thoroughburro 2022

thoroughburro · May 20, 2022

I have some pods worth showing. First of all, making an early appearance way out in front of the other chinense, the ongoing spotlight-stealer of the grow: Naga Smooky Rainbow.

I’m crossing my fingers it works well in the kitchen, because it has simply been a delight to grow in every respect. If it’s tasty as well, it will be a mainstay in years to come.

Chinese Five Colors, an ornamental annuum, isn’t far ahead:

And let’s round this out as a look at the all the purple guys by checking in with Jigsaw, another ornamental annuum:

Its sibling container has juuust set fruit, no real pod yet as such. This one is displaying the most purple-on-white foliage, the main feature of the variety. It’s certainly neat, but so far I get more of a “jungle camo” vibe than anticipated; sort of messy and confusing to the eye. I might prefer the simpler white and green variegation of Fish Pepper and the like.

thoroughburro · May 21, 2022

thoroughburro said:
I noticed an issue affecting just the new growth on certain of the baccatum and the pubescens, while watering today.

A baccatum:

And pubescens:

To me, it looks like a nutrient issue. I would have guessed calcium again, but additional calcium (in the form of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate) has been part of their regular watering since last time I suspected that. Last time was new growth warping off to one side on a fast growing annuum, however, and it did seem corrected by the CAN. This time the annuums, still fast growers, are notably unaffected. A few of the chinense are maaaybe showing this same thing, but not to any concerning degree.

Anyone seen the same thing or have a good guess?

Y’all, I think I may be fooling myself that this condition is on the mend. What do you think? These photos aren’t of exactly the same spots as above, but they’re representative enough.

A baccatum:

A pubescens:

I don’t have a better theory of disease than calcium uptake issues caused by soil pH, but I’m going to buy a soil test kit along with more garden lime to make sure I’m on the right track.

thoroughburro · May 21, 2022

An alternate, perhaps unlikely theory: it has been very windy lately, and our lot tends to amplify winds rather than break them. The peppers have been bending and twisting like champions and adapting well (meanwhile, a gust nearly knocked me over yesterday), but it must be posing transpiration issues to some degree. I’ve read about wind-caused stress of various types, but haven’t seen a clear description of symptoms or any photos.

PaulG · May 21, 2022

Good luck getting that nailed down, @thoroughburro.
Leaf curl always drives me crazy, especially yore canoe-
ing type.

thoroughburro · May 29, 2022

Hello pfeffer friends, I’m past due for a decent update and some photos. I’ve been waiting to have some sort of resolution to my nutrient problem, and things are finally looking up, so here we go!

The good news is that prevention in the future will be easy: care more about soil composition. If my soil had been a reasonable pH and included some form of slow release feed, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. I’ll give my best guess at exactly what happened, for those troubleshooting similar issues.

1. I was using barely enough liquid nutrients when watering, considering my (peat and pine bark) soil is essentially barren. That was intentional since this method of growing is what I’m used to (albeit in slightly less acidic coir), but given my previous experience is with slow-growing cactuses and succulents it turns out I was erring on the side of too little.

2. That likely wouldn’t have done much more than slow growth, except that my soil was also just a little too acidic. As a result, the telltale signs of calcium deficiency were quick to show up. I now know that, while warped and canoeing new growth is indeed a solid sign of calcium deficiency, calcium deficiency itself is the first visual sign of general nutrient deficiency since it dramatically effects new growth. As such, it’s not necessarily wise to fixate on calcium just because that’s the only deficiency visible, as I did.

3. Having thus fixated on calcium, I focused my efforts on raising the soil pH using garden lime (which provides calcium at the same time as the rising pH makes it accessible). This was a good and probably necessary move, BUT: because I hadn’t yet realized this was only the first symptom of a general nutrient deficiency, I simultaneously backed even farther off my general nutrients, since they somewhat acidify the soil counterproductive to my goal of raising the pH.

4. For a few misguided days, I kept up that treatment, expecting a reduction in calcium deficiency symptoms to signal when the soil had improved enough to return to normal feeding. Instead, of course, the symptoms got worse as I was now starving the plants in general.

