• Blog your pepper progress. The first image in your first post will be used to represent your Glog.

"Plus tard ne rien...I'm not dead ye...." 2021 Pepper Gloginsummary'

Hello, Cappers.
It's been a year a and a most of a pepper season since we moved to our new garden site. So I've been somewhat busy re-building.
Pepper seeds don't last forever, but I have 138 pepper seed lots going back 8 years maybe. So. what to do to get a jumpstart?

A few did sprout last year; Inca Red Drop, Cabe Merah Panjang, and a 7 Pot Barrockpore that I thought I'd try to overwinter.
The Panjang and 7 Pot B I left in the garage grow-shelves and they did OK until early spring when aphids ATE THEM MERCILESSLY down to a stem and few leaf buds.
The Inca got front row in the living room windows and produced by spring one ripe pepper (who's 4 seeds sprouted!).
I did receive a treasure chest from Sawyer of Papa Dreadie and Sulu Adana seed, that I made sure worked, but my young plants were far, far from spectacular.
I got a few others to sprout, but I consoled my mostly bad pepper rearing this year by getting common plants from a local fruit stand/greenhouse; 6-Red Habs, 12-Jalas, 2-Cali Wonders, 1- Shishito, and even a Carolina Reaper.
Also my buddy in Richmond who grows hundreds of peppers (and a thousand or so tomatoes) hooked me up with a Red Bhut and something that turned out to be a Fish pepper. He had an off year too, and didn't have a great sprouting year either.

By this spring, I only had about a fourth of the garden in proper beds and the peppers got planted in inverted raised beds :P
I dug 6-8" down (which had been scraped to clean subsoil) and piled up the clay as an edge to the bed space. So they were raised a little I guess.
Then I filled with purchased leaf compost and mixed in some very rich topsoil that came from an old feed lot that was on the property years and years ago.
So by the end of Mayish, I had in the ground:
6+2 -Papa Dreadie
1-Red Bhut
1-Carolina Reaper
2-Beaver Dam
2-Jimmy Nardello
2-Ancient Sweet
1-Fish Pepper
12 - Jalapenos
6 - Red Habaneros
2 - California Wonders
2 - Sulu Adana
1 - Shishito
1 - Cabe Merah Panjang
1 - 7 Pot Barrackpore

and
I planted the mother Inca Red Drop in a pot, as a porch pepper




It was a new spot and no matter how good the ingredients, it takes some time to make "soil magic".
Most of the plant-out finally transitioned but it seemed like f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

I'll get some pictures out and another installment, but here is mother Inca today.

IMG_0805.jpg


Thanks for reading.
JJJ
 
....picked the biggest Red Bhut I think I've ever grown...17g

Speaking of birthweight, I'm going to be a grandpa again in early Nov; fifth grandchild and first grandson.
:welcome: Owen Jack.
j
Hey @JJJessee that bhut belongs in the gnarly pepper thread!

Blessings on your family and new grandson.
You are a lucky man!
 
Thanks, all.
No news on the grandbaby side yet, but the time draweth nigh.

Pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, and rye dominate my daily agendas.

'penos accomplished

IMG_1234 (2).jpg


I thought there would be a few more by now -from 11 plants. This is the second picking and a fair amount of greenies still hanging. I'm gonna grow my own Jal plants next year from a named variety.

De-seeded and onto the smoker(grill in my case).
IMG_1235 (2).jpg



This picking stuffed 2 quart jars of unground chilis.

IMG_1272 (2).jpg

It's all good so sez the Chipolte man.


Picked my main hang of Ghosts and Bonnets and also pulled the Orange Hab plants whole.
IMG_1270.jpg

I dried the Ghost whole, split 'em but didn't gut 'em
Still a lot hanging that won't ripen, though with nothing forecast below the high 40Fs for the next couple of weeks I wonder.
Lettuce is gonna love it.

The Papa Dreadies are a great pepper. Haven't decided how to process them, other than eating a fresh one or two everyday.
Eating is a process.

The Habs got the royal treatment -skewed and grilled.
IMG_1286.jpg


This is not all of them.

Most are in the dryer now, but I froze 4 fingers worth in a quart bag for some sauce making.



And that leaves the Reapers and my F1 Bastard. The fruit is hanging well this year. The tomato plants and brassicas are trapping all the pests.

One last pepper....
An Ancient Sweet.

IMG_1311 (2).jpg


IMG_1313 (3).jpg


A good, solid sweet. Weighed in at about 6 oz. But I only get about one per plant. I know this pepper can do better.
It must be a witch's curse -only logical explaination. I think I got my original seeds from @Jameson years ago. Soil was my issue this year and it's a long time pepper, I should start with bigger plants maybe.

