Highalt's 2012 Grow Log

SocalChilehead · Jul 27, 2012

Great pod pictures I think I have some Costeno Amarillo seeds left if you still need some let me know I grew it last year the seeds were from peppermania

stickman · Jul 27, 2012

highalt said:
Shane, the last time I grew it, I used it in place of bell peppers for cooking. The flesh was thinner, and when red is much sweeter than a bell. It would be a good one for roasting, or stuffing too!

Hi Bonnie
If you want to make an Italian sausage grinder with peppers and onions this is the pepper of choice. If you want to kick the heat up a notch just add some pepperoncino (crushed dried red pepper) to the peppers and onions when you fry them.
Nice looking pods in the community garden!

highalt · Jul 27, 2012

SocalChilehead said:
Great pod pictures I think I have some Costeno Amarillo seeds left if you still need some let me know I grew it last year the seeds were from peppermania

Thanks, Fernando! I may take you up on that. I have two plants, so if the pods on the second one are red too, I may send you a PM to see if we can arrange a trade.

The pods look similar to yours when green.

stickman said:
Hi Bonnie
If you want to make an Italian sausage grinder with peppers and onions this is the pepper of choice. If you want to kick the heat up a notch just add some pepperoncino (crushed dried red pepper) to the peppers and onions when you fry them.
Nice looking pods in the community garden!

Thanks for visiting my grow, Rick! I had to look up the recipe for Italian sausage grinder, and it sounds tasty! I've never made my own sausage before, but I do have a meat grinder attachment for my KitchenAid stand up mixer, so you never know, I might give it a try sometime.

These first two pics are of a couple of the plants that I bought just a few weeks ago. They looked like they were not going to make it for a while there, but you can see the new growth. Not sure if they'll have time to produce a ripe pod before the first frost, but it looks like they are going to give it a try anyway.

Super Hungarian Hot

Czechoslovakian Black

Chile de Arbol. Loaded with tons of earthworm sized pods!

A blurry pic of the first Tobago Seasoning pod.

Aji de la Tierra

Jaloro. You can see this one is just as loaded as the one at home in the Earthbox!

Rain Forest finally started setting pods.

No pods on any of the habaneros yet, but they are all blooming now.

... and one non-pepper pic. This is a Carbon tomato. I love the black/purple varieties of tomatoes, so can't wait to taste this one! All of the tomato plants are getting pretty big, and all are blooming, but only a few fruits so far.

Guess that's all for now.

PaulG · Jul 27, 2012

Hi Bonnie. I am amazed by the progress of your grow.
Pods all over the place. Nutin' like a little sun, huh?
+1 on the Marconi peppers. I'm growing some Marconi Rossos;
they have pretty much replaced Bell peppers in my garden.
I think they have a much better flavor, and the shape/size is awesome.

Here's hoping the wilt thing is under control :sick:

Molds, fungii, and
mildew are such a part of the PacNW weather scene I'm surprised
(but very, very grateful, heavenly father!) that I haven't seen some
on the pepps. Knock on wood. Ouch, that hurt

Of course my roses catch powdery mildew like a cold.

Here's to a fabulous high desert weekend, Bonnie. Enjoy.

stc3248 · Jul 29, 2012

Great poddage lady! Yours and a few other growers are making me hit up google on a daily basis. All these crazy varieties I never heard of! Can't wait for your next cooking pic!

jsschrstrcks · Jul 29, 2012

Looking great bonnie

I'm going to be living vicariously through other peoples pictures for a bit, because I'm moving to NC for grad school. But hopefully I'll be getting some in the mail from my familly who will be watching (hopefully) over my garden

.

that tomato looks nice too

the rains that wounded my peppers, anhiliated my tomatos. Every last one of them is dead or nearly so. I think the heat isn't helping them much either haha.

Ken

highalt · Jul 29, 2012

PaulG said:
Hi Bonnie. I am amazed by the progress of your grow.
Pods all over the place. Nutin' like a little sun, huh?
+1 on the Marconi peppers. I'm growing some Marconi Rossos;
they have pretty much replaced Bell peppers in my garden.
I think they have a much better flavor, and the shape/size is awesome.

