HabaneroHead - 2013 - New Hope

Devv · Jul 27, 2013

Nice update!

The garden looks fantastic, as well as the peppers!

It's a ton of work to take care of all those veggies.

My Mom was raised in Germany and was a little girl when the war broke out, she's now 78 and just really started talking about it. Tough times they all went through, her family survived by growing their own food. Good skills to have!

stickman · Jul 27, 2013

Nice pics Balázs! Especially the pods with the tails. Do you have any of that shade netting you can set up over your plants to protect from high winds? I'm really liking that piece of info you passed on... shade netting and wind and hail protection rolled into one thing. I'm thinking seriously of getting some for next year and putting the Alpine chiles like Manzanos underneath.

HabaneroHead · Jul 28, 2013

Devv said:
Nice update!

The garden looks fantastic, as well as the peppers!

It's a ton of work to take care of all those veggies.

My Mom was raised in Germany and was a little girl when the war broke out, she's now 78 and just really started talking about it. Tough times they all went through, her family survived by growing their own food. Good skills to have!

Thank you!
Yeah, it is not so easy, especially if you have a job, where you spend most of your time. People don't understand how gardening can be relaxing...but we all know on this forum, how it is working.:-)
It is indeed a good skill, and the idea behind is you know what you are eating, you know how it was treated.

stickman said:
Nice pics Balázs! Especially the pods with the tails. Do you have any of that shade netting you can set up over your plants to protect from high winds? I'm really liking that piece of info you passed on... shade netting and wind and hail protection rolled into one thing. I'm thinking seriously of getting some for next year and putting the Alpine chiles like Manzanos underneath.

Thanks Rick!
Now the biggest issue is the heat, and the lack of rain. I do not have any shade netting, but it is on my list. Now I am more focused on moving into my first house, which will happen at the end of Aug. But I have to invest in one, as well in some ground covering foil (I will need your experience ok this), and drip irrigation system, because watering a garden like this is just waste of money (and water).
I still have time buying staff before next season.
I am more worried about running out of time this season. By now I should have ripe pods, like in the previous years. There were 3 weeks in May, when we had very cold, 20 Celsius daytime, and 5-8 Celsius nighttime temps, which slowed them down.
Good news is that they are catching up, and some of them are really big now, and setting pods like crazy.

Balázs

stickman · Jul 28, 2013

HabaneroHead said:
Thanks Rick!
I do not have any shade netting, but it is on my list. Now I am more focused on moving into my first house, which will happen at the end of Aug.

Great news Balázs! I'm thinking you're going to love having your own place to grow in next season.

But I have to invest in one, as well in some ground covering foil (I will need your experience ok this), and drip irrigation system, because watering a garden like this is just waste of money (and water).

Agreed... foil mulch and a drip irrigation system will save you lots of time and effort once they're in place, as well as conserving water and keeping the plants warm. I'd be happy to consult with you on it whenever you're ready.

I am more worried about running out of time this season. By now I should have ripe pods, like in the previous years. There were 3 weeks in May, when we had very cold, 20 Celsius daytime, and 5-8 Celsius nighttime temps, which slowed them down.
Good news is that they are catching up, and some of them are really big now, and setting pods like crazy.

I hear ya 'bout the cold spring this year, we had it too. I hope the Autumn freeze holds off long enough for us to get a decent harvest. The news that your plants are podding up well makes me hopeful that you will. Some of the Chinense pods you posted pics of look very large, so it looks like you'll at least get something for your efforts. Have your Koreans set any pods yet?

Continued success my friend... with your growing skills, I know you'll pull it off if anybody can!

HabaneroHead · Jul 28, 2013

HI Rick,

I cannot wait to have my own place...though it will be smaller than ideal. Currently I am negotiating with my fiance'e what should be there (grass and flowers versus veggies), and one thing is sure I will have at least one plant from each varieties in ground. I have grow bags for the others, so I won't be bored, for sure.
The Koreans are doing right, they are setting pods now. Since they are not watered, the size of the pods is smaller than yours, but I see the potential in the plants! I am trying out your method of digging a half plastic bottle between the plants, through which we can water them more efficiently.

Gochu

Heat....

Chimayo

Devv · Jul 28, 2013

That pic titled heat, I sure do know that look!

Do you collect rain water? I don't have a good collection system yet but 4, 5gal buckets under the roof dripline have helped. I empty them into 2.5 and 1 gal containers that have caps so the mosquito's won't breed.

Here's hoping you get some rain soon!

Good luck with finding your dream home!

stickman · Jul 28, 2013

Nice ! I'm glad the Koreans and Chimayo' chiles are doing well for you. We had a hot, dry summer last year, and my pods from those plants looked just like yours do now, so I'd say you're right on track.

