Urfa pepper seeds

[lavanta]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I might segregate a patch of these next year, just so I can save the seeds. It seems like it will be a really neat variety.

question - how much of the traditional drying process is specific to the Turkish climate? Are bugs and flies not a problem in the open air? I am thinking I will build a drying box to sun-dry them. But that will not be the traditional, open-air by day, covered by night method. But maybe that's only the best way if one lives in Turkey.

I simply dried them in a dehydrator. Color is not like the dark purple crushed Urfa peppers that are sold commercially. Mine are closer to dark red but the taste and smell are similar. Urfa's climate is desert, I live in San Diego. So sun drying is a bit of a challenge for me.

[tnkrer]

bookmarking/posting/subscribing to the thread as a candidate pepper for next year

[RobinB]

Here is one of my Urfa plants. This one was seeded in early February. I've got three others that were started in late March which will be ready to plant out in late May. I can't wait to try some! Thanks again for sharing the seed!

[lavanta]

Originally Posted by RobinB

Here is one of my Urfa plants. This one was seeded in early February. I've got three others that were started in late March which will be ready to plant out in late May. I can't wait to try some! Thanks again for sharing the seed!

Please remember that these are for making crushed pepper flakes. Not for eating fresh. Google for Urfa Pepper images to see what they look like.

That plant looks very healthy. It grows to about 2 ft.

[RobinB]

Yes, but I do plan to see what they taste like fresh, just out of curiousity. When we dry other peppers (we have a dehydrator) we store them whole and then crush them in a mortar and pestle as needed. Do you usually crush the dried peppers and store them that way? I don't have much of a tolerance for heat, so it's good that they're not too hot.

[Zeedman]

This sounds like an interesting pepper, I love using pepper powders with rich flavors. I'm curious, though... is the DTM short enough for it to ripen in the North?

[RobinB]

I'll post here at the end of the season if you'd like. I've got a fairly short season here in Northern Nevada (109 frost-free days on average.) The one photographed above was started extra early and is spending nights inside until June when it should be safe. I suspect that the others, which won't go out for more than a month, might not produce in time.

[AZGardener]

I would love seeds at the end of the season or whenever someone has some? I can trade mater seeds or send a SASE?

[chancethegardener]

I believe that when lavanta says Urfa Pepper, he means Isot. There are many different Isot varieties in the region used for premium quality pepper flakes. The strain that lavanta shows in the picture is one of the main strains and I also believe that it is the same one as Louis Laz has been offering in SSE's Yearbook since 2013.

Last year, I finally got my hands on a seed stock which came from a very reliable source in Urfa. The family who sent the seeds to me has been using the peppers which the seeds came from for ages to make pepper flakes. I grew out the seeds on the farm last spring and found out that actually what they call Isot is a mix of different shape of thin skin peppers. Typically there are three shapes that got my attention, as pictured below:

IsotTSP.JPG

I will do a selection of different shapes and increase my seed stock next year to offer in our catalog.

There are two other important pepper flake varieties of Turkish origin. One is Antep and the other one is Maras. I released Pul Biberlik Maras (meaning Maras for Pepper Flakes) for the first time in 2013 (seeds weren't commercially available prior to 2013): http://www.twoseedsinapod.com/pepper...biberlik-maras. I sent a sample of Maras to a lab for Scoville test and they reported back with 10,700 SHU. I will do the same for Isot as well.

[BigVanVader]

I'd love to try them if you still have some?

[chancethegardener]

Hi BigVanVader,

I increased seeds and made selections based on shapes. I will grow the seeds this season again this time to release for our seed catalog, hopefully this summer.

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I'd love to try them if you still have some?

[sweetgapeach]

I would love to try some of these peppers.

[dmforcier]

peach, the offer is two years old.

[imp]

I wonder how the peppers did for everyone? How did they taste?

[Cole_Robbie]

Mine grew and produced well. I never did dry and grind them, though, which is the key to this pepper. I did save quite a bit of seed, if anyone wants some, they can PM me.