Stand out peppers for 2013

brokenbar · September 12, 2013

Sandia -Good heat. Nice and straight, plants put out a ton of fruit.

Cayenne, long thick hot-PROLIFIC-Plants were so loaded I had to stake them twice and they just kept on pumping out big peppers. My choice for ristras & my husbands choice for chili powder.

Santa Fe Gande-Beautiful plants that always had 3 colors of peppers on them. I use them in place of jalapenos. Terrific pickled and a very colorful addition to salsa.

Giant Marconi-HUGE!! Sweet and I stuff them with beans, rice, cheese and corn and grill them. 10-15 giant peppers on plants that had to be staked.

Bahamian Starfish-HOT little mothers but very tangy and a nice addition to salsa or chili. Giant plants (4’ +) and too many peppers to count. Usually orange, red and yellow all on the plant at same time. A great pickled pepper if you like them hot!

Big Jim Legacy-I have grown every Big Jim there is and this one leaves the others in the dust! 10-12 inches, nice and straight, early red color, fabulous roasted or grilled, stuffed or not. Lots and lots of fruit and plants need staking because fruit are so large.

Big Bertha-Absolutely huge blocky, elongated peppers. Plants averaged 7 giants per plant. Early red color. Lots of foliage to prevent scorching.

Donkey Ears/Elephant Ears-Big, beautiful plants and lots of very long, flat peppers that are “squished” looking. Think a poblano that has been ironed! One of the sweetest we grew. I used them for sweet pepper relish and they were great.

Guajillo –These have always been one of my favorites! Very prolific, easy grow, plants loaded with fruit. I love these grilled. When we grill a whole fish, I put these in the body cavity. These are also my favorites to stuff with cream cheese, batter and fry…giant poppers that are crisper than jalapenos. Husband likes them diced in an omelet.

Trinidad Perfume-Look like Trinidad Scorpion but no heat! Neon yellow to orange. Very citrusy flavor and about the size of a golf ball. Bushy plants loaded with fruit. My favorite stuffed with cream cheese. When you see this plant, loaded with this bright fruit, it just makes you smile!

I had lots of peppers this year and most did well but these above just outdid themselves.

FaithHopeLove · September 12, 2013

I purchased 6 Big Bertha seedlings that were already producing peppers while on vacation in Kentucky this summer. They're in the ground now and are starting to produce again since the humidity hasn't been as bad for about a week or so.

brokenbar · September 12, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaithHopeLove

I purchased 6 Big Bertha seedlings that were already producing peppers while on vacation in Kentucky this summer. They're in the ground now and are starting to produce again since the humidity hasn't been as bad for about a week or so.

FHL, these are the only "bell type" pepper I grow anymore...One of these stuffed is enough for two people. I did have to stake them because if you get any wind, it will break the plant branches as the peppers are really heavy. They reliably set fruit and a lot of the bell types don't.

peebee · September 13, 2013

Thanks for posting Brokenbar, I always enjoy reading about what you've grown. Very descriptive, you should write for a seed company--makes me want to buy/try everything!
Are you sure it's Big Jim Legend, not Heritage? I Googled Legend but cannot find it. I grew B J Heritage this year and it's way better, bigger, more productive than plain B J.
Went to the farmer's market last weekend and it was like there was an explosion of peppers, there were huge piles of them everywhere. Yes, lots of peppers make me smile too.

brokenbar · September 13, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

Thanks for posting Brokenbar, I always enjoy reading about what you've grown. Very descriptive, you should write for a seed company--makes me want to buy/try everything!
Are you sure it's Big Jim Legend, not Heritage? I Googled Legend but cannot find it. I grew B J Heritage this year and it's way better, bigger, more productive than plain B J.
Went to the farmer's market last weekend and it was like there was an explosion of peppers, there were huge piles of them everywhere. Yes, lots of peppers make me smile too.

You are right...I have no idea why I wrote legend instead of legacy...getting old! It is "Big Jim Legacy" (Not Heritage either...) Actually, I have not grown the Heritage...might give it a try.

Compared to tomatoes, peppers are a much easier and hardier thing to grow. They light up the garden when the peppers are ripe. I have never been to Hatch, New Mexico but everyone says it is pretty spectacular there when the peppers are all turning red...hundreds of acres in just peppers.

I said in my post about ristras that one of my most vivid memories of home is strand after strand of peppers hanging all the way around our house that had a wrap around porch.

ScottinAtlanta · September 13, 2013

Great post. I really enjoyed the Giant Armenia peppers I found in Yerevan. One foot long, spicy but not hot, thick walled - great for grilling and stuffing.

FaithHopeLove · September 13, 2013

I did notice that the Chinese Giant peppers I planted from seed are tiny bell peppers. I don't know if it's just me or my growing conditions. I hope the Big Bertha peppers do better for me.

FaithHopeLove · September 13, 2013

Mary have you grown the variety Gypsy? I bought a plant from Home Depot and it seems to be doing well.

Mojave · September 13, 2013

Thanks for posting Brokenbar, got me smiling! Have any pictures of your garden?

brokenbar · September 13, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojave

Thanks for posting Brokenbar, got me smiling! Have any pictures of your garden?

Never owned a camera in my life. My phone has one I am sure but I have never used it. I don't even have pictures of my Kid growing up or baby pictures...Weird I know but I just never saw the point...

brokenbar · September 13, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Great post. I really enjoyed the Giant Armenia peppers I found in Yerevan. One foot long, spicy but not hot, thick walled - great for grilling and stuffing.

