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

 

[PeriPeri]

Dude! Shouldn't you be cleansing your palate between peppers?... like spacing them out a day or two apart... I bet Caroline laughed her a__ off! Good on ya for being "game" though. Any video taste tests in the works?

Hey Stickman! Yes - I try a water biscuit/cracker in between the taste tests... works well pwahhahahahahah like a week more like it!

That will be my next job... editing all the taste test vids - so many to edit now

Hi Doc! Haha - no, compared to some of the guys on this site I am a wimp. For instance I don't sleep on a nail bed or use sand paper for my toilet paper. But, I would say clearly there is a bit of Münchausen Syndrome at play here

I still have to try the Naga Viper and Brainstrain.... I have been putting it off for days... man I am so not looking forward to those two!!!!

 

[saugapepper]

Lourens, I thought you were dead mate. Good to see you are still of this world and not buried in your pepper patch.

Now please, for the love of God upload pics from this past weekend.

 

[PIC 1]

I'm curious to hear how you like the Viper. 7/Pots are nasty devils. The Brain St. is no slouch either.

 

[Chaosbites]

Too many pods, too little time. You'll need to take a leave of absence at work to take care of this little pepper problem. Then it will be off to pepper rehab for you! Ha ha

What do you do with the strained out bits? I wonder if it would help keep the crazy critters you have there away.

Michelle

 

[PeriPeri]

I'm curious to hear how you like the Viper. 7/Pots are nasty devils. The Brain St. is no slouch either.

Hey Pic1... they are sitting there looking at me and I just have not got the time - nor - the stomach for that unholy mess lol Maybe tomorrow (or at least - so I keep telling myself) - whimp that I am! lol

 

[WalkGood]

Lourens, I'm just getting back from yesterday and catching up on your grow today, love dat “Happy Easter” picture, wow very nice mon! Great pictures of the peppers in your new pot, dam that sucker is big! You only yielded 25 liters of sauce, for shame hahaa only kidding. The most I’ve ever harvested is a few pounds compared to your tons, feeling like a mosquito How the heck are you going to bottle all dat, one liter bottles, lol or did you get a bottling machine too

Holy flame thrower BatMon a Red Savina, Brown Bhut and den topped off with a big Naga King … “boy robin hurls with excitement, you gonna regret dat one in da morning BatMon.” Lols … looking forward to the Naga Viper, video, video, video, heheh

Great to catch up on your grow again, keep up the killer work ... looking forward to see what you do in the off season, are you going to go indoors?

 

[PeriPeri]

Too many pods, too little time. You'll need to take a leave of absence at work to take care of this little pepper problem. Then it will be off to pepper rehab for you! Ha ha

What do you do with the strained out bits? I wonder if it would help keep the crazy critters you have there away.

Michelle

Hi Michelle. Thanks for dropping in. My boss (me) is a bastard who never gives leave lol So I have to steal time when I can lol

I have found nothing of value for the strained out bits. I contemplated filling the bathtub and dropping my ex wife in it as a potential solution to a long term problem - but I had a change of heart and dumped it on the compost heap I had not thought about the crazy critters at the farm... good thought! Thanks for the the idea.

Lourens, I thought you were dead mate. Good to see you are still of this world and not buried in your pepper patch.

Now please, for the love of God upload pics from this past weekend.

Still alive there Conor... just! A never ending pile of pods to work through here. Evevry day I go to the farm, my table is loaded with heaps of pods... really - it's enough now! I know I have not uploaded decent pics in a while... and I must and will make a plan! Your Cabe Merah is coming along nicely... also the Douglah Red. The fish ferts I gave last weekend have kicked plants up a gear - which is good... hopefully we will see things happening before winter sets in for good.

Lourens, I'm just getting back from yesterday and catching up on your grow today, love dat “Happy Easter” picture, wow very nice mon! Great pictures of the peppers in your new pot, dam that sucker is big! You only yielded 25 liters of sauce, for shame hahaa only kidding. The most I’ve ever harvested is a few pounds compared to your tons, feeling like a mosquito How the heck are you going to bottle all dat, one liter bottles, lol or did you get a bottling machine too

Holy flame thrower BatMon a Red Savina, Brown Bhut and den topped off with a big Naga King … “boy robin hurls with excitement, you gonna regret dat one in da morning BatMon.” Lols … looking forward to the Naga Viper, video, video, video, heheh

Great to catch up on your grow again, keep up the killer work ... looking forward to see what you do in the off season, are you going to go indoors?

Hey Ramon! Good to see you are back. No bottling machine unfortunately... but a good old funnel lol 125ml bottles because I am a stingy bastard lol... I think this sauce will be hot, so we will keep bottles smaller. This way chilliheads can pack them in their handbags

Oh man... videos coming out of my left eyeball man... still need to edit all those for my website. Oh where will I find the time lol

Somewhere in here I lost my soul this season... hmmmm lol

Ok, so today I am going to start off with a lesser know variety... the Hong Kong. All I know is that it comes from India and this is what it is called there (oddly enough).

The plant has grown well. Is about 1,6 / 1,7 metres in height and a very sturdy funel shaped plant yielding a dozen of these pods. Pods are large... 10cm in length and 5cm on broad end... cylindrical/cone shaped.

I did a wee taste test. Absolute flavour surprise! Absolute corker... stunning flavour. Burns like an Indian chilli. Slow to heat up and a consistant burn that lasts long. Only thing is the skin is hard. But inside the skin, this pepper is juicy and man what an amazing flavour. I would say mild... some people might say hot.... but what an amazing chilli. Would be awesome for powder or to make hot sauce/sour mash... a real nice surprise!

The ButchT X Jonah is going from strength to strength... pods are coming along thick and fast!

