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Strategizing Next Year's Grow

Spicegeist

Spicegeist

This year I grew about 120 or so plants, which is really way more than I should be growing. I grew one or two of most varieties, up to four or five of some special varieties.

I want to narrow down the varieties I'll be growing in 2013 and am considering some different strategies.

Have you gone through this before? It's definitely a very personal choice, but I'd love to hear how some other people have dealt with this scenario.
 
I feel the same way! I had about 90 plants to start off with, losing some along the way, so I am now about 85 plants. I've filled 4 small flat rate boxes to send to different people, used about a pound each of 3 different types for pepper jellies, and filled a quart yogurt cup of them for family to sample, and I still have way too many to deal with unless I dry them and powder them. I could sell some, but last time I tried that, no one took the bait :confused:

I seriously pared down my overwinter list to make some more room for new types. I will be firmly growing 40 plants this coming year, including the overwinters. Of course, if some don't make the transition through winter, I will add any seeds to the mix to fill in those spots. However, I am confident that I have gained enough experience to have a pretty good chance at successfully overwintering them :D

Good luck with your decision, I know I've had to really press myself to pare down my 2013 list, and I still have to acquire my materials for overwintering, and start stockpiling my nutrients for next year. I've found that a gallon jug of my ProBloom, CalMag, and Liquid Karma were enough for my 90ish plants, so I think that amount will remain to be purchased for next season.
 
I have been doing the same thing for the past few years. Lots of varieties with only a few plants of each. At least half of them are on my "will never grow again" list, but It has been a great way to learn which peppers I like the most, as well as learning which types produce the best for me. Now that I know which ones those are, I plan on having less than 10 varieties next year.
 
i'm definitely growing fewer varieties next year as well. i started this year with 107 but am down to 80 or so... would like to land at about 50 for next year.
 
muskymojo said:
I have been doing the same thing for the past few years. Lots of varieties with only a few plants of each. At least half of them are on my "will never grow again" list, but It has been a great way to learn which peppers I like the most, as well as learning which types produce the best for me. Now that I know which ones those are, I plan on having less than 10 varieties next year.
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I am a new hotpod grower. If I was wanting to start with a 10 pepper type variety, what ten pepper types would you suggest. I'm looking for super hot, good tasting and prolific producers.
 
fatalii
moruga scorpion
7 pot red, brown, and yellow
bhut
dorset naga or naga morich
butch t
primo
one more brown or yellow...
 
Habanero Fellow said:
I am a new hotpod grower. If I was wanting to start with a 10 pepper type variety, what ten pepper types would you suggest. I'm looking for super hot, good tasting and prolific producers.
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That's a tough question to answer. I grew douglahs from 3 different sources last year, and I got 3 very different peppers. The ones I grew this year, and will be growing again next year were the best tasting, hottest, and most prolific of the original 3.

Biscgolf's list is a good one though.
 
biscgolf said:
fatalii
moruga scorpion
7 pot red, brown, and yellow
bhut
dorset naga or naga morich
butch t
primo
one more brown or yellow...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the list man. Need to find a good seed supplier now.

muskymojo said:
That's a tough question to answer. I grew douglahs from 3 different sources last year, and I got 3 very different peppers. The ones I grew this year, and will be growing again next year were the best tasting, hottest, and most prolific of the original 3.

Biscgolf's list is a good one though.
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Looks like I need to find some douglah seeds.

I wonder what month that I should start the seeds indoors here in central Arkansas. I've never started peppers inside before. This is fixing to be a new experience for me. I guess I'll start my own GLOG when I start my pepper seeds.
 
muskymojo said:
I have been doing the same thing for the past few years. Lots of varieties with only a few plants of each. At least half of them are on my "will never grow again" list, but It has been a great way to learn which peppers I like the most, as well as learning which types produce the best for me. Now that I know which ones those are, I plan on having less than 10 varieties next year.
Click to expand...

10 varieties, wow. I can't even imagine growing so few, although the idea is tempting.

muskymojo said:
That's a tough question to answer. I grew douglahs from 3 different sources last year, and I got 3 very different peppers. The ones I grew this year, and will be growing again next year were the best tasting, hottest, and most prolific of the original 3.