5. Finally, out of ideas, I tripled my feeding amount and watered deeply. The new growth was looking hopeful the next day and obviously on the road to recovery the day after.

A baccatum:

A pubescens:

They still look rough, obviously, but believe me: having watched day by day, they’re clearly on the mend.

I’ll be taking more photos throughout the day and will post a more general update tonight.

MarcV · May 29, 2022

Good to hear that things are going better now!

thoroughburro · May 29, 2022

Not everything by a long shot, but a good selection. Here’s what caught my eye today…

Rocoto Mini Olive, scraggly but recovering:

CGN 22184:

NuMex Heritage Big Jim, with a pod I missed the first couple days; it hugs the stem so well:

Romanian Rainbow, really packing ‘em on:

Jalapeño Zapotecs are podding up:

NuMex Trick-or-Treat is showing a first pod, easy to miss in the right-hand shadows:

Naga Smooky Rainbow, too dark to show up super well but they cut a nice silhouette:

Habanero Oxkutzcabense:

Scotch Bonnet TFM:

Ají Jobito:

Chiltepin Hermosillo Dwarf, before and after I gave up on waiting for it to fork naturally:

Ají Charapita:

Bird’s Eye Baby, so bushy for being just one individual in the pot:

Bird’s Eye Baby other container, with two individuals:

Jigsaw, couple inky pods visible near the center:

Biquinho Red:

The pests are nibbling a bit, but not enough to worry much (and there are predators visible), and I’m finding my footing with the soil and nutrients… hopefully next update will show bigger improvements and lusher foliage.

thoroughburro · May 30, 2022

A couple more this holiday morning.

CAP 455. If this had won the Growdown Throwdown selection vote, I’d be set:

At this unripe stage, these Naga Smooky Rainbow pods are genuinely difficult to discern as more than black. But when the sun hits them just right, you get a hint of what they’ll become:

thoroughburro · Jun 9, 2022

Watering just the vegetable garden manually is taking me three solid hours every two to three days, using my 4 gallon backpack sprayer (with spray nozzle detached the flow is gentle enough). Next year, I’ll look into either a dripline setup or, if that’s too pricey, maybe a 30 gallon tow-behind sprayer. For this season, I’ll just chalk it up to good exercise.

Last time we saw Jigsaw, I was deriding it for resembling “jungle camo” and being underwhelming in comparison to the Fish Pepper I grew last year. I think it overheard, because it took a turn for the better:

After I took that, I decided it could use a slight trim, providing this closer view of the flowers; one area where it definitely has Fish Pepper beat:

I’m going to try rooting those cuttings. I cut them into smaller, two-node segments; removed the flowers, buds, and the larger leaves; denuded and slightly scarred one node and the stem below it; painted the scars with rooting gel; and have them in little beakers, scarred bits below waterline. We’ll see!

After the haircut:

thoroughburro · Jun 11, 2022

Chinese Five Color, aka wûcâi, is currently presenting a gorgeous, coral pink-orange. It ripens pale green > purple > ivory > yellow > orange > red. I saw this after trimming the lower foliage, today; must have just missed the yellow phase!

thoroughburro · Jun 12, 2022

I noticed a bunch of new pods, today. It’s amazing how well they hide under the foliage!

CAP 455:

Scotch Bonnet TFM:

Bahamian Goat, already demonstrating a lovely cup and saucer:

NuMex Trick-or-Treat:

Ají Jobito:

And I haven’t shown a Jigsaw pod yet, even though it’s been podding for a while. It takes just the right light to show them up:

I also posted some CGN 22184 pod shots in its thread.

MarcV · Jun 13, 2022

The aji jobito used to be "a thing" a couple of years ago but the variety seems to have lost interest...

thoroughburro · Jun 13, 2022

Yeah, I saw those threads during research on the variety. It did seem like there was a cooling of enthusiasm once the seeds actually got distributed and grown. Coming to it later, my conclusion was that it sounds like a really good mild chinense, but I won’t expect it to hit all the flavor notes from Nigel’s original review.

thoroughburro · Jun 15, 2022

Whew! It’s been 98 F (37 C) in the shade and mid 50% humidity, the past couple days, and a couple more to go it looks like. I’ve had to water twice daily to keep up with transpiration, and they’re still basically dry by the next watering. I will definitely be setting up some kind of dripline, next year!

