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!

 

[poypoyking]

Those JA Hot Chocolates look amazing.  Nice to see the manzano filling out too

 

[annie57]

Love, love the manzano!!!! (And everything else, Rick.) Just such a trick (Rick Trick?) to get the "apples" to grow. I stuck them in various parts of garden just to see and it makes a difference! Why? Could just be plant. But good on ya, because I got NONE that big and nice! But then we had, uh, I think 7 inches of rain last week? Some say more; after a few, who's really counting?

 

[romy6]

 Nice looking apples . l Love me some manzano's. Only had a couple that shane sent me but juicy and hot and great fresh.
 
 I would try a few nagas ( top left corner in pic) . Should give a that curry a nice kick and  explode with flavor 

 

[stickman]

Nice Manzano pod, Rick, glad to see them produce good
 
Peruvian purple also looks like a nice variety to grow.

Thanks Robert! Would you like some seeds for the Peruvian Purple? It didn't make the cut for me on grounds of low pod production. I intensely cultivate a small space, and for me to repeat a variety, it has to "pull its own freight". I haven't tasted a pod from it yet since they haven't ripened, but they smell good in an Annuum sort of way.

those hot chocs are looking real interesting!
i want mine to hurry up and flower!

I hear ya G... I was trying to wait patiently for the blossoms to stick on my chiles, and now I'm trying to wait patiently for them to ripen! We're all pullin' for ya... we're all in this together.
   Question: do you have frost  or freezing weather in Tokyo during the winter? No agenda here, just curious.

Is this your first year growing the manzano Rick?? I have a few seeds of the orange manzano in but I am not sure A. I have the space, or B. The climate here will suit them as they seem to like the cool by all accounts.

Yup, my first year. If Shane hadn't taken pity on my frustration and mailed me a seedling he started, it wouldn't have been this year either! So far it hasn't spread out too much, but it's early days yet, and I suppose it could even overtake the Baccatums in size. With the 90+ weather we've been having, they've been dropping flowers. I suppose I could rig a shade cloth over them, but I'm going to save that for the Napa Cabbage I'll be planting this week. Gotta have it for making Kimchi in the fall...

Rick every ting looking marvelous mon! I am especially interested in hearing your taste opinions on the Yellow Bhut when you pick one, when the light is right fire off a few shots ... would love to see it now. Have a great week brethren

Hi Ramon, I'll be sure to get back to you on the Yellow Bhut's flavor when they ripen up (eventually...) 
 
I usually go home for a lunch break between clients, and I got a few pics in the brighter mid-day light.
 
Here's the pic of the pods on the Yellow Bhut... still quite small, but lots of flowers...

 
Alphanerdz-strain Douglah

 
Maya Red

 
And in addition to chewing on the leaves, something was chewing on this pod... this, of course, means war!

 

[stickman]

Love, love the manzano!!!! (And everything else, Rick.) Just such a trick (Rick Trick?) to get the "apples" to grow. I stuck them in various parts of garden just to see and it makes a difference! Why? Could just be plant. But good on ya, because I got NONE that big and nice! But then we had, uh, I think 7 inches of rain last week? Some say more; after a few, who's really counting?

Hi Annie, The Manzano's pods are getting bigger, but it's been dropping flowers in the heat. We've had mid-90's for the last week and no rain. The rain we had earier cooled things off to where they liked it I think, and since we didn't have torrential rains like you did, they were pretty happy then. PaulG posted something today to the effect that his Manzanos seem to like more Nitrogen nutes than his other peppers... maybe relevant? I know I've been feeding mine once a week and it seems to have made a difference for me.

 

[highalt]

My Peruvian Purple has quite a few blooms on it, but hasn't set any pods yet.  It's too early to decide if it will be a good producer for me yet, but I remember you mentioning that yours was lanky.  Mine is very compact and bushy.  The seed came from Seeds of Change.
 
I ate Kimchi for the first time yesterday and thought of you.  Someone brought it to a church picnic, which is not a typical potluck dish.  I probably would have passed that by, but the guy that made it is Korean, so I trusted it to be authentic.  It was the spiciest thing I've ever had at a church potluck, and I enjoyed it.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, as I'm not a big fan of most Asian dishes.  Guess I need to be more open minded to new flavor experiences.  Thanks for encouraging me to expand my culinary horizons.

 

[stickman]

 Nice looking apples . l Love me some manzano's. Only had a couple that shane sent me but juicy and hot and great fresh.
 
 I would try a few nagas ( top left corner in pic) . Should give a that curry a nice kick and  explode with flavor 

Thanks for the recommendation Jamie... I'll do it! A Javanese trio... "Red Devil" Barbecued chicken (Ayam Panggang Setan), spiced String Beans (Sambal Goreng Buntjies), Steamed Eggplant in Dark Sauce (Semur Terong) and cooked rice.
 
I know Stefan... kinda small for a rijsttafel, but there's only me to eat it unless some of you folks come by to help out...

