Re: [CH] Question for Texas CH'ers

Paul Wilson (wilsonster@gmail.com)
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:25:33 -0700 

          Hello,

Are you talking about the Chiltepin? The description sound like them. 
They grow wild all over Texas
especially along the Texas/Mexico border. They also grow wild all over 
my back yard here in Calif.
I love those little babies, there are about 24 plant growing in my and 
surrounding yards. They all
starte3d from one plant. Most of them are small round 1/4 inch berries, 
some are elongated to about 1/2 inch.
They have amazing heat.

Paul


            Jim Graham wrote:
>             This question is specifically aimed at the Texas chile-heads for one
>             reason:  it's specific to a variety of chile that I've only seen growing
>             well in Texas (and I'm *TRYING* to add Florida---in a container---to
>             that list.
>
>             Question:  What is it about Texas growing conditions that makes
>             Chile Pequins (you know the ones...they look like little red berries,
>             but can be amazingly hot for their small size) grow so well as a wild
>             plant (that can take over a backyard fence and produce countless
>             peppers)?
>
>             I'm in NW Florida (no soil except what you buy at Lowes and put in
>             containers...the ground is all beach sand for a good distance
>             north from the Gulf coast), and while I do get a few of these little
>             gems, I rarely get more than a 1/4 to 1/2 cup per year.  (Whereas I've
>             been getting habaneros and cayennes---and tabascos, once they start to
>             ripen---in units of pounds/week....)
>
>             My mom (in Texas), on the other hand, with a little effort (picking
>             the beasties), could probably pick one or more quart bags full of
>             these tiny beasties per month during the summer.
>
>             So, is it the heat?  Dry?  Wet?  Direct sun?  Soil?  Water (e.g.,
>             San Antonio's city water is---or at least was when I was last lived
>             there, and I assume still is---very, very pure, where as here, you
>             basically either use a filter or drink bottled water---chlorine and,
>             at times, sulfur...yuck!)
>
>             And is it my imagination, or do Chile Pequins seem to want to wait until
>             the plant looks like it's about to wither away before it suddenly starts
>             producing whatever volume of peppers it's going to give you?  Based on
>             what mine has done this year,
>
>                * healthy bushy-looking plant:  no peppers
>                * change from above to scrawny vine-like plant:  peppers appear
>
>             In Texas, this pepper plant grows wild...and, at least in the outskirts
>             of San Antonio, seems to grow everywhere.  Nobody has to plant it...it
>             takes care of that all by itself.
>
>             I'm trying to get mine to do that, too.
>
>             Any suggestions on what I might be missing?
>
>             Thanks,
>                --jim
>
>               


          -- 
          Thanks, Paul


            Everyone is entitled to my opinion.