[Blueaussi]

What started out at my garden to be a fun and interesting season ground to a halt in May when my beloved Matilda, my Aussi/lab mix was diagnosed with lymphoma. Didn't get back into the garden much until mid-July. Luckily. peppers are hardy beasts for the most part, and with a little TLC and some serious weeding, the garden has had a strong finish this autumn. I didn't get much bagging done to save seed, but luckily most of the varieties I grow are available commercially as seeds or plants.

Then the first week in October my house was robbed. They took my computer, which I hadn't backed up since about February. Yeah, I know, I know, you should back up your computer every 3 to six months, depending on how much data you have stored. I'm usually pretty good about backing up my My documents folder, but this was not a usual year, and I just didn't get to it. So, no garden notes, no pictures, this year's round up is just me mostly winging it from memory.

Ok, ordering by placement in my garden map, here are the peppers that were new to me this year.

1. Aji Rojo: I really wanted the baccatum variety of Aji Rojo. Instead I ended up with the chinense variety from two different vendors. The third was also a chinense that I deliberately ordered to compare to the baccatum. So, the chinense version was a medium to tall plant that produced an abundance of hot red peppers. To me the peppers always tasted a bit green, they never developed the full sweetness of some hot peppers. They have held up well under the cool conditions these last few weeks, no leaf drop, and the leaves are still green and healthy. I will go after the baccatum again next year.

2. Aji Angelo: (C baccatum) This was supposed to be a medium heat peppers, but I found it to have very little heat. It was a very tall, over 5 feet, productive plant. The peppers have medium thick flesh have a nice typical baccatum flavor. It's been very unhappy with the cool fall weather, the leaves have become pale and are dropping. I'll probably grow this one again next year, depending on space.

3. Queen Laurie: Billed as one of the hottest baccatums, it came through on the heat. I didn't think it had much flavor though. It's a very tall plant, over 5 feet, and was a late producer. It does not like the cool fall nights, and is dropping leaves. I won't grow it again.

4. Kaleidescope: (C baccatum) A plant that is bushier than it is tall, and was covered in bright red peppers that had little to no heat. Very nice baccatum flavor. It's been tolerant of the cool weather, but is not setting new fruit. I will grow this one again next year.

5. Guyanna: ( C baccatum) My favorite new pepper of the season. A short bushy pepper that produces 3 to 5 inch slender yellow/gold peppers. The tip of the pepper has mild heat, but it gets warmer as you go up. Great, great flavor, it's the flavor that grabbed my attention. I didn't know it was going to be so short, and unfortunately planted it behind the Aji Angelo and Queen Laura plants. Next year I plant to put a couple in containers. It's completely shaded right now, so I can't really tell if it's the weather or the shade that's making it unhappy. Top of the grow next year list.

6. Hawaiian Sweet Hot: (C annuum) This was a moderately productive plant that was about 2 feet tall. It was a nice enough hot pepper, but not really much different from dozens of other 1 to 2 inch red peppers. Probably won't grow it again.

7. Adalberto: (C chinense) A fun, small, very hot apricot/orange, twisty habanero. It was a tall plant, over five feet, and covered in clumps of peppers at each node. Too hot for me to munch, but good for salsas, stir fries, and poppers with plenty left over to share with friends. It's leaves have gone a little pale with the cool nights, but it's still setting fruit. I'll grow this one again.

8. Pimento Di Espelette: (C annuum) This plant was not happy with the early neglect. What few peppers I have gotten I've been drying for paprika. I'll probably grow it again to be fair, but I'm not impressed so far.

9. Tunisian Baklouti: (C annuum) One of the reasons I have doubts about the Pimento Di Espelette is that it was growing next to this plant. Very vigorous plant that produced a steady flow of 4 to 5 inch tapering pods. The skin was a little leathery, so I've been making paprika out of them. Everyone I have given some to have given it a thumbs up. I'll probably grow this one again.

10. Yellow Pimento: (C annuum) This plant suffered from the neglect, it was covered with aphids, and looked appalling, but it kept popping out bright yellow sweet pimento peppers. Why it became so infested with aphids while none of the peppers around it did, I don't know, but I think I might put it in a container next year and see if it's happier.

11. Tomato pepper: (C annuum) I only got a few peppers off this plant, but it wasn't it's fault. It was stepped on by a neighbor whom I invited in to pick some peppers. The ones I got I stuffed and grilled, and they were pretty good.

12. Aji Panca: (C.chinense) Tall, floppy plant with long, mild, thick brown peppers. they had a berry-ish flavor, but you had to wait until they were fully ripe. It's thriving despite the cool weather, but not setting fruit. I'll give this one another try next year.

13. Zavory: (C.chinense) Mild habanero-type that grew to about 2 feet tall. It was a late producer, but is covered with peppers right now. It's has almost no heat, and a pleasant taste. I think there are better tasting mild habs. I probably won't grow this one again.

14: Permavelha: ( C annum) A compact plant that produced lots of gold butternut squash shaped peppers in waves. This was a huge hit with my friends, in part because they were just so darned cute. They were very hot and tasty, too. It's doing well in the cool weather, and I'm thinking of digging it up to over winter, and I will grow it again.

15. Ethiopian Brown: (C baccatum) Very similar to Aji Panca, but a smaller plant. Probably won't grow it again.

16. Cherio Recife: This plant suffered from the neglect, and hasn't done much yet. It's finally got some green peppers on it, but I don't know if they'll ripen in time or not. Probably won't grow it again.

17. Bolivian Habanero: (C chinense) Medium/tall. productive red habanero-type. The peppers are very large, but not as hot as some of the more traditional habaneros, which is a plus for me. It's handling the cool weather well. I have one in a container and will overwinter it.

That was all the new varieties I tried this year.