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Hardy Jalapeno... Is it possible?

FiveStar

FiveStar

So, went out to the garden today just to plan a bit, and realized that one lonely jalapeno stalk was left from last year. Thinking it surely was deader than the steak I ate for dinner, I yanked it up to check how the root ball looked. It made it in the ground late last year and never did much.

Well I'm breaking the stem open to check things out, and I get down towards the root ball and notice the damn thing was still green about 3/4 of an inch above the ground.:shocked:

Any chance this thing might have overwintered itself? I mean it's pretty much f$^&#d now, since I mangled it and all, but do you think that's possible?

Plant is in a raised bed, and was planted close to the house. I'm here in zone 7, got cold as hell this winter, at least for Asheville. Temps in the teens and single didgets for a coule weeks at a time.
 
I am so sorry man but when I read this I laughed so hard I almost wet my pants....my favorite part was when you said...

"I mean it's pretty much f$^&#d now, since I mangled it and all, but do you think that's possible?"


I believe it is/was possible, especially since it was close to the house...was it protected from wind at all?...Did the house sit to the north of it?...maybe it might have come back, oh man. That is cool..and I am sorry but you really made me laugh. THANKS!...
 
Yep, that's pretty much the situation. Garden on the south side of the house, gets great sun, and house directly to the north of the plant.

I'm really kickin myself for yankin this guy up. Maybe next year I'll try cutting some off close to the ground and seeing if they'll overwinter.

Glad you got a good laugh man. You live and learn...
 
how much of the stem is still good??

If you still have a few inches of good stem and the root system is still ok then I say put it back in the ground and feed it some seasol and ferts and see what happens....
 
Nah, it's done. I'd already mangled the roots up real good, looking for sloughing to see if they were still alive.

Oh well. Maybe when I plant out I'll put one of each variety next to the house to see if they'll overwinter.

Any tips on varieties that do well in the cold? Maybe Rocotos or Goat's weed?
 
Both of those plants will survive the winter without a drama.

My brothers goats weed didn't even drop it's leaves over winter....and we went below 0C a few times....But in your extra cold winter you will want to cut them back pretty harshly
 
I am not sure if it is a good choice but I would either go with the Goat's weed or maybe someone might want to confirm that Beaver Dam might not be a bad idea (though it is not as hot a pepper)...

Sorry if I sounded rude before man, You are so cool..though, made my day. no offense intended it was just the way you said it. I hope some other people comment too because I am in Ohio and I might try doing some harsh trimming back and covering a plant next to the house also to see if I can get one to over-winter in the ground.... Stranger things have happened.

Best of luck and let us know what you choose and if it overwinters well!
 
PeterPepperPicker, there was absolutely no offense taken. I actually re-read the original post, and laughed to myself. I was so astounded at the time, I was giddy, so likely in a humorous mood.

But yea, checked on said F(%$#d pepper today, and I was correct. It was both still green just above the ground (or where it HAD been in the ground until dumbass me ripped it up!) and also completely unsavable...

Stem had started to dry up, and roots were obviously not happy after baking in the 60F sun all day. But hey, live and learn. I've got nice seedlings of Rocoto, as well as some bhuts chocolate habs and fatalis already, and some baccatums, 7 pots and Cumaris hopefully on the way. Am thinking I'll put one of each against the house this year and cut them back in the Fall, see if any make it out the other side.

Hardy chiles in the Mountains of NC.... Whoda thunkit?
 
PeterPepperPicker said:
I am not sure if it is a good choice but I would either go with the Goat's weed or maybe someone might want to confirm that Beaver Dam might not be a bad idea (though it is not as hot a pepper)...

Sorry if I sounded rude before man, You are so cool..though, made my day. no offense intended it was just the way you said it. I hope some other people comment too because I am in Ohio and I might try doing some harsh trimming back and covering a plant next to the house also to see if I can get one to over-winter in the ground.... Stranger things have happened.

Best of luck and let us know what you choose and if it overwinters well!
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Dunno if beaver dams are cold hardy but they are damn tasty. Grow that shit!

And as far as cold hardy plants, pequins are excellent at overwintering. At least here. The one I have is like 4 years old or so. It just starts dropping its leaves in late fall while the rest of the peppers keep their leaves but start yellowing. Then once it's nothing but twigs I cut it back to about an inch or two and leave it the hell alone.

Start watering again in spring time and tada more pequins.


Also I found that weird ass orange habanero that kept producing fruit right through the winter here....
http://www.thehotpepper.com/showthread.php?t=9615
 
Oh and if they're in the ground you could always try covering them in mulch. Dunno how peppers respond to that but i know its fairly common practice for overwintering certain things.
 
TXCloset, I saw that crazy ass Hab. That MoFo is wild man! And it's still kickin right?

If by some strange stroke of fate I get this overwintering thing to work, I'll let ya'll know.

That is... If I can remember. Hell, I don't even have a full 2 sets of leaves on my plants, and I'm already talking about overwintering!!

Baby-steps man, Baby-steps.
 
FiveStar said:
But yea, checked on said F(%$#d pepper today, and I was correct. It was both still green just above the ground...
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Does it need to be green up to the first leaf node for it to grow again? Or will it sprout new branches from nearer the roots?
 
caroltlw said:
Does it need to be green up to the first leaf node for it to grow again? Or will it sprout new branches from nearer the roots?
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New growth sprouts off wherever the hell it feels like. Haven't been able to determine a pattern and it definitely doesn't need a node. At least from my observations the past few years w/ my pequin.
 
caroltlw said:
Cool.
I've only ever seen new growth on mine from where the leaves had once been - like side shoots.
Click to expand...

My tabasco does seem to be shooting off most of its growth this year at nodes however. Maybe my pequin is just weird, but i swear branches will sprout out of just a smooth spot on the stem.
 
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