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]

Checked the peppers this morning and noticed that the first pods set on one the Tepin were becoming pendant with a pointed tip. I'll have to wait a bit to see if they go upright and round out, but it looks like it might be a cross... This year I will definitely make more of an effort to isolate. I've already set aside the pods set on my overwinters for next year, since those are probably safe.

 

[synclinorium]

Score. Found these at the local Co-Op. Apparently they've been doing this for a couple years now and they fly off the shelves. The Bhut Jolokias were already out of stock by the time I got there (they arrived yesterday afternoon). Says somewhere that the Bhut seeds were from NMSU, didn't see anything about the TSBT. I'm annoyed to think of all the yuppies who bought them not knowing what they were getting into, but ah well, can't be helped.

Granted, the root system is a little underdeveloped for my liking (stem just kind of flops around in the slightest breeze), but I'll baby it for a bit and see if I can get it to perk up.

There's clearly an untapped market for superhots here. Probably mostly douchey college students who want to mess with their friends, judging by the other people checking them out. If I'm still here next year I'll make it a point to start extra seedlings and sell them at the farmer's market. Cha-ching!

 

[synclinorium]

Also noticed today that the garden has several dozen tomato volunteers springing up... shame that most of the varieties I grew were hybrids to begin with, but I might dig several of them up for the side of the yard to see if anything interesting becomes of them.

 

[Eephus Man]

There's clearly an untapped market for superhots here. Probably mostly douchey college students who want to mess with their friends, judging by the other people checking them out. If I'm still here next year I'll make it a point to start extra seedlings and sell them at the farmer's market. Cha-ching!

I think I'll do that, too. DBA will be Douchey Bhuty.

 

[synclinorium]

Went back and rescued another seedling after they posted a new shipment on their facebook wall. Looks about the same as the Scorpion in size, but the plants obviously haven't been hardened at all. I'll be putting a fan on them for a couple weeks and try to get them established a bit before I even think about taking them outside...

 

[synclinorium]

It's supposed to get down into the high 40s a few times over the next week, but being lazy I decided to just rig up a cheapo hoop house for some of the plants. They'll be alright...

However, I am going to spoil my Datil overwinter by bringing it inside. Only exception I'm making. I figure if the Tomato volunteers are sprouting, it's warm enough that I can leave most of the plants outside with protection.

(Main reason I'm bringing it in tonight is because I don't want it to be rained on more. It has enough water for a few days...)

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

Lookin good, cool find. I have a couple flats I'm gonna sell of supers here, what did they charge for those?

 

[PaulG]

Plants are liking their hoop hut, bud! Man, that Datil is one
stunning plant. Great shape and appearance! Good luck
with the co-op plants, Sync, I never see anything like that
around here.

 

[synclinorium]

Well I've confirmed at least one of the Tepins is a cross... it has huge flowers and the pods are becoming pendant with a pointed tip. Doubt it will be anything worth growing out, particularly because at the moment it looks like only one flower per node, but we'll see.

Flower:

Pod:

 

[jsschrstrcks]

Anything with a larger than normal flower is worth growing out in my view... I'd send you an sasbe for a ripe pod if you don't plan to keep it .

Ken

 

[synclinorium]

Ha, will do. I'm being facetious, I usually save seed for everything, isolated or not (hence the problem here). I am impressed by the flowers, I'm just curious to see how it tastes...

 

[synclinorium]

Chinense update (and a couple baccatums):

Wiri Wiri looks rather comical with its trunk of a stem and small leaves. Probably one of my strongest growers currently:

Topped only by the 7Pot/Pod which is starting to perk up from its bout of edema and nute issues...

Datil is still shooting up:

And the Datil overwinter is going nuts:

White Hab is slowly but surely taking over its surroundings, lods of pods set:

My Cumari I accidentally topped is starting to come back with a vengeance:

My Mini Mini (c. baccatum) scared me for a bit when I found fine webbing covering the plant, but I found the spider who did it. It's a gorgeous plant, its stems always seem to turn very dark. Looking forward to finally seeing it grow out this year.

Also got one of the first buds popping on my baccatums:

 

[Eephus Man]

As always, great pics, sync. I'm in love with baccatums, ATM, so I'm liking seeing some more here.

 

[Spicegeist]

Beautiful, love those black stems. I'm growing datils for the first time this year, they really are vigorous.

 

[Eephus Man]

I'm growing them for the first time this year, too, sg. Cool. I'm very excited to get 'hold of a (as I understand) sweet hot. That's my "theme" this year, I suppose.

 

[jsschrstrcks]

I'm just glad someone is having good luck with Datil's. Mine have been less than vigorous.

 

[synclinorium]

I'm growing them for the first time this year, too, sg. Cool. I'm very excited to get 'hold of a (as I understand) sweet hot. That's my "theme" this year, I suppose.

They're definitely a bit on the sweeter side with a bit of fruity flavor to them. I find they pair really well with peach or mango.

I'm just glad someone is having good luck with Datil's. Mine have been less than vigorous.

Hmm, that's odd. They might perk up a bit as the season goes along... mine had a very slow start last year.



It's just occurred to me not only how different the tepin cross is compared to its parent. The growth isn't as robust as some of the wild Texas cultivars, for example, but it does have a stronger appearance and the calyx is definitely different...

Here's a pic from last year:

It's one of my few overwinters that didn't make it, sadly.

 

[synclinorium]

Some shots and some pornage. I'm kind of excited to see what this tepin cross tastes like, right now it's looking like the father might be a Jalapeno.

The Trinidad Scorpion (left) and Bhut Jolokia (right) I bought at the store are starting to really perk up. I've been abusing them (literally, smacking them around a few times when I think of it) and the stems and leaves are starting to feel more robust.

A lot of my plants are looking a bit worse for the wear at the moment... temps hit almost 90 a few times, didn't really keep track of their watering and some of them look a bit fert burnt... Hoping the rains over the next few days help get them back to being happy.

Plenty of pods set though... Wiri Wiri has its first pod:

One of my overwintering Aij mystery plants is exploding with buds:

My Mini Mini Is starting to take off too:

And this years White Hab starts have quite a few pods set. Right now it's looking like both of them are the round phenotype, which is what I was going for.

 

[Indiana_Jesse]

Looking wicked awesome!

 

[Eephus Man]

Very cool! Pods!