PaulG 2014

RocketMan · Oct 28, 2014

Dang Paul, that Tepin is covered in pods! Great little plant and loving it there too. I'm liking that Black Pearl and the Twilight too, I had started a couple back in the original grow but they didn't make it

Here's to a better, more normal winter this year!

PaulG · Oct 29, 2014

PIC 1 said:
Hey Paul..I'm glad to see you've given the cloning process a shot. The amount of leaves you trimmed is fine. I've done both in the past, trimmed all the large leaves off and left fruit and small new growth intact..and have also trimmed all but the top most leaves.
Both procedures work... you may get some leaf droppage so don't be discouraged. The main concern is to keep the cuttings in a humid environment. Until the roots form you'll need to hydrate the cutting with a misting bottle. A micro amount of epsom salts or foliar feed can be added to the water. You could probably fit all three solo cups in a 5 gal bucket with saran wrap over the top to trap moisture.

That would be nice getting a steady supply of Tepins throughout the winter. Will you use window light or the flouros ?

Thanks, my friend! Not too worried about the leaf drop if it happens.
I'm surprised the flowers haven't dropped off yet. Our ambient humidity
is around 90-100 percent these days, so I think that won't be too much
of an issue in the greenhouse. I try to keep the low temps around 50˚ so
progress may be slow, but the cuttings should be okay. Once they really
get some roots, I'll probably bring them inside for the winter, but haven't
decided what to do then for sure, yet. They would avoid pest issues inside.

The Tepin will stay outside as long as possible under a canopy. When the
weather gets freezing, I'll bring it in. We'll just have to see how it does. It's
too big for the greenhouse at the moment cuz I have it full of bags of soil
and stuff!

RocketMan said:
Dang Paul, that Tepin is covered in pods! Great little plant and loving it there too. I'm liking that Black Pearl and the Twilight too, I had started a couple back in the original grow but they didn't make it

Here's to a better, more normal winter this year!

Dude! You're the page topper twice in a row. Shane would be proud!

I'm lovin' that little guy; must be several hundred pods on it, and more
getting red each day. It's hard to be patient and let them keep turning!

Sorry to hear your ornamentals didn't make it. Give a shout out if you
want more seeds for them. Maybe you'd like some Chili Costa Rica
seeds? it's the most awesome ornamental I've seen except for the
Bolivian Rainbow.

Would be nice to think we'd have a more normal winter this year. Those
multiple weeks of below 30˚ 24/7 sort of put the kibosh on the yard!

RocketMan · Oct 29, 2014

Oh man, that would be great. I only had a few seeds for each and was hoping to collect seed as pods ripened but... Thanks for the offer, I'll PM you my add and yes, I love some Chili Costa Rica seed too.

PaulG · Oct 29, 2014

RocketMan said:
Oh man, that would be great. I only had a few seeds for each and was hoping to collect seed as pods ripened but... Thanks for the offer, I'll PM you my add and yes, I love some Chili Costa Rica seed too.

Roger that, my friend!

PaulG · Oct 29, 2014

I was searching seed drying on line and found this page:

http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Crop/785.pdf

Pretty interesting if a bit much for a hobby grower, but the bottom line drying seeds
between 90F and 105F is their recommendation based on moisture content of seeds.

I dried my pods at 105˚ this season, so I'm hoping the seeds are all viable. I napkin
dried a few varieties, but most are air-dried in the dehydrator.

Devv · Oct 29, 2014

Interesting read Paul. But I feel it's geared more for production seed saving.

I just cut out the placenta's and place them on a Styrofoam plate while keeping them from touching one another. The house is at 78° all summer and it's rather arid here, plus the ceiling fan is on 99% of the time. I see no mold (ever) nor discoloration. I let them sit for around 60 days or so before separating them from the placenta. They then go in the plastic bags. The moisture content has to be correct, or I would see a color change in my little baggies...none so far.

PaulG · Oct 29, 2014

Devv said:
Interesting read Paul. But I feel it's geared more for production seed saving. It is, for sure, but the general ideas are applicable, I think.

I just cut out the placenta's and place them on a Styrofoam plate while keeping them from touching one another. The house is at 78° all summer and it's rather arid here, plus the ceiling fan is on 99% of the time. I see no mold (ever) nor discoloration. I let them sit for around 60 days or so before separating them from the placenta. They then go in the plastic bags. The moisture content has to be correct, or I would see a color change in my little baggies...none so far.

