Sawyer 2019

I'm not quite done with the 2018 glog yet, but thought I'd get started on the new year's effort.  I'll update the grow list in my profile soon and probably post it here, too.
 
Mainly, this morning, I wanted a place to stick links to some PDFs I (finally) found (again).  These are technical documents from CARDI that some may find interesting (3.52 MB and 1.82 MB, respectively):
 
http://www.cardi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Hot-Pepper-Production-Manual-for-Trinidad-and-Tobago-2011-reprint.pdf
 
http://www.cardi.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/02/Cbbean-hot-pepper-production-post-harvest-manual.pdf
 
They both contain a lot of good detailed information, but that's not primarily why I post the links.  I'm not trying to start an argument (discussion is fine), but I prefer "7 pod" to "7 pot".  These two documents support that usage.  I found more that support the alternative... tomāto, tomahto. 
 
One of my goals this year is to scale up production. Now that I have access to commercial scale processing facilities, a good relationship with the local Food Science department, and life in general looks to be a little bit less of a PITA (knock on wood), the timing seems right.
 
I'm also planning my first ever intentional breeding effort.  Not that someone else hasn't attempted what I have in mind, but I haven't come across the idea before. Stay tuned for details.
 
And since a bit of color never hurts, here's a Papa Dreadie from last year, pic taken 180727:

 

 

[Trident chilli]

That John is picture perfect ..... Erin would have been proud of that

All the best for this seasons grow

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, John. Glad you stopped by. Good growing to you, as well.

 

[DWB]

Thanks for posting the links. I have the first one in my files. Not to start a controversy but I wonder what you think of the "Plant hormones and plant growth" section in that manual? It always intrigues me.

 

[Sawyer]

I'll have to review that and get back to you. I had both of these a few years ago but lost them. Today I was specifically searching for "7 Pod".

 

[PaulG]

Thanks for the CARDI link. Bookmarked.

 

[Sawyer]

Here's another link I found this morning from the Turtle Village Trust.  It may be derived from the CARDI work, but is more concise (18 pages/581 kB):
 
http://www.turtlevillagetrust.org/pdf/pepper.pdf
 
Seems like a pretty cool organization.  I'd never heard of them before.  Not sure why they're hosting a paper on pepper culture.

 

[Devv]

Good to see you back
 
Good luck this season!

 

[Sawyer]

Just updated the grow list in my profile. Right now it has only two categories, self-saved seed, mostly from last year, but a couple older (that may or may not germinate), and new for this year. Some of those I've grown before, but lost during the dark years. If/when I get the list more well organized and have some germination results, I'll post it here.

Just in case anyone is interested in previous glogs, and for my own reference, here are links to glogs from years past:

2013 Glog: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/37468-sawyers-2013-glog-last-harvestfirst-sauce/
2014 Glog: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/44370-sawyer-14-seed-offer/
2015 Glog: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/52864-sawyer-15-killing-frost-1122-pics/
2016 Glog: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/58711-sawyer-16-memorial-day-update
2017 - No glog
2018 Glog: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/67370-sawyer-18-back-from-the-void

 

[Sawyer]

Started planting late, back on 3/19-3/21. More will likely pop, but here's what's up and going as of today:

ISS OS Red BJ 242/350 → 69%
ISS OS Red BJ (treated) 74/100 → 74%
SS BBM 222/375 → 59%
Primo 7/14 → 50%
BMM 12/13 → 92%
CR 9/14 → 64%
OS Red 7Pod 2/50 → 4%
OS Yellow 7Pod 25/30 → 83%
TW Choco Moruga 17/17 → 100%
SS SRSH 119/175 → 68%
SS SYSH 55/150 → 37%
SS PBJ 57/75 → 76%
ISS PDSB 57/75 → 76%
Chocolate Moruga Brain 4/7
Butch T Reaper Scorpion 2/6
Carolina Reaper 2/6
Mustard Moruga Brain 4/6
Brazilian Moruga 6/6
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T 1/6
Chocolate Primo Reaper 0/6
I Scream Scorpion 3/6

Abbreviations: SS (self-saved), ISS (isolated self-saved), OS (original strain), TW (Trade Winds), SRSH (smooth red super hot), SYSH (smooth yellow super hot), PBJ (PDN x BMJ), PDSB (Papa Dreadie Scotch Bonnet)

SRSH and SYSH are the result of labeling mix-ups last year. I think some of the seeds I bought last year were mislabeled, but I also had labels and tags removed and entire mixed-variety flats of plants dumped on the ground.

It's all good, though, because it got me thinking. While I'll maintain specific named varieties to a large extent, I'm also going to start grouping mixed varieties together, based only on color, skin texture (smooth or rough), and high heat. Maybe only high heat in the long run. Goal being to create a highly genetically diverse landrace of superhots adapted for local conditions.

