ehc's 1st grow season - 1st aji pineapple

As a younger man I used to love hot foods, but over the years sort of drifted to the mild. After and extended trip through South and Central America with my wife I started getting back into foods with heat and in particular chillis. When we finally got back we started a little herb garden on our balcony. After chatting with my cousin (Nee), i decided to give pepper growing a go.

I started with two seedlings from a local big box store, an orange hab and a mystery chilli called razzamattaz (i think). The raz fruited well, but the hab flowered a small bit, but that was that. They started to get a bit mangy at the start of winter so I pruned them right back and brought them inside. They withered a bit in May/June and I thought they were just about gone. Any way, I repotted the hab and gave some slow release ferts and it has come back strong, more foliage than ever and even some flowers. The other has come back a bit more slowly, but I only gave ferts to this one and not re-potted. Pretty happy really as have used no tech and it has been a bit cold here (down to 0 celsius) overnight.

Having the bug I also planted some store bought seeds and also some from Grant from JungleRain at the start of winter. A bit crazy as I have no tech, but I was keen to give it a go. The results, I had 3 of the store boughts sprout which was cool and also a manzano red and one the raz's (seeds i took from a grown pod). I had to separate two of the store boughts as they were in the same pot. Things were going well for awhile, but we went away for one weekend and when we got back one was dead, one was dying and the other needed a bit of love and the manzano and raz were dead as the fungus gnats had gotten at them. Was pretty shattered. But it happens really. The remaining two store bought seeds are fighting back and hopefuly they get stronger as the weather starts warming up. They are both still small, maybe 5 centimeters tall with 15-20 leaves each, but considering that they had to fight their way through winter, i'm stoked.

The plan now is to plant a whole bunch of jiffys in August and hope that I have a good little balcony garden ready for spring/summer. My grow list for this year is small, but i think that is probably best for a beginner:

Birds Eye (seed taken from bought pods)
Pimienta Pitanga (seed from JungleRain)
Aji Dulce Yellow (seed from JungleRain)
Aji Pineapple (seed from JungleRain)
Bahamian Goat Pepper (seed from JungleRain)
Habanero White Jellybean (seed from JungleRain)
Razzamattaz/Big Box Special (seed taken from grown pod)
Aji Cachaca (seed from JungleRain)
Manzano Red (seed from JungleRain)
Bishops Crown (gift from nee)
Olho de Peixe (seeds from eBay)
Orange Habanero (big box store)
F1 Super Hot (nursery seeds)

I will update with some photos of the existing plants soon and will update with the August grow as it goes.

Would greatly appreciated any feedback, tips, etc as I go. As being a newbie help is required.

Cheers all

 

[nee]

Mate, it doesn't give me that option, that's why i thought i was doing something wrong and asked.

Hmmm, i checked on the ipad and you just hit 'edit' (make sure its on your initial post in this thread though) and it lets you change the title at the top.....presumed it would be the same on the iphone too?

 

[el hombre chilli]

I know there is a forum for indentifying chillis but seeing as I planted these today I thought I could ask the question here. What type of chilli is this? The mystery name is Razzamattaz but i'm thinking they look a bit like Numex Twilight or Bolivian Rainbow. Thoughts? (I know the colour in the photo isn't great but it has purple, white/yellow, orange and red pods).

 

[nee]

I was going to say Tobasco, but they seem a slightly different shape..

There's also one called Diente De Perro (Dogs Tooth) Which look similar too...
Can only find a small image though...

 

[el hombre chilli]

Been a little bit since the last update but have been out and about and also working.

Potted up both of my F1 Super Hot that I planted this autumn/winter. One is getting big and the other is half the size of the first one. I went to take out the ice-cream stick as I thought it had strengthened over the past few weeks but when it fell straight over, the ice-cream stick went back in.

The photo is of the better F1 Super Hot (with 1 flower and a couple of buds).

This is a photo of my healthy spring seedlings.

My Hab (the bigger one with tonnes of flowers, I potted up as they weren't turning into pods so I thought it might be root bound and it was) and the F1 Super Hot.

Some of the flowers on the hab.

And for the rest of my balcony garden. Firstly, our patio lime (there's a couple of little, little limes growing already) and the rest of our grow (carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, blueberries, mystery chilli from big box store, strawberries and lavendar - we also have corainder, chives, sweet genovese basil, thai basil, spinach and lettuce inside).

Cheers.

