Bonnie,

You are crazy! Way too many different kinds for small brain. I have only 5 varities:

Marconi
Yellow Banana
Jimmy Nardello
Chinese
Ace #1

The Banana and Jimmy did not germinate till I wrapped the seeds in moist paper towels and put them in plastic bags. Once they sprouted I put them in potting mix and now they are up and running.

Can not wait to see the pictures once you harvest the fruits of your labors.

Well, Bonnie

They are all doing fine - good emergence.

I had some "ordering" problems . . . like, I forgot . . . First of all, I forgot to order Peto Wonder bells and haven't ordered Whopper seed for the last 2 years.

Snapper is my only bell this year. It did fine last year but it was a very good year for peppers. So, I'm rolling the dice but I'm not worried, just praying it will do what is necessary or get a lot of help from Mother Nature.

I didn't forget to order Sahuaro, which would have been my Anaheim. Instead, Tomato Growers Supply sent me something else, instead. I forgot to look for Sahuaro in the package until planting time. And, IT WASN'T THERE!

Joe E. Parker was at the garden center. I sure hope that is a good choice. I had NO Anaheim last year because of an ordering foul-up!

Cardon is new to me. I had a free packet of seed laying around and finally did some reading about them. I "think" they are smaller than Anaheim and they are up and growing.

Garden Salsa, I've had for about 10 years now looks to be about the same size of fruit as Cardon but it is apparently quite a bit hotter (not that it's very hot). I'm afraid that this Cardon will be one that I'll pick and then get mixed up with my Garden Salsa.

Pepperoncini may be a little bit of a mix-up. I had thought that this wasn't really very hot and mostly a sweet pepper but I guess it has some heat. I'm going to find out.

Fushimi was a great little sweet pepper in 'o9. Really, I got the Pepperoncini to learn if it is about the same. Doesn't sound like it now but I'm really looking forward to having Fushimi again.

Giant Marconi is my favorite sweet pepper but I didn't get many seeds, which is probably nutz! Giant Marconi isn't very productive and I'm relying a lot on that Snapper Bell.

Super Chili is here again as is,

Thai Hot. Gotta go with the ones that have a chance of ripening, after all.

Jalapeno M doesn't need to ripen and just counts as a trust-worthy standard.

Those are my pepper seedlings, Bonnie

Steve

Don't you hate it when seed companies substitute items without telling you? If they ask if it's okay to sub something similar, I always say NO.

On the Pepperoncini, there is a Greek one, and an Italian one, but I don't know if one is hotter than the other, since I've never grown either one. I received seeds for the Greek Pepperoncini in a recent trade, but my list is already long enough.

I also ordered seeds for the Jalapeno M, and if the TAM Jalapeno I'm trying this year doesn't have enough heat, I'll try that one next year. Joe E. Parker is another one I purchased this year, but didn't have room for ... there's always next year : )

My pepper seed inventory is starting to catch up to my tomato acquisitions!

Bonnie

Well, I posted before I finished my thoughts : )

Yes, Steve, my germination turned out pretty good in spite of all of the recent cloudy days. The only two I'm concerned about at this point are the Anaheim and Poblano, which is why I sowed the Ancho San Luis and Black Hungarian today. To make sure I had enough peppers with a little heat for my salsa.

My pepper germination is going much better this year than last (my first attempt at peppers from seed). We have an old heating pad that only gets warm now (DH killed the HIGH setting...). I'm using it for some mild heat under my seeds.

I'm only planting 3 kinds, all sweet. I had leftover seeds of Sweet Banana and mixed color Pimiento then when I couldn't pass the free seed shipping from Park a couple weeks ago, I purchased some Carmen seeds after reading some good reviews online. I just planted a few of those tonight. I also managed to order 2 more kinds of cucumbers that I'm not sure how I'll squeeze in yet... I also hope to not put the plants out too early this year. I got impatient last year and though it was warm enough (plus I gave them some cover) but I think I pushed it too early and the plants did nothing for a long time because of it. In the end, they did produce but I think if I had just waited to plant they would have done better.

