maxcaps 2014 grow: avoiding the freeze!

Pepper Ridge Farm · Jun 29, 2014

Very good grow log with nice documentation of all your different varieties Adam. Congrats on the early harvests and can't wait to see what you pull next. The picture of your Pepper Joe White Habanero look yellow but that could just be the lighting. Real Peruvian White habaneros are completely white and have a wonderful smokey flavor and are great to eat fresh right off the plant. A fun plant to grow that's for sure.

maximumcapsicum · Jun 30, 2014

Thanks guys! Had a great pull yesterday and did some processing today. Keep the jalapenos coming!

OCD Chilehead said:
Hey that White Hab was my favorite plant last year. Had a prolific amount of pods. Tried to bonchi and failed. I really wanted to keep her going. Wicked looking Bhut pods. Pepper jam sounds good and good luck with the jerk chicken.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thanks for the update.

Chuck

I am really hoping for a white-white pod. I am 0/2 so far... the white bhut is more like a superhot yellow hab and the white hab from pepper joe is kind of creamy-yellow. Both pods taste quite good though, so there's that. I've dried a big pile of the *white bhut pods for powder. May smoke the next pull if I have time.

Devv said:
Nice poddage there Adam!

Keep doing what you're doing as the plants sure are happy. One of the overflow plants I sold turned out to be a White Jellybean Hab. I bought those seeds and it was supposed to be a straight up white hab.

Enjoy the weekend!

Thanks Scott! Your plants are inspiring, and your pulls are intimidating! I am hoping to find a true white. I have Jason's giant white hab growing too... can't wait to see how its pods turn out. Last chance for a white pod this season.

Spicegeist said:
I really like the way these are turning out. Where were the seeds from?

Hey Charles. The red bhut seeds came from puckerbutt. Carbone seeds came from Jeff H (through Judy I think). They are very nice looking pods. Can't wait to see how they color up.

Jeff H said:
Everything looks outstanding Adam. The peppers sure do love Georgia weather.

Thanks Jeff H! I have no complaints about the weather. Brought the April freeze on my own overly-optimistic self.

Pepper Ridge Farm said:
Very good grow log with nice documentation of all your different varieties Adam. Congrats on the early harvests and can't wait to see what you pull next. The picture of your Pepper Joe White Habanero look yellow but that could just be the lighting. Real Peruvian White habaneros are completely white and have a wonderful smokey flavor and are great to eat fresh right off the plant. A fun plant to grow that's for sure.

Thanks Cappy! Nice to have you along. I'll do some updated stats next update. I think my beds have come close to paying for themselves at this point... doesn't take much, the market rate on superhots is very high. The Pepper Joe White Habs are indeed more creamy than white, and they certainly have no smokey flavor. All sweetness and fruit.

As promised:

Pulled about 6.5 lbs of peppers off the plants today. And 6 lbs of maters. My best pull ever, lol, and it's early yet.

Most of the pull is jalepenos, and the giant and cracked are the best performers so far. Great tasting pods too. Numex is also producing a ton of pods. *White Hab produced a bunch of pods that went into the dehydrator. Yellow Bhut produced a handful too... those went into the freezer for sauce. Got my first ripe Fatalii, JA Habs, and Brown Eggs, so I figured I'd do a quick review with my lunch today.

Here's my first yellow fatalii (this one is from Judy). This is a vigorous plant... several dozen pods are developing as we speak. It looks very similar to the yellow bhut, but more crinkled with "heat pimples" on it. It's a little more pointed, and lacks the lobing that seems to be common on the yellow bhuts. Given the similarity in shape and color, I was wondering what the taste would be like.

So I chomped about half of this slice. Like the yellow bhut (and unlike the white hab) the heat was up front, in your face. Much hotter than a hab (no surprise there). I chomped it, getting a good feel for the flavor. It's not easy to describe. It has the chinense floral flavor of course,. It's not quite as aromatic as the bhuts I've had, but hotter. It's also woody and bitter. I was expecting more sweetness from other people's descriptions, but it was kind of like a stronger white bhut pod mixed with a good cup of coffee. Not bad, but harsh.

