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.

 

[synclinorium]

Huzzah, the Aji Amarillos are starting to blush orange. First ripening baccatums of the season. Soon my housemate can make some of that delicious Peruvian cuisine she's always going on about.

Still curious to see what color the other Amarillo plant ripens to... it's either a different strain or a cross judging by the pods.

 

[synclinorium]

I think my Tabasco plants are the only ones actually enjoying the heat and humidity we've been having... most of the other plants wilt by the end of the day, these guys just stand strong. But then, check out the beefy stems on these guys:

Datils are also doing well, and the pods are showing the first signs of ripening:

The Aji Amarillos kind of remind me of Christmas trees...

... yet this Cayenne remains the only plant without pods. Plenty of flowering, no pod set. I mean, come on, even the Rocoto set pods before this guy. Still, he's about chest height now, which is... odd for a Cayenne.

 

[synclinorium]

A few of my sprouted wilds for overwintering. Top is c. baccatum "Mini mini," bottom is c. chacoense "Bolivian small red." CAP 1144 just sprouted this morning.

The Rocotos continue to impress me, most of the plants are about 4 feet tall now. I just got some Manzano seeds in the mail, debating about starting them now for overwintering or just holding off until early next year...

Think I'll be having Thai soon...

And some of the White Habs, ever so slightly off-white

 

[windchicken]

Dude, I'm in awe of your Aji Amarillos...

Mine are in the ground, 6 big, branchy, leafy plants, with thick, woody trunks, and exactly zero pods.

They are out in the brutal full sun for 8-10 hours per day, so maybe later on when it cools off a little...

Gary

I forgot to mention, your plants are beautiful. Congrats!

 

[capsidadburn]

Beautiful plants Synclinorium! Production envy here. Congratulations

Mike

 

[synclinorium]

Dude, I'm in awe of your Aji Amarillos...

Mine are in the ground, 6 big, branchy, leafy plants, with thick, woody trunks, and exactly zero pods.

They are out in the brutal full sun for 8-10 hours per day, so maybe later on when it cools off a little...

Gary

I forgot to mention, your plants are beautiful. Congrats!

I think your plants will outdo mine in the long run. This strain only gets to be about 2 feet tall, and while the pod set is heavy, they're small, thin-fleshed pods that won't really make a lot of paste/powder. I think next year I'll try to grow of one of the larger strains.

Thankfully they seem to be ripening rather quickly now.

In other news, I went out this morning and found my first ripening Fatalii. A bit on the small side, but still:

First ripe pod on the Datil:

And some Tepin pods for the hell of it. I'm waiting to see how long it takes the numerous birds in the area to notice this one.

 

[patrick]

Man I just love the looks of the Aji Amarillo's and agree with the Christmas tree comparison. Very cool.

 

[synclinorium]

I think I have a problem... in retrospect my grow list for next year is larger than I currently have space for, but that hasn't stopped me from buying seeds.

Plants I will attempt overwintering:

Red Rocoto
Tabasco
Thai
Aji Amarillo
Aji Cristal
Limon
Chiltepin
Paper Lantern
White Habanero
Datil
Fatalii

New seeds:

Scotch Bonnet Red
Scotch Bonnet Orange
Scotch Bonnet Yellow
Manzano Yellow
Manzano Orange
Aji Amarillo (different strain)
Goat Pepper
Cumari Pollux
Beni Highlands
CGN 21500
CGN 21566
c. rhomboideum
c. preatermissum (CAP 1144)
c. cardenasii (CAP 1530)
c. lanceolatum
c. baccatum "mini mini,"
c. chacoense
Black Naga
Bhut Jolokia Chocolate
Goat's Weed
Aji Limon
Lemon Drop
PI 152217

 

[synclinorium]

Yesterday's modest harvest- some Aji Amarillos, Jalapenos, and a couple Aji Cristals. I've been leaving the Habs on the plant until I need them, as they seem to hold up fairly well and they serve as a warning for any critters that decide to go after ripe pods.

 

[synclinorium]

Tried my hand doing a couple crosses today... we'll see if they take. Granted, for my first attempt at emasculating flowers, perhaps the Tepin wasn't the best choice... those blossoms are pretty damn small.

 

[synclinorium]

I'm about 90% positive that one of my Aji Amarillo plants is a cross... stupid Hirt's.

Normal pod shape for this strain: smooth, slim and cylindrical, tapering to a point:

Pod shape on the erroneous plant: Somewhat blocky, three-lobed (kind of hard to see here, but the pods are pinched in on the sides) bulbous cylinders with a little tail. Didn't think it was possible, but these are taking even longer to ripen than the other two plants. Curious to see if they turn orange or something else entirely.

 

[synclinorium]

Just some progress pics:

Rocoto, currently my tallest plant:

Currently my second tallest plant, in the smallest pot, even taller than my potted Rocotos, my Ring of Fire Cayenne. Go figure.

Limon looking fine, first ripe pod in the bottom left:

Tabasco ready to burst:

Explosion of pods on the Datils:

I went ahead and picked my Thai peppers hoping to get another round of them before the end of the season. Pretty good haul.

 

[capsidadburn]

Excellant pics Synclinorium!

 

[madhatter]

Great season your having. great pod production and nice variety.

 

[synclinorium]

My seed orders came in... lots of free gifts from Judy @pepperlover, including Bode, Assam, Tabasco, Tepin, and some Trinidad Volcano powder... not sure how I feel about that last one.

I'll probably have to consolidate my selection after I figure out how much growing space I have next year...

 

[synclinorium]

I haven't harvested in a couple days, so there were quite a few pods waiting for me today. Clockwise from the top: Aji Cristal, Aji Amarillo, Unknown chinense/Paper Lantern, White Hab, and Cayenne

 

[synclinorium]

What's that I spy on my Rocoto? Could it be, flower buds? It's officially 5 feet tall now... better late than never I suppose.

Tabasco ripening:

Explosion of color on Datils:

 

[synclinorium]

Ugh, now we come to the hard part of the growing season; keeping things alive long enough to bring them in for winter. The semester has started up again, so I've been horribly distracted... came out to this scene this morning on several of my plants, though the Rocotos got it the worst. Huge tomato horn worms defoliated most of the upper portions of the plant. They'll recover, but it's still incredibly frustrating:

We're getting back into cooler and wetter weather... and naturally the fungal leaf spot has reared its ugly head again. About the only positive I've found to growing the Rocotos is they seem to be incredibly resistent to fungal issues compared to the other varieties. One of a handful of pods, you can't really see it here but it's just starting to blush.

My suspected Aji Amarillo cross is in fact ripening to orange. The pods are still a bit wonky, and they have a bright yellow stage before ripening to orange (they take forever to ripen compared to the other two plants), but I can't notice much difference in the flavor so meh, close enough.

On the more positive side of things, the Tabasco plants are going nuts. I'll be sure to put these guys in the ground next year:

 

[kibaumm]

wow
nice plants!! so much colors!!!
this year I'm sowing some aji amarillos too... what do you do with your pods?? any special Peruan recipe? >D

 

[ThePepperGrowingMan]

Looks like no shortage of Tabasco's at your house