Pepper F1 CarmenÂ
Vegetable Award Winner (2006)

'Carmen' is an improved sweet pepper with an unusual shape. Most gardeners think of a bell shape when "sweet" peppers are mentioned. Not so any more. 'Carmen' is an Italian bull's horn type which refers to its elongated shape, about 6 inches long. The medium thick flesh is the sweetest when it is ripe red, but 'Carmen' peppers are sweet even when immature or green. One of the improved traits is the earliness to ripe red. Gardeners can look for red peppers about 75 days after transplanting into warm garden soil. The other improved traits are sweet flavor and high yield. The yield of a pepper plant is determined by its adaptability. 'Carmen' proved to be widely adaptable, flowering and setting fruit over a wide temperature range. Like all peppers, 'Carmen' will produce the highest number of peppers when grown in full sun and given proper nutrients and water.

'Carmen' plants are productive with an upright, medium height of 28 to 30 inches. This plant size is perfectly adaptable to larger patio containers. Grow 'Carmen' plants with sun-loving, trailing annuals such as verbena to drape over the edge. This is the most trendy combination planter - growing edibles and annuals together. 'Carmen' is easy to grow in gardens or larger sized containers.

AAS WINNER DATA

Genus species: Capsicum annuum
Common name: Pepper
Fruit size: 2 1/2 inches wide, 6 inches long - about 5 ounces
Color: Green maturing to dark crimson red
Plant type: Upright bush
Width: 16 inches
Garden spacing: 18 inches apart
Unique qualities: Sweeter taste, earlier maturity, widely adapted
Length of time from transplanting to harvest: 75 days, red ripe
Closest comparison(s) on market: 'Giant Marconi,' 'Spanish Spice'

Mine are all up except for the ornamentals:

o 'Lilac'
o 'Flavorburst'
o 'Northstar'
o 'Tequila Sunrise'
o 'Costa Rican'
o 'Tango'
o 'Volcano'
o 'Serrano'
o 'Ancho Magnifico'
o 'Early Jalapeno'
o 'Pasilla Bajijo'
o 'Habañero'

Last year this general mix was very successful and we like to freeze a few batches all mixed up ready to go for stews, chili, etc.

We also are planting a few extras for giving to a local food closet.

Dan

Nice mix of sweet and hot there, Dan! Have you grown the Pasilla Bajio before? Recently acquired seeds for that one, but it didn't make the final grow list this year. I went with Black Hungarian instead. Do you use them fresh or dry them and make a powder?

Next month I plan to host an all pepper swap on the Round Robin forum, so anyone that wants to expand their pepper inventory can feed their addiction there, haha! I'll post a link to it once I get it started.

Bonnie

I've got California Wonder, Gypsy, and Big Jim, they're all up, but no true leaves yet.

I've had such poor luck in recent years, I'm just stickin' to what I know will grow well here.

I am only growing 2 varieties, both sweet, and both new to me:

Carmen - a hybrid sweet, elongated type
Gusto - a sweet bell, open-pollinated and not a hybrid

Peppers have not done well for me, so I'm afraid to have high hopes for any variety, but I'm giving these a try, as they are both supposed to be proflific - HA! - we'll see. If I get any kind of decent yield with either, I'll be shouting it from the mountaintops!

I sowed both varieties in mid January in the greenhouse (about 10 of each), and they both germinated well, and are already potted in individual pots, about 3 inches tall, and getting their second pair of true leaves.

Last year I grew Big Dipper, a sweet bell, which was rather disappointing. The plants looked healthy and vigorous, but the yield was poor, the fruit was small and very thin-walled, and not at all like the product description on the seed package.

Dorothy

Thanx, Bonnie. Yes, third year for the pasillas, we prefer them fresh, and these are also frozen in pre-made batches and add a nice flavor, they are not so hot for the MIL but enough that she likes the heat level.

I use the lilacs and teq sunrises for the ornamental quality that I suspect you use the black for; if I had more room I'd grow those, surely.

In our garden, our peppers do better than almost anything warm-season save edamame and maybe butternut squash & carrots. Consistent production and ease of care. Last year at harvest (early snow) I was out of town and there was much complaining about processing the peppers...

Dan

Yeah, I had a lot of peppers at the end of last season too, but since they don't have to be blanched before freezing, like most vegetables do, I didn't think they were too much trouble to process. The thing I really like, is that I can grab a few strips out of the freezer, instead of wasting a whole pepper, if I only need 1/4 - 1/2 cup for a recipe.