My Peruvian Purple has quite a few blooms on it, but hasn't set any pods yet.  It's too early to decide if it will be a good producer for me yet, but I remember you mentioning that yours was lanky.  Mine is very compact and bushy.  The seed came from Seeds of Change.
 
I ate Kimchi for the first time yesterday and thought of you.  Someone brought it to a church picnic, which is not a typical potluck dish.  I probably would have passed that by, but the guy that made it is Korean, so I trusted it to be authentic.  It was the spiciest thing I've ever had at a church potluck, and I enjoyed it.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, as I'm not a big fan of most Asian dishes.  Guess I need to be more open minded to new flavor experiences.  Thanks for encouraging me to expand my culinary horizons.

Hi Bonnie, It sounds like your Peruvian Purple might be genetically different from mine. To get the same effect as yours I'd have had to start pinching it back from day one. I think I'd have preferred the more compact form for myself, but hope you like what you're growing.
 
Good on ya for being a sport and trying Kimchi! The image most Americans have of it goes back to our involvement in the Korean war when people were trying to carry on the old traditions in a country shattered by civil war. No electricity, so no refrigeration and they buried the pots in the ground to keep them cool... and the smell wasn't what most GIs were used to then since it has lots of garlic, ginger and cabbage in it. I think it's marvelous stuff as long as it's not too old. Newer Kimchi has a lighter flavor with a bit of effervescence on the tongue, but the older it gets (even if refrigerated) the more sour it becomes. Unfortunately most store-bought Kimchi falls into this category. It's always better if you make it yourself or get it from somebody who does and eats their own product.

 

[georgej]

Rick, yeah it gets pretty cold here and is extremely dry during the winter. Managed to OW a few plants on the chilli bench and had a mini thai chilli that was still flowering. Just about warm enough inside to stay alive (despite the awful insulation). No way they would be able to survive in the ground though.

 

[stickman]

Rick, yeah it gets pretty cold here and is extremely dry during the winter. Managed to OW a few plants on the chilli bench and had a mini thai chilli that was still flowering. Just about warm enough inside to stay alive (despite the awful insulation). No way they would be able to survive in the ground though.

I didn't know that...  I knew that Honshu was at about the same latitude as the Carolinas here in the States, but I always thought that the Kushiro ocean current coming up from the equator would warm it up more than it does. How many more weeks of growing season do you have?
 
I went outside after supper to check on the chiles, and found that the last of the Chinense holdouts have set pods.
 
Butch T... partially obscured by a leaf stem, but the shape is clear.

 
Scotch Bonnet

 
And better yet, some more Annuums are also starting to ripen!
 
"Korea Winner" Gochu

 
Austrian Sweet "Ochsenhorn" pepper

 

[Trippa]

Looks good Rick. Yeah the kimchi I have had here is hit and miss depending on the day you go to a restaurant. Also depends on the quality/sweetness of the cabbage I think too

 

[stickman]

Looks good Rick. Yeah the kimchi I have had here is hit and miss depending on the day you go to a restaurant. Also depends on the quality/sweetness of the cabbage I think too

Definitely Trippa... the best time to pick the Cabbage is in the early fall when it's sweet and firm.

 

[PIC 1]

Pretty exciting Rick !
Many plants, Many pods.........Your pepper patch is starting to rock. I see you have many Annuums and your harvest will prove well. The Chinense are really starting to produce. Can you take some full size plant shots ?

 

[Stefan_W]

Looking good! My Butch-T just put out its first flower, so you are a still a bit ahead of me in that department. 
 
Great to see everything continuing to pod up, and even starting to ripen. 

 

[georgej]

I didn't know that...  I knew that Honshu was at about the same latitude as the Carolinas here in the States, but I always thought that the Kushiro ocean current coming up from the equator would warm it up more than it does. How many more weeks of growing season do you have?
 
 

Not sure.. i was still setting pods up until end of october last year though. usually theres typhoon season in september, then autumn is lovely and decent growing weather. the cooler nights meant that pods were setting like crazy. ended up having to ripen a few off the plant and over winter eventually. it doesnt get really cold til December/January.
 
we will have to see what happens with a bigger variety of plants this year.

 

[MisterNo]

Thanks Robert! Would you like some seeds for the Peruvian Purple? It didn't make the cut for me on grounds of low pod production. I intensely cultivate a small space, and for me to repeat a variety, it has to "pull its own freight". I haven't tasted a pod from it yet since they haven't ripened, but they smell good in an Annuum sort of way.

 
 
Thanks for the offer Rick, but I'm not sure yet about what to grow next season
Now that you mention it, I'm also a fan of good producers. I will let you know  :9
 
I have a question about Poblanos. How long do you wait before you pick them green?
 
I've read they are hotter and flavorful when red ripe and I will pick most of them like that, but I would like to try them green also (mostly with chile relleno in mind). Bigger ones are about 4-5 inches long.
 
