Guru's Garden - Traveling the World in Search of Peppers

Joker38 · Mar 18, 2015

Pepper-Guru said:
Very good question and I'm actually surprised more people don't know about this. The upside to using aged peppers and vinegar is akin to the difference between a whiskey fresh out of the still and one that's been aged for 18+ years. Or wine, or beer (one that benefits from ageing, of course), or vinegar, or any other product where aging greatly improves flavor, aroma, etc. As for spoilage, there isn't a such thing. Vinegar is very acidic and anything that can live in it is good for you. It's a NATURAL preservative

and the base for essentially all traditional hot pepper sauces

Update time!

Can't wait for this Coyote Zan White! I LOVE white varieties!

If you haven't seen this plant when mature and full of fruit it really is something to behold. Here's one of Prodigal Son's plants at maturity! WOW

What is that beauty ? It look alot like how I imagine my future cross Lemon Drop X Biquinho will be.

Roguejim · Mar 18, 2015

Alright, where's that Ma Wiri Wiri?

Pulpiteer · Mar 18, 2015

Pepper-Guru said:
Can't wait for this Coyote Zan White! I LOVE white varieties!

If you haven't seen this plant when mature and full of fruit it really is something to behold. Here's one of Prodigal Son's plants at maturity! WOW

Those look like something I got from Aji Joe called a "Tonga orange Habanero" - but they were more peach colored. They have a really sweet, almost melon flavor to them. And they are the same size and incredibly prolific as well. What do the Coyote Zan White's taste like? That picture is outstanding.

Also, I love the chickens! I eventually want some - just like you said, to help farm and till and bug control. Are you familiar with Geoff Lawton? He designed a "chicken tractor on steroids" that processed an insane amount of compost. He's got a cool video on it.

Pinhigh · Mar 19, 2015

Pepper-Guru said:
I can tell the seedlings are really digging their soil mix this season. Already seeing lots of internodal branching -

Yellow Jalapeno nodal branching

I know you mentioned what soil mix you used for your seedlings, but what is your plan for the mix in their final pots?

Pepper-Guru · Mar 19, 2015

Roguejim said:
Alright, where's that Ma Wiri Wiri?

trying to figure out how to find and embed the Flickr url of the photos with my iPhone. It's not the same as doing it on a pc. Will post back later

Pulpiteer said:
Those look like something I got from Aji Joe called a "Tonga orange Habanero" - but they were more peach colored. They have a really sweet, almost melon flavor to them. And they are the same size and incredibly prolific as well. What do the Coyote Zan White's taste like? That picture is outstanding. Also, I love the chickens! I eventually want some - just like you said, to help farm and till and bug control. Are you familiar with Geoff Lawton? He designed a "chicken tractor on steroids" that processed an insane amount of compost. He's got a cool video on it.

as for the flavor of the Coyotes, they are very similar to any Peruvian white variety ; bullets, white Habs, etc the ones I ate (seed donors) were very very good! Lemony, smokey zip followed by sweet heat on the finish. I'll have to check that chicken tractor out. His name sounds familiar!

Pinhigh said:
I know you mentioned what soil mix you used for your seedlings, but what is your plan for the mix in their final pots?

not entirely sure yet! All I know is that there will be tons of composted chicken manure involved!

Nightshade · Mar 19, 2015

Pepper-Guru said:
Very good question and I'm actually surprised more people don't know about this. The upside to using aged peppers and vinegar is akin to the difference between a whiskey fresh out of the still and one that's been aged for 18+ years. Or wine, or beer (one that benefits from ageing, of course), or vinegar, or any other product where aging greatly improves flavor, aroma, etc. As for spoilage, there isn't a such thing. Vinegar is very acidic and anything that can live in it is good for you. It's a NATURAL preservative and the base for essentially all traditional hot pepper sauces
Update time!

Can't wait for this Coyote Zan White! I LOVE white varieties!

If you haven't seen this plant when mature and full of fruit it really is something to behold. Here's one of Prodigal Son's plants at maturity! WOW

I can tell the seedlings are really digging their soil mix this season. Already seeing lots of internodal branching -

Yellow Jalapeno nodal branching

The greens bed in the greenhouse is sprouting pretty good.

AND I have a new horde of garden workers/fertilizers just itching to make it out to the compost pile!

I just got two barred rocks, two Easter eggers, and a golden laced Wyandotte. I'm getting a couple more and quail soon

Pepper-Guru · Mar 19, 2015

Roguejim said:
Alright, where's that Ma Wiri Wiri?

