Stetto-grow 2018: Takin' another run at it.

stettoman · Aug 2, 2018

I'm going to hijack my own glog for a moment. We had a visit from an unfortunate rarity yesterday morning. This vid is only 20 seconds or so long, so don't blink.

This poor critter was being ganged up on by its own species. I can't even fathom the mentality... :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yFyWLdFFv8

Until yesterday it never crossed my mind that they even existed, but what really got to me was the energy the others put in to chasing this one off. At one point there was easily a dozen of them hot on this one's tail. I only caught the last moment of it being in the yard.

Haven't seen it since.

stettoman · Aug 9, 2018

Since we lost our salsa/hot sauce supplier a few years ago I've occasionally taken to ordering myself a treat. I order it because I live in the vast wasteland of bland white sauces and though there are a number of hot sauces on the store shelves, they are ALL corporate varieties like Tobasco and Chalula. We don't even have Fred's up here (*edit* I meant Frank's. See how deprived we are? Can't even remember their names!!).

My treats showed up yesterday, my first with Lucky Dog. The Merfs? well, I was looking for a lime-based seafood sauce, this stuff is surprisingly tasty.

The 8th acre and container pubes are hitting a production stride, finally. My Large Orange Thai is lagging, though. I believe I will attempt to dig that one up for an extended season in the house when frost comes....

stettoman · Aug 9, 2018

I guess I'll do a photo update in a week or so, but I have a queer one I'd like to share.

Frank, the Moruga Welder, sent me a collection of seeds during the off-season after I requested some Antep Aci Dolma seeds. Man do they look yummy! So in any case, I'm growing a total of five out of all that I planted, and all are flowering and setting fruit, including one very strange specimen:

I don't know if the camera translates this as well as the naked eye, but there are no "normal" leaves on this plant:

A bit more closely:

The other four plants look like regular pepper plants:

Like I said, ALL of these plants are flowering and setting pods, right now the largest are about an inch across. But the malformed plant has blossom groupings from Hell:

Some nodes I've counted as many as 6 blossom pods, and I'm sure if I looked more closely I'd find even more concentrated nodes. I was wondering if this is common with growers and if perhaps I should try to get seed from this one...

I'm gonna have dreams, man. Dreams that this thing pulls itself out of the ground and comes looking for me....

Walchit · Aug 9, 2018

I wanted to grow that one too but didn't wanna harass frank for them.

Is it an annumm?

stettoman · Aug 9, 2018

Walchit said:
I wanted to grow that one too but didn't wanna harass frank for them.

Is it an annumm?

Yea Andy, anuum, and I have a feeling harassing Frank will be worth it! When I asked him, Every seed outlet I went to were out of them. If I play my cards right I won't have to harass Frank again!

Devv · Aug 10, 2018

I grew the plant this season. It did well but had pest issues here. We loved the peppers but being so close to a bell, we have to stick with what works.

I'm betting further up North it does really well. I can't even begin to guess why some plants get destroyed down here and others are not bothered at all.

As for that queer plant, I would most definitely save the seeds, along with its more normal brethren, and see what happens next year..

stettoman · Aug 14, 2018

Devv said:
I grew the plant this season. It did well but had pest issues here. We loved the peppers but being so close to a bell, we have to stick with what works.

I'm betting further up North it does really well. I can't even begin to guess why some plants get destroyed down here and others are not bothered at all.

As for that queer plant, I would most definitely save the seeds, along with its more normal brethren, and see what happens next year..

Yeah Scott, they just started taking off (along with many others) just very recently. Frank wasn't kidding with the long and squat phenotypes, The longs look like giant Antakes, the squat like gnarly Bells. Still fair small, only a couple inches wide/long at best so far.

I'm reading so many ripening posts in so many glogs, even you Zone 4 guys are bringin' them in. I won't see any ripe peppers of any number till at least mid-September, and I will be bringing what I can into the Darlin' Bride's domain to at least finish off.