Today, I replanted the 4 varieties that haven't come up yet, even though I planted three additional varieties as replacements on Saturday ... it's a sickness really, but I feel compelled to fill the entire kitchen window with pepper sprouts : )

Bonnie

The seeds which were just sowed from old seed packets:
Parks Whopper
saved seeds from red peppers
Healthy 700 a Russian sweet pepper
Sweet Green Bell pepper
Keystone Giant
Early California Wonder
Numex Big Jim Chili
Bulgarian Carrot pepper
These were older seeds so I don't know how well they will sprout.

Hi Fellow RMGer's! If you are interested in increasing your pepper seed inventory for just the cost of postage, come join me on the Round Robin Forum for an all pepper swap "I.E. Pick-A-Peck of Peppers Swap.

All are welcome. Link is posted below.

Xaroline, you might be surprised by the germination. I'm not sure how old your seeds were, but I sowed some Beaver Dam peppers received in a trade in '07 this year, and 2 out of 2 came up.

Bonnie

The seeds were 3 or 4 years old so that is encouraging.
Caroline

Let me know what kind of germination you end up with, Caroline.

I had a bit of a setback last week, when one of my cats chose to eat half a dozen of my pepper sprouts. I replanted, but now those will be a month behind, which means I may not see a ripe pepper before the first frost on those plants. Here's hoping for a loooong growing season this year!

Hey RMGers, the Pick-A-Peck of Peppers Swap is having a very good turnout, so there should be a nice variety of peppers sent in. Seeds have until April 24th to arrive at my house, so there is still plenty of time to sign up, if you are interested.

Bonnie

I'm trying a hybrid variety called Sonoma Sunset. Anyone tried that one at higher elevations?

Mark

I just picked up a packet of those at Walmart the other day. An internet searched pulled up nothing though. Maybe a new release from Burpee?

Bonnie

I got plenty of hits on that peppuh (FF browser). Looks interesting but no room at the inn for that one.

Dan

Here is my pepper list. Just a few new ones this year and the rest have proven to do well in the past. Jay
2010 Peppers started
Tray #4
3-30
Bull's Horn Sweet Italian
Amish Pimento Sweet
California Wonder Bell 300
Larson's Colossal Kim
Larson's Big Kim
Kim's Colossal
TAM Jalapeno
Grande Jalapeno
Big Bertha Bell
Colossal Hybrid Bell
Whopper Improved
Green Giant Bell
Ozark Giant Bell
Hungarian Volcano
Senorita Jalapeno
Zavory
Purple Jalapeno
Ancho San Luis Poblano
Jalapeno M
Giant Marconi Red
Nu-Mex Joe Parker
Nu-Mex Big Jim
Fooled You Jalapeno
Anaheim Chile
Larson's Mild Anaheim
Navaho Pepper
Cayenne Large Red Thick - Hot
Alma Paprika Bell
Aji Dulce

Nice list, elkwc! Some of those I have grown before, some I'm trying for the first time, and some I have seeds for, but not enough room. For example, I have seeds for Amish Pimento, but am already growing Red Cheese, so I went with Tangerine Pimento instead. Trying for as much variety as possible. There's a couple on your list I need to look up though ...

Alright, Bonnie! I finally got my list of peppers planted today! Here it is!

Alma Paprika

Guess youre not gonna find any new peppers from me! As a matter of fact, that one is your fault! I have serious doubts that Ill ever actually get enough of anything to dry and pulverize, but when you mentioned a "paprika" pepper a year or two ago, it fascinated me and I had to at least give it a tryso this is my try! Have you ever actually gotten "paprika" from any youve grown?

I suspect this is pretty obvious, but I dont like peppers! Hot or sweet or anything in between! They make me burp! But I can deal with ONE, and if I do happen to wind up with "too many" peppers, I can always give them away.

Heres to all you pepper wackos out there! I hope you have a good pepper year!

Skybird

Yes, Skybird, I have gotten paprika when I've grown them. Just a couple of plants make enough for about half of a spice jar. Of course, when the cat ate some pepper seedlings last week, it included my three Alma Paprika sprouts. I replanted, and they are starting to sprout, but I've lost a month of growing time, so who knows if I'll actually get any paprika this year. BTW, Melvin, got into the pepper sprouts again today, but I had stuck toothpicks and wooden skewers in the containers to try and keep him out. He only got one sprout this time, and chewed off the end of one toothpick. If he's not careful, he may use up one of those nine lives of his!!!

Bonnie

Bonnie,
My cats do the same. I got a plant stand that fits in my east facing bay window, raising the seed tray up to 3ft high and the cats haven't eaten them this year. I have also started growing catnip indoors for them, although they pull the entire plant out of the pot. Ingrates!
Barb

Just a reminder that seeds are due by April 24th, so if you haven't signed up yet, this is the last week to join in.

