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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:
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Inside Area:
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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
 
Looking awesome Peri. Those Scotch Bonnets look like Caribbean Reds bud. Fatalii's look sooooo damn cool!
Hey Jamison. Thanks for the feedback. Gee Whiz... with all the wrong identities that have come through the ranks... I wouldnt be surpised... those could be Caribbean Reds indeed lol I have some Antilaise Carribeans growing and they look the same, just they seem to have a little pointy tip at the end. Knowing my luck those are labelled wrong too lol... it's all a muddle man!

Sorry these pics are blurry... too much rum and coke at this stage I think lol

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Some more colour... now this one I know for sure is a Tabasco lol

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Bishops turning orange... getting there... c'mon!

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Now these are supposed to be Red Habs...

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These are 7 pods/pots... but looking very gnarly indeed... look more like Primo or Jonahs I think....

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Naga Kings :) Tasty these... I love these babies :drooling:

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Simply beautiful pepper jungle you have. I cant wait to start having peppers like you so I live vicariously through your glog.
 
Hey Pia, thank you! You are doing well your side... won't be long and you are going to be dripping with hot hot pods ;)

Close up of the Naga King...

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Naga Morich... sloooooooowly turning colour lol

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Nagalah... coming on nicely. A few pods here, looking like they could be hot

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Blurry Pic... but Red Savina showing signs of life...

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That Indian Phuli Jyoti is throwing heaps of stringy pods. These ribbon like pods are still green... but I ate one and hell they pack some heat lol

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The next customer is one of my favourites... all of 3 pods on this tiny little plant lol Pods have same colouring as Tabascos...

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Naga Viper... pods are coming... early days. I really am looking forward to these babies :)

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A bit blurry, but little pods appearing on the viper.

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Hoo Laurens, you got us all drooling here! You got mad pepper skills my man! I haven't tried the Phuli Jyoti, but I can tell you that the Pusa Jwala chile from India is bloody hot as well. I think the Jwala might be a little longer, and they might be related.
 
Whew, man it just took me a good 15 minutes to go through your update! Now that's what I like to see :)

Really great looking plant and pods Laurens! You really have a great things going there!

Bill
 
Hoo Laurens, you got us all drooling here! You got mad pepper skills my man! I haven't tried the Phuli Jyoti, but I can tell you that the Pusa Jwala chile from India is bloody hot as well. I think the Jwala might be a little longer, and they might be related.
lol Stickman... usually I am the one who does the drooling... nice to hear you guys also doing some drooling lol

This is a great database I have come accross... worth checking out....

http://www.thechileman.org/results.php?find=JWALA%2C+&heat=Any&origin=Any&genus=Any&chile=1&submit=Search

Whew, man it just took me a good 15 minutes to go through your update! Now that's what I like to see :)

Really great looking plant and pods Laurens! You really have a great things going there!

Bill
lol glad you enjoyed the updates... Im on the home stretch now and all I can say is I am looking forward to winter. I never thought I would ever say that, but it has been an absolute labour of love... and I will rest in the knowledge that all my friends from the opposite side of the globe will keep my winter fire burning with brilliant glogs! The tought of all the chillies I still have to process is daunting though lol
 
Holy pepper jungle BatMon how we going to work our way thru dat humongous pepper jungle … Robin we’ll eat our way thru. BatMon don’t forget the BatMilk to cool our burning mouths down, Robin you wimp! We’ll be drinking Caribbean Cognac FTW, lol.

One did you find out what that beetle/fly insect is? I’ve seen one similar around here but don’t know what it is either. I kill dem as they make holes in my leaves :( BTW WalkGood wants to try that Antilaise Carribean pepper, I’m planning out next year all ready, hehe. Seriously that’s one grand pepper garden mon, I love it! Keep dat coming mi South African brethren :)
 
Holy smokes those plants are huge !
The unknown pepper looks similar to the Antillais 14.5, although I'm growing similar shaped "Yellow Congo" that are the same shape...
 
