Re: [CH] Frank Garcia's new creation: "FRANCISCA" habs & getting seeds from Shepherd's
Art Pierce (pierces@cruzio.com)
Thu, 31 Dec 1998 11:37:15 -0800
A search, on the keyword chile, of the online catalog at Shepherd's
Seeds
http://www.shepherdseeds.com/sgs/search.icl?orderidentifier=ID915127423531358653D1A452E
doesn't yet show Francisca seeds yet:
CHILE NEW MEX JOE PARKER (#1958)
CHILE RED SAVINA HABANERO (#1963) PVP
CHILE BULGARIAN CARROT (#1969)
CHILE POBLANO/ANCHO/MILD SAN LUIS (#1961)
CHILE SUPERCHILE HYBRID (#1962)
CHILE THAI DRAGON (#1971)
CHILE SERRANO/HUASTECO (#1976)
CHILE FIRECRACKER PIQUIN CHILES (#1979)
CHILE MIRASOL (#1981)
PEPPER/CHILE/CZECHOSLOVAKIAN BLACK (#1982) -
CHILE PEPPER/ANAHEIM/MILD (#1955)
CHILE NEW MEX ESPANOLA RISTRA CHILE (#1956)
CHILE TABASCO CHILES (#1967)
CHILE PASILLA BAJIO CHILE (#1977)
CHILE JALAPENO FIRENZA (#1987)
CHILE PEPPER COLLECTION (#5090)
PEPPER/CHILE/ARUBA (#1986)
So I called GNS [1(800) 870-6657] and talked to Frank. He said
"Francisca is named after his maternal grandmother, was 4 years in
development, and is (as requested by retailers) 300-400K S.U'.s - less
than Red Savina's 300-500K - and is (as requested by retailers) orange
and is (as requested by retailers) thicker-walled than regular habs. He
said give Shepherd's a call and request their newest free 1999
Shepherd's Garden Seeds catalog: 1(860) 482-3638."
9-9 EST Weekdays; 9-6 EST Sat. & Sun. 30 Irene Street, Torrington, CN
06790-6658. They only mail catalogs within the US. Even catalogs
offering PVP seeds are not supposed to be mailed outside the U.S.
because the patent is only enforceable in the U.S. Or you can request
the catalog from the net; register your name and mailing address at:
http://www.shepherdseeds.com/catreq.htm"
I asked Frank how to keep the heat level up.
"Never plant chiles in the same area more than once every three years.
(I follow the shallow-rooted commercially grown vegetables common to
Ventura & Los Angeles counties: lettuce, broccoli, celery.) Don't plant
them any closer than 18 inches apart. The habanero chile roots around
here go down as far as 18 inches. Stress the chile plants after the
first set: don't give them Miracle-Gro or any nitrogen boost after the
first set. We get anywhere from one to three sets per season. You could
give them a boost in the home garden after you've picked each of the
sets, but on a commercial farm, that doesn't increase yield enough to
make it worth the costs. After that, the number of sets and chile heat
level depends completely on the hand Mother Nature deals you for that
year."
I called Shepherd's. "Catalog should be to you within 14 days after we
get your request. We haven't updated our online catalog yet, but started
mailing out our newest catalog on 12/19/98 and Frank Garcia's new
creation, which is exclusive to us, is listed as:
CHILE FRANCISCA HABANERO (#1978), PVP $2.95, 20-30 seeds."
Indiana Jim Campbell: I believe Frank and Mary Garcia have licensed you
as a grower for their PVPs; do you intend to plant any Franciscas in
1999?