Here's hoping the wilt thing is under control Molds, fungii, and
mildew are such a part of the PacNW weather scene I'm surprised
(but very, very grateful, heavenly father!) that I haven't seen some
on the pepps. Knock on wood. Ouch, that hurt
Of course my roses catch powdery mildew like a cold.

Here's to a fabulous high desert weekend, Bonnie. Enjoy.

It's been feeling a bit more like the PNW around here than the desert lately. We've had rain every couple days for the past 3 weeks. Not huge amounts, usually one to three tenths of an inch at a time, but enough to where I haven't ran the sprinkler system in two weeks! Plus, the humidity levels are up. We were at a whopping 41% earlier today, and it felt like a swamp to me! :rofl:

It's hard to believe I used to live in the south where the humidity levels were usually twice that high all the time.

So far no sign of any disease on the other plants, but both of my Big Jims, the one here at the house, and the one at the C.G. have had blossom end rot issues. I wonder if that variety is more prone to that than other types of peppers?

stc3248 said:
Great poddage lady! Yours and a few other growers are making me hit up google on a daily basis. All these crazy varieties I never heard of! Can't wait for your next cooking pic!

I'll have plenty of seeds to share once the pods start rolling in. Just let me know if there's something you're interested in.

I don't think I'm half the cook you, or Rick, or Pinoy are, but I'm pretty good with desserts, and canned stuff.

jsschrstrcks said:
Looking great bonnie

I'm going to be living vicariously through other peoples pictures for a bit, because I'm moving to NC for grad school. But hopefully I'll be getting some in the mail from my familly who will be watching (hopefully) over my garden .

that tomato looks nice too the rains that wounded my peppers, anhiliated my tomatos. Every last one of them is dead or nearly so. I think the heat isn't helping them much either haha.

Ken

Hi Ken! Thanks for dropping by! I'm amazed at the numbers you have been harvesting these past few weeks, in spite of all the weather set backs.

It's going to be a while before I have any tomatoes to harvest. The one in the picture is only about the size of a ping pong ball right now. I'll be lucky to harvest enough for a batch of salsa before the final harvest when we have the first frost. The good news is they'll ripen off the vine eventually.

Hope you'll still check in occasionally while you are in seminary.

A few pics from today's community garden visit.

The Aji Chinchi Amarillos are getting going with some color now. Ate my first one last night with a taco, and it was crunchy, citrusy, and not as hot as the Aji Yellow.

Can't wait to try these Chile Hidalgo pods.

Serrano Huasteco is loading up. I've noticed the pods are much skinnier than the Serrano Tampiqueno I grew last year. I'm wondering how they'll compare heat wise.

A better shot of the first Tobago Seasoning pod.

Here's another one of the last minute plants I purchased, Cherry Bomb. It's trying it's best to make a come back.

... and the non pepper shot of the day. Blackberry Lily.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

gnslngr · Jul 30, 2012

Hi Bonnie ...I'm playing catch up! ...and its going to take a while with limited bandwidth out here! So my comments will cover a longer period than normal!
1. Those day lillies are beautiful-I missed mine this year with the exception of a few -they decided to do their thing when I was out. ..at least you remember most of the names.I can recommend Tahitian Sunset if you come across one-an irridescent orange pink color.
2. I am going see about including the the Hawaiian Sweet Hot in new years grow for sure-this year the concentration was on superhots-growing as many as I could for hot sauce candidates...mission accomplished!
3. You have a great variety of pepper types! I hate pulling pepper plants as well-but I did pull 5-6 that were just too crowded and seemed to be aphid bound permanently. Yes I can poison everything and be done with it(and have once or twice)- but I just really resist that idea, I have a lot of lady bugs, assassin bug nymphs, parasitic wasps etc-but they don't do much to aphids it seems.The other reasons(besides the obious-poison IS poison!) are I'm seeing honey bees finally, and I have a huge population of baby Anoles freshly hatched...inch long baby dinasaurs! I did spray before I left this time- but only the undersides and only the lower half of the plants. Guess I'm part of my own insect issue! Diatomaceous Earth works where it nice and dry-I have used it with limited results down here-humidity reduces its efficiency.
4. Fusarium wilt is more isolated to southern states, the soil will have localized grey fibrous masses in it under affected plants(similar in appearance to leaf mold/fungus-just thicker)- not that it is impossible up there.
5. If anyone can get Hab to make it to ripe stage up there- its You!
6.That Blackberry lily is a beaut!
Always great to go through your grow Bonnie,
Have a Good one-
Dave