RIGHT HERE! This one actually had triple cotyledons !

OK! So I resowed about 8 varieties that I was less than impressed with as far as germ rates. Those varieties are: Jonah 7, Coyote Zan White, Ma Wiri Wiri, Red Rican Ricoto, Orange Manzano, Orange Blob, Mustard Bhut, and Yellow Rican Ricoto. Those varieties, for whatever reason, gave me 50% or less germ rates.

Also sowed a handful of CLASSICS to fill the tray.

Yellow 7 Pot
Yellow Bhut
Guru Fatalii
7 Pod Primo
Rooster Spur
Holy Mole
MOA

Here are two that made the new list addition!

So that updates the list of pepper varieties to:

Aji Omnicolor
Brown Moruga
Caramel Bih Jolokia
Coyote Zan White
Florida Wild
Joefish Bhut
Jonah Seven
Jonah Yellow Seven
Ma Wiri Wiri
Mustard Bhut
Orange Blob
Orange Monzano
Orange Thai
Papa Joe's Market Scotch Bonnet
Red Rican Rocoto
Yellow Bedder
Yellow Jalapeno
Yellow Rican Rocoto
Yellow 7 Pot
Yellow Bhut
Guru Fatalii
7 Pod Primo
Rooster Spur
Holy Mole
MOA
Large Orange Thai (growdown 2015)

Spicegeist · Mar 19, 2015

Great varieties!

Pepper-Guru · Mar 20, 2015

TOTAL solar eclipse happening now. New/Supermoon too. Happy first day of SPRING

tsurrie · Mar 20, 2015

was also briefly watching the eclipse .... here was maximum 68% covered ... but still interesting

nice plants man.... loving the chicks too

Pepper-Guru · Mar 21, 2015

Just found a hot sauce named devil's spunk, haha

Weed · Mar 21, 2015

Ewww.

Jeff H · Mar 23, 2015

All right Guru, see if you can spread any light on the mystery.

I planted about 1/2 dozen of your extreme corking jals. Now that they have their first set of leaves, they don't look annuum like at all. Much closer to a pube, but the seeds were not black.

Thoughts? If it is a cross, it will be interesting. Maybe a Jal/pube cross?

So far, all 6 look the same.

Ozzy2001 · Mar 23, 2015

Make sure you don't spit that hot sauce.

D3monic · Mar 23, 2015

Ozzy2001 said:
Make sure you don't spit that hot sauce.

hahaha I got it... spit... the devils spunk :rofl:

Pepper-Guru · Mar 25, 2015

Jeff H said:
All right Guru, see if you can spread any light on the mystery.

I planted about 1/2 dozen of your extreme corking jals. Now that they have their first set of leaves, they don't look annuum like at all. Much closer to a pube, but the seeds were not black.

Thoughts? If it is a cross, it will be interesting. Maybe a Jal/pube cross?

So far, all 6 look the same.

Dude, that's freaking me out. I will have to look into my box and try to figure out what happened. I didn't even grow any pubes that year. Only cross potential looking like that could've been c. galapagoense from that year but I highly doubt thats the case. How small where the seeds and have pics of any left over that you didn't germ?! Maybe I sent the wrong damn seeds? ha I'll get some more to you. Keep me posted on just what the hell those end up being.

Look what I found today

Fully composted horse manure and litter. This load, along with the composted chicken litter I've already applied to the plot, should suffice for the season. I think I've got a good cheap source of essential rock dusts as well. Will post back when I find out.

ronniedeb · Mar 25, 2015

Hey Guru. Looks like nice manure. I have a local source of horse manure. Any tips on how to know how far along in the composting process it is. Reluctant to burn plants by applying it to early.

Pepper-Guru · Mar 25, 2015

ronniedeb said:
Hey Guru. Looks like nice manure. I have a local source of horse manure. Any tips on how to know how far along in the composting process it is. Reluctant to burn plants by applying it to early.

Great question! Basically, without being there throughout the composting process, one can only go by the current state of the material. A good rule of thumb is note the smell, should be earthy and sweet - not ureic or any ammonia smells. The texture should be crumbly and dark.

Here is a great resource on composting.

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/horsecompost.htm

Pulpiteer · Mar 25, 2015

Thanks for the link on composting.
What sorts of essential rock dust do you get and how do you know what you need?

stc3248 · Mar 25, 2015

I am thinking those Yellow Bhut seeds are from Spicegeist??? He has the best Bhut seed stock, you'll love those pods.