again.
Venezuelan Tiger: (One Plant) Nice beautiful plants. Average productivity. Large pods with lots of purple sun-tan coloring when green. Pods lack chinense taste. Fruity, somewhat sweet, nice tasting pods - similar to a bell pepper. Pods taste good both green and fully ripe. Really nice plants, but probably will not grow again.
Aji Cachucha (One Plant) and Aji Cachucha purple splotch (One Plant): Purple splotch was more productive and was a better looking plant. Both types have nice fun pod shapes. Both lack chinense flavor. Both were better fully ripe rather than green. Will not grow either variety again
2022:
Refining Fire Chiles Order: will grow two plants of each
1. sugar rush stripey
2. aji fantasy
3. thunder mountain longhorn
4. fish pepper
5. congo black habanero
6. Trinidad pimento
7. Aji dulce
Refining Fire Chiles Free samples: will start two of each variety, but only grow one of each
1. Black scorpion tongue
2. Aji Colorado
3. Wiri Wiri
4. Yellow Siam
Rareseeds.com order:
West Indies Red Habanero, will grow two plants
That makes 20 plants. I am tempted to grow some of my old seeds from 2021, congo peppers, red antallais, and goat, but it is nice to save some excitement for 2023, and 20 plants should be more peppers than I can consume, with plenty to give away to friends.
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