Downriver 2022 - Pepper Time

Today is Jan 1, so time to start a Glog and THINK about what to grow. The answer is most likely somewhere in here. I'll figure it out shortly.

 

[Downriver]

I've been a little lax with this glog, but I haven't forgotten about it, lol.

I did indeed re-pot the annuums at the beginning of April. Here's a group shot of all the plants then.

 

[MarcV]

Any news on the savannah?

 

[Downriver]

...here's a terrible picture of three Farm Locotos.



...another

 

[Downriver]

...and here's the Rocoto Family, courtesy of @skullbiker and @PaulG.

Montufar, Giant Yellow, Ecuadorian Sweet and Mini Red x2

 

[Downriver]

...lastly, here's a group shot from last week. I'll get some new pics in a bit.

 

[PaulG]

Looks like you have a ton of starts going, my friend!

I hope you like the mini reds as much as I did,
@Downriver. A really sweet and juicy treat here
in our PNW climate.

 

[Downriver]

Any news on the savannah?

Nothing good. Still hoping for some life to appear.

 

[Downriver]

As you may have seen in another post (see details here), I've sprouted a ton of Habanero de Arbol seeds. So, looks like I'll be adding this one to this year's grow as well. Here's one I've already transplanted. I'll probably do a few more, just to be safe.

 

[skullbiker]

...here's a terrible picture of three Farm Locotos.



...another

They look forking good to me!

 

[Wiriwiri]

Hey Rick your seedlings are doing nicely ...we have had some cooler temps like you here in Connecticut,so
I've had to schlep them back indoors...howeva after sunday..temps should be in the 40'sF at night..so they
will be out 24/7....the male hummingbirds have arrived...ladies to follow soon...look forward to them each
Spring....carry on brother

 

[Downriver]

@Wiriwiri Thanks Sandy! Yeah, it LOOKS like the 30s are in the past now. A warming trend is beginning, so schlepping everything outside for the last time is definitely coming soon. Love hummingbirds. They tell ya when Spring is here!

 

[Downriver]

...time for a little catch-up.

May 2nd, the first day the plants finally got some desperately needed outside-time.



Of course, they were only outside for two days then cold weather moved back in for a week. Then, back outside about 10 days later (to stay).



Then, about a week later, started hardening off.



Plant-out is imminent.

 

[Downriver]

When I first carried all the trays outside, I found one in the "back" that evidently got into a fight with the light....and lost.



Most were lost, but after trimming back, a few started leafing out. I'll call this my "prune by fire" experiment. I must say, I don't have high expectations for these guys. Time will tell.

 

[PaulG]

Sorry to see those wilted plants.
The results for the survivors will be
some bushy plants by Summertime!

 

[Downriver]

Welp... the peppers finally got in the ground over the last several days. Still need caging, but things are moving forward! Now to figure out where to put the stragglers lol.

 

[Downriver]

I saw someone ask about damage that looked like this:



Answer - the striped cucumber beetle. I caught these guys in the act. Look close, there's actually two of them in first pic. P.S. they are no longer with us, rip.

 

[Downriver]

Purple Thunder Mystery showing its' intelligence. The first plant was planted a couple days ago - fresh from it's sheltered, pampered beginnings. The second plant was planted out about 10 days ago, exposed to full-blown, all day sun. So, it just put on it shade look and keeps chillin, lol. I'm sure the first plant will catch up in short order.

 

[PaulG]

@Downriver - Love to see those PT gettin'
their purple on! Congrats on getting every-
thing (mostly) in the ground!

 

[Downriver]

Plants have settled in and are starting to do some serious growing. Had some fairly intense heat spells the last few weeks, but several plants are still flowering and setting pods. Managed to get all the peppers caged, so now they can definitely get their grow on lol.

 

[Downriver]

Well, it looks like I haven't updated this thread lately, but there's not really a lot to say. Pepper plants continue to grow, but the heat and humidity has taken its' toll. I know some folks say peppers LOVE heat, but I'm not so sure. When constantly in the 90's with the heat index over a 100, my plants just don't set pods. Sure, they flower but they don't set pods. It's clearly evident when you look at the plants. Early on, when the temps were in the 80's, you can see fruit setting nicely. But when it got extreme, there's no pods. All the pods are low on the plants. Nothing on the upper half.

But the plants are growing nicely.