• Blog your pepper progress. The first image in your first post will be used to represent your Glog.

Eephus Man's 2012 March to Hell and Back (Grow Log)

Okay, I'm going to *actually* try and update things this year. My first flats will start tomorrow (chinenses and a few other long-seasons), and the rest, minus a few herbs/tomatoes, will go in later this week or early next. I'm going to try and be better about keeping records this year, too. We'll see how it goes with my limited time, but I'm hopeful.

So...without further blab, here's a tease of a few batches of seeds soaking in a seaweed/superthrive solution over night.



My current grow list looks like this:



Peppers (Hot)

7-Pot White (OP)
Aji Angelo
Aji Omnicolor
BAC593605
Bahamian Finger (Direct Sourced!)
Barro do Robiero
Billy Biker Jalapeno
Bonda ma Jacques
Broome
CA438633
Cheiro do Norte
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia
Chocolate Habanero (OP)
Criolla Sella
Congo Trinidad
Datil
Fatalii
Fish
Goat's Weed
Guampinho de Veado
Habanero de Arbol
Hinkelhatz
Hot Portugal (OP)
Mustard Habanero
Naga Jolokia
NuMex Jalmundo
Peach Scorpanero
Peppadew
Pilange (OP)
Rooster Spur (seedlings destroyed)
Santa Fe Grande
Thai Hot
Uyababa
Yellow Bhut Jolokia
Zimbabwe Bird

Peppers (Sweet or Very Mild Heat)

Ashe County Pimiento (0% germination)
Buran
Canary Bell (Two germinated, gave both away)
Cubanelle
Dulce di Minvervino
Hungarian Wax
Jimmy Nardello's
Kaleidoscope
Kalocsa
Kurtovska Kapiya 1619
Miniature Red Bell
Piment D'espelette (0% germination)
Pimiento L
Piquillo
R Naky
Shishito
Sweet Banana
Sweet Chocolate (lost seed, did not plant)
Sweet Pickle

I'm trying out small batches of varietals that are new to me, and larger for those that are known favs for me. Most of these will end up in pots or small raised beds. My title is in reference to the well-known summer conditions in Texas this year, where we were spared little in the way of either rainfall (none between late April and early October) or temperatures (over 100F for 90 days, including two, back-to-back 25+ day runs over 100F). This is also a test to see which varieties produce before the heat set, during the summer, and which begin to produce again the most quickly in the fall.

We'll see how it goes and I'm happy to have you on board for advice, tips, questions and observations!

Special thanks this year to Buck77, Kappy, menotume, hot stuff, and Spicegeist for help with wanted seeds and unrequested generosity!
 
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Eephus Man said:
Okay, where's Patrick to tell me if this is my new boyfriend or girlfriend.

It's that time of year where they start coming out to do something. Mate? Hunt? Beats me. But I've bumped into two in two days. This fella?/gal? was underneath a 18-pot tray on my deck area.

You can see by the second photo, its a pretty decent sized one. Among the larger I've seen in the yard (but not the largest).



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It's a female or possibly an immature male. An Aphonopelma species. Since there are 14 known species in Texas and a lot of them look similar I'm not even going to guess. They are pretty much harmless to humans. I'm glad you're OK with them. It is a very pretty one. When you see them out running around it's usually in the early summer and those are the sexually mature males. They're out looking for love and the only thing that will stop them is death. Got to admire that!

Do you mind if I snag the picture and post it on the American Tarantula Society's web site? I'd like to see if we can get an ID.
 
patrick said:
It's a female or possibly an immature male. An Aphonopelma species. Since there are 14 known species in Texas and a lot of them look similar I'm not even going to guess. They are pretty much harmless to humans. I'm glad you're OK with them. It is a very pretty one. When you see them out running around it's usually in the early summer and those are the sexually mature males. They're out looking for love and the only thing that will stop them is death. Got to admire that!

Do you mind if I snag the picture and post it on the American Tarantula Society's web site? I'd like to see if we can get an ID.
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Yeah, I dig 'em. They've never done me wrong, so I don't ever intend to do harm to them. I honestly don't maim/kill anything that isn't interfering with me or endangering me. That means that the only animals that "get it" are scorpions inside the house (from my wife - I'll actually remove most outdoors), mosquitos anywhere, anything trying to kill my plants, wasps that have already stung me around the house, and (in the past) black widows and rattlesnakes (especially aggressive ones - which seem to be the majority) that are potentially endangering myself, my clients, or any children.

Anyway, please post away and use the photo as you see fit per the usual caveats (CC). If I see more I'll try and snap some more shots. I'm curious as to what they are. We see them semi-regularly. Thanks, Patrick!
 
Eephus Man said:
No way! Okay, that's fascinating. Brian, can you point me to that thread (I'll try and find it on my own meanwhile).

Well, that'll be good knowledge for next year, but it looks like this year I'm on a mission from God to save that little plot from the snails!
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Slug and Snail pellets work great! and you don't have to use very many.
I sprinkle 3 or 4 around every new transplant outside in our climate here
in the PacNW.

Okay, the peppers look good as always, but I loved the pics of the fungus
and the tarantulas. Cool to have stuff like that in your yard!

Good luck with the rest of your grow out, e-man!
 
Thanks, Paul! I figure if its interesting, I may as well photograph it and share with y'all. :)

:knockonwood: So far, the sluggo stuff seems to be working. No severe damage to the plants. I've re-applied twice. I'll probably do it once more after the rain this week.

Weather has been awesome! Highs in the mid-80s and lows in the high 50s/low 60s. Really nice growing weather. Some of my plants are really starting to scoot along nicely.
 