My Tomato peppers are getting huge! They're about 15cm wide and ripening up nicely. I've started picking the Coloring peppers, and they're averaging about 17cm long.

HabaneroHead · Jul 28, 2013

Devv said:
That pic titled heat, I sure do know that look!

Do you collect rain water? I don't have a good collection system yet but 4, 5gal buckets under the roof dripline have helped. I empty them into 2.5 and 1 gal containers that have caps so the mosquito's won't breed.

Here's hoping you get some rain soon!

Good luck with finding your dream home!

Well, unfortunately we do not collect rain water... It would be ideal, I know. If I'd live with my parents, still, I'd buy 1000 liter tank ( used one is around 100 USD) to collect it, with using the roof of our house. Well, even setting up the shade net next year will be a challenge :-)
Thanks for the wishes, I wish you the same!

stickman said:
Nice ! I'm glad the Koreans and Chimayo' chiles are doing well for you. We had a hot, dry summer last year, and my pods from those plants looked just like yours do now, so I'd say you're right on track.

My Tomato peppers are getting huge! They're about 15cm wide and ripening up nicely. I've started picking the Coloring peppers, and they're averaging about 17cm long.

Thanks, Rick, that's great news!
Those paprikas look fantastic!
Bhut Indian Carbon

TS CARDI Yellow

HabaneroHead · Jul 30, 2013

Yesterday, 3 of us on the workplace held a 'Men's Challenge - Burning Monday' in the kitchen... Ate an unripe Naga Morich pod... It was hellish. We tried out a pod two weeks ago, but that was weaker than a Habanero. This one was stronger what we have ever tried. For me it was not an unknown feeling, but I do not eat these monsters on their own quite often. I was careful, and prepared some milk into my mug...which actually saved my life. One of my colleague does not drink milk, he took only water...we both were on the edge of crying. The third of us ate it with a sandwich, and took the effects quite well... All of us had our entire head torpid, and the water-drinking guy mentioned, that he had a discomfort in his stomach, and did not really know if he is going to vomit, or not. :-)
Long story short: it was really good, and I cannot wait to try out a ripe one. (what is the number of the ambulance??? :-))

stickman · Jul 30, 2013

Oh Balázs, you crazy man you! You've got bigger stones than I do because I won't eat a whole pod by itself... with food only.

Those Bhut Indian Carbon pics are looking fine... especially the second pic with the really gnarly-looking pods in the middle of the shot. I'm starting to pick Red Habaneros, so I hope you will be soon as well! Cheers!

Devv · Jul 30, 2013

I say you have to at least taste what you grow.

Nice story, we've all been there and will again

PIC 1 · Jul 30, 2013

Aha..........Naga "anything" pack the heat. I like the taste of them, but they do burn. Some of the 7 Pots and other Trinidad peppers seem to take the burn a bit farther....down to the stomach. That's no party but it's the initial rush when eating them that makes the expierence worth while.
The Yellow Cardi is a flavorful one with a mild citruc scent. The Carbon is a great producer once it starts to pod up. I hope to read some more of your pepper escapades....cool !

HabaneroHead · Aug 1, 2013

stickman said:
Oh Balázs, you crazy man you! You've got bigger stones than I do because I won't eat a whole pod by itself... with food only.

Those Bhut Indian Carbon pics are looking fine... especially the second pic with the really gnarly-looking pods in the middle of the shot. I'm starting to pick Red Habaneros, so I hope you will be soon as well! Cheers!

Not a whole pod, only one-third of it :-) But it was an unripe one... Last year I was trying to eat a little piece of Naga Morich on its own, but I couldn't. Let's see whether with the help of these 'trainings' I will be able to do it this year. :-)I am glad to hear/see you have some ripe ones. I am travelling home to my parents tomorrow, so I can check my babies.

Devv said:
I say you have to at least taste what you grow.

Nice story, we've all been there and will again

Thank you! Indeed, you should try it out, at least once. Or if you stupid enough (like me), you can try it out multiple times. :-)

PIC 1 said:
Aha..........Naga "anything" pack the heat. I like the taste of them, but they do burn. Some of the 7 Pots and other Trinidad peppers seem to take the burn a bit farther....down to the stomach. That's no party but it's the initial rush when eating them that makes the expierence worth while.
The Yellow Cardi is a flavorful one with a mild citruc scent. The Carbon is a great producer once it starts to pod up. I hope to read some more of your pepper escapades....cool !

