NH Jalapeños 2018

 
This is Runty (photo taken on 6/26/2018). Runty is the smallest of a flat of six starter jalapeños we bought from the local garden store. Because he was so small I planted him straight into a 6" self watering pot. I don't use the self watering feature, it's just a pot I had on hand. I've found self watering leaves salt deposits on the surface of the soil and I don't like that. If you look close you can see a visiting grey tree frog among the punky wood mulch.
 
A few weeks before this photo was taken something cut him in half. I suspect a particularly bold chipmunk that was hanging out on our deck. I topped the other Jalas we bought in mid June and was gonna let Runty run free, but apparently the chipmunk had other plans.
 

 
This is runty today (no frog this time). I'm focusing this glog on Runty for now because he is going to win the bloom race. I made some critical drainage errors with my other Jalas and they seem to be a week or so behind. I'll take pics of them and pics of the seriously hurting mystery peppers and seriously hurting Hungarian Hot wax I'm growing as well. But those will be later updates.
 
My goal, other than delicious jalapeños, is to collect seeds from plants that can handle New Hampshire's annoyingly short and unpredictable growing season. So far we've had nights in the high 30's in June and a 7 day heat wave in July, followed immediately by a night in the 40's. The upcoming week is looking perfect. Highs in the 80s, nights around 60. I figure the first plant to bloom and set fruit will be the one I collect seeds from for this project, and Runty is in the lead. I have to keep reminding myself that we still have most of July, and all of Aug and Sept. October is kind of a wild card.
 
He's on our deck which gets about 5 hours of direct sunlight and then dappled for the afternoon. We've had success with plants on the deck in the past even with the short light. I've placed 4 of the other Jalas in the front yard which gets 7-8 hours of direct light and one in the back yard which gets closer to 4 hours. Figured I'd just see how they do even though I think I can guess. What I do know is we've had better results with peppers the size of Jalas / Hot Wax or smaller. Anything bigger and we're lucky to get one or two peppers on a plant.
 
I think that's it for now. Just wanted to get the glog started. I'm really impressed by all your grows! I won't be going as big or as hot. Jalas are about my heat limit.

 

[timegoat]

37 P. Tobasco pods pulled and dehydrated.
 

 
Tops and runaway seeds are steeping in that jar to make bug spray to chase the little critters off the containers.
 
p.s. (edit) Counted 42 Jalapeños today. I panicked waaay to early.

 

[luvmesump3pp3rz]

nice grow! i`m also in the northeast and growing jalapenos and cowhorns along with some others. i can`t start from seed in the early spring as i just don`t have the room for it so what i do is buy seedlings as early as i can find them(beginning of april) and put them outside during warmer days and bring them inside at night. by mid may when all danger of frost is over they go into large containers and are 12 to 18 inches tall at this point. i think it gives me a jump on our shortened growing season. i need to get a dehydrator. 

 

[CaneDog]

Nice harvest TGoat!  Glad to see the plants coming through for you.  I could have used some of your critter-be-gone sauce.  My sole Ot Heim plant was ravaged by rabbit(s) - but they may have gotten more than expected as I haven't seen any around since.
 
And hey, as long as you didn't panic until August then at least you followed your own advice.

 

[timegoat]

nice grow! i`m also in the northeast and growing jalapenos and cowhorns along with some others. i can`t start from seed in the early spring as i just don`t have the room for it so what i do is buy seedlings as early as i can find them(beginning of april) and put them outside during warmer days and bring them inside at night. by mid may when all danger of frost is over they go into large containers and are 12 to 18 inches tall at this point. i think it gives me a jump on our shortened growing season. i need to get a dehydrator. 

 
Thanks! We've relied on starter plants a lot too. This year was my first real stab at seed starting and next year I plan on more. Most the Jalas are starter plants and everything else was from seed. The way I see it, if the seeds don't work, then it's starter plant city! I gotta get some new lights for the Aero gardens though since they are key to my seed starting. Space is an issue for us as well but I've got enough room for a couple Aeros.
 
