Essegi 2018

Hi all! I've disappeared for a while and here it is my new glog!
Smaller than ever.
Just 3 varieties and an overwinter. And no supers.
 

 
Just started.
11 Dedo de Moca
11 Datil
11 Brown Jalapeno
 
And the overwinter, a red rocoto (that has been somewhat devastated by hail):

 
Ripening pods!!!!
Really, that one did set some pods but noone ripened... I decided to leave them be and then that surpise!
 
That's just all for now!

 

[Essegi]

Yesterday other 3 hooks. Now.
Jalapeno Brown: 11/11
Datil: 10/11
Dedo De Moca: 8/11
 

 

[Essegi]

Current germ:
Jalapeno Brown: 11/11
Datil: 11/11
Dedo De Moca 8/11
 
Also pumpkins a nice 5/5
 
Pic:

Some are a bit suffering, i guess it was too hot. I lowered temperature a bit and it seems better.
 
Today's rocoto harvest:

 
Used two with pasta al ragù:

I tried also Ichnusa beer for the first time (from Sardinia, but belongs to Heineken now), i like it.
 
Some cheap shots from sunday. There was snow falling and about no view. We went to Cima Paradisi in Lagorai (liteally: Heavens Peak). Bosses said that there's a nice sight, i can just trust them. I guess i've been too lucky last year with weather  There was no wind at least.
 
A rare moment with some sight, looking to Cima D'Asta (dunno if that was the peak or just part of the massif):

 
Approaching the peak:

Well, in some regards better that than an hot sunny day.

 

[Essegi]

Some repotting, moving and pruning.
 
2 days ago i've pruned the rocoto, today i moved pumpkins along it:

 
Last harvest for a while:

I've kept seeds of the bigger to experiment an august start.
 
I've repotted what neede to be:

Now i urge to give away some stuff since soon i must repot others.
 
After many months i've done pizza again. It was improvised and i made a strange dough with not much water, kneaded yesterday evening and eaten today at lunch. Not the best one but worked:

Some margherita, the other one margherita plus pecorino, pesto, bacon and rocoto.
 

I've tried a beer from Antoniana, a brewery from Padova. This was the white one, it was good.
 
 
Also last week i got accepted on mountaineerig course and that was not obvious, there were many requests (like 2,5 times the places), i got lucky. Probabily next friday i'm going to buy crampoons and iceaxe!

 

[Essegi]

After some cold days (in Asiago near Ortigara went to -40°C, now that's quite low) weather is improving. In ten days there's the possibility of another burian wind wave, we'll see.
Here we got a couple of good days, yesterday it was even 16°C, so:

Toady it's cloudy, so they're better inside.
 
Given away some, repotted others, now:

Now just 6 to repot.
Jalapenos Brown look very good. Dedo De Moca a bit suffering, Datils are struggling a bit but are growing, so i'm confident that all will be ok.
 
Repotted pumpinks:

Now  those don't have problems to grow.
 
Some chili:

Not much hot, i used a mixture a friend of mine bought for me somewhere in the middle east. For the rest i was satisfied, taste was nicely balanced.
 
Now stuff for course:

I noticed that i forgot a kevlar rope, there's plenty of time to remedy.
 
Also a manual has been given:

A good, solid layout and seems quite heaped of info.

 

[stickman]

It looks like you have an exciting summer ahead of you Giancarlo... plants look excellent and Chili is never a bad thing. Carry on! [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

 

[Essegi]

Today i'm giving a nearly full day sunbathing.
 
Here 3:

Jalapeno, Dedo De Moca and Datil.
 
And the others:

I've yet to give away something.
 
That year plants seems to grow well (maybe except Datil, but i expected it to be harder than the average chinense), probably because i've at last learnt how to water them. In fact, i'm watering them a bit less than last years.
Just some thought about those varieties:
 
Jalapeno Brown: mighty healthy, probably best looking plants ever, they are setting some flower. I don't have much experience even with standard jalapeno but from what i've experienced they weren't much productive... It could be because they hadn't grown enough when real heat came... O i've been just incompetent. Or unlucky. By the way, i can already tell that those ones will be more productive.
 
Dedo De Moca: looks good, the 2 that i've kept are growing in height a lot:

 

About 50 cm in less than 2 months, that annihilates everything i've grown before.
 
Datil: well. those aren't flying. Some struggled at first and a couple are still a bit. But even the worst have started, so all should be ok.
 
Red Rocoto:

Meh...
That's the problem, it just hasn't start. I bet now with warmer wether it'll grow, but i needed an earlier start. I don't even know if it makes sense to put it on ground that year.
 
Pumpkins:

They have to get accustomed to sun, otherwise they're fine.
 
Some more pumpkins:

Now there's a lower temperature in that room, germination is slower. Also i haven't properly soaked seeds for some issues, i hope to get some more.
 
New tree!

 
Pero di san Pietro, it's a local ancient variety that produces good tasting pears, it should be a rugged, longevous and productive tree, albeit slow to start making fruits (it takes some years to produce well).
 
 

It looks like you have an exciting summer ahead of you Giancarlo... plants look excellent and Chili is never a bad thing. Carry on! [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

Thanks, Rick!