Brown Egg. These took a long time to ripen. Unfortunately the bottom tip has gone a little soft, I'm worried about BER due to all the rain. Never lost a pepper to the disease though, only maters. Should probably sprinkle some egg shells in the beds.

Interesting pod. Thick placenta with lots of seeds, definite egg shape there. No evidence of BER after I cut it open, so I decided to go ahead and sample. Do the browner pods just get a little soft sometimes?

No detectable heat, though I did just have a fatalii so the nerves may have been shot. This was the most savory pod I'd had, could be the brown/choco colored pod flavor. Bacon flavor, and yet it hadn't been smoked. Not a touch of the chinense floral flavor. Good crunch, and the soft distal end of the pod tasted just fine. Going to have the other two fresh with my spinach salad as a snack.

JA Habs. I am very excited for these pods. Excited for habs in general, but these pods especially. Big, colorful, smooth pods, almost look like little bells. They really pop on the plant, which by the way is getting gigantic.

This is the fleshiest habanero I've tried. Tasty and savory, but not in the same way as the brown egg. Rich, hot, and sweet. Light floral flavor. I didn't detect any heat at first, but I chopped a couple up and cooked them in my eggs and it appeared. Texture of the pod is good too... high heat but it brings a nice crunch. I am thinking about marinating some chicken with these pods and honey... anyone got any good recipes that work along those lines?

Most the jalapenos went here:

To make this:

Candied jalapenos. The recipe comes from here. The first stage, which makes a kind of syrupy candy that is nice and chewy worked great. That's pictured. I wanted to go for hard candies though. The syrup began to caramelize and I got nervous so I only "hard" candied half of them. Should have kept going because though they didn't look great they taste fine. Got spooked. Next time...

Lots of reviews and projects. Next up is smoked powders, more pod reviews, and more garden shots.

The joy of planting your peppers as close together as possible:

Jals and carbones are friends.

Thanks for reading!

tctenten · Jun 30, 2014

Wow!!! Great pull and everything looks like it is going smoothly for you.

Spicegeist · Jun 30, 2014

Looks great, you have a lot going on! Which plant has been more productive for you the yellow bhut or the fatalii?

OCD Chilehead · Jun 30, 2014

Wow! What a pull. Nice corking on the Jalapeño's. What a beautiful and colorful pic. Thanks for the reviews. Can't wait for the smoked powder, more pod reviews, as well as garden shots. Thanks for sharing Adam.

maximumcapsicum · Jul 1, 2014

No stats yet, just more pods!

OCD Chilehead said:
Wow! What a pull. Nice corking on the Jalapeño's. What a beautiful and colorful pic. Thanks for the reviews. Can't wait for the smoked powder, more pod reviews, as well as garden shots. Thanks for sharing Adam.

Thanks Chuck! Yeah I hope my notes help people out. I'm not a vet like most of the folks around here, but I like to try to keep track of what I'm doing so I can improve next time around. More projects are definitely in the pipeline.

Spicegeist said:
Looks great, you have a lot going on! Which plant has been more productive for you the yellow bhut or the fatalii?

Thanks Charles!

The yellow bhut is by far the most productive plant in my garden. Number 2 is the white bhut, but those pods are much more hab-like. I am dreaming up sauces and powders for the yellows as I type this. I'll have a final pod count for you at the end of the season, though it'll technically be from two yellows (I have another one of your yellows growing in a root pouch). The root pouch plant is less productive, but that's to be expected. I don't seem to have container growing down.

tctenten said:
Wow!!! Great pull and everything looks like it is going smoothly for you.

Thanks man! It was a good one. I think I got more like that coming too!

Figured I'd do a quick update before winding down for the evening. One of these days I'm going to remember to take my real camera to the garden.