Looking forward to see  wonders you will do with your harvest

 

[stickman]

Pretty exciting Rick !
Many plants, Many pods.........Your pepper patch is starting to rock. I see you have many Annuums and your harvest will prove well. The Chinense are really starting to produce. Can you take some full size plant shots ?

Hi Greg, and thanks for the good vibe. The backup camera is still wonky, and not wanting to take pics that are full-sized, but my wife will be back from Canada with the primary on Friday and I'll post them for you then. Cheers!

Not sure.. i was still setting pods up until end of october last year though. usually theres typhoon season in september, then autumn is lovely and decent growing weather. the cooler nights meant that pods were setting like crazy. ended up having to ripen a few off the plant and over winter eventually. it doesnt get really cold til December/January.
 
we will have to see what happens with a bigger variety of plants this year.

Hi G! It sounds like you'll have 3-4 more weeks to your growing season than I will here, so if you start any more Chinense varieties from seed next year, you might want to think of starting them in Late January to early February for the best chance at a good harvest. I started mine the first weekend in January to make sure they had a long enough growing season. OW plants are something I haven't tried yet, but that's the next frontier...

 
 
Thanks for the offer Rick, but I'm not sure yet about what to grow next season
Now that you mention it, I'm also a fan of good producers. I will let you know  :9
 
I have a question about Poblanos. How long do you wait before you pick them green?
 
I've read they are hotter and flavorful when red ripe and I will pick most of them like that, but I would like to try them green also (mostly with chile relleno in mind). Bigger ones are about 4-5 inches long.
 
Looking forward to see  wonders you will do with your harvest

Sure Robert... any time.
 
Poblanos are ready to pick when they're about the size of your open hand.

The stalks and pod stems are fairly brittle, so use shears or scissors to cut the pod stems and try not to be rough and break off pods or branches nearby. They have a thick skin that you should roast and peel like you do for Kapija peppers, then remove the stem and seeds. When the pods turn a Garnet red, the Mexicans call them Anchos and dry them whole for storage, or grind them for powder. Most chili powder sold here in America is at least half Ancho powder... I make mine from a blend of powders from Ancho, Chimayo and California chiles. (California chiles are just red-ripe Anaheim pods) Be sure to let us know how you like them!
 
There are lots of recipes on the web, and this site is a good starting place. Cheers!
http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=148

 

[MisterNo]

Sure Robert... any time.
 
Poblanos are ready to pick when they're about the size of your open hand.

The stalks and pod stems are fairly brittle, so use shears or scissors to cut the pod stems and try not to be rough and break off pods or branches nearby. They have a thick skin that you should roast and peel like you do for Kapija peppers, then remove the stem and seeds. When the pods turn a Garnet red, the Mexicans call them Anchos and dry them whole for storage, or grind them for powder. Most chili powder sold here in America is at least half Ancho powder... I make mine from a blend of powders from Ancho, Chimayo and California chiles. (California chiles are just red-ripe Anaheim pods) Be sure to let us know how you like them!
 
There are lots of recipes on the web, and this site is a good starting place. Cheers!
http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=148

 
Thanks Rick, I will try some of those recipes for sure
 
I make a lot of powder, I'm sure Ancho will be a delicious choice!

 

[WalkGood]

I see growth and progress every time I look at your pictures, loads of pods ... Whoa your poblano pod is huge or you have small hands only kidding my friend. Awesome work and you will soon have great harvests ^_^

 

[georgej]

Hi G! It sounds like you'll have 3-4 more weeks to your growing season than I will here, so if you start any more Chinense varieties from seed next year, you might want to think of starting them in Late January to early February for the best chance at a good harvest. I started mine the first weekend in January to make sure they had a long enough growing season. OW plants are something I haven't tried yet, but that's the next frontier...
 

I started mid January. but next year i wanna change a few things like pot up earlier and give the right nutes earlier on. i was stubborn about potting up earlier.

I'm not all that sold on OW. my habanero thats really healthy isn't bigger nor more abundant than other plants i grew from seed. we will have to wait til the season finishes to lay down real judgement, but for now that's how i feel

 

[Dot Com]

Very nice. Yeah, posting here makes us all photography saavy as far as editing/resizing & hosting goes
 
. The Maya Red looks like a rather hot one judging just by its shape. Have not heard of that one before. Paprika looks healthy and interesting to use when its finally ripened. Good luck w/ the Douglah. Mine just started podding-up as well.

I was like a dog with a bone this morning, and fiddled around with the backup camera until I got it working at least somewhat. Resizing the pics helped sharpen them up a bit too, so this is the report of the Sunday morning patrol...
 
Chinense are still dropping a few flowers, but now I think it's mostly just the ones that didn't get pollinated.
 
Douglah

 
 
Potted Maya Red

 
 
Some of the Krimzon Lee paprika's are starting to ripen up

 
 
Have a good Sunday all!