stc3248 · Jul 30, 2012

Great update again! You caught a critter in that Lily Pic too! Thought of you as I watched a review of a new sauce posted by 3/5 King. It was made by thehotpooper and was easy on the vinegar. He has the same taste in sauce you do. Anyway I will try to find a link so maybe you can hit up thehotpooper for some basic ratios to try...I think he's gonna be selling the sauce, so probably won't give up the whole recipe, but maybe!

http://thehotpepper....ers-sweet-hell/

highalt · Jul 30, 2012

gnslngr said:
Hi Bonnie ...I'm playing catch up! ...and its going to take a while with limited bandwidth out here! So my comments will cover a longer period than normal!
1. Those day lillies are beautiful-I missed mine this year with the exception of a few -they decided to do their thing when I was out. ..at least you remember most of the names.I can recommend Tahitian Sunset if you come across one-an irridescent orange pink color.
2. I am going see about including the the Hawaiian Sweet Hot in new years grow for sure-this year the concentration was on superhots-growing as many as I could for hot sauce candidates...mission accomplished!
3. You have a great variety of pepper types! I hate pulling pepper plants as well-but I did pull 5-6 that were just too crowded and seemed to be aphid bound permanently. Yes I can poison everything and be done with it(and have once or twice)- but I just really resist that idea, I have a lot of lady bugs, assassin bug nymphs, parasitic wasps etc-but they don't do much to aphids it seems.The other reasons(besides the obious-poison IS poison!) are I'm seeing honey bees finally, and I have a huge population of baby Anoles freshly hatched...inch long baby dinasaurs! I did spray before I left this time- but only the undersides and only the lower half of the plants. Guess I'm part of my own insect issue! Diatomaceous Earth works where it nice and dry-I have used it with limited results down here-humidity reduces its efficiency.
4. Fusarium wilt is more isolated to southern states, the soil will have localized grey fibrous masses in it under affected plants(similar in appearance to leaf mold/fungus-just thicker)- not that it is impossible up there.
5. If anyone can get Hab to make it to ripe stage up there- its You!
6.That Blackberry lily is a beaut!
Always great to go through your grow Bonnie,
Have a Good one-
Dave

Glad you stopped by, Dave!

1. It's funny you said that, 'cause this past week I've had a couple bloom, and the name tags are gone or unreadable now, and I have no clue what they are. I made a map of the beds two or three years ago, guess I need to find it and relabel a few things.
2. Yeah, I can't wait to try them, but I'm wondering what the stub nosed ones really are.
3. I think next year, I'll buy a bigger bag of D.E. It needs to be reapplied often due to irrigation and rainfall, so mine didn't last through the season. The good news is that the damage is not as bad once the plants get full sized. I had trouble with aphids when I started the grow indoors, but once things went outside, the problem kind of took care of itself. Guess I have enough aphid eaters in the garden for now.
4. I'm not 100% certain it was Fusarium Wilt, but whatever it was, was spreading fast, so I wasn't about to take any chances. The veggie bed here at the house used to be the sweet spot. Don't know why things aren't growing better there this year, but the community garden stuff is making up for it.
5. Thanks! We should have at least 5 or 6 weeks left before the first frost, and maybe 8 or 9 if we're really lucky this year. With them blooming now, I'm hoping that will be enough time.

