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Stettoman '23: Had ya wondering, didn't I?

Yep, I'm going to take a stab at resurging my passion. Only 40 starts this year, and that may be ambitious for the space I'm allotted, but compared to the TWO I grew last year? Way.

So this year I'm doing the GIP Serrano Magic Powder again. Some of the farmers in Pueblo are growing some limited numbers of Serrano, so I may be able to augment to the 7 plants I'm doing myself. I had great aspirations to ship out some of that to a number of you guys, but somehow I dumbthumbed my address lists out of existence on the PC. I apologize and intend to follow through this year. I'll have the Rocoto/chokecherry jelly coming out my ears again, though I've got batches stored from previous seasons and plenty Aji Oro and chokecherries frozen to make more now.

The current lineup: Note that all but the Serrano are Rocoto...:)

Serrano Tampiqueño (Sandia)--7
Manzano Orange (Sandia)--4
Rocoto Rojo (stettoseed)--4
Arequipeño (stettoseed)--5
Gelbe Riesen (stettoseed)--5
Ecuador Sweet (stettoseed)--5
De Seda Yellow (stettoseed)--5
Turbo Pube (stettoseed)--5

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The "stettoseed" is merely my own saved seeds from 2-4 years ago, all of which originated as gifts and trades with members here. My Prevagen deficiency doesn't allow me to credit those members adequately...sorry.

There is an absence of a number of varieties I just don't have space for this year: Aji Amarillo, Allepo, Jimmy Nardello, etc., etc., etc...But it's a start. I'm going to visit the Pueblo folks this year and see if I can find a marketing partner for the jelly.

And I blah on...I've been away. Now I'm back, missed you guys!!

Another thrilling episode to come!!
 
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An "update"....of sorts.

So the Serranos have come to life a bit, not a foot high (by a long'un), but are beginning to flower and pod up quite a bit. I'm not sure I want to save midget Serrano seeds, but hey, what the hell...there is this, however...

There are about a dozen Serrano plants in the bed, some doing better than others, but one of these things is not like the others...

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These plants ALL came out of the same new envelope, Sandia NuMex Serranno Tampqueno. This is the type that I usually see--which is what all but one appears as...

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Below is a mutant from that lot.

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I would love any and all opinions, jocular or scientific, as to what I'm beholding. The flowers look the same, though this one only started to pod a few days ago. The peach fuzz is throwing me, but the color! twice as dark green as the other kids. Mayhap I got an open-pollinated hybrid? In any case, I intend to overwinter this one, unless it's a red-haired stepchild that you fine expert-ish folk think isn't worth it. Total height of plant as of this date--under 6 inches.

And I can proudly announce that ONE and only one of my Rocotos has begun to blossom. A potted Sandia Manzano Orange:

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These flowers may pod, they may not, but I'm past hope for the season on these Rocotos. The Pueblo Chile Fest is upon us here in a month, aI intend to make my harvest there. Anyone want to meet up, just let me know!

Stetto out, but not down...
 
Hey Stetto. Good to see the rocoto flowering and your serranos rebounding a bit. My serranos stalled on transplant, but recently started to improve as well. They still have a way to go, though.

That little serrano looks more like an hidalgo serrano to me than a tampiqueno. I get hybrids from Sandia's OP seeds sometimes - and Sandia grows hidalgos, too. Don't know what the deal is, but I say definitely hang onto yours!
 
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CaneDog said:
Hey Stetto. Good to see the rocoto flowering and your serranos rebounding a bit. My serranos stalled on transplant, but recently started to improve as well. They still have a way to go, though.

That little serrano looks more like an hidalgo serrano to me than a tampiqueno. I get hybrids from Sandia's OP seeds sometimes - and Sandia grows hidalgos, too. Don't know what the deal is, but I say definitely hang onto yours!
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Cool Dog. That's great input. Question is; am I looking at an F1 cross or an errant seed? I'd like to believe that Sandia is one of the more nit-picking seed cullers. There's been a rash of really bad mislabeled seed lots out there this year, not likely to get any better soon. I've been pretty good at saving my own seed, this is my first mystery breed....
 
What can I say, it was a rough season. The Serranos never grew any taller than my last pic, but they did try...This is my entire harvest for '23.

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They aren't very hot either. We had our first hard freeze last night, so the season ends. Not. One. Rocoto.

I did choose to extend the season for a few: One each of Serrano, Thai and a Rocoto Rojo. The tomato plant is in to hopefully salvage the few green ones still aboard. There's also a Manzano plant that's in only because it insists on continuing to blossom, the only one that has. The blossoms still fall off consistently, but hey--I'm a hopeless optimist...

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No heat in the garage, hence the space heater.

Well guys & gals, it's been an experience. One to put behind me. Gotta make plans for next year, dwelling on this last one isn't worth the effort. The Serranos will do much better in '24 due to lessons learned.

For what it's worth, the farmers in Pueblo didn't have the best year either, so I wasn't alone. They suffered the hail and excess heat too, and their peppers were smaller than normal and even the "hot" varieties had little heat. I picked up a bushel of both Pueblo and Anaheim anyway. I have means to add heat, yeh?

On to a better 2024!! Um, if the current world leadership doesn't nuke us all to smithereens 😊
 
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