Today I gave the Habanero Big Sun a whirl. Very tasty pod.

Very crunchy. The pod is sweet and citrus-y, with a medium level of chinense floral aroma. I'd give it a spot in my top 10 so far. I've yet to meet a hab I didn't adore. Heat is on the low end of a hab, but it is persistent. The pod size is nice as well. Judy recommends pickling them. If I get enough I may... for now I am using them in cooking. Thursday's chicken wings are probably going to have a mix of Big Sun and Jamaican habs. They'd look good in a salsa too.

Didn't have time for much in the garden today, just a good soaking to counteract the 95° temps on the asphalt. Still, lots of ripening going on. Here are some highlights.

Tobago Treasures from Jason ripening up nicely.

My grasshopper control. I've got about half a dozen of these guys helping me out. They've quadrupled in size as the season progresses. I've been careful not to disturb them during my pull. Should save some egg cases and send them to you guys =D. Would have to see how long they stay dormant.

This is supposed to be a bahamian goat. Its more peach colored than I expected. Is that right or have I got a strange pheno? Neat looking pod either way.

Jamaican 'shrooms.

MoA's ripening up. Plants from Jason and Jamison both have ripening pods.

Bonchi is in on the party. I don't think I've been letting the roxas ripen enough... they seem to have a bright pink phase after the green phase. All the pictures on websites always have their pods in the green stage so I may have pulled a bunch too soon.

Beautiful carolina reaper. Here is one I could get a picture of. There is another behind it with a "stinger" almost 2" long. I'll be sure to post a picture when it matures and I can cut it... couldn't get a camera in there for a shot.

Brown moruga coming along nicely.

That's all for now. Going to try Rick's hab wing recipe on Thursday with a JA Hab I think. Stats coming soon!

Thanks for reading!

OCD Chilehead · Jul 1, 2014

Nice looking pic of the Reaper. I like the pest control. Thanks.

GA Growhead · Jul 1, 2014

Looking amazing Adam.
Don't know what it is, but your glog always crashes my browser on my phone. I barely turn the computer on at the house after sitting in front of one at work all day, so phone it is. But right now I get in with out a crash!
Loving the pod action!
Bahamian goats are a peachy orange. My favorite pod cut up in black beans and rice, or with Cuban or Mexican food.
Reaper is sick. I never got a tail like that on my plants last year, from PJ's seeds gifted to me. I have some from John's (Sawyer) plants and I think another source. Hoping to see some like that!
Tobago treasure were yummy too! Those looking good!
So much more that I could say!
Need to cruse by next time I roll down to the city. Might be this weekend, and if not surely the following.

Jeff H · Jul 1, 2014

maximumcapsicum said:
Jamaican 'shrooms.

haha, you're right. Lot of shroom discussion tonight. You're look like just like mine.

Everything else looks great.

Spicegeist · Jul 2, 2014

The reaper is pretty. I get annoyed with all the hype, but outside of that, it's a neat pepper.

I'm very happy the yellow bhuts are doing so well for you. Interesting to hear how the root pouch isn't as productive, I didn't know that was to be expected. So I'm guessing you'll be growing the yellow bhut again next year? Mine is pretty big too, but I might skip growing it next year for space concerns. Or someone should leave a suitcase full of bullion on my doorstep and I'll buy a nice place to grow everything I'd like to

Jamison · Jul 2, 2014

I have nothing else to say besides, YOUR KILLIN IT!!!! Outstanding sir :party:

Noah Yates · Jul 2, 2014

Last year when I grew the jamaican yellow mushroom it was a very frustrating plant because the peppers would *never* fully ripen. There would always be a green spot or three.... even if i let them hang on the vine until they were going past "ripe." Anyone else experience that with their JYMs?

Devv · Jul 2, 2014

Wow Adam!

As mentioned before, you're killing it!

Glad you're in the substantial harvest stage, it's a good feeling after all the work.

My Goat peppers look just like yours, and those Reapers have the "true" look, the tails are always cool!

