Underoath said..




I don't eat the hot ones unless they are in a sauce. Reapers and Scorpions/Nagas will make you vomit on their own. Not a good move.


So, with Fruit Flys, If your chilies start rotting on the plant- fruit fly maggots are in your chilies. Cut one open and see, just be careful as they jump.

Now if you do have a FF infestation, you have a big problem as chances are ALL your fruit has been infected.

I refuse to use insecticides, so I use a physical netting barrier. Seems to be working for me so far this season.

saltiest1 said..
Many animals do not have receptors for the capsicum heat.

Paradox said..
Freezing them whole works if you like to eat them chopped. Milder varieties that is.

Frankly the hot varieties you grow are not directly edible on a regular basis in my opinion. Even a small piece in a meal can get stuck and wreak havoc. The only use I had for them was to make a hot sauce out of them. ie dilute the suckers with tons of tomatoes, garlic, spices and vinegar etc. cook it and then blend it into a sauce and jar it. Even then I still have heaps of that left from seasons ago.

I stick with varieties that have good taste, healthy fruit and enough heat to zing but not be stupid. Birds eyes are still a good mainstay, but I mainly grow a variety that is slightly lower heat than a birdseye, but 4-5 times as big and really nice flavour. Great balance of heat and flavour and ease of picking. Extras go into the freezer in bags and are pulled out in winter as needed. I have also dried a lot and have a big container of flakes.

MDSXR6T said..
This season (spring) Richgro bought out a new natural fruit fly product that was tested extensively in the Swan Valley with fantastic results. It will kill QLD fruit fly as well. Being all natural (garlic and pymethrin) you can spray it a day or two before harvest and its fine.

I still use better fruit fly traps (ie 1 trap is enough for residential use) but this Richgro spray is a must if you are growing edibles.

Crazy demand for the super hot stuff like Carolina Reapers at work. I grew some last year but given Nandos mild sauce is still pretty hot, i never had the balls to try.

R1DER said...
Thanks for the heads up for this Richgrow product.
Which friut fly traps do you use ?

HotBodMon said...
Latestarter continuous picking is key and get friendly with your local greengrocer.

R1der this variety is a proven performer from South Pacific Seeds (F1 Cayenne).
Mild bang and prolific bearer and great for the commercial scene.

100 odd plants producing roughly 20 kilo per week throughout the growing season, at $10 for green and $14 for red and only 5min to pick a kilo it soon adds up.

This hybrid like most hybrids does have calcium transport issues but harvesting slightly early helps to avoid this (Blossom end Rot!!)

Planted after xmas and starting to produce again- Just need rain no flowers.

Chillies like this seem to lend themselves to High OM in raised beds for great drainage Any other Questions just ask - Happy to share secrets.

MDSXR6T said...


I use the Gepro Organic traps. Most brands are pretty good, similiar prices and the traps themselves are similiar but the Gepro ones use a different attractant. Many are 1 trap for 2 or 3 trees but the Gepro ones are 4 traps per Hectacre. More than for my 8 or 9 dwarf fruit trees but the attractant evaporates quickly.

For all the popularity and expense of fruit trees etc it's crazy how many people skimp on soil, good mulch (Dsatco Triple C is exceptional stuff FWIW) and pest control.

R1DER said..

Paradox whats the name of the variety you grow thats bigger than the birds eye with a nice flavour?

HotBodMon said..
...

R1der this variety is a proven performer from South Pacific Seeds (F1 Cayenne).
Mild bang and prolific bearer and great for the commercial scene.

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