Bonnie

I am a bit late,, at getting in with the pepper list.I have just over 500 plants,all about 4 to 5 inches tall right now enjoying the lights.We will be moving most things out into the greenhouse by the end of the month.And no I am not planting all these for myself I am sharing with family and friends.We will have about 150 of them in the greenhouse and garden.We share a lot of our produce with family, friends, complete strangers and the local bread basket.
Bonnie, I use the Pasilla Bajio fresh for those who like the flavor minus the heat in both salsa and my homemade chile sauces..I make mole sauce with them as well, sometimes adding in the other pepper types as well.I freeze these for later.. But also keep keep a couple of bottles of ground dry Pasilla in the cupboard for cooking with.
In the mix we have:
Canary Bell
Chinese Giant
Grand Bell Mix
Sweet Mix
Yellow Bell
Mini Belle Mix
Biker Billy Jalapeno
Habanero
Serrano
Pasilla Bajio
Jalapeno
Long Red Cayenne
Anaheim Chili
Another Anahiem Chili
Sweet Banana
Cascabella
Poblano

My pepper adventure is actually pretty funny. We don't eat a lot of peppers but I wanted to try and grow them anyways. So I thought buying a mix would be smart. Hah.
I got the Pepper Fire Mix from Park Seed which contains 4 hot peppers: Ancho 101, Habanero, Jalapeno M, and Super Cayenne II Hybrid.

When I got the seeds I noted that they were all in 1 packet (duh, it did say mix) and they all look the same so far. I only have room for 3 pepper plants so.. I won't really know what I have until they are up.

Next year I'm not buying a mix! Lesson learned.

-T

Since Steve brought up a pepper discussion recently, I thought I'd resurrect this thread. Still waiting on a few of them to ripen, but I've tasted enough to start evaluating.

Was chopping some peppers for some Zucchini Relish the other night, and learned why they always say wear rubber gloves when chopping hot peppers. They were still burning the next day! Ouch!!!

Alma Paprika - 2 plants, have maybe 1/2 a dozen peppers each. Will probably start turning color in another week or two.

Anaheim - No germination on mine, but I picked one up at the RMG plant swap this spring. The pepper at the far right in the picture, is actually a Beaver Dam.

Ancho San Luis - No germination

Beaver Dam - two plants, have tasted one pepper from each, and they have enough heat to burn my hands!

Black Hungarian - Only tasted one so far, and it had a little more of a bite than the Beaver Dam. They turn red when ripe.
{{gwi:416900}}

Hungarian Paprika (?) - received the seeds in a swap, but I'm pretty sure they were mislabeled. Posted a picture on the pepper forum, but no one could identify. They have no heat, and are not sweet. They look pretty cool though ...

Botinecka Zuta - These look exactly like Alma Paprika, but not sure how they compare in taste yet, as they are just starting to show a little bit of color.

Cascabella - Very pleased with this one. It's fairly productive, and has just a little heat to it. Perfect for my family.

Chervena Chushka - Not very productive, but it's at the back of the Earthbox, so probably not getting enough sun

Chinese Giant - Has 5 or 6 peppers on it, and they are humonguous! This picture doesn't do it justice. I should have put a ruler in there for scale.

Keystone Giant - Not as productive as Chinese Giant, but still as big as grocery store bells!

Feherozon (paprika)- Interesting shape for a paprika pepper, and quite large, so hopefully will make a good amount of paprika powder

Giant Szegedi - Cat ate the sprouts

Gourmet (orange bell) - another fatality, bought replacement at a local organic nursery. Just now developing peppers

Lipstick - another one that's at the back of the Earthbox. Has a couple of good sized, wedge shaped peppers on it.

Mariachi - Quite productive. Supposed to be a mild jalapeno, but the peppers are much larger, and more wedge shaped. Also, they are cream colored instead of green like most jalapenos before they ripen, so not sure what to think about it.

Poblano - No germination. Picked one up at the RMG swap, and it's just now getting some peppers of any size on it.

Patio Red Marconi - Very early, and very productive. A very nice, sweet pepper.

Red Cheese - Very tall, but not overly productive.

Senorita - Two plants, quite a few peppers on them, but haven't tasted them this year. They were my favorite last year.

