Re: [CH] Seattle WA Area Chile Heads -- Rocoto Starts

L Anderson (lowella@serv.net)
Thu, 05 Apr 2001 00:14:36 -0700 

peter g wrote:
> 
> Lowell ,
>     Thanks for the very generous offer !
> if i lived a bit closer ... and thought that i could get them through
> the
> border & back to Vancouver ... it would be great.

I'd be glad to put a few dozen soaked but unsprouted seeds in a plastic
bag and post them to you if you think they could get across the border. 
Unfortunately I don't have any dry seeds as I soaked them all.  If
you're interested, check into what's involved and let me know ASAP and
we'll go from there.

> 
>     > They propagate easily by cuttings ...
> do you take cuttings from the new growth area ?
> how do you encourage the cuttings to root ?
> have you tried any graftings ?

About all it takes is to snip off a stem just below a branching node,
trim the lower leaves leaving a top leaf or so,  dip the end in rooting
harmone, stick it in potting soil, place it in a high humidity covered
tray, place the tray in a warm lightly shaded area, and keep things
moist.  It takes a month or so to root and it's difficult to fail. 
Another option is to air layer a stem.  One key is not to let the plants
or starts get too hot. They don't mind full sun but they do not like to
be too hot.  Plant them in the open but not next to a south facing wall
or retaining wall--a mistake I made when I first started growing them. 
I planted eight plants at the base of an E-W rock wall and the ones that
got the most shade  (E due to my neighbors trees) did the best.  The
ones that got the most sun and heat (W) were not so happy.

I have not tried grafting as cuttings are so easy to start.

> 
> i've a yearling plant ( seeds from Cameron ) that was over wintered
> indoors, and is about to be returned to the great outdoors .
> are all yours grown in containers ?

I have grown them both in pots and open ground.  My oldest plant, three
years old, started in the ground and then was moved to a pot for
winter.  This year I plan on putting it back into the open ground to see
how it does.

> any advice for growing rocotos in the PacNW ?

See above.  I think they are a fun and easy plant to grow, not too
prolific, but the peppers are really neat and different.  The plant's
growing characteristics are totally different from the other peppers
(non-rocoto) I have grown.  They grow much larger with a somewhat
sprawling and interesting branching habit.  Very much like a tomatillo,
which I grow--although both have a long growing season, they are both
cold tolerant and do quite well in the PNW.  This year I hope to try a
rocoto-tomatillo salsa.


Regards,

Lowell