Holy pepper jungle BatMon how we going to work our way thru dat humongous pepper jungle … Robin we’ll eat our way thru. BatMon don’t forget the BatMilk to cool our burning mouths down, Robin you wimp! We’ll be drinking Caribbean Cognac FTW, lol.

One did you find out what that beetle/fly insect is? I’ve seen one similar around here but don’t know what it is either. I kill dem as they make holes in my leaves :( BTW WalkGood wants to try that Antilaise Carribean pepper, I’m planning out next year all ready, hehe. Seriously that’s one grand pepper garden mon, I love it! Keep dat coming mi South African brethren :)
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I just laughed so hard I nearly fell off my chair! That is precious!

I have not found the identity of the beetle/fly... but I intend to find out. I will keep you posted! I'm busy compiling taste tests of all the pods so far... nothing seriously hot yet ofcourse... but will be fun to try them all - including the Antilaise. I wonder how long the carrier pideon would take to transport the pod to Florida and if indeed the pideon would not just burn up somewhere over the Atlantic lol

Thank you Walkgood - your spirit and humor have kept me going through this glog!

Holy smokes those plants are huge !
The unknown pepper looks similar to the Antillais 14.5, although I'm growing similar shaped "Yellow Congo" that are the same shape...
lol they are getting quite big now... either that or I am actually a garden gnome and the plants just look huge lol Thanks for the pointer on the unknown... I will have to check out your suggestion... wonder if I can find some pics?! Thanks Pic1... I will check and revert!

I concur on the Yellow Congos... pods do look very similar. Lets see if they will turn yellow! I see theres a red and black version as well... cool!
 
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Lourens, here's a shot from my last seasons Yellow Congo. It's simlar to your photo, but your pods are larger.
There are some pretty large Red Hab varieties.....though
 
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Lourens, here's a shot from my last seasons Yellow Congo. It's simlar to your photo, but your pods are larger.
There are some pretty large Red Hab varieties.....though
Thanks Pic1 these do look very similar indeed. I'm wondering if maybe I didn't get some sort of a genetic throw back... which is all good in my books - I like surpizes :)

Wow, the leaves on those plants are unreal. Nicely done!
Hey Stefan, thanks. I think it's true to say it really is a jungle out there. One looses perception of size, cause there is just so many variations going on lol All I need now is to get more colour so I can harvest before the critters cotton on :)

Its that time of the year here in SA... mornings are just a fraction cooler now, which means reptiles of the slithering veriety are on the increase. They are all basking in the mornings... the farm manager bumped into two Cape Cobras yesterday morning just 15 minutes appart. I told him to release them in my chillies, as it will take care of those scavenging monkeys and pestly rodents!

Must make mental note... hosepipes are green not orange/brown! :doh:
 
Ok, we have some updates for you folk!

So the plant that Pic1 and I were talking about has colour. It was originally marked Red Habanero. Well the shape of the pods as well as their size suggested otherwise... now we have colour! I can safely say this is not a Red Habanero lol.... it is a rich Orange colour. I have no idea what it is or where it possibly comes from. But as of last night I can give this feedback :)

HOLY CRAP this is one hot chilli. Its big, thin skin, crunchy, citrus perfume undertones like a Fatalii.... but this pod is much much hotter than any Hab I have ever tried... this pod was characteristically much more like a naga/7pod... but I know its not a 7pod. It does look very much like a Congo - but unless my tollerance for hot chillies has somehow gone, this is way hotter. Could this be a Naga Morich? I see my other Naga Morich plant is similar, though these pods are much bigger... and the Naga Morich is turning red... ? Any Idea folks?

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As for the Naga Morich... it has started to turn... Nice! :)

Looking at it now... its shape is also different to the mystery chilli above... hmmm... anyone have any ideas?

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Whatever the mystery chilli above is... its a producer of note... man that plant is just dripping with pods!

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