Soroksari - Another humonguous elongated bell. Can't wait to taste this one! Only 3 or 4 peppers on the plant though ...

TAM Jalapeno - Quite a few peppers on it. Looks similar to Senorita, but haven't tried one yet.

Tangerine Pimiento - Quite a few good sized peppers on it, but none have started to turn color yet.

Sweet Pickle - The most productive pepper this year, hands down. Probably at least 30 peppers on one plant. Very tasty, sweet pepper! Peppers start out cream, then start to turn purple, then orange, and finally red. Very ornamental when there are peppers in all stages of growth!

Guess that's all for now.

Bonnie

WOW! I didn't realize there were so many types of peppers - and I believe you have them all, Bonnie ;^) Thanks so much for posting your pics and descriptions. You have one in there that helped me figure out the kind we have growing (we forgot!) - it's the Anaheim (which Steve/digit suggested it was for me in another thread).

Many, many interesting shapes and colors - and tastes, I'm sure.

I'm paying a little more attention to my bells, as the vars I'm growing seem to have fewer leaves, and in their position this year some are suffering from sunscald. Next season I'll mix them in with some more leafy vars to ensure the sunscald is lessened.

Otherwise, this &@$#% heat is making the peppers very happy. The butternut and cantaloupe and beans not so much. But the peppers are really coming on hard, seemingly singing with joy every morning.

Dan

All of mine have plenty of leaf cover, Dan. I actually had to pull leaves out of the way to get the photos. Tried to get some long shots, but the plants are so bushy, that you couldn't see any of the peppers.

That's exactly what you want, Bonnie. A couple of my tasty vars are sparse in leaf cover, so I have to be more mindful. Last year the mix was different and wasn't an issue. Different mix this year reveals previously unknown issues.

Dan

I should have better sense that post a picture after those fine photographs, Bonnie. But, I ain't skeered!

Pepperoncini, in the photo above, is not hot . . . but it is wrinkled! I guess I'd always assumed (somehow) that the wrinkling was a result of pickling in the jars. Don't know where I'd got that notion, banana and serrano peppers aren't wrinkled when they are pickled.

Joe E. Parker is doing fine but I haven't eaten any yet. Cardon fruit is only a little smaller but the plants are covered with peppers!

Garden Salsa can easily be extinguished and distinguished from either.

Giant Marconi is still my favorite sweet pepper! I've enjoyed a few.

Super Chili and Thai Hot plants are loaded. Well, loaded enuf since I've got so many of those plants. It's going to take forever the pick them as they ripen!!

I just got some Jalapeno M yesterday and have not sampled. The fruit is good-sized this year.

Fushimi, I talked about in that other pepper thread. And, there's that picture of a cooler full of Snapper!

Steve

Don't remember if I mentioned this before, but when I lived in Sacramento I had a 'Thai Dragon' in a big pot for three years, overwintered outside in a protected spot with some sun against a white wall. All-year peppers -mmm-mm!

Once again, my habañeros are taking forever but everything else is coming on strong - having a party tonight and most guests like peppers and tomatoes, so we're gonna feast!

Dan

Many of you know that I frequent a farmers' market. It is remarkable that a blow-out day still results in excess sweet peppers. Bells move fairly quickly and I can understand customer "resistance" towards a sweet pepper that may only look hot enough to remove paint, but Italian Sweets . . ?

Okay, there are only a handful (Fushimi, a basketful). Personally, I don't think that American gardeners make nearly as good a use of sweet peppers as we could. The season is fairly short but they freeze well and easily. (I see that CSU suggest that one can even use un-blanched frozen peppers in salads, linked below).

Greenbean Amy has recently been sharing the news of her sweet pepper find of 2010. The idea of an Italian Sweet having the time to ripen to red without being brought indoors to mature is real appealing to me! I may have to order that Carmen pepper seed in 2011.

I mean, raw or cooked, yellow or red-ripe or green, not too many garden veggies can compete with the many ways a sweet pepper can arrive at the table!

As I write, chunks of sweet peppers are being fried in the kitchen! I've already had breakfast but am allowed on a Sunday to consider this lunch! By the way, how many other green vegetables are you interested in having for breakfast??

On a side note: the backyard laying hens have ended their summer vacation and have turned back into egg-producing machines!

Sweet Peppah Steve

Steve, its like selling golden beets.

Prospective customer: What is that?