On a zone 3 bright note, we have a winner for the First to Ripen Award. I went on a four day fishing trip and came back to these:

Yep, a tie. Both the Jimmy Nardello and Paprika plants have begun the process. These earlier specimens will donate seed for next season, hopefully passing the shorter season on to progeny (pipe dream? Who knows....).

Devv · Aug 17, 2018

Glad to see some ripe poddage bro!

I still have a "Jimmy" going in a raised bed, they tough!

stettoman · Aug 19, 2018

Awrighty, time for a Zone 3 photo update.

Lots of pods, a few showings signs of ripening, but most....not yet. That is the burden of the Zone 3 season.

The overall health of plants is very very good in the dirt. The Cascabels/Catarinas are the tallest row.

Yes, that lettuce is bolting. Series of hot spells will do that...

OK, on to the hotter stuff. The Cascabels/Catarinas are producing, with two plants out of six apparently abstaining. I say Cacabel/Catarina because--

Cascabel pheno:

Catarina pheno:

These plants were given as seedlings to me by a farmers market friend who said the seed was "smuggled" from Mexico, and was told it was Catarina seed. I think it was either a mix or some seed was from a cross, because they are definitely two different types, shape-wise. I just hope to get some ripe ones in the next month.

Allepo, from Frank/Moruga Welder. These are huge, can't wait to dig in to them!

And another from Frank, the Antakies. These are quite a bit smaller, but if memory serves, Frank said they make great poppers. Feel free to correct me...

These Sulu Adanas are turning ripe so slowly that I'm not sure they'll make it to frost. But they weigh about a pound a piece!! Pepperlover seed.

Someone got the memo wrong on the Sante Fe Grandes, they actually have the heat of a good Jalapeno, at least these do when still yellow. They are beginning to turn. Tradewinds seed.

These are neat lookin' can't wait to try one--Tradewinds seed.

The Jimmy Nardellos are coming right along. I know that I'm supposed to fry them, but they went into a sauce the other night and the idea of frying them is not in these guy's future...That pesky Italian Devv supplied the seed...

The Big Jims are healthy, though one of the four I planted has yet to set a pod. Time's a wasting! Tradewinds seed.

I think I mentioned that my Jalapenos this year came from Neil & Charlotte @ Hippy Seed in sunny Australia. This variety, "Tormenta" is advertised as hotter than your average type bear, another I can't wait to try, though I'd like some ripe ones first...

Thanks to Frank the Moruga Welder my main goal of the season was to get some of these Antep Aci Dolmas to my dinner table, I think it'll be nip & tuck...This squat pheno is likely half the size it should be, and we're looking at light frost season in about a month in Zone 3.

I planted 5 total, one I intend to try to overwinter, just don't know if I want to dig up the previous plant or this one, a long pheno specimen. It's about as far along in fruit size...

I have two Paprika plants, both doing this...Thanks Scott!

And one of only two Chinense varieties this year, an Aji Arnaucho. It exploded with pods not too long ago. The seeds came with a envelope full of Rocoto pits from Dale the Greenchilemonster.

The other, an Aji Dulce (also from GCM Dale), is very slow. Dunno what these will turn out.

My Large Orange Thai is bursting with activity, but like last year, way too late unless I dig her up and take her in...I shoulda container growed her, my sister has one in a bucket...Seed from Devv/Scott

Not the least of my grow are my container plants and overwinters. These I'm not too worried about, as they are mobile. Once frost season hits they will all live in the trailer, spending their nights in the garage until hard freeze, then some of the lucky ones will wind up overwintering in the house with the humans and other sundry ~~pests~~ pets.

A "funny" thing: Three of my Rocotos, an Aji Arquipeno, Rocoto Rojo and an Ajo Oro have yet to produce even one blossom.

I don't think they like it here....

All in all it's being a stupendous grow for me this year; few pests, no fungi or disease, just about everybody's happy, no complaints! I left out the two Bishop Hat plants and an Urfa Biber that had little to show so far, and my friend with the Aji Limo Rojo hasn't killed theirs yet, haven't got a report from my sister on her container plants in a while, but she's green thumbed-er than I am, so no worries.

