Re: [CH] Rocoto Seeds
Steve (snearman@erols.com)
Tue, 13 Oct 1998 19:23:56 -0400
>>Right now, I have approx. 10 newly set peppers on my 1 1/2 year old
plant. Maybe I'll actually get to try that recipe for rocoto rellenos
(Chile Pepper Nov.(?) 1996) within the next 2 months. 2 years is a
looong time to wait to try a dish. Has anyone tried it? Is it good?
BTW, I only have the one rocoto plant, and I have had no problem with
pollination as long as the plant is OUTSIDE when the blossoms open.<<
This is only the third year of growing rocoto/manzano so have not quite
figured them out just yet. But I do get much better production than 10
fruit per plant and under 11 months.
Here are a few things I do know. I live in Virginia and the weather/climate
is far from ideal.
They like cooler weather (70-80F), moist (not wet) soil and they need other
plants for pollination. They do not pollinate themselves. [This has been my
experience, others have "corrected" me and said this is not true. Perhaps
the small number of fruit you are getting is a result of growing in to
small a pot or not enough exposure to insects] When I planted 10-18 plants
in 2 rows 2 feet apart I had much better fruit setting than when I put a
plant here and there throughout the garden and other places. We have a lot
of little insect critters here in old VA to do the job. The hot days
(90-100+F) of July & August can put a plant down fast in direct sun. I
plant them in a location so they get shade from about 12 to 4. Temperature
and abundance of insects seams to be the main factors for pollination.
They are sloooow growers and it takes a long time for the fruit to ripen
once set. I start seed mid Feb. They don't have the tendency to grow tall
and thin like some others, so are ideal for early starting. Like to
transplant to garden as early as possible. Late April early May after last
frost. My plants get about 2 to 2 1/2 foot tall and very bushy and spread
to 4 foot across, with hundreds of those beautiful purple flowers. These
plants keep there flowers a long time and will only drop if to cold, very
hot nights, dry or very wet soil. I have had blossoms last 6-8 weeks before
drooping if not pollinated. Mine always have at least 50-75 flowers from
first flush till frost.
To help set fruit I soak the plants and soil with an Epson salt mixture of
about 1/4 cup to 2 1/2 gallon of water in a sprinkler can. One can of the
mix for about 8 plants. First time when first flush of flowers and then
twice more at 30 days and 60 days.
I water with Petters 20-20-20 for the first 2 months to promote foliage and
switch to Miracle-grow 15-30-15 till mid August to encourage flowers, fruit
and stalks. Just water after that.
Normally get 40 to 60 ripe fruit from each plant from mid Sept. till
frost. This year started harvest late August and numbers are up! They can
take light frost if covered at night to extend harvest of ripe fruit. Day
before a hard freeze I pick all fruit (ripe or green). Once frozen they
spoil quick.
Steve
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