My best fatalii plant was felled several weeks ago by wind. I didn't have it staked well enough, it got "heavy" from rain and the wind blew it over and it snapped at the base. I almost shit my pants when I came home from work and saw the plant laying on its side. Lesson Learned...Stake large plants well when put outside!!!
Lucky for me I saved my back-up Fatalii that had virtually all of its leaves shredded by hail. Although not quite as "monstrous" as my previous specimen, it has recovered very nicely and is coming on very strong. Here is a nice early pod from this plant...
Both these plants were grown from seeds received in a trade with Skealo. Very robust fatalli strain!
I hear you on the wind and rain this year PeteyPepper. I had several fell over, branches snapped, holes dug in dirt from some unknown critter. I have a Golden Hab that the stem was broke below the first fork and the whole canopy fell over, but that plant now has new side shoots all up and down the stem. I believe that the will be casualties no matter how hard you try. Just have to start more plant to have enough perfect plants. That is why I have 13 Fatalli plants. Mine are really packing on the pods checking everyday for you know what. The bottom pic is the canopy of the garden with my Fatalli in the bottom left.
Thank you lee, I envy your plants. Just got in from fishing and found a little color on a Fatalli still in a gallon container. Wahooo!!!!! I had a very small pod ripen yesterday so I expect more to start turning soon. The dirt looking stuff on my leaves is worm castings that missed the soil. 4 months and 21 days to the first ripe Fatalli.
Thanks. I will admit this is a small, maybe even an immature not correct fatalli shape pod. Have lots of full sized Fatalli on the way and this thing should only be won by a full size pod. This one will be eatten tonight fresh off the plant. The next 5 months is going to be chile heaven.