Have a great week Adam!

maximumcapsicum · Jul 2, 2014

Spicegeist said:
The reaper is pretty. I get annoyed with all the hype, but outside of that, it's a neat pepper.

I'm very happy the yellow bhuts are doing so well for you. Interesting to hear how the root pouch isn't as productive, I didn't know that was to be expected. So I'm guessing you'll be growing the yellow bhut again next year? Mine is pretty big too, but I might skip growing it next year for space concerns. Or someone should leave a suitcase full of bullion on my doorstep and I'll buy a nice place to grow everything I'd like to

The hype is silly. I follow Ed's facebook feed and it gets pretty goofy. That said, the plant is looking very nice, and the pods are actually looking better than I expected. It'll be interesting to give it a taste... is it all heat or is there some flavor there too?

I am very happy about the yellow bhut too! I've only got three ripe pods so far so I've only done a quick sample. Beautiful chinense flavor, strong, fruity, with an upfront heat that knocked me out. Had to freeze half the pod. I like them more than the "white" bhut I'm growing, which turned out yellow, but they are tasty pods too. The whites have more of a hab shape. So far I think both will make the cut though I will probably search around for a white bhut this winter.

I haven't been able to really isolate a pod yet, though I am still trying. If I can't get an isolated pod I'll grow from the seeds you sent me again or use OP seeds. Overwintering is a possibility too.

I'm going to do a sauce and at least a simple powder from the pods. So far I prefer the bhut flavor to the fatalii, but the fatalii may have some utility I haven't quite explored yet.

Jamison said:
I have nothing else to say besides, YOUR KILLIN IT!!!! Outstanding sir

I'm killing it? You're killing it man. Some of your pods are works of art, though I think they may be burning a hole in my computer screen.

Noah Yates said:
Last year when I grew the jamaican yellow mushroom it was a very frustrating plant because the peppers would *never* fully ripen. There would always be a green spot or three.... even if i let them hang on the vine until they were going past "ripe." Anyone else experience that with their JYMs?

I have noticed they are taking their time, especially for an annuum. I figured it was because the plant has such a well developed canopy, shading the pods.

Devv said:
Wow Adam!

As mentioned before, you're killing it!

Glad you're in the substantial harvest stage, it's a good feeling after all the work.

My Goat peppers look just like yours, and those Reapers have the "true" look, the tails are always cool!

Have a great week Adam!

Sure is. Jals are producing like I never expected, I may actually end up with a surplus. Plenty of room on the canning shelf. I have started having trouble keeping the annuums watered though... as the plants hit the 3' mark they started getting very thirsty (95° weather isn't helping), and I can only water once a day. I've noticed that some of the jal pods have gotten rubbery from the lack of water, especially the purples. They probably need two waterings a day, but I can only manage one.

When I got back from watering, I noticed my mail box had smoke shooting out of it. I grabbed an oven mitt and carefully opened the box to find a SFRB box from Texas.

Awesome man! Thanks!

I see bonnets and habs of several persuasions, a serrano (?), some aji's or other kinds of baccatum, and a handful of bhut 47's. Not sure what the long narrow annuum is but it looks like it'd be nice fried up. The brown pods also look like scorchers. I know I'm in trouble.

Jigsaw is frightening. This is a fatalii variety no? I'll give it a sample tomorrow and see how it compares to the other fatalii I tried.

This looks like a yellow version of the JA hab, though more bonnet shaped and shorter. Am I close? I bet its a tasty pod.

I'll give these guys a sample as the week progresses. May make a superhot salsa out of some of those bhuts.

Happy growing all!

Spicegeist · Jul 2, 2014

Wow, awesome. Is there a Savannah 7 Pot in there?

GA Growhead · Jul 3, 2014

Looks like a Yellow 7 LRG in that last pict. Great flavor. Not like a reg yel 7 but ever so tasty!