Biscgolf's list is a good one though.
Click to expand...

+1 All kinds of different peppers with the same names around out there. The Bhut-types are like this, I've ended up with so many different types all basically called "Bhut Jolokia."

I'll play around with the idea of 10 varieties... see if I could get used to the idea of having only 10... maybe I could give away the crosses I've made so I could still see them grow on someone else's glog.
 
I say at the start of every season that I will be narrowing down my list. Funny thing is, I always end up growing more than the previous season! :lol:

This season I've opted for only growing one of each variety instead of multiple plants. If something happens to that one plant, I figure it just wasn't meant to be this season!
 
gasificada said:
I say at the start of every season that I will be narrowing down my list. Funny thing is, I always end up growing more than the previous season! :lol:

This season I've opted for only growing one of each variety instead of multiple plants. If something happens to that one plant, I figure it just wasn't meant to be this season!
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Yes, precisely. I did that two years ago, but was pissed off when I lost a couple I had to wait until this year to grow. One of my top peppers this year is a Choco Bhut I really like. I wonder what it would be like to just grow 50 Choco Bhuts and a handful of others.

IMG_20120906_163702.jpg
 
Habanero Fellow said:
I wonder what month that I should start the seeds indoors here in central Arkansas. I've never started peppers inside before. This is fixing to be a new experience for me. I guess I'll start my own GLOG when I start my pepper seeds.
Click to expand...

You're around growing zone 7b, depends on how much space and lighting you can provide. If enough, start them in Jan. but if either of these are major limitations, wait till mid Feb., early Mar. at the latest for a long growing season.
 
I'll be getting a late start next year as I'll be movIng early-mid spring.... Don't know what kind of space I'll have, but I plan on more space than I have now.... Right now, I have 4 varieties with 2 plants per.... I tried a few more that didn't survive/I didn't have the time to waste trying to germinate seeds for plants I probably wouldn't get to see produce before having to try to overwinter them.... I plan to reduce the number of plant per variety and increase the number of varieties.... I want to eventually get to cross breeding and want to be sure I have enough experience with growing in general before jumping into crossing....
 
I have been planning '13 season for the last week or so. My intentions were to cut way back. Seems I have added 8 more instead. I did the novelty grow this year and tried to do a lot of supers. From now on,I am putting a theme to each season. Next year I am doing all tasty varieties,and a whole bunch of wilds.
 
Funny. I've been pondering this for a while now. Went through the seed stock a couple times and I still end up with 30 or so varieties that I want to grow. Tough tough choices.
 
Very tough, isn't it? I have mulled over my 2013 list so many times, it is almost unrecognizable to my original list, which was going to be about 50 varieties! I will still have as many as 40 types, because I have resigned myself to (1) plant of each kind, just to get another dynamic and diverse profile for next year. Overwintering 18 plants, one of each variety, from this year will add nicely to the mix, as well :)
 
Ive got this same issue. I am collecting seeds, looking to trade seeds, and this that and the other. I want to grow mainly yellow and peach types.
 
Pr0digal_son said:
I have been planning '13 season for the last week or so. My intentions were to cut way back. Seems I have added 8 more instead. I did the novelty grow this year and tried to do a lot of supers. From now on,I am putting a theme to each season. Next year I am doing all tasty varieties,and a whole bunch of wilds.
Click to expand...

I like the theme approach...

gasificada said:
I guess... it is easy to say "If it doesn't make it, oh well", but when it actually happens, it's a different story! :lol:
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Indeed... my one Aji Limon I started in 2011 died and I had to wait until this year to find out I don't really like it...

I'm actually more a fan of the Bhuts than the 7 Pots, but I have some wicked crosses I just can't pass up...
 
I have tried to do this every year and it never works. Next year I am planning on about 5-7 times more instead. I figure reverse psychology on my part. :) Actually I now have a bigger plot that I can use and plan on selling a bit more pods and powders next year.
 
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