Growing in the Pacific NorthWest Community GrowLog

There have been several yearly PNW grow logs, the last in 2017,
so @FGpepperguy and I thought it might be a good idea to start
an on-going glog for the PNW. This is a community glog, so anyone
is free to post here, whether in the PNW or not. Hopefully, this forum
thread will provide for some information sharing particular to growing
in our crazy, unpredictable weather.

So, that being said, welcome all. Don't be strangers!

"Yes, we can grow chili peppers in the
Pacific NorthWest! Usually."

 

[Peppers In Keizer]

Thank you

 

[Downriver]

...I plan on moving potteds to the GH

I don't live in the PNW, but I wouldn't bother moving anything into the greenhouse either, unless you expect hail. There's nothing better than rain for a plant. jmo

 

[Peppers In Keizer]

Well here it is 2 weeks since my last post and have had numerous animal incursions with various stages of damage and one death. First had the cold weather and 3 days with rain off and on. Next came home after work and found a squirrel had dig out 2 dragon's breath and bury a peanut shell in the open holes argggg 1 dragon's breath seems like it will make it, maybe, and the other did not. Also found the hot box was getting less sun than expected so moved it next to the GH and gained about 4 hrs of sun per day. Earlier this week found out that my 3 dogs were urinating on my habs, so that explained why they looked so bad. Trying to recover by over watering for dilution and showing some minor recovery on a couple, no so much on the other 3. Yesterday added small amounts of bone meal then covered it all with shredded straw and found out the dogs loved the smell so much they dug out 3 plants fully and partially dug out 4 others arggg Replanted them all and again over watered a bit to help recover. My scotchBonnet has 24 pods on it today and my Habanero has 13 so happy about that. The 2 OW Reapers have given me 4 ripe peppers so far and have 14 pods between then with about another 4 dozen flowers. Pictures added for comparison from exactly 21 days ago. I now have a wire mesh fence around the boxes to help prevent furture incursions.

 

[CaneDog]

Great to hear that you're getting some good pods. And that you've blocked against further incursions!

 

[mcbob]

Well here it is 2 weeks since my last post and have had numerous animal incursions with various stages of damage and one death. First had the cold weather and 3 days with rain off and on. Next came home after work and found a squirrel had dig out 2 dragon's breath and bury a peanut shell in the open holes argggg 1 dragon's breath seems like it will make it, maybe, and the other did not. Also found the hot box was getting less sun than expected so moved it next to the GH and gained about 4 hrs of sun per day. Earlier this week found out that my 3 dogs were urinating on my habs, so that explained why they looked so bad. Trying to recover by over watering for dilution and showing some minor recovery on a couple, no so much on the other 3. Yesterday added small amounts of bone meal then covered it all with shredded straw and found out the dogs loved the smell so much they dug out 3 plants fully and partially dug out 4 others arggg Replanted them all and again over watered a bit to help recover. My scotchBonnet has 24 pods on it today and my Habanero has 13 so happy about that. The 2 OW Reapers have given me 4 ripe peppers so far and have 14 pods between then with about another 4 dozen flowers. Pictures added for comparison from exactly 21 days ago. I now have a wire mesh fence around the boxes to help prevent furture incursions.

I can relate. I have a deer that is willing to walk through electric fence wire to get into the garden. So far, the beet and spinach patch have been impacted. My pepper patch is next to this area, and I know it's just a matter of time before they are the target. Its war now. I hope I don't get arrested for poaching!
Good luck with the garden!

 

[PaulG]

Looking good in Keizer, Seth. Hope the Summer
season is good to you and your plants!

 

[PaulG]

Finally got the plants out in the yard a few weeks ago.
These pics are a couple of weeks old. The June weather
has been much improved compared to the last few seasons.


c. cardenasii


c. flexuosum


Dwarf Chiltepin


Cumari annum


Wiri-Wiri, yellow berries


Pequin ‘Ulvadi’


Pequin ‘Seguin’


Pequin ‘Chihuahua’


Chiltepín Rojo, 4th year


Chiltepin Rojo, volunteer

Will try to post more updates soon

 

[CaneDog]

Looking good, Paul. Impressive trunks on several of those!