JJJessee · Jul 4, 2014

Great pull you got there, Adam.
I'm surprised the Fatalli left a bitter, woody impression.
They've always be good to me.

Beautiful tail on that reaper!

maximumcapsicum · Jul 4, 2014

Spicegeist said:
Wow, awesome. Is there a Savannah 7 Pot in there?

I'll have to ask Scott! It's labeled as a Bhut 47. Nice pods... working my way through them.

Question... do you save all your seeds, even the open pollinated seeds? I've been trying to isolate but obviously building up a stock of open pollinated seeds so that I have plenty to pass out to budding pepper growers here and in the community plot/

GA Growhead said:
Looks like a Yellow 7 LRG in that last pict. Great flavor. Not like a reg yel 7 but ever so tasty!

Nice man! I wasn't sure if it was some kind of bonnet. I need to eat them a little faster... hard to do more than 2 supers in a day, lol. You have any luck refrigerating pods, or do you put them straight into the freeze?

Been a busy couple of days, but I have managed quiet a few pepper projects.

My building has a common grill area. The one I prefer is on the roof. I like the view:

The setup:

Decided to do a little spicy chickening on July 3rd (way too much competition for the grill space today.). I asked for good sweet hab/chicken recipes, and Rick delivered this (http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Smokin_-sweet-chicken-wings-with-cherry-barbecue-glaze-356438). HTML is on the fritz for some reason.

I made half wings and half drumsticks (wife's favorite), and they turned out wonderful.

Going to try to start doing a spicy grilling recipe every Thursday.

Back in the apartment I have two of the pods Scott sent me a sample.

Here is the Jigsaw Fatalii.

Intense little pod. Pungent and richly bitter, like some bourbons. The bitterness strikes me as a Fatalii trait. Woody Though honestly the dam thing was so hot I could barely register the taste. Maybe I am capping out a little bit... the Bhuts I've tried have a big range of flavors I can really get into. The 7 pot powders seem to as well. This sucker was so hot, up front and unrelenting, that I had trouble detecting the richness of the pod underneath. Need more practice!

Went for a double:

Mouth was still burning when I gave this guy a try. Not 100% sure what kind he is, but I hadn't tried a chocolate super yet so I figured why not. Looks kind of like a brown moruga and kind of like a brown version of a 7 pot.

You know I'm in trouble. Wonderful, rich, orange-y aroma with an almost maple undertone. There is a ton going on here. I popped about half of this bad boy in my mouth and whoa, it was like being punched in the face. Now, I was already burning from the jigsaw, so I am mixing my inputs a little here, but this kind set my whole face on fire. My stomach lurched and I had to pour a glass of milk almost immediately. I chewed, trying to taste through the heat, but alas I was done. Hard to know if it was the jigsaw or this guy, but this stuff was hot.

Ultimately, though, I think the funky reaper was more intense. I should try a little taste of all three back to back... maybe next time.

The 95° days are keeping me busy... got to make sure I give the plants a good soaking daily or pods will get rubbery. Everything is going really well right now though:

I've pulled about 5 lbs of tomatoes from two roma plants at this point.

And the 7 pot/reaper bed is catching up with the jalapeno/bhut bed. I don't think anyone is going to catch the king yellow bhut though.

This morning I tossed together a batch of "medium" jalapeno/lime salsa and canned it up. I got some ph strips so I can test for shelf stability. There were right around 3.

Thanks for reading! Hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July!

OCD Chilehead · Jul 5, 2014

The grilling quarters is fantastic. Great view. Thanks for the reviews. Scott's peppers are fantastic. No bitterness to the ones I sampled. The garden is looking great. I could only imagine what you could do with I bigger plot. Salsa is great looking, I bet it taste even better.

Happy Fourth of July to you as well. Thanks for sharing.

Chuck

stickman · Jul 5, 2014

You've been a busy guy Scott! Great foodie pics, pod porn and reviews of the pods you've tried. Glad you liked the hab/chicken glaze. Cheers!