Stickman's 2014 Glog- That's all folks!

Hi All,
   I've got Manzanos sprouted and my Bhuts, Lotah Bih and Donne Sali seeds planted so it looks like time to leave 2103 behind and begin to concentrate on 2014. Last year I started some of my late-season varieties right after New Year's Day, but our season was too short to bring the pods to full ripeness so this year I started 2-3 weeks earlier.
 
Manzano seedlings...

 
Fruts and Bhuts ...

 
There are many more varieties yet to plant in the proper turn, and I have 4 overwintered pepper plants from 2013 that I'll report on later. Have a great weekend all!

 

[PIC 1]

WOW........all kinds of perky looking plants with pods forming. Rick your weather is treating you kindly, the annuums are in full swing and may growth beyond the tomato cages by the end of the season.........good for you !
 
Red and Rice with the Smoked Hocks is the bomb !

 

[stc3248]

Rickster!!! What an amazing well timed start brother. Great to see you able to pull the training wheels just as they all go into production mode! They all look fantastic...but I am kinda partial to that little Pequin you got rocking!

 

[Devv]

Very nice Rick!
 
It's all coming together!

 

[Swartmamba]

Thats the perfect food for our rainy weather, maybe ill make that for tomorrow
 
Peri-peri is lookiing good, love peri-peri chicken on the fire.

 

[PrimeTime]

 
NICE. Problem is I literally have no place to put it. Rules against grills/smokers/bbq's on the balconies because they're covered. Then again I have spotted a couple folks *bending* the rules.

 
Same boat here and it kills me!!!! Im only allowed electric with no combustion so i cane even get an electric smoker! Sorry, as you were. 
 
Looking great as always Rick!

 

[OCD Chilehead]

Thanks for the pics. Taka is looking really good. I'm liking the Thai Hybrid "red demon". Looks nice and healthy like the rest.

 

[stickman]

WOW........all kinds of perky looking plants with pods forming. Rick your weather is treating you kindly, the annuums are in full swing and may growth beyond the tomato cages by the end of the season.........good for you !
 
Red and Rice with the Smoked Hocks is the bomb !

 
Thanks for the good word Greg, it means a lot coming from a master!
 
Yeah baby! Gotta have those smoked hocks with New Orleans-style red beans.   It gives them a creamy mouthfeel and great flavor.

Rickster!!! What an amazing well timed start brother. Great to see you able to pull the training wheels just as they all go into production mode! They all look fantastic...but I am kinda partial to that little Pequin you got rocking!

 
Thanks Chief! It's surely been a difficult spring this year and I'm glad things are beginning to drive on.
 
With 4 varieties and 8 plants, I'm definitely looking forward to a good harvest of Pequins. Some I'll share with a local restaurant owner who's a Texas ex-pat, and some I'll dry whole to crush or grind later. There'll be some to experiment with too... do you know of any signature Texas dishes using them that I could try?

Very nice Rick!
 
It's all coming together!

 
Thanks Scott! I'll ask you too... do you know of any unique Texas dishes using Pequins? I'll be in a mood to experiment when they come in.

Thats the perfect food for our rainy weather, maybe ill make that for tomorrow
 
Peri-peri is lookiing good, love peri-peri chicken on the fire.

 
Thanks for the good vibe Asher, and welcome to the zoo! This is my first time growing Peri Peri chiles and I have no idea what they taste like, but looking forward to trying them. Do you have any other favorite recipes using them besides chicken braai a la Nando's?

 
Same boat here and it kills me!!!! Im only allowed electric with no combustion so i cane even get an electric smoker! Sorry, as you were. 
 
Looking great as always Rick!

 
Hey, Alan's in the house! Thanks for dropping by buddy!   I'm a little confused by your post... I guess senior moments are becoming more common...
 
I started a couple of Dagma's Perfection Tomatoes from your seeds this spring, but cutworms got one. The other is looking very healthy though, and it's blossoming like crazy right now.

Thanks for the pics. Taka is looking really good. I'm liking the Thai Hybrid "red demon". Looks nice and healthy like the rest.

 
Thanks Chuck, it's all good!
 
Time once again for the hump day Dawn Patrol...
 
We got an intense electrical storm last night with pounding rain. No damage, but a lot of dropped skirts under the Annuums! The Chinense chiles have greened up nicely since I put the row cover fabric over them, but they're not growing as quickly as I'd hoped. I'm gonna have to set some water bottle "funnels" through the plastic mulch so I can start giving them some liquid nutes like I've been doing for the Annuums... probably this weekend.
 
The MoAs are looking good, but with all the rain we had last week I pinched off some of the leaves at the base of the plant to open up the leaf canopy and let in more air and light. They've come so far I don't want to lose them to disease at this point... They're still dropping flowers, but that's not unusual here. I expect they'll start sticking sometime in the next couple of weeks.

 
I cut back the branches on the OW Douglah that weren't growing any new leaves since they were dying back anyway. This is what it looks like now.

 
There were a few dropped skirts under the Naga King this morning too!

 
and a little closer view...

 
Have a good "hump-day" all!

