Bug Wars III: the Peppering
The battle against Thrips and Spider Mites is officially turning in our favor. While we unfortunately had to say goodbye to one of our older Lunchbox Orange plants, removing its struggle was exactly what the rest of the tent needed. In the grow tent, our Poblanos are thriving in the extra space and putting on remarkable growth.The spider mite webs have completely cleared out. To keep it that way, we have deployed slow release predatory mites. Those are the little square paper sachets you will spot hanging in our update photos. Meanwhile, our trusty Minute Pirate Bugs have successfully wiped out the Thrips on the new Cayenne plants. The Habaneros also got a deployment of Pirate Bugs and are already showing new growth and recovery. We’re also running a recovery fertilizer routine across the tents to give the plants a well deserved nutrient boost and help them bounce back faster. On a frustrating note, our latest round of seeds completely failed to germinate. It looks like our current stock has simply gotten too old. To get things back on track, we are browsing the Burpee Seed Store this week to secure fresh seeds. We’re actively hunting for Ghost Peppers and Jalapenos to restock our inventory, but we’ll see what other unique varieties catch our eye while browsing their catalogue.
While our overall harvest is moving a bit slowly right now, the plants are steadily churning out fruits. If you have ever wondered why dehydrated peppers are a labor of love, it comes down to the water weight. It takes an incredible volume of fresh, plump peppers to pack out our .25oz bags once the dehydrator sucks out all the moisture!
Here’s what’s coming up next on the shelves! The Serranos are finally turning a deep, vibrant red. Keep a close eye on the stand, as we will have a few new bags dropping shortly. As for the Scotch Bonnets, the fruits are developing that beautiful, deep purple black "suntan". This natural pigmentation shift means they are loaded with sugar and well on their way to final maturity.
It has been a bit of a rocky start to the season, but with the pests on the run and fresh seeds on the way, we are forecasting a massive recovery and another huge wave of peppers. Thanks for growing along with us!