I bought a pack of chipotle chillis a few weeks back with the intention of making a batch of chipotles en abodo and have finally gotten around to making it. This is my frist try at making a sauce/mole/base and i'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I think there is a little bit too much vinegar taste, but the smoky heat on the end balances that out. My wife thinks it's fine and can't taste the vinegar. Pretty happy with my first effort, will re-work and refine as I get more experienced.

The chipotle on the hob.

And in the jar.

Cheers.

 

[nee]

Everything looking really healthy there Bernard

Have you got the recipe for the [background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]chipotle?[/background]

 

[el hombre chilli]

Everything looking really healthy there Bernard

Have you got the recipe for the [background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]chipotle?[/background]

We're down next weekend so i'll bring the recipe and some aji seeds for you then.

 

[nee]

Wicked!

Oh, and i'l, try and sort those other seeds for you by next weekend. I have the Jellybeans, which i meant to give you last time but forgot....

 

[el hombre chilli]

Disaster has struck. On the way home from work get a txt from the wife that it's been v. windy at home and that my hab and birds eye (overwintered from seed) had fallen over. Was a bit surprised because the hab stem was quite woody and stong. But have since assessed the damage and the roots have broken on one side for both plants. I have staked them both and am hoping for the best. If it was just blown over it would be fine, but having roots break seems really bad.

Any tips?

 

[Arenal Botanical Garden]

I use an ancient pollination technique.It was known as the Mariposa-colibri-abeja system. Google it
It's a system not used in the "west" much anymore(wherever Da West is ???)

 

[el hombre chilli]

I use an ancient pollination technique.It was known as the Mariposa-colibri-abeja system. Google it
It's a system not used in the "west" much anymore(wherever Da West is ???)

Butterfly-Hummingbird-Bee sounds like a pretty good system for pollination.

Being a balcony garden in the city the best i can hope for is a few abejas to help out.

The Arenal area is a lovely spot (visited la fortuna and monte verde a year or so ago) to have a chilli garden although the wet season must be hell? Has the volcan had any activity of late?

 

[nee]

Disaster has struck. On the way home from work get a txt from the wife that it's been v. windy at home and that my hab and birds eye (overwintered from seed) had fallen over. Was a bit surprised because the hab stem was quite woody and stong. But have since assessed the damage and the roots have broken on one side for both plants. I have staked them both and am hoping for the best. If it was just blown over it would be fine, but having roots break seems really bad.

Hi Bernard!!
I reckon they'll be fine mate... It might be worth repotting the damaged ones into slightly bigger pots, as about a month ago i put a few of my smaller plants outside and with the first small gust of wind they were over on their sides, as the weight of the pot just wasn't enough to keep them upright. Now that i have pots with loads of soil in the worry of them blowing over is pretty slim as the pots are now much heavier...although there's a possibility that tomorrow might be a bit much for them....Amber is going to keep a look-out for me whilst i'm at work thankfully
Also, if re-potting the damaged ones, you could always set them deeper in the soil...i usually do that with ones that have lost the bottom leaves, and just bury them a few inches deeper for more strength.

Failing that, if the plant doesn't recover, i have a spare Mag Hab you can have

 

[el hombre chilli]

Hi Bernard!!
I reckon they'll be fine mate... It might be worth repotting the damaged ones into slightly bigger pots, as about a month ago i put a few of my smaller plants outside and with the first small gust of wind they were over on their sides, as the weight of the pot just wasn't enough to keep them upright. Now that i have pots with loads of soil in the worry of them blowing over is pretty slim as the pots are now much heavier...although there's a possibility that tomorrow might be a bit much for them....Amber is going to keep a look-out for me whilst i'm at work thankfully
Also, if re-potting the damaged ones, you could always set them deeper in the soil...i usually do that with ones that have lost the bottom leaves, and just bury them a few inches deeper for more strength.

Failing that, if the plant doesn't recover, i have a spare Mag Hab you can have

Neil, the pots didn't fall, the plants themselves had bent over in the wind so that's why i'm a bit worried. So that's why i've staked them. Hopefully they aren't banged up too badly.

I might take the offer of the Mag Hab if mine doesn't recover (or start any one of the 34 flowers turning into a pod). Can trade a juvenile bird's eye if you want?

 

[megamoo]

Hi and

I think all you can do is stake them. Make sure its a solid stake and give it time. They'll either recover or not.

My first hot plants were six orange habs bought from bunnings. Nothing like harvesting your own pods. Hope you get some pods happening.

