Fish Peppers

[Trudi]

I've got some seeds sprouting outside of Fish Peppers, a Maryland heirloom with variegated foliage and varied-color fruits. Does anyone have experience with these? I know they'll be hot, but does anyone know how tall the plants get? Some pepper plants grow knee-high and some grow hip-high. I'd like to site these correctly and give them adequate spacing as needed.

Info on this page:
http://www.tomatogrowers.com/hot2.htm

TIA,

Trudi

[Worth1]

Hi Trudi

I don’t know about fish peppers but in my experience with peppers and the looks of the things, I would think they would get fairly large.

I would plant them at least 2 feet apart and see what happens, or you could call TGS tomorrow and ask them, they should know.
Maybe Craig can help he grows a whole lot more than I do.

Keep us informed, as I do love peppers and this one looks like a good one.


Worth

[Trudi]

I'll let you know how they go and share some photos once they're in the ground.

I do grow a few different HPs each year. But this year I'm only doing this one. A dozen plants, should they all survive to mature and ripen, will give me a lot of seeds.

T

[nctomatoman]

Fish is a favorite hot pepper for the beauty of the foliage and unripe fruit (distinct green and white). For me, the plants grow similarly to Jalapenos - about 2-3 feet tall, kind of narrow, so easy to stake and tie, or a short cage would work as well.

I have a view from the top (don't have any side shots on my web site)

[Trudi]

Thank you Craig for the information. They are shaped like jalapenos so I expected a similar habit, making what I describe as the umbrella urn shape--a little wider on the top than the bottom, but really not much of a difference. I've done them with small stakes, but I like the idea of using the tiny tomato cage for them. I see in your picture you've got them growing in a pot, I want to do them in the soil with an underplanting of nasturtium or million bells petunias to act as a living mulch.

Were your Fish peppers bothered by that little boring caterpillar--I can't remember its name, that makes a little hole in the hot pepper and than dwells inside? Disgusting to bite into a pepper and find half a worm. Eeeek. I don't like to spray for bugs as I'd rather not kill off my bennies. If you have these worms/caterpillar do you do anything to diminish/limit them, if possible?

Thanks,

Trudi

[JerryL]

Trudi

I’m growing Fish for the first time this year so I can’t comment from experience but the definition I have is as follows. This is from Totally Tomato:

“From the Philadelphia/Baltimore region, this heirloom is considered by many to be the best variety to use when cooking fish and shellfish. Plants, 18 to 24", feature decorative green and purple foliage splashed with white. High yields of very hot, pointed fruits, about 1-1/2" long, range from white with green stripes, to orange with brown stripes, to brilliant red - some deep purple too. This variety is really fun to grow!”

[Trudi]

Thanks Jerry, nice to see ya!

I think that may be the catalogue we all got our seeds from

I love Totally Tomatoes, I'm an addict for their web specials and grow out a lot of the toms they're discontinuing. I've got Mandarin Joy tomato growing outside now, it's called the Tomato you Can StirFry, I'm not sure what that means but I'll find out this summer.

[Love2Troll]

I've grown Fish too. Supposedly an African-American heirloom IIRC. With the few plants I grew in pots what I remember most is the unusual number of (not sure what to call them) aberrations (?). Double blossoms and double pods. The leaf variegation was late to develop on mine. Seed source from Texas chile-head friend I think.

Abt 3 foot tall. The normals:





Not so normal:





Note the double style/blossom and one of the double pods.

jt

[Trudi]

That green pepper looks like it's sticking its tongue out, lol.

Now I'm really jazzed up for growing these. They look really wonderful. As to heat, are they more or less hotter than Thai Hots? I use Thai Hots as my baseline as they are permanently seared into my memory

[travis]

Trudi,

I got my Fish seeds from a couple of pods that "cmpman" (his name is Chris) sent me from the GW hot pepper forum.

The pods he sent were still semi fresh. They were crimsom red with very faint pink striations.

I started a few seed in December to check out the germination rate. I still have one of those plants growing out in a pot in the garden. It's about 18 inches tall and showing a lot of splotchy variegations similar to what Craig's picture shows but not quite as much white area.

The younger seedlings I started in March are only about 8 - 10 inches tall in 5-gallon pots out in the garden. Some of them are showing slight variegation and others aren't showing much variegation at all. All the plants, including the old one started in December, are in pots and all get the same amount of sun, water, etc. None have set fruit yet. The oldest one is blooming.

I'm having very similar results with the other variegated and purple varieties where some of the plants show way more variegation or dark purple tinting than others. I have one Purple Largo that is totally green but has purple flowers and black pods on it. Some of my Trifetti have white, purple, and green while others have only green and purple foliage.