Me: It's a golden beet. A, bit sweeter than a regular beet, but when you cook and eat it, your floor, counter, and shirt don't look like you've spent the day slaughtering goats.

Prospective customer: Oh, great. Well, let me go get something that isn't so exotic......

When seed ordering season comes around, I'll be asking for suggestions on peppers.

I tried bell peppers and anaheim peppers for the first time this year and maybe I'm doing something wrong...

The bell peppers seem to be a miserable failure! I got one measly red pepper off each plant, and that was after it was getting wrinkly from me waiting too long to pick it (they were so small, but turning red.) One plant produced a second pepper which actually turned yellow and brown right on the plant before falling off.

The anaheim peppers did better - producing maybe 5-8 peppers so far per plant. But some of them turn red and curl up before getting more than two inches long or so.

Any tips from the veteran pepper-growers? Am I screwing something up here?

The peppuh, IME, have basic needs of

o calcium,
o more acidic than basic soil with good compost amendment making it light-ish,
o no Miracle-Gro (too much N),
o and consistent (but not too much) water.

And heat. I'd say if they were purchased from a retail outlet, they need to have their roots spread and babied for a week or so.

If they flowered and the fls dropped off, the watering was inconsistent for their needs (dried out or too wet).

But we don't favor bells over, say the vars 'Northstar', 'Costa Rican Sweet', 'Flavorburst'. Higher production, no tummy rumbling, and nice difference in sweetness. I don't eat our bells, they are for the BH. The second-grader feels the same way I do. And she doesn't like sunscald either.

My 2¢.

Dan

hmmmm.

Soil moisture problems?

It always seems to me that I will have more trouble with bells than the others.

Steve

Somehow, I mislabeled SO many pepper plants, I have tiny hot ones in the kids' garden!! Good thing they have forgotten all about peppers and stay in the tomato patch;)

I had poor pepper seed germination this year.

A friend offered this: The bleach method on peppers is this....
***First, boil a pot of water for at least 10 minutes to sterilize the water, then cool it and keep it covered to keep it as sterile as possible. Place your seeds in cheesecloth bags (Reemay brand agricultural row covers cut up in small squares and tied with string). Submerge the bag in a solution of 1 cup sterile water (that has been cooled to room temperature) mixed with 1/4 cup liquid chlorine bleach. Leave the seeds in this solution for 10 minutes, swirling the bag around frequently to make sure all the seeds are exposed to the bleach. Then, dunk the bag into a fresh cup of sterile water for one minute, swirling constantly. Repeat this rinsing procedure for 6 more rinses in sterile water. *****

I haven't tried this but for sure will in 2011. My friend said she had near 100% germination with it; including those difficult ones received in trade;) Bonnie - I hope any bad ones that you received from me germinate with this method!

So Dan...

calcium - Not a clue on this. What do you do to add calcium?
o more acidic than basic soil with good compost amendment making it light-ish, - Compost I can do. "more acidic soil" is a foreign language - what do I do to make it more acidic? Can I do this in only one end of a raised bed or will it affect the other veggies planted as well?

And yes I bought them from a nursery, and yes I planted them right away because I'm impatient like that. Guess I should keep them inside in a pot for a while and then transplant outside?

The flowers didn't fall off, so I don't think water was the problem. In fact there were lots of flowers, and surprisingly few fruit as mentioned already. The fruit was inedible sadly. Too tough and/or small when I finally picked them.

I use Dolomite lime for Ca. Work in at planting time to ~8".

Nurseries pump up their veggies with fert and if you planted then didn't side dress or your soil is lacking fertility, the plants will be unhappy and not bear. I wonder if there wasn't enough heat for the little dears, or maybe few pollinators. Lots of flowers in your yard means a high likelihood of pollinators flying around.

Dan

Deb, thanks for the tip! I'll have to try that out.

Pumpkin2010, I can't give advice on soil ammendments, as the only thing I really add is compost, and sometimes a handful of bonemeal if I remember, and have some onhand. I did want to ask if these plants were outside when you purchased them, or in a greenhouse setting? If they were already outside, you don't want to bring them inside. If they were inside, then you need to gradually acclimate the plants to the outside, by putting them in a shady area that's protected from the wind. Give them a little more sun each day. Once they can tolerate full sun without wilting, go ahead and plant them out. While they are in a pot, check the moisture pretty often. My potted peppers have to be watered daily or they start to wilt.

