synclinorium's 2012 Grow Log

I haven't actually started seeds yet, but it will be happening in the very near future... this year's growing season will almost certainly be cut short for reasons I won't go into, so I'm trying to avoid going crazy seed starting... think of this as a healthy start on my overwinters for the year.

I've narrowed down my grow list to the following for 2012. With a couple exceptions I only plan on doing 1 or 2 of each variety, and some might be cut for space reasons, TBD. The superhots will be going into the trays as soon as I get my supplies, with the rest following shortly afterwards. My setup is slightly less ghetto than last year, but don't expect anything too fancy. Anyway, the selection, including any overwinters that make it to plant-out:

7Pod Brain Strain Yellow
Aji Amarillo (3 strains)
Bonda Ma Jacques/Datil/Fatalii
Chocolate Bhut Jolokia
Cumari/Cumari Pollux/Cumari o Passarinho in some combination
Jalapeno
Limon
Prik chee fa/Prik ki nu
Red Rocoto
Tepin/Pequin
Trinidad Scorpion BT
White Habanero
Wiri Wiri

Considering the fact that this growing season will be short, I didn't really want to bother with more pubescens or baccatums aside from my overwinters, and the wilds and superhots I'm just doing for fun. I'll probably do several more Aji Amarillo plants than the rest, as they are mild enough that my housemate uses them on a regular basis, so I won't feel bad about leaving plants with her.

I'm also open to suggestions for other varieties. I'd like to have as broad a flavor profile as possible without turning my entire backyard into a pepper garden (not that I would have an issue with this if I owned property, but I don't think my current landlord would appreciate it...)

 

[synclinorium]

Yep, I think so.

So my extra plants were, not surprisingly, planted too close together, and it's quickly turning into a bloody deathmatch. Wiri Wiri in the front, Brain Strain Yellow in the back, with the Brain Strain yellow cross in the middle. The Serranos off to the side are starting to get in on the action. Who will be victorious (my bets are on the Brain Strain yellow cross).

Something disturbing I noticed about the cross's pods. The lobes that are supposed to look like a brain look more like tongues on the cross. Even the little "stinger" at the end will sometimes look like a tongue. Freaky...

I enjoyed watching a deer flip out when he ate one of the ripe Bhut pods yesterday. Serves him right. The plant is looking good though, and there are plenty of other pods coming along.

Curious to see what all the hype is about with the Malawi Peppadew. Supposedly not the same as the variety that is trademarked, but similar.

 

[stickman]

Yep, I think so.

So my extra plants were, not surprisingly, planted too close together, and it's quickly turning into a bloody deathmatch. Wiri Wiri in the front, Brain Strain Yellow in the back, with the Brain Strain yellow cross in the middle. The Serranos off to the side are starting to get in on the action. Who will be victorious (my bets are on the Brain Strain yellow cross).

Are you ready to rumble!


I enjoyed watching a deer flip out when he ate one of the ripe Bhut pods yesterday. Serves him right.

Oh Man! The things you see when you don't have a camera!

 

[synclinorium]

Found a surprise in the garden today. One of my Rocotos must have not produced any ripe fruit last year, as I sure as hell don't remember having Orange Rocotos...

 

[stc3248]

Nice score on the Orange Rocoto! Great little pod and perfect color! Wish I could have been there to watch the deer saga unfold. Hopefully he tells all his buddies to stay the heck away from your plants! I am not a poacher, or illegal hunter, but I would be hard pressed not to pull out my bow and stick a couple if they were into my pepper plants!

 

[synclinorium]

Haven't been updating much because the garden is just puttering along at this point... the lack of rain is really hurting things. Haven't quite got my fert schedule right, I'm almost certainly under-fertilizing with the almost daily watering to contend with. Ah well.

A few things worth noting:

Couldn't get a good shot of it, but first flower popped on Judy's Blue Mystery. I might actually get a few pods on it, assuming the birds don't get to them first...

My mystery chinense from this year's starts *finally* started flowering. I'm not a betting man, but I'm going to guess it's another one of the superhots, maybe a Bhut if I'm lucky. Lemongrass on the right (ignore the weeds in these photos, I've been bad about staying on top of that this year).

I've left the Mini Mini to the birds, not worth the effort to try picking the miniscule pods... but check out that canopy.

The pequins and tepins are obviously completely unphased by the lack of rain. They're lovin' it. This pequin is my largest plant.

 

[synclinorium]

Oh, and here are some of the not-Butch Ts. They look rather Hab-ish to me.

 

[synclinorium]

I have not been staying on top of the garden or updates, so the garden has suffered. The drought hasn't been helping. Now that we're getting more rain things are perking back up. It's not a total loss, some points worth highlighting:

I've decided in the future I am going to grow fewer plants and put them all in the ground. The plants in pots just can't compare. Given my tendency to ignore their needs for long periods of time, I just can't keep up with the constant maintenance and watering off the container plants. This shot, though hard to see, demonstrates how my late start chinenses have far surpassed my potted plants. The chinenses in the back of the photo are going on 4 feet tall (tomatoes are right behind them).

My mystery pepper has started producing fruit. I'm wondering if this is the elusive Butch T seedling I had and thought passed away. In any event, it's some sort of superhot.

Garlic chives and Thai basil

It's cooled down enough that the Rocotos have started fruiting again.

A few Malawi Peppadew fruits

Judy's Blue Mystery

Mix of wild types I've been nabbing throughout the season. Been hard to keep up with the birds, but I'm getting a decent haul.

 

[stickman]

Nice pull Devin! Glad to see you're finally getting some rain out your way.