Stickman's 2013 Glog - Time To Pull The Plug on 2013

I'm pulling things together to get ready for my next growing season. I bought NuMex variety seeds from Sandia Seed company in New Mexico, Hot Paper Lantern Habaneros and Antohi Romanians from Johnny's Select Seeds in Maine and Korean varieties from Evergreen Seeds in California. Due to the unbelievable generosity of a number of THP members I've also gotten seeds to a wide variety of chiles from around the world. Special thanks to BootsieB, stc3248, romy6, PaulG, SoCalChilehead, joynershotpeppers, highalt, cmpman1974, smokemaster, mygrassisblue, Mister No, chewi, KingDenniz, orrozconleche and most recently and spectacularly, Habanerohead with a great selection of superhots and peppers from Hungary!

There are eleven varieties of Hungarian peppers in here, mostly the early, thick-fleshed, sweet ones that range from white through yellow to purple and red.., plus Aji Lemon Drop, BJ Indian Carbon, Naga Morich, Bishop's Crown and TS CARDI Yellow! Now I just have to go through my seed bank and match the space available to what I want to grow. Thanks Balázs!

 

[Trippa]

My guess for first hook is +5 days from the day you put them on the heat mat ... optimistic I know but why not

 

[stickman]

My guess for first hook is +5 days from the day you put them on the heat mat ... optimistic I know but why not

From your mouth to God's ear, eh? I'll hope for the best. Cheers!

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi Stickman. Nice unusual seeds... going to be watching this glog. Hope you have a bumper season when this kicks off! I can't help thinking how much excitement and anticipation this hobby brings. Waiting for seeds to arrive in the mail, the prospects of growing. Waiting for the first hooks to appear and waiting for the harvest... and some of those superhots take their time!

 

[stickman]

Hi Lourens
Thanks for stopping by. I've been itching to start for the last 3 months, so I'm glad to finally be germinating again. Timing is everything here because of our 120 day growing season, so I'm starting the Chinense, Baccatum and Pubiscens peppers now because they grow so slowly. I'll start the Annuums the end of February and the Eggplant and Tomatoes after that, but they'll all go outside together, and I'll be doing what I can to extend the season as much as possible. Cheers

 

[WalkGood]

... I just wish the scratchy throat that popped up after we got back from Canada would go away. Meantime, I'm eating kimchi and drinking lots of tea to mega-dose with vitamin c, flush the system and keep the tubes open.

I hope you feel better, I got the same and it sucks ... but haven't stopped to recharge :/

Drained the soaked seeds this morning and put them in layers between moist coffee filters. Put the stack on top of a few moist napkins and put the whole thing into a ziplok bag and sealed it. Then put the bag on a seedling heat mat and put a dome cover over that and a towel over that. That should get things going I hope. The plan from there is to plant the sprouted seeds in solo cups. I'll mix a little bone meal and rock phosphate into the seed starting medium and plant them into that. I want a little nitrogen in the soil, but I particularly want phosphate, potassium and calcium to encourage the seedlings to put down strong and prolific roots so the plants will be very hardy and grow quickly when i plant them outside.

Great start and solid methods ... one of these days I'll have to step up my game and leave the eggs behind I tried the baggie method with one seed last year that I couldn't get to germinate and worked well but never used a heat pad or the saltpeter. Would enjoy reading your feedback if it makes any notable difference from your previous starts (mix ratio, etc)

 

[stickman]

Just prepping for germination... I mixed up a couple of gallons of seed starting mix with a handful of bone meal and 3 handfuls of pelleted rock phosphate.

We're having a really nice day here for January... 32 degrees and sunny. It may even get up to 36...

This is my cheapjack composter... old pallets and U-posts. Looks like it'll be time for new pallets come spring.

 

[stc3248]

Rick...you know I'm usually one to tell folks to just eat it and see, but I am going to tell you to be VERY careful with that Douglah. They'll hurt you. Didn't do a whole pod at once last year, but ate one with dinner and it still blasted me! Can't wait to see how you do with them up north. They make great powder as do all the chocolate pods. Start looks well planned and ready to get moving for ya. Can't wait for the first "Dawn Patrol" photos of the season...just a few more months.