Interestingly - maybe because it was an unripe pod and maybe due to the heat - it did not taste good. Well I would not say it was not good, it just did not have any 'special' flavour. But it had a nice kick! Usually we do this excercise around 4 Pm in the kitchen, when nobody is there. This time even our team leader was there...she was the only reason we did not cry or scream. :-) I remember that my home-made Red Habanero sauce caused me stomach issues when I was cooking it, and tasting it multiple times...just because I did not eat anything before it. Empty stomach makes eating these hotties more challenging. :-)
This is my 2nd year growing Yellow CARDI, Naga Morich and Bhut Indian Carbons. Last year, the initial growth of the Bhut was impressive, but at the end even the Naga and one Yellow CARDI plants grew bigger, and yielded more pods. Now the Yellow CARDI is suffering, I have some nice and big Bhut plants, but the Naga plants are the king in the garden this year, even bigger than than the Bhuts.

Balázs

Devv · Aug 1, 2013

HabaneroHead said:
Thank you! Indeed, you should try it out, at least once. Or if you stupid enough (like me), you can try it out multiple times. :-)

Balázs

Guess I'm stupid enough

But that's half the fun!

I have a Red Bhut that should be ready this weekend, wonder how it compares to the Reapers?

HabaneroHead · Aug 3, 2013

Devv said:
Guess I'm stupid enough But that's half the fun!

I have a Red Bhut that should be ready this weekend, wonder how it compares to the Reapers?

We are all stupid in our special way...

Hello Everyone!

Another week after i see no signs of ripening. It makes me worried, since we are running out of time. I still have 8 weeks left, but that does not seem to be a lot of time...
I just checked my Photobucket folders from last year, and actually what I had on the 5th of August, last year:

Status of today:

Group shot

Red Habanero

TS CARDI Yellow

Same plant, different pod shape

Naga Morich

stickman · Aug 3, 2013

Hi Balázs,
Pods are looking great on the Chinense chiles... I wouldn't worry for a couple of weeks yet. That's how far our season was set back this year.
I finally pulled a ripe Tomato pepper yesterday, and its sweetness and thick, crunchy flesh really blew me away! It's earlier than Bell peppers would be, so I'll definitely be growing these again! I also like how compact the habit of the plant is, so I can pack more of them into a smaller space to maximize the harvest. Cheers!

MisterNo · Aug 3, 2013

Hey Balasz, not to worry about being few weeks behind. My season is also 3-4 behind, I had a bunch of ripe peppers this time last year, and already some sauces made.
This is my post from year a go:
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/28338-misternos-glog-harvest-time/?p=677197

Your plants and pods look very healthy and prolific, there's plenty of time for them to ripe.
We are in a same zone with similiar conditions, and my last season was over in late October

You did great job, Chinenses are looking great!

Devv · Aug 3, 2013

My thoughts for what they are worth is that you're going to get the opportunity to harvest!

They are full sized as best as I can judge from the pics...

Good luck! 8 weeks is 2 months!

HabaneroHead · Aug 4, 2013

stickman said:
Hi Balázs,
Pods are looking great on the Chinense chiles... I wouldn't worry for a couple of weeks yet. That's how far our season was set back this year.
I finally pulled a ripe Tomato pepper yesterday, and its sweetness and thick, crunchy flesh really blew me away! It's earlier than Bell peppers would be, so I'll definitely be growing these again! I also like how compact the habit of the plant is, so I can pack more of them into a smaller space to maximize the harvest. Cheers!

Hi Rick,
Thank you for the kind words! I am glad that you liked the Tomato pepper, and you are planning to grow them next year, too!

MisterNo said:
Hey Balasz, not to worry about being few weeks behind. My season is also 3-4 behind, I had a bunch of ripe peppers this time last year, and already some sauces made.
This is my post from year a go:
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/28338-misternos-glog-harvest-time/?p=677197

Your plants and pods look very healthy and prolific, there's plenty of time for them to ripe.
We are in a same zone with similiar conditions, and my last season was over in late October

You did great job, Chinenses are looking great!

Hi Robert,

Indeed, we are in the same shoes. This year I am going to try to overwinter as many as I can...but this time in my house. In my experience, the second year always yields more peppers, and earlier than the first.

Devv said:
My thoughts for what they are worth is that you're going to get the opportunity to harvest!

They are full sized as best as I can judge from the pics...

Good luck! 8 weeks is 2 months!

Hi Scott,
Thank you, well, hopefully i will have a decent harvest. What I see is that they are really suffering from the heat, even though they are watered more frequently than last year. Shade net will make miracles next year, I hope!

Bhut Jolokia Indian Carbon

Red Habanero on the edge of ripening

Gochu

Chimayo

Hungarian Coloring Pepper is getting some color

Little helper

Naga Morich, first pod is ripening. I measured it: 8 cm long and 3 cm wide!

Thanks for watching!

Balázs

stickman · Aug 4, 2013

Alright! Nagas and Coloring peppers are ripening! Everything else looks great Balázs... I think you're gonna have a great harvest in 2-3 weeks. Cheers!