Highalt's 2013 Grow - End of Season Wrap Up

GA Growhead · Jul 17, 2013

We have been pullin zucchini too. Love it!

PaulG · Jul 18, 2013

Bonnie, you are rockin' that garden grow under tough conditions!

Nice photos of the landscape. Oh, and your peppers, too

Keep up the good work!

highalt · Jul 19, 2013

I'll be back tomorrow to talk about peppers (I know I've been straying off topic a bit lately), but just wanted to show you guys what my 14 year old son made me tonight.

... and he didn't even give away my age with the candles! :party:

highalt · Jul 20, 2013

Got out to the community garden this afternoon, after missing a couple of days, and was amazed at the amount of growth over there. The zucchini plants are going crazy, the tomatoes are sprawling everywhere, and the peppers are growing and loading up on pods. Even harvested a few ripe ones today.

Of course I forgot the camera ... AGAIN. :banghead:

So you'll have to settle for the ones I took here at the house.

Today's Harvest:

Bottom row is Costeno Amarillos right next to some Aji Chinchi Amarillos, so you can see they are almost identical.

Well this one came from "The" Fatalii, so I guess it's a NOT Fatalii now. :mope:

So if you look at the harvest picture above, there are two tiny pods underneath the NOT Fatalii, which is in the upper right corner. They came from the same plant, but were just early, mutant pods. Thought to myself, "Eh, how bad could that little tiny pod be anyway?" Popped one in my mouth and had an instant searing mouth burn, and about 1/2 dozen hiccups. Only built for a minute or so, and it didn't last too terribly long, but enough for me to know I better respect the NOT Fatalii.

On to another NOT. This one was supposed to be a Jamaican Hot Yellow, instead it's a Jamaican NOT Yellow.

These next pics are all the plants on the back patio. First one is Peruvian Purple, which is finally starting to take off.

This Earthbox has the Alma Paprika, Jaloro, Fresno, and Santa Fe Grande in it. In front of it is a Patio Red Marconi, the Peruvian Purple, some ground cherries, and to the right is a Gold Currant Tomato.

This Earthbox has the NuMex Pinata, NuMex Vaquero, Zapotec Jalapeno, and Biker Billy Hyb. In front is a Yummy, and some more ground cherries.

Guess that's it for today. I promise I'll take my camera with me to the big garden in the next day or two.

stc3248 · Jul 20, 2013

Happy Birthday Lady!!! Party at Bonnie's house Y'all! Surprise!!! Andy got you a NOT Fatalii!!! :rofl:

Dang...he only sent me a few pods I saved seeds from, guess yours came from the wrong one. Sorry 'bout dat! Hope it tastes good! Last year was the NOT year for me...almost everything turned the wrong color and was the wrong shape. Some of those NOTs turned out to be my best peppers though.

Pulpiteer · Jul 21, 2013

Dang, sorry the Fatalii didn't work out Bonnie. Looking at that pod has me thinking... the Fataliis were right next to some 7 pot Jonahs, but that doesn't look like that is it. There was a tabasco plant nearby and that looks like it might be... I don't know if those two are a viable cross, but if so that might be what it is. Anyway, you plants are looking great and it's nice to see you getting some harvest!

highalt · Jul 21, 2013

Hi Andy! The shape to me on the more recent pods looks fairly close to the Fatalii, it's just they are ripening red. Here is a shot taken this evening. Sorry it's not the best pic, but I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes while I was there.

I did get a few decent pics while I was there, but it is taking a while to get them uploaded. Hopefully, I can get at least one set of them posted tonight ...

I'll start with one I haven't posted any photos of in a while, Purple Bhut (seed from Melissa).

I've got two Goat Weed plants. This first one is twice the height of the other, and has quite a few pods on it.

... but the pods are all staying green so far.

Goat Weed # 2 is smaller, but the pod color looks more like it's supposed to.

Aji Yellow has some nice pods on it, but I lost several side branches to some kind of bug or virus. All of the leaves were gone off the end of the branch, which has me thinking bug, but the tip of the branches were brown and wilted, so I'm not sure what I'm dealing with here. Sorry I didn't get a pic of the damage before I pinched off the affected areas.

The next two are Costeno Amarillo, and then Aji Chinchi Amarillo. The only difference I can see at all, is that the Costeno Amarillo pods are a tiny bit bigger, but the growth habit, plant size, pod shape, size and color, all seem to be identical.

I'll finish with Condor's Beak.

I'll be back after a bump if it's not too late tonight.

Sawyer · Jul 21, 2013

Nice update.

stc3248 · Jul 21, 2013

Bump...if it's not too late!

highalt · Jul 22, 2013

Thanks! I've got more!

I'll start this set with a shot of the entire community garden plot. Well, as much as you can see anyway. The tomatoes block out the tomatillos from this angle. The sad little plants on the end of the 3rd row from the right are the Peach Habaneros. No close ups of those today!

Hungarian Hot Yellow Wax (American Seed from Walmart)

Another common one that is a great producer, Serrano

Mulato Isleno

A favorite from last year, Chilhuacle Amarillo

El Oro de Ecuador

Pimenta Barro do Robiero. Last year, they didn't ripen before the first frost. I think I'll actually get to taste one this season!