I finally tasted the Mariachi, and it didn't have any heat to speak of. Also tried a Senorita, and this years are quite a bit hotter than last year. Used them both in a batch of Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly, but was afraid it would be too hot, so subbed a couple of Sweet Pickle peppers for some of the jalapenos. The end product doesn't have any heat, so I guess I should have used more of the Senoritas. This was my first time to try a jalapeno jelly though, so I just wasn't sure how much the heat would dissipate in the jelly. Another learning experience : )

Bonnie

Now that I have tasted almost all of the pepper varieties I'm growing this year, I've decided that trying to grow mild to medium heat peppers is like playing Russian roulette. Some of the Senoritas have a nice heat to them, others none at all. Same thing with the Anaheim, Beaver Dam, and Mariachi. The Black Hungarian, and Cascabella have been the most consistent, as far as heat level goes. So far, I've only harvested one of the TAM jalapenos, but I liked the amount of heat it had. Hope the rest of them are the same.

I managed to get one picture before my batteries went dead today, so here is a shot of today's pepper harvest:

Clockwise from the top:
Tangerine Pimento - had planned to can them diced in little 4 oz jars, but just had too much to do today, so they were frozen instead
Lipstick - thick walled, easy to peel when roasted.
Sweet Pickle - tasty, and prolific
Chinese Giant - the plant produced 5 or 6 humongous bells
Orangecicle - this plant came from a local organic farm, but my internet search for information on it, has come up short. I'm guessing it is a hybrid, but I'd like to know for sure, so I'll know if it's okay to save seeds from it or not.

Already starting to ponder what to grow next year ...

Oh, and I'm planning on hosting another pepper swap in early spring, so be sure to save seeds from your favorites to share with others : )

Bonnie

This has been a wonderful forum on peppers. I wanted to share photos of my first pepper growing experience with my Ancho/Poblanos...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52813351@N05/?saved=1

The plants have been growing in earth boxes all Summer. I'm kind of surprised at how big they've gotten! I was also having trouble with blooms falling off at the beginning. I didn't do anything differently as far as watering goes but I permanently opened the door day and night... I was only keeping the doors open during the day at first but eventually got tired of babying them so much since the blooms wouldn't set. So I just left the doors open and they're doing beautifully now.
I have six plants out in the GH and all have at least a dozen peppers in progress with more blooms on them as well. I will definitely baby them now though with the weather getting colder...

Beautiful photographs . . !

I gotta work on my picture-taking. My pix usually look something like a string of catfish at the dock . . .

Steve

Thanks, Steve. I have a bit of photography experience and have been having a wonderful time photographing my garden. I paint my favorite photos during the Winter...helps me remember how nice it is during the Summer while the snow's flying : )

Bonnie and Karen,
Great reviews and pictures. I will add the review I've wrote. Have been revising it some as I harvest. If there are anymore revisions I will post them later. Also will post a link to my photobucket site which has a few pepper pictures. Jay

I've finally found time to start on my peppers. I will eat or give away most of the bell peppers as I pick them. Still trying to decide what to do with the other sweet types. Usually use them in salsa mixed with some hots but most weren't ready when I had the big tomato harvest. The wind over the last week has broke some limbs and twisted the plants where they don't look as nice as they did. Still overall a nice harvest especially on the Chile and hot types. I took a few pictures although not real good ones of some of the plants. May get some more. I run a few through the food processor and freeze. But most I roast. On some especially the smaller jalapeno's I just roast on the grill about 1/3-1/2 of the time if fully roasting. Then bag and freeze. I use these in chili and eat all winter. Most of the chili's I fully slow roast. Then remove the loose skin and either eat fresh or freeze in freezer bags or small containers. I have been told after fully roasting you can vacuum seal them and they will stay good just like the canned ones you buy at the store. I thought I might try 1-2 bags as an experiment this year. I will try to finish up in the next week then give the rest away. They have been real good this year. I planted several varieties that don't get as large but have a great flavor.

Every year that I grow chilies, jalapenos and other hot peppers the more I think that climate, moisture and seed source make a lot of difference in the heat levels. And also the more I find that the Scoville ratings of a variety mean very little when grown in my garden. Unless that Scoville rating was from fruit from my seed source. The rating seems to be more accurate on hybrid varieties. Even then I notice some difference which I attribute to the other factors I mentioned above. Anymore I basically rely on what my seed source says and then keep notes of how they performed in my garden. That is why it is always interesting to read the reviews and results of others especially on the same varieties I grow.

