synclinorium's Grow Log 2011

Otherwise known as my first attempt at growing hot peppers; probably a good reason to keep track of my plants' progress. My list isn't quite as hot as the others I see on here, but I'm still at the point where most of the hotter chinense varieties are beyond my appreciation. Hopefully this season will begin to change that.

I didn't properly research before buying my seeds/plants, so forgive my naivety with some of my supplier choices; I don't exactly have high expectations when it comes to most of these plants being true to type. Seeds were started intermittently between the first week of February and the second week of March (save the giant Datil plants seen in the photo below, those just recently arrived).

Current list:

Aji Cristal (Reimer seeds)
Aji Amarillo (Hirt's Gardens)
Cayenne (Hirt's Gardens)
Tabasco (Reimer seeds)
Unknown Thai variety (Livingston seeds, if I recall)
Rocoto (Reimer seeds)
Datil (from ebay)
White Lightning Habanero (Hirt's Gardens)

Soon to be arriving from Local Harvest growers:

Fatalii
Aji Limon
Bulgarian Carrot
Jalapeno

Here's my current setup. I've been using the LEDs for tomatoes, but it seems to be working fairly well for the peppers too.

 

[wayright]

Excellent video Sync!!
Your plants look great man!

Kevin

 

[synclinorium]

One of several Rocoto pods coming along now. Never would have expected them to set in the middle of July, but there you go:

And so much for the mystery pepper being a Beni highlands:

 

[synclinorium]

And the mystery pepper a few hours later, turning a deep orange, almost red... suddenly paper lantern is seeming more likely, although the pod shape and size seem a bit off... as well as the growth habit. Not saying it can't be a paper lantern, it's just a very odd paper lantern if it is.

This White Hab is more pods than leaves at this point...

Some of the Amarillo peppers seem to be turning a deeper yellow. Orange would be nice...

 

[synclinorium]

I've been encountering a lot of weird little bugs on my plants the last few days... so far I haven't been able to get a picture, but they're very distinctive. Most are orange, with long slender black legs flecked with white, and often their rear section is arched upwards. Assassin bug nymphs, maybe?

 

[Indiana_Jesse]

Sounds like assassin bug nymphs, most likely "Wheel Bug" Arilus cristatus.

 

[synclinorium]

Just noticed something very strange... my Ring of Fire Cayenne has boggled me all season, being one of the only plants to not set any fruit, but the last week or so this thing has been having a growth spurt... to the point that it's now as tall as my Rocotos, in spite of being in the smallest pot of the bunch:

Tree Cayenne, anyone?

I know overwintering annums is a crapshoot, but this guy has my attention now.

 

[synclinorium]

Found this guy patrolling the mystery pepper Paper Lantern this morning. Another assassin bug, perhaps?

Good thing too, don't want anything messing with those pods.

I've noticed the interior leaves of the Chiltepin rapidly fall off once the branch grows out a bit... I'm assuming this is normal? I guess I should expect as much for a plant adapted to drier environments... ditch those minimally efficient leaves to cut down on transpiration.

I continue to be impressed by the amount of pods on my Datil plants. Between the two there are easily dozens currently. I think I'll have to grow more of these next year:

At first I was skeptical that this was a Fatalii, but there's little doubt in my mind now:

 

[synclinorium]

Think I'll start a few more seeds if only to get an early start on next season... I figure I'll try to select a few strong looking plants to overwinter... I don't really have the space to start all of the varieties I want to grow next year come spring...

New additions: Scotch Bonnet Red/Yellow/Orange, Manzano Yellow/Orange, Aji Amarillo (different strain), Goat Pepper, Cumari Pollux, Beni Highlands, CGN 21500, CGN 21566, as well as the currently germinating c. rhomboideum, c. preatermissum (CAP 1144), c. cardenasii (CAP 1530), c. lanceolatum, c. baccatum "mini mini," and c. chacoense. The Mini mini and c. chacoense have both sprouted, no activity on the others yet... the rest will be in the mail soon.

Hmm... and speaking of no room for plants, apparently there's a community garden program in town... $10 deposit and $12/year for a 20x20 foot plot, with the stipulation that you can only use organic gardening methods.

 

[synclinorium]

I'm thinking one of my Aji Amarillos is a cross... assuming any of them are true.

Two of the plants have longer, thinner pods that are almost yellow when unripe, tapering to a point. At least, I don't think they're ripe... the description was kind of ambiguous- "ripens to deep yellow, sometimes orange/red."

The other plant has shorter, blockier pods that have more of a, well, nipple than a point with slight wrinkling in the body of the pod. Their unripe stage is also slightly greener.

 

[synclinorium]

White Habs are starting to ripen to a creamy white... now to figure out what to do with all of these little guys.

 

[synclinorium]

Rocotos from the other side of the sliding glass door. Think I'll see if I can keep these guys growing through winter just by moving them to the other side of the glass after a heavy pruning. Probably the least amount of shock a plant can experience moving inside... Oh, and that post stands at 5'2" by the way.

Fatalii pods looking dangerous

Limons taking their sweet time to ripen

Rocoto pod looking nice and plump

Slow but steady color change on the Amarillos. My friend who spent some time in Peru said that there are a few kinds of peppers morphologically lumped under Aji Amarillo, some sold yellow, others deep orange/almost red, so it's entirely possible that this seed is true.

Paper Lanterns ripening

 

[tonyscoots84]

sync all ur stuff looks great.... good job

 

[synclinorium]

Chicken is on sale this week, so I figured I'd use my steady supply of Hab-type peppers to make some marinade. I just used whatever I had; various spices, a couple small onions from the garden, a bit of rum, vinegar, some light brown sugar and molasses, 5 cloves of roasted garlic, all the Paper Lanterns and White Habs I had on hand (around 13 or 14), a bit of mustard and some ripe peaches we got from the farmer's market. Taste is heavenly, made about 2 and a half pints. I'll probably freeze whatever I don't use this week.

 

[Spicegeist]

Paper Lanterns ripening

How many inches long are the largest pods on your Paper Lantern? I'm growing "Maya Red" and suspect the PL is a little longer...

 

[synclinorium]

How many inches long are the largest pods on your Paper Lantern? I'm growing "Maya Red" and suspect the PL is a little longer...

I've heard as much, and that's why I've doubted that they're PLs... the largest is only about 2 inches. Heat is definitely close to most Habs I've had.

 

[Spicegeist]

Interesting, so that makes them smaller than the Maya Red, at least what you're growing, I was trying to get some input on the issue here if you're interested:
http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/8957-maya-red-habanero/

 

[synclinorium]

Well, since this is an unknown pepper grown from seed of mysterious origins, everything is fair game. For all I know it's a cross. Smells and tastes like a Hab though...

 

[Spicegeist]

Well, since this is an unknown pepper grown from seed of mysterious origins, everything is fair game. For all I know it's a cross. Smells and tastes like a Hab though...

Ah, yes, that's right... the shape looks about right, my maya reds taste like habs to me too.

 

[armac]

Looks like you keep most of your container plants in partial shade?

 

[synclinorium]

They're underneath a tree, so they only receive filtered and indirect sunlight through most of the day... they get maybe 2 or 3 hours of direct sun late in the afternoon. I'm debating about moving some back out into the sun... they're all about 2-3 feet tall, but I think I can do better than that even in 5 gallon pots.