Windchicken Grow 2012

Looks like I'm getting a late start again this year...Should be setting seeds to sprout in the next few days....Anyway, here's the order I made from Beth this morning. It's not really my complete grow list, because I'm planting lots of saved seeds (from my 2011 Grow and from trades with my THP friends) for the first time this year. Also, I don't know that I will plant everything from this order, but I am excited about some of the new varieties:

Absent from the above list but going in the ground this year:
Trinidad Scorpion
Congo Trinidad
True Jamaican Scotch Bonnet
Thai Chile (Garden Bird Seed variety)
Nambe Pueblo
Birgit's Locoto

Several bird types from THP friends, including, but not limited to (because I can't remember them all right now):
Texas Chiltepin
Prik Ki Nue
Siling Labuyo
Cumari do Para

Edited 1/9/2012 to add the following:

Last minute order from Hippy, plus some other trades I had forgotten about:
Yellow 7 Pot
Douglah
Malagueta
Pusa Jwala

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Thanks, Noah!

I don't know why the new starts are growing so much better. Maybe the overwinters are having to grow new root balls...Maybe the freeze killed part of the old root ball, but there was just enough left alive to sprout. I don't know...

For my container overwinters, such as Birgit's and Aji Amarillo, I didn't prune them, and kept them warm enough that they maintained green leaves throughout the winter. Now those are some big, healthy plants which began bearing fruit weeks or even months ahead of the others.

Gary

Ive learned its all about the prune/cutback. The lower you go without leaving foiliage or green of some kind, the less chance that stem/branch will survive. The closer to the root stock/base the poorer the regeneration for next year. Root temps mean a lot too. You left them outside, so im just amazed they even came back. Thats really cool. also symmetry will help a lot for plant structure once the spring set out occurs. Great looking plants man. Long live the mulch!

 

[armac]

Where is Charlie?

 

[windchicken]

Thanks Rich! Your observations will definitely help when I cut back the plants this winter. I was thinking right before the first freeze that I would "bed up" around the bases of the plants with plenty of shredded hardwood, to act as insulation. Maybe a vapor barrier of shiny plastic would help, too. Probably I would try to overwinter (in-ground) Scotch Bonnets, as that seems to be becoming my big production chile...But to be strictly scientific about it I would have to leave some other varieties, as well.

Rodney, I promise I will get some photos of Charlie. He loves to "help" me in the garden...

Gary

 

[romy6]

Great harvest Gary. Just one of many judging by your plants and the love you are giving them

 

[windchicken]

Looking great Gary!

Those Bonda's have some quick ripping heat.........brillant pod production on those plants.

It appears that "Mothernature" has cooperated with you folks in northern Louis.....
I can see some great sauces being produced out of your kitchen!

Greg

Thanks Greg! This July has been way better than the last...The Congo babies went a couple rounds with the BLS, but they're filling out nicely now...Photos soon.

Bonda ma Jacques has been a real nice serendipitous discovery for me this year...I just thought it was another version of Scotch Bonnet--How wonderfully wrong I was!

I can only hope to make sauce half as tasty as yours!

Wow! they look great Gary! Especially those Bonda's, I grew them in 2010 and they are delicious.

Thanks Brent!

Great harvest Gary. Just one of many judging by your plants and the love you are giving them

Wow, thanks Jamie! I'm beginning to believe that the "mystery chinense" from your seeds is Bhut Jolokia...Did you grow that last year?

Gary

 

[Sanarda]

What a terrific harvest. Made my mouth water

 

[windchicken]

Thanks!

 

[PaulG]

Outstanding, Gary. Great harvest pics! that one pod looks like a
human brain with the spinal cord hanging down :shiver:!

I'm going to focus on some Scotch Bonnet varieties next season; I
may have to givethe Bonda Ma Jaques a try, everyone seems to
rave about them!

Rock on, brothah!

 

[windchicken]

Paul, I'm with you, dude! I would love to see 40 or so Scotch Bonnet plants waving in the breeze...

Holla if you need some Bonda seeds or pods.

I potted up my one true Texas Piquin this morning. Seeds from SmiterQ:

 

[PaulG]

Awesome pequin, brothah!

 

[Spicegeist]

True Jamaican Scotch Bonnets, seeds from Peppermania:

I think some of the stinger bonnets I'm growing look like a cross of yellow cardi with this, but this may just be wishful thinking... I'll post pics soon, they're ripening nicely now...

A few pod shots--I have only 4 Bonda ma Jacques plants (seeds from Spicegeist)...I wish I had 40 of these babies!!! Below is a photo of their pod load this morning, July 31:

Awesome!

 

[windchicken]

Awesome pequin, brothah!

Thanks dude...I'm saving seeds...

I think some of the stinger bonnets I'm growing look like a cross of yellow cardi with this, but this may just be wishful thinking... I'll post pics soon, they're ripening nicely now...



Awesome!

Interesting...hmmm...I've got a FB friend in Charlotte, NC, who is growing Stinger Bonnets from my seeds, as well...I'll hit him up to post some pix and join THP. More data is always better!

The Bonda ma Jacques deserve much better than the #3 containers they're in right now, especially considering how they are pumping out the pods. I've just about made the decision to pull up those sad, nonproductive Aji Amarillo plants in the nice hilled row you see there in the photo, and "set out" the Bonda plants in their stead. It's some nice rich ground that should be optimal for those smokin' hot little St. Lucian honeys!

 

[TabascoKilla]

I got the package while i was on vacation haha luckely my brother called and put it in the fridge for me (: There out back on a pan drying out.
Thanks a lot!
TabascoKilla

 

[windchicken]

Cool! How was your vacation?

 

[buddy]

great looking chiles and very nice harvest. the bonda ma jacques is one of my all time favorite chiles - didn't grow it this year and i'm not sure why. good luck with the rest of the season.

 

[windchicken]

Thanks!

 

[gnslngr]

Gary-
Got the Aji Umbas, SWEET! I made a quick(160mi each way-I'm whooped!whew!) trip home at noon-and they were waiting. I split the diff-half got sliced up,marinated,and cooked down on some steaks, ate 4 outright-and had a 8 left to bring back to the ship.Many Thanks!
The plants are starting to repod up, so when I do get in for a while there ought to be a bunch of the Yellow "Not Chaguanas" ready to send your way, with some of those Szechuan Pepper seeds.PM me your adress-someone tossed the box!She did this 5 minutes after I started chopping some up, and I didn't figure it out till later.Looks like those Bonda's want some dirt!
Have a good one-
Dave

 

[windchicken]

Dave,

Cool, I'm glad they got there okay...You ate 4 in one sitting?...Wow!
When are you coming back in? I need to time the next picking of Bondas so that you get some.
I'm looking forward to trying those chiles!

Gary

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

wow.. wow.. wow.... i think next year all im planting are scotch bonnets....


good work mr gary

 

[gnslngr]

I'd guess about picking after next!22nd-23rd ish. Depends on what the storms do as well .....i'd say from the pics you have a harvest waitin'!
I can't wait to try the Bondas either. Right now though-its time to get flat,and harvest some "catch up Z's"
Have a good one -
Dave

...and those Bonnets are Huge!