It was a heck of a June in the PNW this year. Is it too much to hope for a great September too?

 

[PaulG]

Looking good, Paul. Impressive trunks on several of those!

It was a heck of a June in the PNW this year. Is it too much to hope for a great September too?

Thanks, @CaneDog. They are finally shaping up after
a winter and spring of benign neglect! Hoping
they will continue to improve through the summer.
They are just now beginning to flower.

I am happy to see such a nice June after the
lousy start to the past few seasons. I am hold-
ing onto hope for a nice fall season, as well!

 

[PaulG]

Pequin Rojo ‘Chihuahua’ loaded up with flowers.

The volunteer Pequin Rojo ‘Chihuahua’ has a slightly different look this season.

 

[PaulG]

A Pequin Rojo ‘Chihuahua’ setting some berries.

The CGN 20497 c. cardenasii has a more upright structure this year.

 

[mcbob]

The Annuum's stalled for a while but seem to be adjusting ok. I managed to resolve my garden pest problem and I'm not in jail.
The standout so far is the Dragon's toe, and the peppadew plants. They have been first to set fruit and are growing fast.
I'm pleased with the weather so far this year. Not much rain but the temps have been great.

 

[PaulG]

Yay! Weather has been great so far, for sure.

Your pepper patch looks great. Looking forward
to seeing the Summer abundance.

 

[Peppers In Keizer]

This is 3 weeks from last pics. Overall had a total of 10 deaths by the animal incursions but had starts to replace them, 3 Red Savinas, 3 Dragons Breath, 4 Habaneros. 3 habs came back and though small right now, they look healthy. The jalapenos are suddenly flowering everywhere with a few small pods so far. The cayennes are podding all over some are over 4 inches already. The Scotch bon is still nice and green with over 20 pods some turning orange, size from 3/4" to one almost 2", think that is good. Right next to it is a Hab that has a few pods with one pod turning orange but since the rain 3 weeks ago all the leaves yellowed and curled like it was drowning. I bought a moisture meter to help keep it right but the leaves are still rolled tight. The lower leaves are darker, pods are still growing and a few flowers are present. Any ideas on how to save it or nothing to worry about?
Those thin twiggy reapers #1 & #2 are now much greener with much heavier leaves, plants are about 4' tall in 10 gal pots. Have harvested 9 ripe peppers, mostly small, have about 13 pods and about 45 flowers. Reaper #3 is short and bushy with about 15 flowers. Ghost is also bushy and short with more than 10 flowers. Dragon Breaths are small and bushy but no flowers and growing very slow, normal? Lava Apocalypse have been disappointing, very slow growth and less bushy than Dragons.

So any suggestions would be appreciated or maybe better what am I doing wrong??

 

[FGpepperguy]

Here is a crappy update. Most seeds/photos are from @PaulG from the seed train. Many more peppers outside the greenhouse.

Couldn't read the label on the train Paul, Carari? Or something else?

 

[growyourown]

i think i read somebody answered that mislabeling thing and said it is supposed to say "Canario"

 

[PaulG]

Glad the plants are doing well, @FGpepperguy

That pepper should have been labeled as a
Wild Cumari c. annuum. Very productive with
a nice growth habit. Comes from Venezuela, I
think.

 

[PaulG]

The Pequin Rojo 'Chihuahua' plants are flowering and setting pods.

 

[mcbob]

I took a couple Annum pod pictures this morning. These were seed train seeds.
Giant jalapeno, dragon toe, fish pepper, peppedew.
All of my hatch type chilies are also looking great. This is fantastic weather.

 

[PaulG]

Looks like you are taking full advantage of the weather,
@mcbob. Great looking plants and pods basking
in the warm Willamette Valley sun! It has been a great
summer so far thanks to a decent June