If you get a dehydrator (they're awesome) I'd recommend looking for one with adjustable temperature. I've had the non adjustable kind and they work but having some control is really nice. Look up "Cliff's Fantastic Jerky" if you need a good Jerky recipe. I made one batch of that stuff and never looked back.
 

 

[timegoat]

Nice harvest TGoat!  Glad to see the plants coming through for you.  I could have used some of your critter-be-gone sauce.  My sole Ot Heim plant was ravaged by rabbit(s) - but they may have gotten more than expected as I haven't seen any around since.
 
And hey, as long as you didn't panic until August then at least you followed your own advice.

 

So far so good! Something nibbled on one of my Jalas a few weeks ago. They left it half eaten and never came back either. Depending on the size of the critter, it seems that hot peppers are their own repellent.
 
The panic came first, then I came up with the advice. I've been panicking since June.

 

[timegoat]

The deck gang is looking great! Imagine if I hadn't stunted them for all of June!
 

 

[timegoat]

Some close ups of the deck gang. From left to right.
 
Mystery Pepper, Serrano
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Cayenne
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Tobasco (second flush of pods)
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Jalapeño
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Cowhorn
 

 
 
Jalapeño #5
 

 
 
Runty!
 

 
 
Havasu (there were 5 pods, we ate one, it was delicious. Hoping the children of this plant aren't mutants).
 

 
 
Hurting Hungarian Hot Wax #1
 

 
 
I'll get a photo update on the front yard next.
 

 

[timegoat]

The front yard gang.
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Serrano
 

 
 
Jalapeño #1
 

 
 
(Not) Jalapeño #2
 

 
 
Jalapeño #3
 

 
 
Jalapeño #4
 

 
Mystery Pepper, Jalapeño
 

 
 
Mystery Pepper, Cowhorn
 

 
All in all, I'm very happy with the recovery from June. Should have time to ripen. Been nipping buds since time is (maybe) running out. Always get a few chilly nights at the end of Aug, then Sept warms back up for a bit, and then it's all downhill till spring.

 

[luvmesump3pp3rz]

nice grow. your plants look like they are doing well. 

 

[timegoat]

Thanks! This is turning into my best year yet. Already planning and looking forward to next year with the hard lessons learned. My only regret is buying that packet of mystery seeds. Most of that stuff is too hot for me.

 

[CaneDog]

Looking good. Hopefully your heat tolerance will increase as you work your way through the mystery harvest!

 

[timegoat]

Looking good. Hopefully your heat tolerance will increase as you work your way through the mystery harvest!

 
I hadn't thought about it like that. It might just work.

The current plan is:
 
Tobasco and Cayenne will be likely be fermented with some garlic for a hot sauce. Never done that before, but I've made mead so it shouldn't be too different process wise and I have the equipment for fermentation. We're not really hot sauce people but we got the pods so why not give it a shot.
 
Jalapeños will be, and currently are being, eaten at will and anything left when the cold comes will be pickled. Probably throw the cowhorns in the jars too.
 
If Runty ripens, I'll harvest it's seeds for next year. Little guy deserves procreation and to be eaten on a pizza. Chicken tacos would be equally honorable. Besides, he's the only Jala that I'm nearly certain didn't get crossed.
 
Hungarian Hot Wax and Serranos will be combined for a hot pepper onion relish. Will probably pick up a few red bells just to soften the blow... or not.
 
I don't know what to do with (Not) Jalapeño #2. It doesn't have much flavor and it's mild compared to the actual Jalas. Salsa maybe? We have some plum tomatoes growing too. They're all gonna need a home.
 
I hope to get some seeds off the Havasu for next year, and they too will be pickled. I think they might make for a slightly spicy banana pepper alternative. I've had no luck with actual banana peppers so an alternative would be nice.
 
Gotta thin out the selection for next year. Jalapeños, Hot Wax, Havasu (I hope), and a mini sweet. We know what we like and what we'll use. I also want to start selecting seeds from plants that do well up here. I can separate 3-4 types with enough space to keep cross pollination to a minimum. Light is at a premium, but maybe I can select seeds for less light too.
 