 

[JJJessee]

Outstanding. You are swimming in pods! I think your row cover, early watering, and black mulch transitioned your plants way better than mine did.  Your plants exploded when they hit the dirt.
 
Nice work!

 

[PrimeTime]

I was just referring to Maccaps BBQ/smoker rules. Im in the same boat at my co-op.
 
Not my seeds Rick but glad to hear your plots are getting busy for ya!

 

[stickman]

Outstanding. You are swimming in pods! I think your row cover, early watering, and black mulch transitioned your plants way better than mine did.  Your plants exploded when they hit the dirt.
 
Nice work!

 
Thanks JJJ! I assure you, it wasn't an instantaneous transition, lol!
 

I was just referring to Maccaps BBQ/smoker rules. Im in the same boat at my co-op.
 
Not my seeds Rick but glad to hear your plots are getting busy for ya!

 
Oh, right, it was Scarecrw... guess I'm not doing so well this morning... time for another cup of coffee...
 
That is a drag that you guys can't have smokers or grills on your balconies. I suppose you'd have to have permission from the condo associations where you live to keep a smoker box outside where the communal grill is. Maybe you could talk them into buying an LP gas smoker box for the whole group... then the cost of gas would be spread out through all your condo fees. We're fortunate here in that while we live in a condo association, they're duplex units with a backyard, so we can have them here.

 

[Penny]

Looking great Rick!!

 

[stickman]

Looking great Rick!!

 
Hey, miz Penny's here, thanks for dropping by! How are things up your way?

 

[maximumcapsicum]

Nice update Rick! Plants are looking nice. I can't wait to see those king nagas pod out.

Yeah the lack of outdoor space is a drawback for sure. I am just grateful for the community plot... Without it I may go nuts.

 

[Swartmamba]

Growing up in South Africa my grandfather always had a couple Peri-Peri plants on the go. He used them in many dishes, but mainly grew them for snacking on while outside. He pretty much got into hot peppers from a early age. I remember clearly crying after eating a whole one when no one was looking, but I always went back for more!
 
If I get a hold of my family members down there ill ask them for some recipes.

 

[stickman]

Growing up in South Africa my grandfather always had a couple Peri-Peri plants on the go. He used them in many dishes, but mainly grew them for snacking on while outside. He pretty much got into hot peppers from a early age. I remember clearly crying after eating a whole one when no one was looking, but I always went back for more!
 
If I get a hold of my family members down there ill ask them for some recipes.

 
Very cool Asher, and thanks! Do you have any Peri Peri growing at your place in Alberta?

 

[Swartmamba]

 
Very cool Asher, and thanks! Do you have any Peri Peri growing at your place in Alberta?

 
 
yes I do, but they sure are not enjoying the rain. every year we get more rain, its getting old! I lost my biggest plant when moving house 3 weeks ago, but 1 plant out of them all is okay with me.

 

[stc3248]

Most folks just dry and flake or powder them...you can pickle them too or add them to your favorite sauces. I like them as crushed pepper for pizzas or spaghetti so you may be able to add them right to your home made tomato sauce recipe. There are some salsas and sauces that use them if you search the web, but I have never tried them. I know you are into chile, and the powder from those little guys is as authentic as it gets. Down her you can buy dried whole pequins in bags in the grocery stores or specialty markets. 

 

[stickman]

 
 
yes I do, but they sure are not enjoying the rain. every year we get more rain, its getting old! I lost my biggest plant when moving house 3 weeks ago, but 1 plant out of them all is okay with me.

 
Out of curiousity... how do you have them planted? I ask because I wonder if you've tried the black plastic mulch on the ground where you've planted, or if you have them in pots. I can certainly understand them not liking having cold, wet feet.

Most folks just dry and flake or powder them...you can pickle them too or add them to your favorite sauces. I like them as crushed pepper for pizzas or spaghetti so you may be able to add them right to your home made tomato sauce recipe. There are some salsas and sauces that use them if you search the web, but I have never tried them. I know you are into chile, and the powder from those little guys is as authentic as it gets. Down her you can buy dried whole pequins in bags in the grocery stores or specialty markets. 

 
Thanks Shane! I saw what looked like a very good recipe for salsa using roasted green Pequin pods, roasted garlic and tomatillos, all crushed in a molcajete with salt and lime juice. I hear the ripe pods are more citrusy, and I'm gonna try making jelly with them and some fruit juice. My Grandmother used to make some great apple-chokecherry jelly, and I bet it'd be great kicked up with a tablespoon of Pequin pods in it and served on crackers with cream cheese. We have a chokecherry tree at the end of our driveway that's just loaded with green fruit that should get ripe sometime in early August.

 

[Swartmamba]

Having just moved on the 21st of May, I was unable to do them in ground. They are in 10 gallon bags this season. Next season ill use the black plastic mulch, as it seems to be great.
 
Lots of people do make powders, but we always used them fresh.

 

[stickman]

Having just moved on the 21st of May, I was unable to do them in ground. They are in 10 gallon bags this season. Next season ill use the black plastic mulch, as it seems to be great.
 
Lots of people do make powders, but we always used them fresh.

 
Good enough... I just have to wait for them to ripen, and I hate waiting.    Drive on!