stc3248 said:
Great update again! You caught a critter in that Lily Pic too! Thought of you as I watched a review of a new sauce posted by 3/5 King. It was made by thehotpooper and was easy on the vinegar. He has the same taste in sauce you do. Anyway I will try to find a link so maybe you can hit up thehotpooper for some basic ratios to try...I think he's gonna be selling the sauce, so probably won't give up the whole recipe, but maybe!

http://thehotpepper....ers-sweet-hell/

Thanks for the link, Shane! If I ever get enough pods for some sauce, I'll pick his brain a bit on the recipe. The two things I'm hoping to get the chance to try out this year are smoking some pods before dehydrating, and trying to make my own sauce. Oh, and poppers! I love them, but have never made my own. Yours looked delicious, so I'll have to revisit your glog once the jalapenos are coming in.

I don't have time to check out all the glogs, but there are a few I try to visit on a regular basis, and yours is one of them! Always something interesting going on at Shane's place!!!

Pulpiteer · Jul 30, 2012

Looking great Bonnie! Tons of pods, well done! And those lillies are very nice as well, also, I didn't notice that critter in that pic until Shane said something, a wasp of some sort? I've really learned to appreciate those things more and more. Keep up the great work. It'll be time for pepper jelly in no time.

highalt · Jul 31, 2012

Pulpiteer said:
Looking great Bonnie! Tons of pods, well done! And those lillies are very nice as well, also, I didn't notice that critter in that pic until Shane said something, a wasp of some sort? I've really learned to appreciate those things more and more. Keep up the great work. It'll be time for pepper jelly in no time.

Yeah, I'm already stocking up on canning jar lids, pectin, and sugar in anticipation!

The critter is a paper wasp. I'm not bothered by most of the bees when I'm working in the garden, but I am not a fan of paper wasps, and we have a humongous population of them. I've already been stung twice this season, while watering and weeding. Wasn't disturbing them, but they build nests in our fence, and are fierce defenders even when not being directly threatened. I don't mind the initial sting so much, but then my entire arm swells up, and starts itching and throbbing. Lasts several days.

Okay, this is completely off topic, but I went on a hike with some friends yesterday evening and thought I'd share the view with you guys.

This was about a 30 minute drive from my house. Once we made it to the top of the ridge, there was a field of wild raspberry bushes. I harvested a bunch to bring home to the kids. This morning I heard there have been a lot of bears in that area lately. Glad we didn't meet up with any!

Pulpiteer · Jul 31, 2012

Wow, didn't realize that about the paper wasps. I think I was stung by one of those when I was younger. I was at a swimming pool and got too close to it's next and it attacked. Kind of a nasty thing. Don't they know that you're just providing a habitat that gives them food? That you're on the same team?

I've kind of begun looking for pectin online - like buying in bulk or something. Have you had any luck finding online deals?

highalt · Aug 1, 2012

I haven't really looked for pectin online, but last year, when I was running out of labels, and jar lids, I ran across this place:

http://www.kitchenkr..._c_A_c_E_140000

Didn't purchase anything from them, but they did have a nice selection of canning supplies.

Yesterday's harvest - Biker Billy, Aji Chinchi Amarillo, and Jimmy Nardello. The Biker Billy was an accident. I was tying up one of the branches, and accidentally broke it off.

Still a pretty small harvest, but at least it was more than just one pepper today!

gnslngr · Aug 1, 2012

I am officially jealous of that hike- I really miss what I once took for granted!

I find with those "small" harvests-you tend to enjoy ALL the pods a bit more

stickman · Aug 2, 2012

Hi Bonnie
How are your chiles doing? Have any started to color up yet? I ground up my first batch of dried Chimayos this morning, and so far the powder looks like I was led to expect. It's orange rather than red and extremely aromatic. When I get them all dried I'll probably only have about a cup's worth of molido. How would you use it to get the most bang for your buck? Cheers

highalt · Aug 2, 2012

gnslngr said:
I am officially jealous of that hike- I really miss what I once took for granted!