Sheesh. I got a lot of delicious work ahead of me still. Yum!

 

[timegoat]

Our first nights in the low 40s are coming up this weekend. This signals the beginning of the end and that's ok. We have more Jalapeños than I could have hoped for and best of all they don't need to ripen. Can't even estimate how many jars we'll end up with but it'll be our best year by far. No way to know how much more time we have but better to be ready than caught by surprise.
 
The Havasu is starting to show signs of ripening. I've been doing some research and I don't think the seeds will be worth the effort. Having said that, I got my replacement lights for the Aerogardens and I might see how they do over the winter. Depending on how that goes, I may or may not take another stab at banana peppers next year. I think if I put them out front (9hrs sun) we should get a decent haul?
 
Runty isn't showing signs of ripening yet, but we still have some time and he's in a small enough pot that I can bring him indoors if need be. If he doesn't make it to red, I've already acquired some Jalapeño seeds for next year.
 
The Hot Wax are a pretty nice yellow, as opposed to light green, and we might get some ripening we might not.
 
Might have to rethink some processing plans. It's all good. I can still make hot relish with green peppers, it just won't look as cool. And I may just end up dehydrating the Tabasco and Cayennes.
 
Definitely going to start next year's seeds in March as opposed to May, and I hope not to piss away June with dumb mistakes. We shall see!

 

[CaneDog]

Amazing how quickly the season can turn around sometime and you go from worries you'll have enough to what am I going to do with all these peppers all at once!
 
Seems likely if you bring Runty in he will come around and seems like he's earned a future generation. I have my own runt this year with just one pepper and about half as tall as the plant and it's taking forever to ripen.
 
 

Definitely going to start next year's seeds in March as opposed to May, and I hope not to piss away June with dumb mistakes. We shall see!

 
Every year there's something I'm going to correct next year and even if when I do there's something else!  All seems to work out OK though.  Early start is a biggie.  Really made a difference for me this year after a later start last year.
 
Good luck using all those peppers!

 

 

[timegoat]

Amazing how quickly the season can turn around sometime and you go from worries you'll have enough to what am I going to do with all these peppers all at once!
 
Seems likely if you bring Runty in he will come around and seems like he's earned a future generation. I have my own runt this year with just one pepper and about half as tall as the plant and it's taking forever to ripen.

 
Runty is gonna make it! He's showing signs of ripening now. I'll take a pic when he's ready. He's totally earned future generations and, Big Guy willing, he will have more offspring than stars in the sky. I hope your Runty makes it. What is it about the underdogs?
 
Weather's gonna behave for the forecastable future. Havasu is ripening nicely. One of the cowhorns and one of the other Jalapeños are also showing signs. Not a peep out of the Serranos yet and the Hot Wax are still no more than yellow. I'm a happy grower.
 

 

 

[timegoat]

Runty and the Havasu
 

 

[timegoat]

Runty!
 

 
Well, the day I was certain would never come has arrived. The timing couldn't be better as it's chicken taco night and my wife and I will be enjoying Runty's first ripe pod. The only pod I wanted to harvest seeds from. Next year we'll see if Runty's offspring are up to the job. Might even see if we can get one fired up in the AG over the winter. More seeds can't hurt.
 
Oh yeah, everything else is doing good too. Should be swimming in home grown and pickled Jalapeños this winter. Life is good.

 

[luvmesump3pp3rz]

nice ripe pod there. i`m a little south of you and my 3 jalapeno plants are still flowering and getting new pods and i`m probably 2 or 3 weeks away from our first frost. enjoy those tacos!

 

[CaneDog]

good stuff!

 

[timegoat]

nice ripe pod there. i`m a little south of you and my 3 jalapeno plants are still flowering and getting new pods and i`m probably 2 or 3 weeks away from our first frost. enjoy those tacos!

 
Yeah, time is short. We're looking at a low of 37º up here tonight. Everything should survive, but active growth is certainly over for us. Now we milk the days for every second we can get. Tacos were great!