There sure seems to be a good deal of variation in pepper plants. I even have one Black Congo that doesn't have the typical Congo leaves, but has very slender, almost velvety leaves with fuzz on the stems??? I was very careful when planting the seeds to keep everything segregated and labeled.

I'm really lookin' forward to getting some good examples of Fish for perpetuation as it is a culinary pepper with a good history of use.

PV

[cmpman1974]

PapaVic,

Glad to hear the seeds sprouted well. I enjoyed growing Fish pepper as well. Very pretty pepper!

Chris

[Trudi]

I didn't know that there was so much interest in growing these variegated peppers.

I want to continue them for flavor and seed stock, if I keep selecting the most colorful of bunch it will be a good mix to grow and pass along. I like developing hardy and efficient strains--ones that fruit heavily with no personal interference. I don't have the time for fussy plants in my garden-that's the most important thing, but good looks and flavor have to be part of that too, otherwise who would want to grow them again.

One of the catalogues, can't remember which, had pictures of the ripe fruits in several colors of reds, maroon, orange, green and all with stripes, like rainbow trout do have--they looked like koi to me, curved and striped and lovely. Enticing. I suppose a beauty shot to make colorful fish peppers look like colorful fish can't hurt for the good marketing, eh?

Do they really make so many colors throughout the blend, or do you think the fruits were selectively picked for the shot and I won't get that same color mix?

I was looking online for more info and came across this excellent paragraph--

We can scratch an opening in the soil, place a seed there and it will sequester carbon, fix nitrogen, retain moisture, purify air, prevent soil erosion, provide nourishment for thousands of species of soil dwelling organisms, feed animals and people, make compost and self replicate. That is a highly intelligent life form, perhaps more intelligent than humans. Michael Pollen, in his book “The Botany of Desire” contends that humans are arrogant to think that we have cultivated plants for our use, because, in fact, plants have actually cultivated humans to do their bidding. As I watch plants unfold their mysteries through a growing season, I find it difficult to disagree with his contention.

I stand in awe of the power of a seed.

This is the url for the enitre article, it has the history of the fish pepper and then the sustainable quote:
http://www.globalpublicmedia.com/lectures/398

T

[Gimme3]

Trudi...havent been checkin this sub-forum too often...woulda done replied if i had seen this thread.

A Fish pepper...according to modern day accounts, was brought to America from Africa...by the slaves that worked tea, sugar cane, and rice plantations, on the eastern coast of N. America. It is a cultivar that is most often associated w/the "Gullah" peoples...that were enslaved on several Carolina and possibly Georgia coastal islands.

These people ...relied upon a diet of primarily Sea-caught meat...and this pepper was their Favorite or primary use...in flavoring their catches.

Thats where it's name comes from...as i have been told.

I personally aint gon ever use it on a piece of Fish...lol

But it has become my Personal favorite for making Pepper Sauce in vinegar with. It has a very broad spectrum of Flavor...FULL...would be the best way i could describe it. It's hot, but has a Wonderful FULL green pepper taste to it...it's not pure heat. It is not a Super hot pepper, at all. I love to eat some turnip greens,collards, or kale with a bottle of Fish Peppers/vinegar an some good buttered fresh cornbread.

It's also a unique pepper in that it most often is Variegated...although not always, in my experience. It really dont need any kind of support, as it grows quite limberly, yet strong.In other words, it dont have big thick stalks, it has skinny, but strong limbs. it is a very patient plant to grow...not in any kind of hurry. And it will remain healthy until frost kills it. gets about 2 and a half foot high...maybe 3 feet...for me.

Hope you savor and enjoy...it's Superb Flavor...)))and it's Beautiful growth characteristics...)))

[Gimme3]

Didnt read the Link you provided, until after initial post,....but that is One Fine Link...i hope many read it...Trudi...Thanks...)))

[angelique]

I am also growing Fish. It is now in a five gallon Easi-Lift Grow Bag.

Fish really is a beautiful plant. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard with the fertilizer, so some of the leaves arre "wrinkled". Luckily, the plant has grown flowers since my "accident".

I am looking forward to trying Fish. I hope that it's not too "hyped up". As far as hot peppers are concern, I normally only eat: peperoncinis (sp??), local wax pepper, cayenne, dried Asian, jalapeno (and chipotle) ,chile de arbol (my fave for salsas, dried, toasted on a comal and ground) and other milder dried and fresh Mexican type chiles used for rellenos (mmm...yummy), menudo, enchiladas and so on.

So far, I really don't like serrano (hot and boring) and habanero (I think they have a weird sweet flave...yuck). I am really drawn to medium hot pepers with full flavor. From what I read, Fish fits the description.