I find with those "small" harvests-you tend to enjoy ALL the pods a bit more

I don't get a chance to hike near as often as I'd like, but one of my sisters will be visiting in another week, so I'll probably get several in while she's here. Some with the kids, and hopefully at least one good one by ourselves.

Yeah, once the pods start rolling in heavy, I get too busy processing them for salsa, jelly, and powders that I don't have a lot of time for fresh eating. I do try at least a small piece of each one as I go, so I can gauge the heat level of whatever I am making.

stickman said:
Hi Bonnie
How are your chiles doing? Have any started to color up yet? I ground up my first batch of dried Chimayos this morning, and so far the powder looks like I was led to expect. It's orange rather than red and extremely aromatic. When I get them all dried I'll probably only have about a cup's worth of molido. How would you use it to get the most bang for your buck? Cheers

You are way ahead of me. Love your ristras, BTW! I add the powders to just about everything when I'm cooking. It is nice to have powders in a variety of heat levels, since not everyone in my family can handle the hot stuff, and some dishes seem to absorb/dilute the heat more than others. Plus the milder ones add a sweetness that you don't seem to get in the hotter powders.

highalt · Aug 2, 2012

I had intentions of making my first video down at the comm. garden today, but the fact that I'm a technological dufus got in the way. My camera will take video, but there's no record button, or red light or anything that comes on, so I had no idea when it was recording and got lots of footage of my feet, the ground, the sky etc. Peppers, not so much. I will try again tomorrow if I have time.

So, today you will have to settle for still shots.

I'm going to start with the worst picture, but the one I'm most excited about, Peach Habanero. The tiny pod is way in the background and very blurry, but still, it's a pod!!! :woohoo:

Chiero Recife has also started setting pods. I love these things! They look like little Christmas ornaments to me, and are about the size of a dime.

Another one that's finally set a few pods, Trinidad Perfume.

I know I've already posted several pictures of these, but they are just so cute, I'm posting one more - Belize Sweet.

Finally got a decent pic of a Tobago Seasoning pod. They things are really putting on some size now too.

Okay, I've posted pics of this one before too, but I am amazed that pods this big would grow upright. This Piment d' Espelette pod is getting close to 6" in length now! I'm hoping the weight doesn't break the branches off.

I was beginning to wonder when these would start to show color. It was one of the first things to set pods this season, so it seems like it's taking forever. It's a very compact plant, and loaded down with pods, Bulgarian Carrot.

Non pepper pic of the day = Euphorbia 'Summer Icicle' with yellow Wallflower.

Hopefully, I'll figure out how to make the whole video thing work, and get one uploaded soon, because the still shots just don't do justice to the pepper jungle down at the C.G.

stickman · Aug 2, 2012

Hi Bonnie
well, you definitely got color on your Bulgarian Carrot before I did... Or at least the one I started. Didn't have room for it in my garden after starting my seeds so I gave it to a neighbor. He planted it right next to my plot so I see it every day. It has a very short and compact habit like yours. Cheers

highalt · Aug 4, 2012

Well, here is my first attempt at a video, and I have to say, if you're able to sit through the whole thing you deserve a prize or something, LOL! Let me just warn you now, I'm used to taking pictures from whatever angle, and then flipping them once I load onto my computer. Found out that doesn't really work with video, so a lot of it is sideways, and some is even upside down. I promise I'll do better next time. Also, I somehow turned the recording off without realizing it, so it ends rather abruptly. I had planned to show the non pepper stuff too, but, oh well. maybe next time.

Okay, and what's up with loading videos on YouTube? I can transfer from my camera to the computer in 7 minutes, but it takes like 2 hours to upload to YouTube? I don't get it. Yeah, so I've prepped and baked a couple loaves of lemon zucchini bread, and cleaned up the kitchen, and the video is STILL not done loading!

My oldest son just heard my voice on the video, and said, "Great Mom, now they'll all know you're an old lady!" Yeah, I guess so. That, and a southerner too!

Wish I could give you a piece of this bread with some homemade Lemon Basil Jelly to nibble on just for watching my video!

Thanks for visiting!!!