Right on, brother. Nice to have that low humidity and warm temps
to count on. I just don't have enough flat surfaces to spread out a
bunch of seeds on plates so thought I'd try the 105˚ drying routine this year.
If it works, it will be way easier to manage.

PaulG · Oct 30, 2014

Just a quick pic of a few more peruvian seed Aji Amarillo picked yesterday.
Still a good dozen or two that are ripening up, even with the cooler, wet weather:

One positive; the night temps are back into the low 50's, which has kept them ripening in good fashion.

slade122 · Oct 30, 2014

Nice pics, The peruvian Amarillos looks amazingly tasty. Tepins are exploding with peppers, great pictures paul. The season is definitely winding down for you - at those temps the peppers are going to be moving at a crawl compared to what they were.

Your clones are looking good, especially for coming from a flowering plant. Sometimes it can be difficult to get the plant to revert to a growing phase from my experience. I've always had the best results with tender spring growth, like you stated.

PaulG · Oct 30, 2014

slade122 said:
Nice pics, The peruvian Amarillos looks amazingly tasty. Tepins are exploding with peppers, great pictures paul. The season is definitely winding down for you - at those temps the peppers are going to be moving at a crawl compared to what they were.

Your clones are looking good, especially for coming from a flowering plant. Sometimes it can be difficult to get the plant to revert to a growing phase from my experience. I've always had the best results with tender spring growth, like you stated.

Thanks, Slade!

The Ajis are an outstanding pepper, taste is great and the heat is not face melting.
I just froze a whole bunch of split and seeded pods for our peruvian friend. The rest
will be dried for awesome powder.

We'll see how the clones work out. If Pic1 says it'll work, I have to believe him!
I am amazed they are still standing and not dropping everything.

Devv · Oct 30, 2014

Those Aji peppers are really pretty Paul

Essegi · Oct 31, 2014

PaulG said:
Just a quick pic of a few more peruvian seed Aji Amarillo picked yesterday.

That color is really beautiful!

PaulG · Oct 31, 2014

Devv said:
Those Aji peppers are really pretty Paul

Essegi said:
That color is really beautiful!

Hey, Scott and SG! Thanks fellas.

The Ajis look almost fluorescent orange on the plant,
and dried, they maintain the bright orange color.

PaulG · Nov 1, 2014

Managed to snag a few ripe Tepins and c. chacoense var. Exile today.
Still lots more on the bushes:

The texas Tepins really color up a bowl:

Into the dryer. Doing this batch at 100:

bpwilly · Nov 2, 2014

Congrats on the Tepins.

This is my first year growing them, and while the plants has lots of pods, all of them re still green. Not a single one has colored up at all. I might see if I can move it into the greenhouse and see if I can get at least another 30-45 days more growing out of it that way. Was hoping to get at least a few ripe ones so I could call it a victory!

Devv · Nov 2, 2014

Tepins look great Paul!

I have some seeds to try for next season

HillBilly Jeff · Nov 2, 2014

I liked them the two seasons I grew them. Might stick a plant in next season even though I am cutting back.

PaulG · Nov 2, 2014

bpwilly said:
Congrats on the Tepins. Thanks to a nice grow season!

This is my first year growing them, and while the plants has lots of pods, all of them re still green. Not a single one has colored up at all. I might see if I can move it into the greenhouse and see if I can get at least another 30-45 days more growing out of it that way. Was hoping to get at least a few ripe ones so I could call it a victory!

Yes! For sure put it in the greenhouse.
If you can keep it warm - 40's - it will keep ripening slowly.
You could even take it inside and put it in front of a sunny window!

If you don't get any pods, I can save some dried ones for ya for seeds.
I'm drying the last batch at 100˚.

Every pod…, brother!

Devv said:
Tepins look great Paul! Thanks, bro!

I have some seeds to try for next season

They should really grow for you down there, Scott.

Be cool if you could get them naturalized somewhere :think:

HillBilly Jeff said:
I liked them the two seasons I grew them. Might stick a plant in next season even though I am cutting back.

Can't go wrong. Decent sized pods for a wild and easy to pick!

And they make one of my favorite powders!

One plant can't hurt

Roguejim · Nov 2, 2014

Any preference between Tepins, and Pequins? If so, why?

PaulG · Nov 3, 2014

Roguejim said:
Any preference between Tepins, and Pequins? If so, why?

Hey, Jim. No real reason. I tried to grow out a chiltepin - more like a pequin - my first
season without much luck getting any pods, but the tepins seemed to do better here.

Not sure if I'll grow one out next year or not if I get a decent amount of powder from this one.