FHL, I have never grown Gypsy...Someone else on the board grew it and was unhappy with it...

bower · September 14, 2013

Guajillo is another one I grew for the first time this year, and loved them. It was a big plant that set lots of peppers quite early in a sunny window, so tasty red ripe and just the right heat!

brokenbar · September 14, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

Guajillo is another one I grew for the first time this year, and loved them. It was a big plant that set lots of peppers quite early in a sunny window, so tasty red ripe and just the right heat!

Guajillo also makes a fine ristra! They are just the right amount of heat in my book...enough to make it interesting but not hot enough to run for the fire extinguisher! And I agree, very good when red, fruity. It is a pepper that gets overlooked sometimes. Everyone is into growing the Super Hots, which I have no interest in at all...why grow them if you cannot eat them and have to wear a hazmat suit just to pick them?

There are so many great middle-of-the-road peppers heat-wise that I personally cannot see the point in growing the 911's of the pepper world. But, maybe some people can actually eat them and enjoy them, I don't know...

peppero · September 15, 2013

SO MANY PEPPERS, SO LITTLE TIME. thanks everyone for sharing .

jon

Fusion_power · September 15, 2013

Karma - sweet italian cone shaped pepper, well worth the effort of finding seed
Orange Bell - Flavor that puts most other bell peppers in the dust
Chapeau de Frade - The best flavored hot pepper I've grown
Little Bells - a sister line to karma but more bell shaped fruits

I've grown Franks for several years and like the flavor, but it is a niche variety. The plants are uber dwarf with decent production of sweet peppers. It is adapted to short season areas and can be grown in the ground or in small containers.

September 12, 2013	#1
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	Stand out peppers for 2013 Sandia -Good heat. Nice and straight, plants put out a ton of fruit. Cayenne, long thick hot-PROLIFIC-Plants were so loaded I had to stake them twice and they just kept on pumping out big peppers. My choice for ristras & my husbands choice for chili powder. Santa Fe Gande-Beautiful plants that always had 3 colors of peppers on them. I use them in place of jalapenos. Terrific pickled and a very colorful addition to salsa. Giant Marconi-HUGE!! Sweet and I stuff them with beans, rice, cheese and corn and grill them. 10-15 giant peppers on plants that had to be staked. Bahamian Starfish-HOT little mothers but very tangy and a nice addition to salsa or chili. Giant plants (4’ +) and too many peppers to count. Usually orange, red and yellow all on the plant at same time. A great pickled pepper if you like them hot! Big Jim Legacy-I have grown every Big Jim there is and this one leaves the others in the dust! 10-12 inches, nice and straight, early red color, fabulous roasted or grilled, stuffed or not. Lots and lots of fruit and plants need staking because fruit are so large. Big Bertha-Absolutely huge blocky, elongated peppers. Plants averaged 7 giants per plant. Early red color. Lots of foliage to prevent scorching. Donkey Ears/Elephant Ears-Big, beautiful plants and lots of very long, flat peppers that are “squished” looking. Think a poblano that has been ironed! One of the sweetest we grew. I used them for sweet pepper relish and they were great. Guajillo –These have always been one of my favorites! Very prolific, easy grow, plants loaded with fruit. I love these grilled. When we grill a whole fish, I put these in the body cavity. These are also my favorites to stuff with cream cheese, batter and fry…giant poppers that are crisper than jalapenos. Husband likes them diced in an omelet. Trinidad Perfume-Look like Trinidad Scorpion but no heat! Neon yellow to orange. Very citrusy flavor and about the size of a golf ball. Bushy plants loaded with fruit. My favorite stuffed with cream cheese. When you see this plant, loaded with this bright fruit, it just makes you smile! I had lots of peppers this year and most did well but these above just outdid themselves. __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time." Last edited by brokenbar; September 13, 2013 at 09:05 AM.

September 13, 2013	#9
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	Thanks for posting Brokenbar, got me smiling! Have any pictures of your garden? __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

September 12, 2013	#2
FaithHopeLove Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Summerfield, FL Posts: 197	I purchased 6 Big Bertha seedlings that were already producing peppers while on vacation in Kentucky this summer. They're in the ground now and are starting to produce again since the humidity hasn't been as bad for about a week or so.

September 13, 2013	#4
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Thanks for posting Brokenbar, I always enjoy reading about what you've grown. Very descriptive, you should write for a seed company--makes me want to buy/try everything! Are you sure it's Big Jim Legend, not Heritage? I Googled Legend but cannot find it. I grew B J Heritage this year and it's way better, bigger, more productive than plain B J. Went to the farmer's market last weekend and it was like there was an explosion of peppers, there were huge piles of them everywhere. Yes, lots of peppers make me smile too.

September 13, 2013	#6
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Great post. I really enjoyed the Giant Armenia peppers I found in Yerevan. One foot long, spicy but not hot, thick walled - great for grilling and stuffing.

September 14, 2013	#12
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Guajillo is another one I grew for the first time this year, and loved them. It was a big plant that set lots of peppers quite early in a sunny window, so tasty red ripe and just the right heat!

September 15, 2013	#14
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	SO MANY PEPPERS, SO LITTLE TIME. thanks everyone for sharing . jon

September 15, 2013	#15
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Karma - sweet italian cone shaped pepper, well worth the effort of finding seed Orange Bell - Flavor that puts most other bell peppers in the dust Chapeau de Frade - The best flavored hot pepper I've grown Little Bells - a sister line to karma but more bell shaped fruits I've grown Franks for several years and like the flavor, but it is a niche variety. The plants are uber dwarf with decent production of sweet peppers. It is adapted to short season areas and can be grown in the ground or in small containers.