The NM Chili's and Colossal Kim from CO have done real well this year. I will update this more as I finish up. The other NM chile types I grew were a Navajo pepper and Big Chilie Hybrid.
Colassal Kim seed came from a grower/breeder near Fowler,CO. Produces nice sized, medium hot, thick walled good flavored chilies. Good Production.

The NM chilies are from seeds I saved from a dried pepper I bought. I think it must of been a hybrid so have been trying to stabilize it. One produces larger fruit and the other fruit 2 inches wide and 5-6 inches long. Both have similar taste, medium hot, thick fleshed and good flavor. Will continue to grow both till they stabilize.

Navajo chilie is one that came from a NM reservation. A typical northern NM shape with good flavor and production. Takes the heat and drought conditions well.

The jalapenos I grew this year were TAM Jalapeno, Senorita Jalapeno, Grande Jalapeno, Jalapeno M and Purple Jalapeno.

My Senorita varied in heat range also but overall was as hot as Jalapeno M. I would say average heat for a jalapeno. Too hot for most of my coworkers. I'm not sure my Senorita is true. My fruits have been small, thin walled and overall medium heat with a few warmer. Correct shape just very small. Good production. Not one I will save seeds from or grow again. My source was an online OP vendor if I remember correctly. It reminds me of the Mucho Nachos I grew a few years ago. I bought them from an OP source so guessing they were an stabilized version of the original hybrid. They looked the part but very mild. Very productive. My source even stated they were great for those who wanted the jalapeno flavor and not the heat. Again just like in tomatoes the source and strain a person grows can make a big difference in taste, production, disease resistance and in the case of peppers heat levels.

The Grande Jalapeno was the hottest I grew this year. Good flavor and on the hot end for a jalapeno. Large sized.

TAM and Jalapeno M for me are about the same heat wise. Med to mild-med. I have grown both off and on for several years. Normally moderate producers. Don't plan on growing either next year.

Purple Jalapeno - Again my strain is different than another one available. Mine don't get hardly as big and the plant is taller and not as bushy. Sets moderate to heavy most years. Has medium heat and good flavor. A pretty pepper that I grow most years.

The other hots I grew were Hungarian Yellow and Hungarian Volcano. Very similar but different. The HY is a smaller plant. The HV is hotter and sets heavier and earlier. Neither Zavory plant set any fruit. Beautiful plants.

Ozark Bell and Green Giant have been 2 nice bell types this year. Will save seeds from them. The fruit of both are more average sized. I also grew Whopper Improved, FatNSassy, Bonnie Bell and Colossal Hybrid Bell. I will save seeds from most of the OP's. The two Whopper Improved plants were loaded heavily with fruit. I never caged them and should have. The winds broke both over. Colossal Hybrid Bell produced 2 very large nice bells per plant. A few small fruit on the vines now that I don't think will ever make it. Fat N Sassy is a heavy producer of short, blocky fruits.

Giant Marconi Red was the best of the other sweets. Bull's Horn Sweet Italian and Amish Sweet Pimento were very good also. The other non sweet I grew was Aji Dulce. I think it is a longer season type and needs to be started and planted earlier than I do my other peppers. Most if not all of the sweets can be started and transplanted earlier. I never plant the hot types till I do okra which is usually around memorial day.

My plans for next year is too cut my sweet peppers basically down to what I will eat fresh and might use in salsa. 6-10 plants. And expand my NM chilie types to 20-30 plants. I will regrow Colossal Kim, NM Chili, Navajo Chilie, and add2-4 from NMSU including all of the heritage series. The Jalapenos I will grow will probably be one from NMSU, Purple Jalapeno and Grande Jalapeno. May try Biker Billy also. Keep hearing good things about it. I will also grow Hungarian Volcano and possibly chiaca and poblano.

I will probably grow Ozark Bell, Green Giant Bell and Fat N Sassy Bell. Other sweets will be Amish Sweet Pimento, Giant Marconi Red,Bulls Horn Sweet Italian and Alma Paprika(My strain has some heat).Also may add Giant Aconacagua Sweet Pepper.

Look forward to seeing other reviews and plans for next year. I will be updating my tomato reviews and also adding my list for 11 soon. Jay

Does anyone know what is the name of this hot pepper tree. It starts out green then purple then red. It has a furry steam, it is extremely hot and points straight up to the sky.