To avoid dropping dead, I’ve switched to watering with the hose rather than the 4 gallon backpack, but I’m still struggling to appreciate the majesty of nature after a sweat-drenched hour and a half! I’m going to try switching to a slow-release, Osmocote-style (Miracle Gro brand), water-in fertilizer and ditching the backpack for the rest of the year…

thoroughburro · Jun 16, 2022

An interesting side effect of, I’m assuming, the high temperatures: Rocoto Mini Olive flowers are losing their purple. Have any of you experienced the same?

Before heatwave:

During heatwave:

I have it in full shade for half the day, about the best I can do on this lot. It’s also the only plant with no signs of set fruit… I debated whether to use grow space on something unsuited to the local climate, and if it’s already struggling in June, hm. Might skip over pubescens, next year.

Also, a new pod! Ají Fantasy Orange, already showing the unique form which attracts me to the Fantasy series:

thoroughburro · Jun 19, 2022

I’ve used a few green jalapeños at this point, but Romanian Rainbow is in lead to become the first ripe culinary pepper (Chinese Five Color has a ripe pod, nabbing first overall):

For a bell type, these have such an odd habit. They are very squat and bushy, with thick, strong stems and dense foliage:

They’re shorter than half of the chinense! Yet underneath, they are more generously laden than our other bell, with its more traditional, taller habit.

The grocery store bells are getting smaller and more expensive at the same time, so I’m feeling good about using grow space on such a common pod type.

thoroughburro · Jun 23, 2022

Jigsaw has definitely earned its place as an ornamental and will be grown again next year. I can take photos of it all day long.

Say when!

A few new pods to note. Almost everything is podding up to one degree or another, but getting a decent, in focus shot from within the foliage is tricky on some.

Biquinho Red:

Ají Dulce Iquiteño Red:

Ají Dulce Margariteño Yellow:

thoroughburro · Jun 25, 2022

I have a low level infestation of woolly aphids on about half the grow, probably. A gardening neighbor confirmed my identification and thinks they’re associated with the American Beech shade trees in the neighborhood. I think it’s being kept under control by a combination of showering them upside the leaves with the hose about twice a week and pruning affected growth as noticed.

Aside from that, the switch to an Osmocote-style tomato fertilizer has led to some signs of nutrient deficiency and a couple instances of blossom-end rot. The dosing guidelines were pretty vague, so I’m going to double the dose and observe for a while; probably just not enough nutrients. Again, next year I’ll be incorporating worm castings or some other compost in the soil to begin with!

I finally got an in focus shot of an Ají Caballero pod:

It’s the only true frutescens I’m growing this year.

Habanero Oxkutzcabense is planned to be a primary sauce pepper, but the first seeds failed, were reordered, and restarted once arrived… so I’m especially glad to see it podding up:

Bird’s Eye Baby pods are beginning to ripen:

thoroughburro · Jul 1, 2022

I got some decent detail shots of Ají Caballero, showing typical frutescens characteristics:

And the ripe pods come trickling in. Romanian Rainbow, Bird’s Eye Baby, Chinese Five Color, Jigsaw, and Jalapeño Zapotec all have ripe pods now. Those are annuums, but joining them…

NuMex Trick-or-Treat with an early pod, and a good sized one at that:

Scotch Bonnet TFM starting to turn, albeit a runt:

I have hope for some decent sauce pepper crops in the first half of July!

thoroughburro · Jul 2, 2022

We ate the NuMex Trick-or-Treat this morning:

The aroma was spicy and properly musky. My partner and I each ate half with a sprinkle of salt. The aroma is convincing enough that she made me go first. Yum! I can’t compare it to other mild chinense yet, as its my first, but it’s definitely fit for my purposes and far more flavorful than any grocery store habanero.

To me, it was completely heatless. My partner detected some very slight heat, but was confident even her most sensitive friends would call it mild.