 

[el hombre chilli]

Hey mega, thanks for the welcome. Liking the Bender profile pick.

The stake seems to be working. Neither plant has carked it yet, although, the hab is started to drop leaves and flowers. Any thoughts?

Did you get any pods of the orange habs from bunnings? My hab is the same and i'm yet to get a pod. Lots of flowers, no pods.

 

[megamoo]

Lots of things could cause leaves to drop. If you could post a picture it would be helpful.

I did get a bunch of pods. I only had them in smallish pots so they didn't get too big. They were up on a shelf where they only got sun through shade cloth from midday onwards. Also had them on automatic retic drip system so they got regular watering.

One thing I've learned is that chillies thrive in a regular environment, as long as everything is in the right ratios of course. If you get them set up right they won't need much attention after that. But if you give them a big water one day then leave it a few days, then water again, they can't get used to it and don't do as well.

I'm proud of this pic because they were my first ripe chillis of any decent heat

 

[el hombre chilli]

Lots of things could cause leaves to drop. If you could post a picture it would be helpful.

I did get a bunch of pods. I only had them in smallish pots so they didn't get too big. They were up on a shelf where they only got sun through shade cloth from midday onwards. Also had them on automatic retic drip system so they got regular watering.

One thing I've learned is that chillies thrive in a regular environment, as long as everything is in the right ratios of course. If you get them set up right they won't need much attention after that. But if you give them a big water one day then leave it a few days, then water again, they can't get used to it and don't do as well.

I'm proud of this pic because they were my first ripe chillis of any decent heat

Mega, those pods look great.

I have been watering once every few days, so i'll swap to a little most days and see what happens.

I've got two issues with the leaves, one looks like burn which are the first two photos. Is it burn or something else?

There is also leaves fading and dying or getting a silverish tinge. I think the tinge may be from too many ferts. I spray fert'd a week ago and whilst i was in perth over the weekend my wife gave them liquid fert, woops. Am i right or is it something else.

Cheers

Finally, some success. I now have my first ever hab pod and also have 3 pods on the F1 (Super Hot) that I have grown over winter from seed. I can't wait for them to ripen and then make a nice salsa to sample.

and the progress on my seedlings

Cheers.

 

[DocNrock]

Very nice. Looks like you are on your way to a productive season!

 

[nee]

Hey Mr Hombre...

No idea what makes the leaves go like that, but i've got heaps that have done the same. When i posted on here regarding what the cause could be the answer was to ignore it or pull them if they get past it! The advice seems to have served me well

Oh, and i have mail for you....the Fish Eye seeds are here...yey!!

 

[megamoo]

The burning edges of the leaves is too much fertilizer. Not sure about the colour tinge but its probably a nutrient excess too.

You can just either lay of the fertilizer for a while - thats the easy way. Or the harder way is to flush the soil out with fresh water and pick off all the dodgy leaves, and wash down all the other leaves.. You don't really need to pick the leaves off but I find it helps when you come to look at the plant again you can instantly see if the problem has happened again. Also if its an infection you don't want that stuff left on your plant anyway.

 

[el hombre chilli]

Very nice. Looks like you are on your way to a productive season!

Thanks Doc, were just hitting spring and the weather is starting to get more even (warm in the day, not as warm, but not too cold in the night). Still have a few left to plant, so here's hoping for a long season.

When i posted on here regarding what the cause could be the answer was to ignore it or pull them if they get past it! The advice seems to have served me well

You can just either lay of the fertilizer for a while - thats the easy way. Or the harder way is to flush the soil out with fresh water and pick off all the dodgy leaves, and wash down all the other leaves.. You don't really need to pick the leaves off but I find it helps when you come to look at the plant again you can instantly see if the problem has happened again. Also if its an infection you don't want that stuff left on your plant anyway.

Thanks fellas. I didn't bother flushing the soil, i'll let things be there. I did pull off the leaves though and all plants then went on a bit of a growth spurt, good times.

Well after all the fuss, my hab is sprouting a ton of pods now (mid-teens), so very happy there. Also, my mystery nursery seedlings-cum-plants called F1 super hot have a handful of pods. It's funny, the plant that was smaller and needed to be staked because it bent over is producing the majority of the pods, whereas the larger plant has just produced one. Crazy.

The F1 pods:

Some of the hab pods:

And some of the seedlings that have been potted up:

Cheers