 

[stickman]

Thanks Shane, I ended up drying most of the pods you and other THP members sent me and blended them with my dried Orange Habs to make my daily dose of chile powder. I'm hearing you on the Douglahs, 'cause they kicked it up into overdrive. I have no idea if the superhots will do well here but I mean to give it my best shot. A farmstand down the road grew a pretty good variety of Habaneros and Aji Yellows last season, so I should at least be able to grow Habs and Baccatums with no problems.

 

[RocketMan]

Isn't it a great feeling to get your hands back in the dirt? I know you've been jonsing for it

Looks like a good varity of peppers your going for this year. Nice mix of flavors and heat. Now we need to see some good chow pics too and you need to get into another TD soon with those skills. We need to get Bonnie into one too

Cheers

 

[stickman]

Isn't it a great feeling to get your hands back in the dirt? I know you've been jonsing for it

Looks like a good varity of peppers your going for this year. Nice mix of flavors and heat. Now we need to see some good chow pics too and you need to get into another TD soon with those skills. We need to get Bonnie into one too

Cheers

Hi Bill
Yeah, you got that right! It doesn't really scratch the itch though... I've got a few months yet before ripe pods!

I'll get into another TD soon, and Bonnie would be a natural. I just didn't feel up for it this weekend while I'm trying to shake this cold.

It's not all bad news though... I came home for lunch and found this envelope from Meatfreak... Thanks Stefan!

Some of these I've never heard of before... Guess I'll be looking them up on the web tonight. Cheers!

 

[stc3248]

They'll do fine if you treat them right...dunno if you've ever looked at any of SpiceyChicken's grows up in Wisconsin...but he grows out 5k plus every year and pulls in tons (literally over 2000 lbs) of pods. So if he can do it up there, you should be able to grow trees! I see some Scotch Bonnets in that mix of seeds...I would get those dirty for sure!

 

[Trippa]

More seeds rick!! You are going to have your own seed bank soon "!! You can never have too many seeds ... just too little room

 

[MisterNo]

Looks like your in for a very interesting season Rick!
Good luck!

I think your superhots will do okay. Probably they won't have a record braking heat, but they will burn like hell for sure. I had a very hot summer last season, but I doubt any of my superhots was colse to extreme heat, but they were right up there

I got a fresh Douglah pod from a friend grower in Croatia, and it had a very hot burn almost instantly, with a bit of a ''chemical'' taste to it. Very addicting aroma also. Real killer for sure

 

[stickman]

Wow Stefan, There are some really exotic peppers here! From Turkey the Yalova Yaglik and Urfa Biber, from Morocco the Scotch Bonnet Safi, from Madagascar the Sakay Birdseye Chile, From Spain the Pimenta Palmera and Pimenta Padron, From Surinam the Aji Umba, From Italy the Mazzetti Hot Cherry Pepper, the Russian Somborka and French sweet Paprika called Doux Tres Long des Landes.

The Yalova Yaglik looks a lot like a Kapija pepper. Is it sweet like one? I'd never heard of the Urfa Biber either, but when I looked it up, its purple color when dried reminds me of Sumac powder, though I suppose it tastes very different. I was surprised to find that the SB Safi was from Africa... I'll bet that was a long, strange trip. Is the Sakay a Frutascens or an Annuum? The rest I've at least heard of before.

I've already got 2 kinds of Kapija pepper going, maybe I'll try the Urfa Biber this season. Cheers!

Hi Robert, Thanks for stopping by! Yup, this year is going to be interesting all right... And I hope for you as well. How many Kapija peppers will you be planting this year?

 

[MisterNo]

I have a lot of Kurtovska kapija seeds, I'll try to get 20-30 plants . I will also plant few Vesena and Elephant seeds, they seem to be related to Kurtovska Kapija, and they are all great for ajvar

It looks like it will be a hard working season, but I'm looking forward to it

 

[DocNrock]

Well Rick, glad to see you getting your hands dirty! I'm really looking forward to following your grow, especially with all the unique varieties you will be planting out. Some of those varieties from Meatfreak are crazy unique, as well. I love pepper geography lessons! Also really looking forward to seeing your first Douglah pod.

