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PeriPeri's Grow Log 2012: South Africa

Hi All,

So I'll give it another try this year. God knows I love chillies and I would love nothing more than to have a bumper harvest... but I suspect the truth of the matter is I do not have green fingers. In fact, give me a chilli and I will be pretty guaranteed to kill it lol That's not negativity talking, that's reality based on last years experiences lol

Last year it was pots. This year its a farm east of Pretoria, here in South Africa. My reasoning for this madness is pretty much like a hunter hunting with a machine gun... out of the thousand seedlings I plant... I must walk away with something lol (I hope).

So I have a pice of land. Good soil down by a river in the african sun.

The planting area has been divided into two sections. An enclosed area (±40mx40m) with shade netting and an open area (±40mx40m). Water is limited, but there is borehole water.

Outside Area:
outside.jpg


Inside Area:
inside.jpg


Temps this time of the year are in the mid to high 30ºC. It's the rainy season, so there is rain and it comes in buckets and hail-stones!

So here are the pics I took of the inside and outside areas Saturday 6/10/2012. It was 37ºC that day. I have a video as well which I took last Sunday when I started the planting (to come). Luckily we have a cold front at the moment, so since monday it has been overcast, cool and we have rain (magic). I think its about 23/25ºC at the moment. I planted on Sunday (36ºC) early morning (24/25ºC) and late afternoon and pretty much watered for the rest of the day. Didn't look like rain at all... but it's here and could not have come at a better time really!

As you can see I have laid out the beds in rows. Planting is at 45-60cm intervals. I am doing a little experiment also with double planting and single planting. I suspect the yield will be lower with the bushes that have been double planted... but who knows. A different climate... maybe results will show different.

On the grow list:

Bishops Crown
PeriPeri (naturally)
Hotazel
Hot Pixie
Thaibo
Thai Dragon
Baby Belle
Cal Wonder
Yellow Scorpions
ButchT
Black Pearl
Naga Viper
White Hab
Orange Hab
Brown Hab
Red Hab
Big Jim
Long Thai
Cayenne
Cheyenne
Jalapeno
Carolina Reaper
Serrano
Pasilla Bajio
7 Pod
Bhut Jolokia
Naga King
Scotch Bonnet
Hungarian Sweet Wax
Cherry Bomb
Boriya Mirch
Brain Strain
Ring of Fire

Still to come...

Angkor Sunrise
Devils Tongue White
Barrakpore
Douglah
Jonah
JonahxButchT
Primo
Naga Morich
Infinity
Goronong
Devils Tongue Choc
Hab Choc

One or two other... but I can't remember.

First lot I planted on Sunday 7/10/2012.... details will follow...

Over and out for now!

PeriPeri
 
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This was some research I did on the Ghost Pepper

http://thehotpepper.com/blog/77/entry-276-ghost-chilli-low-down/

was interesting and fun at the same time to find this info :)
 
Lourens that was an interesting read. I'd be curious what type of accidental crosses are happening over China's border.
Some folks pass on growing the "Morich". I have a few types and find the plants more prolific and the pods are as hot if not hotter than the Bhut.
 
PIC 1 said:
Lourens that was an interesting read. I'd be curious what type of accidental crosses are happening over China's border.
Some folks pass on growing the "Morich". I have a few types and find the plants more prolific and the pods are as hot if not hotter than the Bhut.
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Thanks Pic1, I have only ever tried what was referred to as the Naga King... but I loved it. Heat was super hot, but the flavour was incredible and that burn just went on for what seemed like hours... :)
 
Lourens, great updates & pics as always, enjoyed the read on ghost peppers, thanks. BTW I like that small pepper you’re growing, reminds me of how small my Thai hot peppers are, hehe. At first I was thinking of gifting them but during the holidays I started decorating the top of my dips with them for gifts in nice ceramic dipping bowls. I ended up liking the finished look and added heat for the first servings. While not a scorcher, as you say they’re certainly hotter than they look for their size and they're great conversational peppers :D
 
WalkGood said:
Lourens, great updates & pics as always, enjoyed the read on ghost peppers, thanks. BTW I like that small pepper you’re growing, reminds me of how small my Thai hot peppers are, hehe. At first I was thinking of gifting them but during the holidays I started decorating the top of my dips with them for gifts in nice ceramic dipping bowls. I ended up liking the finished look and added heat for the first servings. While not a scorcher, as you say they’re certainly hotter than they look for their size and they're great conversational peppers :D
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Thanks WalkGood... it was interesting to gather the info and put it all together. I find that there is so much discrepancy iro of the information out there about chillies. The information is out there all over the place, so its nice to kind of pull it all together.

You know, I just love the variety our hobby brings... different colours, strengths, shapes and ofcourse sizes. I get a thrill out of growing the worlds largest and what must be one of the worlds smallest... and everything inbetween... when I grow chillies - I struggle to kill any along the way and I could just sit there and watch them grow and never get bored :) I guess that just means I am hooked :D In my country there is so little options when it comes to chillies... I'm loving just having all this variety at my finger tips!
 
