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:

Inside Area:

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

 

[stickman]

Holy S#*! Lourens... Now THAT'S what I call a money shot!

 

[PeriPeri]

Starting the base sauce today. Bought a 70 litre pot and going to boil up the Bishops, Baby Belle Pimentos, Large Peri's, Big Jims and various long Thai/Jawalas...

Going to take some time for those pods to boil.... going to let them slow cook long time.

 

[RocketMan]

Looking g great so far Lourens but you need to try fermenting a batch of those hot little bad boys

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi RocketMan, certainly going to try various things with the bad bois... just boiling up the mild base sauce for now. The smell coming from that pot is amazing... rich, fruity, almost tomato smell... yum! My 70 litre pot is full now... will have to wait for everything to reduce before I can add the latest batch of pods I harvested yesterday. But looks like I will have to make two loads. I still have all the hot buggers in the deep freezer! Will do some alchemy with those later on

 

[stickman]

Took a quick look in before heading off to work... Cooking up an 18 gallon pot of sauce is a serious undertaking... resistance is useless, you've been assimilated! Wish I could be there to check it out Lourens, carry on...

 

[PeriPeri]

Should be about ready by the time you get back from work Stickman!

There was a 100 litre pot... but glad I didn't get it... would never have fitted on my stove lol

 

[GA Growhead]

That's a couple peppers you got there. Amazing lourens!

 

[megamoo]

Holy monkey crap that's a lot of chilli! I think you are going to need some breathing apparatus when the hot ones come out!

 

[Stefan_W]

Holy crap, that is one big batch of peppers you have on the go! I can practically smell it from here

 

[saugapepper]

That is an awesome photo of your peppers Renlous. Oops bit of dailysex on my part. I've always loved that an anagram for dyslexia is dailysex.

 

[PeriPeri]

That's a couple peppers you got there. Amazing lourens!

That is just from one days pickings... had to start cooking the peppers as I had no more freezer space!

Holy monkey crap that's a lot of chilli! I think you are going to need some breathing apparatus when the hot ones come out!

Yes, I fear this may be case. Biohazard gear is at the ready lol

Holy crap, that is one big batch of peppers you have on the go! I can practically smell it from here

Man, my house smells like a pepper! lol

That is an awesome photo of your peppers Renlous. Oops bit of dailysex on my part. I've always loved that an anagram for dyslexia is dailysex.

lol got to remember that one!

 

[PeriPeri]

Ok, well all that only yielded 25 litres of sauce. Really lovely sauce... but I was totally surprised that out of all those chillies I only got that much. When boiling the amount reduced and I added plenty more, till the pot was to the brim while reduced and boiling.

The end result was a really amazing red coloured sauce. I am still harvesting pods. Was at the farm again on Monday. Everything was bone dry, despite having watered intensively on Saturday... it has not rained at the farm now for over a month... I hope it rains soon - or at least I hope this is not it for the year for summer rains!

Yesterday, me and my assistant Caroline the Reaper went to do the obligatory picking. It takes a long time to water. Water pressure is low as the water comes from a bore hole and is only gravity fed. But if there is a next season at the farm, I will make sure to add a pressure pump into the equation. I did try running the watering meter to the line, but it reduces the pressure on the water so much, it does not have enough pressure to run through the sprinkler heads ok. Anyway, we watered.

I also added fish fert pellets to the mix. On the inside area... give those tail enders a boot up the derriere.

I also had to do some damage control. The colder weather seems to have slowed the activity of teh ladybirds. Sadly this has meant that aphids have come on strong. I think I mentioned earlier about nature doing its thing.... well maybe I spoke too soon lol I am thinking that with the cooler temps night time / day time and the dry weather we have been having, the ladybirds have not been as active. This has also been better for the aphids... so there has been an explosion. And this has been hampering the growth of certain plants (smaller plants).

So I have sprayed with Neem Oil. LAid down about 10 litres foliar on the inside area. I have used Neem Oil before and it has worked well last season. Should do the trick!

I have taken some pics, but again... it has been very busy here - so just a few. Sorry guys. Loads of harvesting again! Same haul as on Saturday I would say... so loads of chopping ahead. The Brainstrain has landed Looking forward to doing this taste test! Brown Bhuts also... quite a few new strains coming in soon!

 

[PeriPeri]

Clever 'lil fella'

Yup, this is my absolute champion chilli. Did another taste test and still madly in love with heat and flavour of this one. Sweet, orange & blossom... sweet, juicy... and a burn that just goes on forever. Perfect in every way... the King of chillies (in my humble opinion) - the NAga King Jolokia

Real perty

Purple Tiger - thanks Conor!

When do I know if these are ripe? Do they go red??

Ouch... this one is going to hurt! Mr Naga Viper in da house...

I do believe the White Haba is going to grace me with some fruit

Red Savina... I really am at a loss with all these red Habas... Red Haba, Scotch Bonnet, Red Savina & Antilaise Carribean... struggling to see the differences!

Slimmer, more pointy... tear drop/pendant shaped I guess...

The Hong Kong is changing colour... going brown to red. This one has a wee bit of sun scold... Not quite ready yet though.

Anyone for a Bump please

 

[megamoo]

bump

oh an pics on the sauce or it didn't happen

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi Mega... thanks! No, definately happened... all frozen already though. Sauce was a little runny... but I still need to boil up the supers - which I will add later. So more on the sauce in due course!

Once reduced, I ran the bits through a blender and strained it through fine wire flyscreen mesh stuff... which actually worked really well Didn't want too many pips in there - someone told me it makes the sauce bitter... not sure if this is fact.... but thought it a good idea.

This is the Antilais Carribean... looks very similar to Red Haba and Red Savina...

I did a taste test of these and I seemed to think these were less fruity than the Red Habas and had a more peppery burn...

Brainstrain

Co-incidentally, I think the Carolina Reaper could well be a cross between Brainstrain & Naga King Jolokia... hmmm

 

[locopao]

Real perty

Purple Tiger - thanks Conor!

Just EXCELLENT!!!

I really like the purple tiger though!!! Are these bumps or just water drops?

I tried to grow 2 of them this year but didn't make it... Both of them lost all thei leaves and eventually died.

Maybe i should try again now... I hope it's not too late

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi Locopao - welcome! They are magnificent... they are indeed water droplets! I got these seeds from a good friend and just had no hassles... grew well in the soil!

Good luck with your grow!

 

[PIC 1]

Wow, about 70 litres down to 25. That's some puree, did you add vinegar, "How Hot's the Heap" ?

 

[PeriPeri]

Wow, about 70 litres down to 25. That's some puree, did you add vinegar, "How Hot's the Heap" ?

Hey Pic1, it's about 10,000 - 20,000 SHU I would say... maybe a smidge more. Not so thick actually... more like Tabasco sauce. Not too worried as I will add the habs etc which will thicken the sauce ( I am hoping lol). I still have to do the blending and add spices etc... this I am planning to do when I get all the supers in. Just wanted to get rid of some of the bulk in my freezer to create more space. So now I have half a freezer available again yay!

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi All,

Has anyone grown Purple Tigers before? Does anyone know when they are ready for picking??