These pods are going to hurt for sure. I remember the ButchT hurt locker and I remmeber the Jonah making me drool like a rabid dog... I can't wait to see the whimpering mess I will become when I wrap my gums around these babies lol

The pods are looking nasty

Now there was a bit of a muddle with this plant and I said time would tell...

I am guessing here, but I would say these pods are Scotch Bonnet Peach Long... nice!

Jury still out on this one... although I am leaning towards ButchT

Unless its a Yellow Scorp x Bhut... but I don't think so... again - time will tell should it turn yellow I suppose.

The Bhuts I had growing I thought were Bhuts, where in fact Brown Bhuts (and I am not complaining!) but I am glad to see the normal Bhuts coming along...

A bump please someone

 

[sicman]

just got some plants in the ground today. i hope they end up as nice as yours

 

[PeriPeri]

Hey Sicman - thanks! Your fun has just begun... awesome! Good luck and I am certain they will turn out just as good if not better!

The Douglahs are finaly doing their thing... looks like they are about to change colour!

I have to say that when I last tried the Douglah I fell in love with the aroma and taste... amazing chilli this - and definately one in the kick a$$ department lol

The Brown Bhut I spoke about earlier is yielding quite a few pods now. Funny looking pods, but I did the taste test and these are far from Brown Habs. Look like brown Habs... but the nuclear meltdown in the mouth and gut tell me otherwise for sure lol

The Carolina Reapers are still churning out pods... and new ones coming along...

The Bahamian Goats are also coming along... shape is also a little different from what I expected (no tail) on these first pods... maybe time will tell

Sorry, pic is a bit blurry.

Last week I had to have an intervention of a chemical kind with the aphids that were running amock on my patch... I noticed aphids were gathered around the young pods - especially the Goat Peppers... so I think the fact they have not got tails may also possibly be due to this. We will see...

The Naga King has really yielded well and continues to produce loads more pods and seems to just be growing taller and taller lol

Phuli Jyoti producing loads of string like pods... actually nice tasting chilli. Good flavour and burn.

Condom chillies also been a great producer. Nice flavour and really nice and juicy with a fair sizzle...

Brainstrain continues to redden... still have not mustred up the courage to try this one. I have read its hot as hell... will have to take a day off for this one lol

Sorry... another bump please

 

[millworkman]

Bump it! Don't apologize, keep the awesome pictures coming!

 

[PeriPeri]

Hey millworkman! thanks!

I think this is the Naga Morich (european strain)

7 pods continue to produce loads coming off these plants - very lucky with these I think.

Black Pearls have been yielding loads of fiery red pods. Grasshoppers seem to enjoy sitting ontop of these especially... soaking up the last of the summer sun!

The humble Baby Belle Pimento... really rate this one. Juicy and full of flavour without the hectic burn. Most of my sauce base is made up with these...love snacking on these while picking chillies.

I don't ever show these... but yea, they are also here... orange habs... not my favourites I must say. Dare I say - I loathe these... too common in the shops and actually quite a flat one dimensional chilli in the taste department (I think)

Makulu (big) Peri as I call them...

And that is it as they say - for now. Thanks for dropping in and reading guys! I will now return to chopping... urghhhh!

 

[WalkGood]

Holy poddage BatMon! awesome pod pics Laurens!

 

[PeriPeri]

Thank you Ramon, especially taken for those among us who appreciate pod porn

 

[Sanarda]

If you ever apologize again for pod porn, I will snatch all your plants out the ground. We live vicariously through your grow. It is beautiful. The more pics the better and I for one thank you for sharing. You got me through this winter looking at seedlings.

 

[locopao]

Black pearls are awsome!!!

more photos / videos please

 

[stickman]

Hi Lourens
From the pics I'd say barring natural disaster you're gonna be swimming in pods for the next month at least. It's sure been a treat watching your grow progress this winter!

 

[PeriPeri]

If you ever apologize again for pod porn, I will snatch all your plants out the ground. We live vicariously through your grow. It is beautiful. The more pics the better and I for one thank you for sharing. You got me through this winter looking at seedlings.

Hi Pia... yes mam Glad I managed to get you through the winter.... I look forward to watching all your glogs

Black pearls are awsome!!!

more photos / videos please

Hi locopao. I love them too... they make the most amazing chilli powder! I have a plenty videos... will need to see what I can do

Hi Lourens
From the pics I'd say barring natural disaster you're gonna be swimming in pods for the next month at least. It's sure been a treat watching your grow progress this winter!

Hey Stickman, swimming alright... I am boiling up a pot of Fatalii, Golden Habs, Cheyenne & Datils... just to make more space! I think we are going to sleep outside tonight lol

Ok, going to do that Brainstrain taste test now... It has been staring at me all week and now is a good time to die

 

[RocketMan]

WOW Lourens, end of the summer or not that's still a heck of a grow you have there. Now I have a few varities to look for, thank you, going to have to find some of those Hong Kongs and see what sauce potential they have

Have a great week, or what's left of it.

Bill

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi Bill! Yea.. those pods are still coming in fast and furious... hence I have not been doing too many picture updates for the glog

On the hOng Kong chillies... not sure you will find them... I have searched to see if I could get any info on those... but couldn't find anything.

I will be selling the seeds online shortly though Almost there with loading stock etc

Ok, so I did the 7 Pod Brainstrain... nice! I heard people say its as hot as the Reaper bla bla... well fish paste to those people. It's hot, but it's a blooming walk in the park man. And there I was soiling my disposable nappies for nuthin' 1 / 1,3 max I would say... but really very nice. 7 pod but with a good all round peppery burn. Generally I like it!

Now that just leaves the Naga Viper... oddly enough tomorrow is another good day to die

 

[Jamison]

Holy pods and what a beautiful collage of your garden Peri! Love checkin in on this glog!