Mild choc/brown suggestions?

E

EBHarvey

I'm stumped here folks.  I think  I'm a pretty good grower, at least past the initial learning curve.  Chinenses give me no trouble at all and I've got more superhots in my freezer and closet than I'll ever use, but one thing keeps eluding me: a mild, sweet, smoky brown/chocolate annum or baccatum that will actually ripen before the end of the season.  I'm in zone 6b, so you'd think they'd have plenty of time, but for some reason I can't buy a ripe pod when growing anything with brown skin that's not a chinense.  
 
Two years ago Pasillas (Bajio and Oaxaca) put out a handful of pods each in midsummer then did nothing for 2 months, then loaded up with pods a month before frost but they never turned color and I had to pick them green.  A whole row of Aji Pancas last year refused to flower, grew 5 feet tall, then set a thousand pods in like October that never got close to ripe before our first freeze.  Various Anchos have all behaved similarly.  All this while dozens of red, orange, and yellow chinenses, baccutums, frutescens, and annums, along with chocolate chinenses behaved "normally" in adjacent rows.  What's going on here?  Is there something special about these sorts of varieties that just makes them more difficult in a short season?
 
I now have a half-dozen of Judy's Dulce Marrons that have been in the ground now for a month and are barely 8 inches tall while their neighbors are all 2-3 times bigger, so I'm not all that optimistic that they're going to break the curse for me.  Somebody help me out here, what do I try next, Chilhuacle Negro?  Ethiopian Brown?  I want to make mole damnit!
 
Thanks - Eli
 
if you're having problems with them it makes me think you're doing something wrong growing them. i'm in 6b and don't have problem. try growing them in 3 gal pots instead of in the ground. this should cause the plant to get rootbound and fruit earlier.
 
i vote for pasilla and Chilhuacle
 
+1 on the Negro Chilhuacle, give me a pm if you need some seeds.
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Ethiopian Berbere. It has pretty good heat for an annuum. This is my first year growing them, and I already have lots of pods (like other annuums). I think they are best suited for drying, as the pod tends to quickly lose moisture once ripe - but can be used fresh too. I'm going to try it in Mole soon. Here's a picture from Pepperlover (where I purchased seeds). You can visit her site for more info.
 
Edit: Not sure of the SHU, but the early pods I've tasted are similar to my zingy "cracked" jalapenos.
 
hpim6605.jpg
 
hottoddy said:
Ethiopian Berbere. It has pretty good heat for an annuum. This is my first year growing them, and I already have lots of pods (like other annuums). I think they are best suited for drying, as the pod tends to quickly lose moisture once ripe - but can be used fresh too. I'm going to try it in Mole soon. Here's a picture from Pepperlover (where I purchased seeds). You can visit her site for more info.
 
Edit: Not sure of the SHU, but the early pods I've tasted are similar to my zingy "cracked" jalapenos.
 
hpim6605.jpg
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I am planning to grow these next year what is better aji panca or Ethiopian brown berbere?
I have seeds for both form Judy.
 
Plantguy76 said:
I am planning to grow these next year what is better aji panca or Ethiopian brown berbere?
I have seeds for both form Judy.
Click to expand...
 
I really don't know if there's a "better" one. I am growing Ethiopian Berbere for the first time mainly to make powder. I also grow Aji Amarillo and Aji Lemon (both baccatums), which make for good eating. I haven't grown Aji Panca yet but hear it's hard to classify - technically a chinense, but shares characteristics with annuums and baccatums. Panca looks like another good one to make powder. I can tell you that my Beberes are very prolific so far and easy to dry!
 
hottoddy said:
 
I really don't know if there's a "better" one. I am growing Ethiopian Berbere for the first time mainly to make powder. I also grow Aji Amarillo and Aji Lemon (both baccatums), which make for good eating. I haven't grown Aji Panca yet but hear it's hard to classify - technically a chinense, but shares characteristics with annuums and baccatums. Panca looks like another good one to make powder. I can tell you that my Beberes are very prolific so far and easy to dry!
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Thank you hottoddy for all your great information !
 
Great thread, I was trying to decide between Aji Panca and the Bere Bere pepper for next years grow as well.  I am leaning towards the Panca as I have grown many Aji types.  Maybe I'll flip a coin. 
 
Jimbo,
 
That pepper looks awesome!  Whenever I see a great looking pepper like the one you've go, it makes me want to grow one! :rolleyes:
 
Jim
 
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