My Bad, for some reason I thought I had 52 varieties of chillies... I have counted, there were 66. I think I lost about 3 along the way. So I have about 63 varieties at the mo - yay! :)
 
I get into argument with my wife about this stuff. I want to pull out certain seedlings or plants so the others grow stronger and to eliminate the weak, and she always gets upset and calls me a murderer. So we compromise: I pull out the weak and unwanted when she isn't looking and don't tell her about it :)
 
Great Pics as usual Piri, it will be great to see how well your C. Reaper does for you, Did you plant it later than the rest as I noticed that it and some others were much smaller than the rest of the peppers you have.
My Orchid pepper is much like your Bishop's Hat, mild heat but very flavorful. I think though it have crossed with a preatermissum that I let grow next to it, so I expect a smaller and more hotter version this coming season, I might see if I can cross it with a T.Scorpion that I have, it should make for a gnarly cross.
I hope you get the rain your looking for, we got some heavy storms that flooded several counties and caused all kinds of hell in Alabama,Georgia and Tennessee, now the weather is cold again I woke up to 34F. this morning and had to watch my step as things were starting to freeze, which was mother nature reminding me that its still winter.
 
Hi Wildseeds57, thanks for checking in. Thank you, most of my pics are taken on the iphone and I must say it does take some pretty good pictures at times. Yes, the Reaper was planted a little later than the first lot. But I remember when I planted them, I had a problem with aheat wave. I had planted 6 and 4 got fried. I was left with two, but they were very small and really looked like they would never make it. Luckily they pulled through and survived... but it set them back by months. There are flowers now and I think there may well be pods forming this week. Going to keep a close eye on those babies!

I love the Bishops hat. It has such a freaky shape and actually is one of the tastiest chillies, even though it is not that hot at all. I did a taste test of my first Cherry Bomb the other day, and I must say, it was equally as tasty as the Bishops - same heat. Look forward to your hybrid Orchid pepper... sounds like fun! We had rain in Joburg last night... will call later to check if they had rain on the farm. In any case, I will go through there on Saturday possibly to check on things. I am sure there will be a flush of colour... I am holding thumbs. We don't get much of a winter. A lot of plants do overwinter, but the really hot ones will not survive. I guess i will have to try and make a plan somehow. Maybe pot up a few of each for the winter. We do get frost at night time and the occasional black frost at this farm... so I am definately going to have to make a plan come end April...

Stefan_W said:
I get into argument with my wife about this stuff. I want to pull out certain seedlings or plants so the others grow stronger and to eliminate the weak, and she always gets upset and calls me a murderer. So we compromise: I pull out the weak and unwanted when she isn't looking and don't tell her about it :)
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lol Stefan you ninja assasin you!

To pluck or not to pluck this is the question!

I must say that when things go wrong at an early seedling stage, it is very unlikely they will survive - and if they do - they take a long long time to catch up. So I usually make the executive decision to pluck and give the space to another :) Ninja assasins of this world unit!
 
I hear ya guys... I try to be humane, but If I need the space for something I want more, they're gonna go... one way or another!

When do you figure you'll start harvesting in earnest Lourens? You must be getting close. Cheers
 
Stickman uses a chainsaw when he cuts them down :silenced:

I am going through tomorrow... so I hear from the guys at the farm that the chillies are turning! So I am going to go prepared with paper bags and baskets! Very excited now... will take some pics!

Going to be a busy weekend.... lol
 
I will be doing mostly containers for 20 to 50 plants depending if I can get all the soil I want. If anything looks like they are to weak they will go as I have limited space this year in the garden so I will put my hot peppers in containers that way I can spread them out and will be able to net them which will help keep the bugs from eating them up.
Can't wait to see the pics of all the ripe pods keep up the good work, it sounds like you will be getting a good harvest.
 
WalkGood said:
Do I smell the makings of another video :)
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Yea for sure. Someone got to do it... might as well be me lol!

wildseed57 said:
I will be doing mostly containers for 20 to 50 plants depending if I can get all the soil I want. If anything looks like they are to weak they will go as I have limited space this year in the garden so I will put my hot peppers in containers that way I can spread them out and will be able to net them which will help keep the bugs from eating them up.
Can't wait to see the pics of all the ripe pods keep up the good work, it sounds like you will be getting a good harvest.
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Hey Wildseed57, thanks... I will definately be taking footage. 50 pots should keep you very busy this season - good luck! I have had no intervention iro insects this year. I have seen aphids and let them be as there is an absolute balance of good and bad in my garden. So many lady birds doing their thing, they keep the aphids in check. Really lady birds are an amazing help!
 
Ok, so I'm on the farm today. Not all fireworks yet. Just a couple.... But I have got something you guys going to love.... It's the Carolina Reaper :) its got pods and I know there's been some mixed reports... But you can see it here first when I get to upload the pic of the pod.... It's pretty impressive!!!
 
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