 

[chelicerae]

Cool, really interesting thread, as totally opposite of mine weather and indoors / outdoorswise..think I shall try Rocoto in the fall.

 

[Essegi]

Thanks. For sure the hardest work it's yours.
And do try rocoto. they are indeed different stuff. Flowers are beautiful.

 

[Devv]

Looking good Giancarlo!
 
I've fallen way behind on many glogs due to family visits the last several weeks.
 
Looking forward to all the perfect pictures

 

[Trident chilli]

Frost here this morning Giancarlo and now it's pouring with rain ... looks like it's going to be a wet miserable Easter break. Nice collection of mountaineering equipment... when is your course

 

[Essegi]

Looking good Giancarlo!
 
I've fallen way behind on many glogs due to family visits the last several weeks.
 
Looking forward to all the perfect pictures

Thanks Scott, i hope too!
Fun stuff: i have 6 plants here at work for 2 colleagues, (2 datils, 2 dedo, 2 brown 'penos). There's a window exposed to south so they thought that they saty better here than in their house till real heat come... It's an ok place and i don't doubt that is better here than being neglected somewhere.
 

Frost here this morning Giancarlo and now it's pouring with rain ... looks like it's going to be a wet miserable Easter break. Nice collection of mountaineering equipment... when is your course

Thanks John, rain here too, but it is no more cold.
Of the equiplment i'ev changed the icepick, same model but shorter (it was 66cm, now 58, it should be balanced, probably still long for technical stuff if i'll ever need that).
The course has already begun but just lessons. First exit saturday after Easter on rock to start with nodes etc... And sunday on ice.
Course ends in June, last trip is Gran Paradiso. Maybe we won't reach the peak (an old instructor, former director, said that he went here 5 or 6 times and never the peak) but i hope at least 4000m quote.
And for weather i hope it will be as bad as possible those days.  Cause i had to da via ferrata but now i'm a bit crippled cause i had an intrusion of cortisone on my foot yesterday to calm my Morton's neuroma (if i hand't course and stuff to do maybe i'd have resort to surgery... I guess that will be for next year), i hope to be ok in a week and ready for first exit.
There's interesting stuff that year, most notable stuff Cevedale on July and on September a 4 days trekking on Etna, a ferrata near Vajolet towers (and those will be a sight for sure).

 

[Trident chilli]

What a way to end your course with the summit of Gran Paradiso ..... keep us posted

 

[Sawyer]

Hey, Giancarlo, plants are looking good. It's hard to beat 100% germination. Great food pics and outdoor shots, too.

And nice assortment of gear. I have the Grivel G12 Classic crampons and a BD Raven Pro axe, from a semi-aborted attempt at Wyoming's Gannett Peak a few years ago. Didn't summit, but roamed around on the glaciers for awhile. Watch out for crevasses!

Hope you have great luck with all your adventures this year.

 

[Essegi]

Just a quick photo of plants at work:

They are smaller than one at home for lower temps, but the place is good considering there's no dedicated heat nor light.
Tomorrow maybe i'll bring one Datil more for another colleague.
The 'peno on the red pot has a flower but it's covered on the photo.
 
I forgot to say that i've moved my 2 Dedo De Moca with bigger pumpkins and kept outside Rocoto.
Those Dedos were higher that the light, i hope lower temps don't stop them to grow, but i think they'll be fine. I haven't measured that room temps but should always be over 15°C.
 

What a way to end your course with the summit of Gran Paradiso ..... keep us posted

Thanks, now i've just to hope weather'll be fine!
 

Hey, Giancarlo, plants are looking good. It's hard to beat 100% germination. Great food pics and outdoor shots, too.

And nice assortment of gear. I have the Grivel G12 Classic crampons and a BD Raven Pro axe, from a semi-aborted attempt at Wyoming's Gannett Peak a few years ago. Didn't summit, but roamed around on the glaciers for awhile. Watch out for crevasses!

Hope you have great luck with all your adventures this year.

Thanks John, nice to see you here too!
I dind't knew about that peak, it seems way much wilder and harder than Gran Paradiso (that is considered one of the easiest 4000).
Crampoons are Grivel Air Tech New Classic (12 points but less aggressive than G12) i'm keeping my trekking boots for that and should be enough, i'll see another year if buying somethig more technical, i've already spent a lot now and also it's always a pain for me search right boots! Iceaxe is Grivel Air Tech Evolution, it looks very cool and well built.

 

[Devv]

I just googled Morton's neuroma. I have the same issue. No fun. I now wear good quality tennis shoes with arch support all the time, which help. Most days it just feels like my sock is over sized and bunching up. Icing it does help. Surgery? I hope not!
 
Edit: maybe we should lose the shoes

 

[Sawyer]

...it's always a pain for me search right boots!

  

Edit: maybe we should lose the shoes

Scott, I "liked" your post only for the quoted bit, not the neuroma. Sorry to hear about that, for both of you.