Thanks to all who follow and contribute to my success, it is truly much appreciated!!

CaneDog · Aug 19, 2018

Looks like a lotta good stuff going on for you this season stettoman. Hope those few late performers kick it into gear!

Devv · Aug 19, 2018

Looking good Eric! I hope the first frost is a week after your last harvest :dance:

BTW, LB uses the 'Nardello's in salads, stir fry, you name it

nmlarson · Aug 19, 2018

It all looks great! Have you ever given AgriBon or some other frost blanket a go? Might give you an extra 2 or 3 weeks of grow.....

stettoman · Aug 20, 2018

CaneDog said:
Looks like a lotta good stuff going on for you this season stettoman. Hope those few late performers kick it into gear!

Thanks, it was real apparent how the temps affected performance this year, it seems the late summer environment in northwest Minnesotakstan is prime for Thai and Chinense especially, though all these plants are reacting positively to a shorter day, less direct sunlight and arid conditions. If only I could find the magic foliar spray that initiates the ripening stage.

I'm not invested in any real hyper-hot varieties this season, sweeter/milder/meatier is the theme, the Morugas and Madballz and 7Pods, etc. I grew last year are mostly still in frozen stasis, waiting for me to find time to dive into sauce experimentation. I might have to make a seed offering, once I get all this stuff sorted out...

Devv said:
Looking good Eric! I hope the first frost is a week after your last harvest

BTW, LB uses the 'Nardello's in salads, stir fry, you name it

Every flippin' season is a box of chocolates up here, Scott. Well, a box of carob, anyway....That first frost is always unpredictable. Every week from now on gets just a little less safe.

I made up a stir fry mix the other day, used a lot of red, yellow and orange Bells, but it didn't dawn on me to add Nardellos. Good news; I haven't vac-packed those veggies yet!

BTW, the Ram is back to her old reliable workhorse self. Thanks much!!

nmlarson said:
It all looks great! Have you ever given AgriBon or some other frost blanket a go? Might give you an extra 2 or 3 weeks of grow.....

Thanks, and though I've been looking into a high-tunnel/greenhouse build for next season, those Agribond covers look a hell of a lot more effective than old paint tarps! In the Spring my plants are small enough to plop a 5 gallon bucket over them, but in the Fall, if your tarp/sheet/whathaveyou actually touches the greenery that frost will translate right through. Thanks for the heads up! Those covers look to be cost effective as well.

stettoman · Aug 20, 2018

Being head chef and bottle washer around here I thought I'd share the view from my perch in front of the sink. Ever blanch fresh broccoli for freezing? No? You don't want to know what the kitchen smells like today...

nmlarson · Aug 20, 2018

stettoman said:
Thanks, and though I've been looking into a high-tunnel/greenhouse build for next season, those Agribond covers look a hell of a lot more effective than old paint tarps! In the Spring my plants are small enough to plop a 5 gallon bucket over them, but in the Fall, if your tarp/sheet/whathaveyou actually touches the greenery that frost will translate right through. Thanks for the heads up! Those covers look to be cost effective as well.

The stuff works and there are different varieties for different low temperature protection. Last year, I grew and picked tomatoes covered by AgriBon (I believe it was AgriBon-19), through Christmas, on my deck here in south Central PA (zone 7). The plants were in 18" square pots with squarish cages. The fabric was clothes-pinned to the cage and was wrapped around the pot, too. When temperatures got below 50F, I covered the AgriBon with clear vinyl and stuffed a 60W light bulb in the bottom of the enclosure. Normally, I wouldn't have gone to those efforts for a tomato plant, but it was a GardenGem hybrid out of the Univ. of FL that had over 30 fruit on it when the temperatures started to drop. Most of them ended up getting mature enough to pick and finish ripening indoors and those that didn't were turned into green tomato pickles or fried green tomato chunks. I really swear by the stuff. Amazon has better prices on lower quantities than a place like Johnny's Seeds.