First pods on Beni Highlands

I'll finish with the first bud on the Yellow Manzano.

Have a few nots, but that's about all of the pepper pics ...

Sawyer · Jul 22, 2013

You're going to be getting lots of ripe pods very soon.

GA Growhead · Jul 22, 2013

Happy belated birthday Bonnie!
Looking good!

highalt · Jul 22, 2013

I think you are right, and hope that I can keep up with them this year! Last year, I should have been freezing them as they came in, but I kept hoping to have time to process them, and ended up wasted way too many pods at the end of the season. Maybe having the harvests start earlier, I'll be able to spread out the workload better.

Tobasco

The NOT Jamaican Hot Yellow

Anyone have any idea what it might be?

A couple of NONS. Beans, not sure which kind, forgot to put plant markers in when I sowed them.

Tomatillos, hard to tell in pic, but they are larger than a golf ball, and the plant is LOADED.

and Zucchini

Guess that's it for tonight.

stc3248 · Jul 22, 2013

Great update Bonnie! Wonder what's going on with them little peaches??? Ain't your fault by the looks of everything else! You grow in one of the harshest environments of anyone on here and you're rocking it! You and your fam will be tired of peppers soon! Great stuff, way to start my 3:30 Monday morning off right!

stickman · Jul 22, 2013

Happy belated birthday Bonnie! I hope you did something to get your blood really moving, then took it easy after.

Pics are looking stellar! Your garden has hit its stride and just keeps getting better every time I see it. I'm officially jealous of your Mulato peppers... mine turned out to be nots... some kind of Cayenne instead. At least I've got enough dried Anchos in the freezer to put into my chili powder along with the dried Anaheims and Chimayo's when they ripen. The Condor's Beak looks interesting with the purple color it has in your pic... Is it a South American chile? A lot of them from there seem to have that color. Also, have you tasted the El Oro de Ecuador before? I'm thinking of planting that one next year.

Cheers!

highalt · Jul 22, 2013

Thanks, Rick! The birthday was a low-key event this year. Just dinner with some friends. That's okay. The older I get, the more I want them to pass by unnoticed!

Sorry about your Mulato. I guess we are all prone to having a NOT or two, when we grow so many different varieties and aren't able to isolate them.

I looked around the internet a bit, but couldn't find any info regarding the origin of Condor's Beak. I only know that it is in the habanero family.

I haven't tasted the El Oro de Ecuador yet. Tried to grow it the past couple of years, but either didn't get germination, or managed to kill the sprouts before they got established.

I'll be sure and do a review of those two once I finally taste them.

highalt · Jul 24, 2013

Tasted a couple of peppers this week:

* The first was the NOT Jamaican Hot Yellow, which was crisp, medium fleshed, had a nice flavor with some sweetness to it, and a lingering heat that I would say falls somewhere between jalapeno and serrano level.

* Also tried the Cochiti, which was thin fleshed and jalapeno level hot, but no sweetness, or pronounced flavor.

* Next was a Leutschauer Paprika, thin fleshed, no heat, not memorable.

* Next was an Ancho Gigantia, which tasted like a thin fleshed bell pepper. The Ancho San Luis I have grown in the past had much more flavor and heat. I'm hoping it improves as the season progresses.

* Last was the Hungarian Hot Yellow Wax. The heat was solid jalapeno level, flesh was medium thick and crisp and juicy. I can see why these are used for pickled pepper rings. Just a good all round pepper.

It's overcast today, and in the 80's instead of 90's - 100+, so I was thinking of making chili for dinner, so I'd have an excuse to use some more peppers. I have been harvested 4 - 6 each day, but not had any massive harvests yet.

The rest of this post is NON pepper related. Some of you may remember me making this treat in season's past, but thought I'd do a step-by-step this time in case anyone was interested.

ZUCCHINI CANDY

Step 1

Peel, deseed, and cut into 3" chunks

Step 2

Use a french fry cutter to cut into strips. This was Watermelon flavor.

Boil in a concentrated Kool-Aid solution for 25 minutes or until zucchini becomes translucent. This batch was Blue Raspberry Lemonade flavor.

Place in dehydrator for 8 - 10 hours. Roll in sugar, and place back in dehydrator for 1 - 2 more hours, until no longer sticky.

This is the final product. The jar should have been fuller, but the kids were eating it faster than I could pull it off the trays.

I know this may not appeal to those without children, but I'm telling you it's a hit with my kids!

Sanarda · Jul 24, 2013

I finally got caught up all the way from June. My bad. Happy belated bday. There is too much awesomeness to comment on but things look fantastic. The Fatalli seems to be looking more correct. I grew them last year and loved them. Beautiful scenic pics flower pics and pod pics. It was a joy catching up. Keep up the great grow

Devv · Jul 24, 2013

Hi Bonnie,

Sorry I missed your 25th B-Day!

Your garden is a rockin'!

I'm super impressed with what you've accomplished in your harsh environment.

Have a great week!

Sawyer · Jul 24, 2013

Kids or no kids, that zucchini candy looks great. Have you tried candying peppers like that?