Speaking of boots, and I suppose this is likely not an uncommon problem, but I've had awful luck with backpacking/hiking boots over the years. Early on, had a pair of Asolos self-destruct on a hike. Used all my tent repair silicone and a couple days cleaning and regluing the soles and still wound up tying them on with spare laces for the last ten miles or so coming back out. Then it was a pair of Raichles. Lasted for two hikes, but at least they held together until I was out of the wilderness.

Last trip I had Merrills. Both boots and trail shoes, I wound up wearing the shoes and leaving the boots in the truck. I was uneasy about the choice at first, but won't be going back to boots for non-winter/ice hiking. From what I've read, each pound you lighten your footware is equivalent to taking five pounds out of your pack. I don't know about the exact number, but it definitely makes a difference at the end of a long day hiking.

I'm a hiker, not a trail runner, but there is a movement, I believe, toward a minimalist, barely-there approach to running shoes. And I think there is an increasing number of barefoot runners, trail or otherwise.

But getting back to peppers, Dedo de Moca is a new one to me. Reads like a good one.

 

[Chilidude]

I also use Merrell Gore-tex hiking shoes as my winter shoes and they work good.

 

[TrentL]

Ok you live in Italy, the land of the best food on Earth, and across the street from you is McDonalds. That is just wrong.
 
Plants look great, that Dado de Moca makes me smile. I really enjoyed the plant I grew in 2015, very tasty. Unfortunately I had all six of my Dado's die this year early on when I was trying to get an organic soil mix working. Oh well. Always next year.
 
The alpine hiking looks frightening. Mountains make me nervous enough, ice covered windy mountains are terrifying.
 

 

[Essegi]

I just googled Morton's neuroma. I have the same issue. No fun. I now wear good quality tennis shoes with arch support all the time, which help. Most days it just feels like my sock is over sized and bunching up. Icing it does help. Surgery? I hope not!
 
Edit: maybe we should lose the shoes

Sorry to hear that Scott, it's not the worst thing but not a good companion, that stuff!
Sooner or later i guess i'll have to... I've seen that hiking and even running a bit is ok... Climbing with those nasty climbing shoes is a stress for feet, i'll see if continue or not to climb (it's not the thing i like most, still giving up for that sucks and it's useful for some hikes).
 

  
Scott, I "liked" your post only for the quoted bit, not the neuroma. Sorry to hear about that, for both of you.

Speaking of boots, and I suppose this is likely not an uncommon problem, but I've had awful luck with backpacking/hiking boots over the years. Early on, had a pair of Asolos self-destruct on a hike. Used all my tent repair silicone and a couple days cleaning and regluing the soles and still wound up tying them on with spare laces for the last ten miles or so coming back out. Then it was a pair of Raichles. Lasted for two hikes, but at least they held together until I was out of the wilderness.

Last trip I had Merrills. Both boots and trail shoes, I wound up wearing the shoes and leaving the boots in the truck. I was uneasy about the choice at first, but won't be going back to boots for non-winter/ice hiking. From what I've read, each pound you lighten your footware is equivalent to taking five pounds out of your pack. I don't know about the exact number, but it definitely makes a difference at the end of a long day hiking.

I'm a hiker, not a trail runner, but there is a movement, I believe, toward a minimalist, barely-there approach to running shoes. And I think there is an increasing number of barefoot runners, trail or otherwise.

But getting back to peppers, Dedo de Moca is a new one to me. Reads like a good one.

Nice story about boots!
I've used once trail running shoes on a ferrata, i preferred higher stiffnes of boots. On other hands descending on the trail was like flying.
I'm satisfied about my current boots, in a year of abuse (snow, hot, technical hikes, screes and so on), they are nearly perfect.
 
About Dedo de Moca... I wanted a baccatum, i had seen a thread where they were higly regarded. So, why not?
 

I also use Merrell Gore-tex hiking shoes as my winter shoes and they work good.

At the moment i am using Meindl, pretty funny, probably near where i live there are most of hiking boots manufacturers and i choose German ones.  I saw some Merrel on a shop and seemed fine shoes.
 

Ok you live in Italy, the land of the best food on Earth, and across the street from you is McDonalds. That is just wrong.
 
Plants look great, that Dado de Moca makes me smile. I really enjoyed the plant I grew in 2015, very tasty. Unfortunately I had all six of my Dado's die this year early on when I was trying to get an organic soil mix working. Oh well. Always next year.
 
The alpine hiking looks frightening. Mountains make me nervous enough, ice covered windy mountains are terrifying.
 

Thanks!
Sorry to hear about your Mocas, let's hope the best for next year!
For mountains a big part is planning the hike, to cut a good part of dangers. Of course some danger is always present.
About Mc Donalds, i'm not that fond about it, once in a while i stiil go there. Thanks for compliments about food, probably my region isn't the best for that but there's good stuff. I like more south italian food.
 
About plants, maybe tonight i'll left them outside for the first time, i'll see...

 

[Chilidude]

At the moment i am using Meindl, pretty funny, probably near where i live there are most of hiking boots manufacturers and i choose German ones.  I saw some Merrel on a shop and seemed fine shoes.
 

 
I also got German engineered Haix airpower p6 high shoes, but i have not used them much.