Thanks, Gary. I hope so. I'm really trying to get some yield there this year. It was dismal last year. But I planted late (mid-April), had insect problems, fought the heat, and then (I think) had too much shade in the fall for fruit set.

I now have double the soil depth, a sandwich layer of homemade compost, will install drip tape/soaker hose (haven't decided which), and plan on mulching and fertilizing as well.

I just hope the plants aren't too close. We'll see...
 
Figured I'd give the "Best of the Week" shots as an update. This is only my potted plants. Raised bed update will have to come along next weekend or so. I have some problems there I may try and get some help with previous to then. Leaf curl, in particular.

It has been pretty warm here (upper 80s/low 90s heat index) the last couple of days, so mid-afternoon wilt is in full swing until these lil' guys toughen up a little.

Zimbabwe Bird, full of buds and blooms. A little small, but I'm tired of pinching on it.



One of the mystery overwinters that I'd left outside. Its back with a vengeance!



Long shot of Aji Angelo overwinter. Creeping up on 3.5' high now. That canopy is thick with both foliage and buds.



Closeup of said canopy



Naga Jolokia



A little under-the-canopy shot of the Fish pepper's variegation



Bad snap here, but it's a very healthy looking Aji Omnicolor in a very small container. Looking like it'll be a winner...



First true fruit of the year, from the overwintered Aribibi Gusano



One of the half-dozen Peppermania mystery seeds. Have no idea what this thing is, but its outpacing everything else, and is now ~30" high.



Look at the branching on this Sweet Pickle (thanks for the seed, Kappy!)



edit: If someone wants to comment, I'll embed the last few...
 
Wow!!! Looking good big guy! Nice and healthy and green! You warm climate guys have me really jealous.

Tell me a little more about the Aji Angelo. Looks like a real beauty!
 
RedtailForester said:
Wow!!! Looking good big guy! Nice and healthy and green! You warm climate guys have me really jealous.

Tell me a little more about the Aji Angelo. Looks like a real beauty!
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Thank you, Dan! We have been very fortunate to have had a mild winter and a balmly (but not too hot) spring so far.

I honestly don't know a ton about that plant. It produced a single fruit for me last year...in November. I brought it inside for two freezes so I could taste the ripe fruit. After waiting two months for it to ripen, I gave up and left it outside to melt in the cold. But it didn't die! Not only that, I got ripe fruit in February, and then I didn't have the heart to yank out such a trooper. The fruit was not what I was expecting. Sweet with no heat. Peppermania pretty much says as much http://www.peppermania.com/baccatum_seeds_1.html I'm giving it another shot this year and seeing what happens. Hoping for earlier production and ripening!


patrick said:
Sweet Pickle looks great! Have you ever had them? I've got seeds but don't know anything about them.
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I never have tried them, patrick. Kappy sent me some seed and I looked them up and thought, "why not?" I have three plants going, which should give us enough to pickle some with 1-2 actual hot peppers in the jar. Make some homemade pickled peppers!

Oh, also, patrick, did you have any luck on the ID of the spider? After you mentioned over a dozen different species, I ran into this tweet from Tyson Cole, who is a well-known Austin chef, but just happened to find this at his home.

https://twitter.com/...7020417/photo/1

Looks completely different from the ones we see here.
 
That Peppermania mystery plant looks like a possible Aji Amarillo, I've noticed that my amarillos are growing like weeds like that. Nice plants by the way. How do you like the Aribibi Gusano?
 
Indiana_Jesse said:
That Peppermania mystery plant looks like a possible Aji Amarillo, I've noticed that my amarillos are growing like weeds like that. Nice plants by the way. How do you like the Aribibi Gusano?
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Thanks, Jesse. I only got a few fruit from the AG last season. It was a late plant out. But what I did taste, I really liked. It reminded me of the white habaneros (peruvian/white bullet), but with a more diffuse fruity flavor. Good heat, but not over the top. Its very unique and I think would make a very good jam/jelly or sauce for fish/chicken. Dunno though, gonna try these things this year, hopefully.

That'd be cool if it were an Aji Amarillo! Thanks for the first guess!
 
Okay guys, I piled on in another leaf curl thread, but if someone watching here can help/advise, I'm all ears. I have always had a vicious time with my raised beds. It appears I'm off to another rough start this year.







 
Your grow is going great guns, except for a little leaf curl in
those last pix. Wish I could help with that. The Zimbabwe
Bird plant is way cool - what a compact little bush! Enjoy the
nice Spring weather.
 
Thanks, Paul. :)

Looks like good weather for at least the next couple of weeks, too.

Here are some night shots, just for kicks. The raised bed plants are still suffering. I can't tell what's going on.

Deck pots



Aji Angelo blossom



Quickly growing canopy



Zimbabwe Bird baby fruit



German chamomile



Shishito blooms



Antique rose has produced about 30 blossoms in the last few days. Lucky weather has made for amazing flowering

 
Eephus Man said:
Thanks, Jesse. I only got a few fruit from the AG last season. It was a late plant out. But what I did taste, I really liked. It reminded me of the white habaneros (peruvian/white bullet), but with a more diffuse fruity flavor. Good heat, but not over the top. Its very unique and I think would make a very good jam/jelly or sauce for fish/chicken. Dunno though, gonna try these things this year, hopefully.

That'd be cool if it were an Aji Amarillo! Thanks for the first guess!
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I'm going to add a +1 to that guess... Aji Amarillo were my fastest growers these past two years and the plant you posted looks very similar. My limited experience with Ajis is that they do tend to shoot up like that. You'll probably want to provide some support for the plant, as the stems aren't as sturdy as you'd hope, especially once they start podding up.
 
Thanks, sync. Interestingly, my two fastest growers are in very small pots that I mixed with my own compost in fairly large quantities. :)
 
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