stettoman · Aug 20, 2018

nmlarson said:
The stuff works and there are different varieties for different low temperature protection. Last year, I grew and picked tomatoes covered by AgriBon (I believe it was AgriBon-19), through Christmas, on my deck here in south Central PA (zone 7). The plants were in 18" square pots with squarish cages. The fabric was clothes-pinned to the cage and was wrapped around the pot, too. When temperatures got below 50F, I covered the AgriBon with clear vinyl and stuffed a 60W light bulb in the bottom of the enclosure. Normally, I wouldn't have gone to those efforts for a tomato plant, but it was a GardenGem hybrid out of the Univ. of FL that had over 30 fruit on it when the temperatures started to drop. Most of them ended up getting mature enough to pick and finish ripening indoors and those that didn't were turned into green tomato pickles or fried green tomato chunks. I really swear by the stuff. Amazon has better prices on lower quantities than a place like Johnny's Seeds.

I ordered some just this morning. I looked at the AgriBon-19, but 83" X 25' wasn't going to work in one sheet like I'd like, so I ordered this for size and weight::

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HVGOZJW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm shopping through farm supply sites for high tunnel kits as well, though I really liked Skullbiker's plot setup, so solid portable greenhouses might be the ticket. There are a few locals here doing pro-hobby vegetable farms, not as ambitious as TrentL but still with the equipment and cover. They love to swap gardening data (and drink my chewy beer while they're at it)....

stettoman · Aug 29, 2018

September in 2 days. Apple pickin' shortly thereafter.

These are Goodlands, every bit as sweet and firm as our Honey Crisp, unfortunately I can count Honey Crisps on our tree with both hands and a foot. The Goodlands are smaller this year, but really outdid themselves for flavor and # of fruit.

I am thinking a pepper infused apple butter, but will need to scour the recipe pages.

Our weather is turned to an early Fall mode already, I've put the Rocoto plants back into the trailer and moved them to a southern exposure. After a couple recent inches of rain I have to go out into the primordial ooze of the 8th acre and do some staking and pick a few Jimmy Nardellos and a Paprika or two. That's all that's turned ripe so far, but my Aji Arnauchos and a small number of Antakes are beginning to show color.

I gotta make room in the garage for the trailer now too. Yes, I can probably get away at first with tossing one of the Darlin' Bride's 800-count bedsheets over them (got that nice piece of advice from GIP! Thanks, man!!), and I have to decide what to overwinter as well.

Speaking of overwinters, both my Aji Mango and Aji Amarillo are doing splendidly, though the 4-5 inch Aji Amarillos are showing no sign of ripening, right on schedule...

The Mango though, nice color!

I have a couple plants out in the 8th acre to pull for overwinter privileges too, one being a Large Orange Thai that was never given a chance last year, and one of the 5 Antep Aci Dolmas that the Moruga Welder seeded me for. There may be others....

Devv · Aug 31, 2018

I have an Apple Butter recipe here:

http://www.devtex.net/recipe.html

stettoman · Sep 1, 2018

Devv said:
I have an Apple Butter recipe here:

http://www.devtex.net/recipe.html

Sounds yummy, Scott! Only I didn't grow fatalis this year...if I sub rocotos I'll probly need to double or triple, eh?

Then again, there's always ordering an sfrb, right?

Devv · Sep 1, 2018

stettoman said:
Sounds yummy, Scott! Only I didn't grow fatalis this year...if I sub rocotos I'll probly need to double or triple, eh?

Then again, there's always ordering an sfrb, right?

Just use what you have and adjust the heat to your and the Darlin' Brides liking

I just have to comment on the Apple tree, as we have a little bit of fruit trees here. Thin the crop and the produce will be larger and next season it should produce the same. Peaches mostly here, and they say the fruit spacing should be the distance between the pinky-thumb tips with an fully out-stretched hand. Also the trees need yearly pruning, Peach trees like a 40% trim. Youtube has some good videos..