And the weather looks beautiful...NOT! Too friggin' cold!

Oh, by the way, I have a Rapires F1 sprout! Thanks again!

 

[meatfreak]

Wow Stefan, There are some really exotic peppers here! From Turkey the Yalova Yaglik and Urfa Biber, from Morocco the Scotch Bonnet Safi, from Madagascar the Sakay Birdseye Chile, From Spain the Pimenta Palmera and Pimenta Padron, From Surinam the Aji Umba, From Italy the Mazzetti Hot Cherry Pepper, the Russian Somborka and French sweet Paprika called Doux Tres Long des Landes.

The Yalova Yaglik looks a lot like a Kapija pepper. Is it sweet like one? I'd never heard of the Urfa Biber either, but when I looked it up, its purple color when dried reminds me of Sumac powder, though I suppose it tastes very different. I was surprised to find that the SB Safi was from Africa... I'll bet that was a long, strange trip. Is the Sakay a Frutascens or an Annuum? The rest I've at least heard of before.

I've already got 2 kinds of Kapija pepper going, maybe I'll try the Urfa Biber this season. Cheers!

Hi Robert, Thanks for stopping by! Yup, this year is going to be interesting all right... And I hope for you as well. How many Kapija peppers will you be planting this year?

I'm glad they arrived in good shape and that I could surprise you with the different variety from all over the world I haven't grown most of them myself yet, except the Aji Umba, Pimenta Padron and Doux tres Long des Landes, all of them are very tasty in their own way. The Yalova Yaglik should be a sweet pepper indeed, I'm growing it myself for the first time this season. Same story with the Urfa Biber. I have no idea about the Sakay, whether it's a Annuum or Frutsecens. The seeds looked like an Annuum but I got the seeds from a buddy that went to Madagascar and bought a couple of peppers on a local market. The Sakay Green Pepper was the only one we were able to identify. The other ones looked like berries. Good luck with the seeds!

 

[Jamison]

Good luck on the germination! I'll stick around.

 

[PeriPeri]

Hi Lourens
Thanks for stopping by. I've been itching to start for the last 3 months, so I'm glad to finally be germinating again. Timing is everything here because of our 120 day growing season, so I'm starting the Chinense, Baccatum and Pubiscens peppers now because they grow so slowly. I'll start the Annuums the end of February and the Eggplant and Tomatoes after that, but they'll all go outside together, and I'll be doing what I can to extend the season as much as possible. Cheers

Heck, I just don't know how you guys in the North do it. Major kudos to you all... 120 days - that is absolute brilliance! I have 6-7 months of summer weather here and last season I had superhots that just never made it before winter came knocking lol - which I believe is also an art... how to grow chillies the slowest in a hot climate

 

[stickman]

It looks like it will be a hard working season, but I'm looking forward to it

Me too, you bet!

Oh, by the way, I have a Rapires F1 sprout! Thanks again!

Excellent! Could we see some pics on your glog please?

I'm glad they arrived in good shape and that I could surprise you with the different variety from all over the world I haven't grown most of them myself yet, except the Aji Umba, Pimenta Padron and Doux tres Long des Landes, all of them are very tasty in their own way. The Yalova Yaglik should be a sweet pepper indeed, I'm growing it myself for the first time this season. Same story with the Urfa Biber. I have no idea about the Sakay, whether it's a Annuum or Frutsecens. The seeds looked like an Annuum but I got the seeds from a buddy that went to Madagascar and bought a couple of peppers on a local market. The Sakay Green Pepper was the only one we were able to identify. The other ones looked like berries. Good luck with the seeds!

Thanks Stefan, I really appreciate it!

Good luck on the germination! I'll stick around.

Hi Jamison, welcome to the zoo!

Heck, I just don't know how you guys in the North do it. Major kudos to you all... 120 days - that is absolute brilliance! I have 6-7 months of summer weather here and last season I had superhots that just never made it before winter came knocking lol - which I believe is also an art... how to grow chillies the slowest in a hot climate

Hi Lourens
I guarantee it involves thought and attention to detail...

How strange that you had some underperforming chiles last year... is that why you put up the shade cloth enclosure?