Will start more very soon. I also have a few OWs about ready to go back outside. The 3yo tepin is already outside, though I did bring it back in for a couple of nights when we had a freeze warning.

 

[Kennylay]

Holy smokes, that's an insane amount of plants john!! You gonna thin these numbers out?

 

[Sawyer]

Well, nature will probably take some of them. I'm trying to work out a deal with some local farmers to grow some. Hopefully will find homes for more here and there. I can find room for a few hundred here on my own place, if I can beat back the bamboo.

 

[PaulG]

Impressive, John! I am really looking forward to seeing
your grow develop this season since I pretty much missed
last season on the forum apart from the PdNxBMJ cross thread.
 
Good luck finding homes for several hundred plants!
 
Wish I lived in Arkansas!

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, Paul.

Wish I lived in Arkansas!

Why do you say that?

Many of the little ones are showing their first true leaves. I started removing the humidity domes today. (A little at a time, to avoid loss of stem and leaf turgidity and collapse due to a sudden drop in humidity.) And moving the flats to the lower shelf to make room for the next round.

Spent about an hour today searching for one specific seed order. Found it one layer down from where I first looked. Now have to deal with some tax matters. Yay....

 

[Sawyer]

Just planted 100 tepin seeds, all in one wide, shallow pot. Wanted to plant another four whole flats of 3.5" square pots today, but tax prep stuff got in the way. Since I swore to the pepper gods I would plant some peppers today, I figured I'd better do so and the tepins were ready to go.

May try to post some pics on Sunday.

 

[PaulG]

Thanks, Paul.

Why do you say that?

 
Because I would volunteer to grow some of those
plants which you are going to be trying to place
in nice homes  
 
Plus, my grandparents lived in Bentonville and I
used to visit there as a kid. I remember fishing
for perch.

 

[Sawyer]

 Because I would volunteer to grow some of those
plants which you are going to be trying to place
in nice homes  
 
Plus, my grandparents lived in Bentonville and I
used to visit there as a kid. I remember fishing
for perch.

Ah, okay. Well, plants can travel if you see something you like.

I think I remember now some discussion about your family connection to NWA. You wouldn't recognize it these days. The growth and development have been phenomenal. Beaver Lake is the same, though. Is that where you went fishing?

 

[Sawyer]

Overdue for some pictures here. First up is a flat of mostly BBM:

In the back three pots, left to right, are Primo, BMM, and CR.
 
This one is completely OS RBJ:

The third row back and left-most pot in the fourth row were given a special treatment that boosted germination from 69% to 74%. 
 
The fourth pot of treated seeds suffered a subsequent mass die-off.  This is the pot were a swatted fly fell stunned before germination began.  I took a chop stick and pushed the fly into the dirt.  Guess I was thinking it might provide free fertilizer.  Guess not.  Live and learn.
 
Here are some PDNxBMJ (front row), PDSB (second row):

The third row back and left pot of the fourth row were originally planted to some Banana(-scented) BJ seeds from 2014 that received the same treatment as other seeds (described elsewhere).  Got 0% germination; will try GA3 next.  Those pots are planted to tomatoes now.
 
The rest of the pots toward the back are older seeds I'm starting for someone else.  I got 0% on the back center pot; it, too, is replanted to tomatoes.  (Toms are just starting to show life this morning.)
 
Lastly here's a flat of mixed varieties:

The front right pot is the only one for which I got 100% germination, 17/17 Chocolate Moruga Scorpion from Trade Winds.  The right-most pot in the second row and rows three and four are from mixed superhots I grew last year, selected for red color and smooth skin.  The back two rows are the same, except for being selected for yellow color.
 
Scattered throughout the flats are a handful of some sort of native nightshade.  Not quite sure how the seeds contaminated the soil, but it's an interesting plant.  I'll separate them out when I start dividing and up-potting the peppers.

 

[PaulG]

The fourth pot of treated seeds suffered a subsequent mass die-off.  This is the pot were a swatted fly fell stunned before germination began.  I took a chop stick and pushed the fly into the dirt.  Guess I was thinking it might provide free fertilizer.  Guess not.  Live and learn.
That is one of the strangest things I've heard, John!
I guess that's another reason to keep flies out of my plants!
 
Here are some PDNxBMJ (front row), PDSB (second row):

 

Oh, boy, look at all that nice purple
in the front row. Awesome. 
 
Looks like 40-50 seedlings?

 

[Sawyer]

Looks like 40-50 seedlings?

Had to go count 'em anew. Sixty-seven. The right-most pot has 25/25 growing. Out of those 67 exactly one has a white stem; all the rest are purple.