I've dusted off and been re-reading the In The Garden (aka Ganga Girl) thread on making potting soil over at GrassCity.com and all ready have a one cubic foot batch cycling for 2022. I've just been sloppy my last few batches but I'm gonna get that train back on track before seeds hit the ground in December (for a Manzano maybe?). This phenotype seems a bit too blocky from internet photos I've compared, but this is a good pepper. I may do some F1 Carmens from Johnnys and Sulu Adanas for 2022 sweets -give them their own 22' bed even.

Thanks for reading
j
 
Lovely box of Jals and that chipotle smoked flavor just love it,a great grow with Some great peppers.
The Ancient mm don't think it is my brother,myself and a few others have grown it over the years and always had poor growth there's many more variety's that are better producers and indeed as good if not better flavors.A great grow put to tasty use.
 
You are finishing out the season in style, Carl!
The fresh picked pods look great, and the smoked
jalapeƱos are very tempting. I didn't smoke any peppers
this season. Will have to remedy that next year!

Enjoy the off-season with the new grand, my friend!
 
I've been holding out for a CharGriller texas-style barrel smoker, but all the big boxes have been out of stock on a 36" model for awhile, so I finally when to Lowe's for a 30" model like I left behind in the mountains. Lo and behold they were closing-out the 30" Raider grill for 89 bucks and the smoker attachment was another $75. That's $50 cheaper than the same rig I bought on sale 9 years ago. Seems better built too. Slightly.

Doesn't have a front shelf. Maybe I'll rig something up on it when the snow starts to fly.

IMG_1352 (2).jpg

I put it in the garden, oiled it up inside and out, firebox and all then put in a little seasoning fire. I
may give it a second round with some hog fat.

It has seen action though with some Habs and Jals a few days ago.

IMG_1375.jpg



Reluctantly, I'm clearing my Papa Dreadie patch. Temps are gonna hit the 30's for a few days and freeze likely starting Tuesday.

IMG_1384.jpg

I've already transplanted some fall greens when I took out the Orange Habs half last week. And I'll do the same with the other half.

Got a respectable few final dozen.

IMG_1386 (2).jpg



Look at this show dawg.

IMG_1388 (2).jpg


The spiking could be better, but I'm down with size and form.






Way, way more Ghosts are have ripened than I would have guessed 2 months ago.
We had 2 big rains in the last week and 25-35 mph wind for 2 days straight have somewhat bedraggled the plant.

IMG_1366 (2).jpg


The Reaper next door faired better.
I'm thinking about a ferment in the back of my mind, I've just never had a real success.

Still thinking, but the days are numbered.
Thanks for reading.
jjj

P.S. Grandbaby still pending.
 
Last edited:
@JJJessee I think I have an old char-griller like the one you left behind. I have been very neglectful of it - maybe I'll fire it up next Spring, just for old times' sake.

P. Dreadies lookin good. I was very impressed with them as well.

I need to go down and do our last picking before that cold weather gets here too. Maybe tomorrow.

Keep after it!
 
Last edited:
Calling it a wrap on pepper growing 2021. Thanks to all who have encouraged, advised, supplied, and provided all the capsicum commradiere.
I'm definitely in the pepper game for 2022, yesterday started a much needed task of cleaning up my seed database and I have about 160 pepper seed lots that need to be test germinated. Many, probably most, will fail, But, I'll give them a chance.

IMG_1521 (2).jpg


Not all peppers. Many lots date back to 2015 and even a few 2012. Tomatoes and cabbages have held viability pretty good. Peppers are spotty and lettuces are the worst. But the seed train passed my way recently and I showed great restraint but selected a few and added a few. Plus PaulG was gracious enough to send me some Yaki Blue Fawns which will be my excitement for 2022.

Of course as we all say, "I'm not planting as many peppers next year." -I pledge not to plant more than 10 varieties.
70 at the most.

When I get a pop or two on my germ tests I'll get the 2022 glog rollin'.




IMG_1520 (2).jpg


I have one 72 tray on the heat mat and another one plus to go.

Happy Hannakah
Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year.
JJJ
 
Last edited:
Kudos, Carl! Great season for you. Good
luck getting all those seeds tested!
 
Well, looks like you figured out this NW Va growing season stuff already J. Looking forward to your '22. Good luck on the seed starts. I think that last pic should be the lead entry for your 2022 Glog. That how it starts lol.
 
Back
Top