The variety is exceptionally large, but my Golden Calwonders, also from two year old seeds from Ohio Heirloom Seeds, size up quite nicely, too.
This year has actually been a disappointment when it comes to the peppers. Last year I planted fewer plants, and the yield was much greater than what I'll get this year. In 2009, I had a dozen plants, eight Quadrato Rosso D'Asti and four Golden Calwonder, and I harvested an amazing 87 pounds from them! That's an average of 7-1/4 pounds per plant! This year I set out 16 plants, and have only harvested 23 pounds so far. Of course, there are a lot that haven't yet been picked as they are a bit late (by more than a full month) to color up. Also, many were removed from the plants earlier in the season when they were very small, due to the disease problem they were having.
By September 7, 2009, I had already frozen several gallon sized bags full of fully red-ripe peppers, and I was still harvesting the huge beasts in their green stage. That's a full sized laundry basket holding just eight peppers!
The pepper plants grow very tall, these measuring about 47" when they are standing straight up. Even though I have these staked, they have grown so tall and heavy with fruit that they are leaning badly. The small bamboo stakes are just no match for the weight of the plants. A few branches have broken off already, overloaded with immature fruits. Next year I might try cone shaped tomato cages.
Look closely, and you'll see how the plants are loaded with young peppers. In a normal year, these would have ripened to a bright red by now, and the plant would be full of younger green peppers.
Here is one I missed yesterday.
It turned out to be "only" nine ounces, a mere baby compared to the 13 ounce giant from yesterday.
How much space do you give each plant?
ReplyDeleteNice peppers! We had a great year for peppers, not too good for tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I put in one plant per square foot. I had to go back and correct the number planted this year, as I put them all in a 4'x4' bed....12 Quadratos and 4 Goldens. Last year I spaced them the same.
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Lisa, my tomato yield is also down this year....thank heavens!
My goodness your pepper plants look so lush!
ReplyDeleteI am loving how beautiful your plants look. I think maybe I want to plant them in square foot next year. I did rows, and it worked out okay.
ReplyDeleteBig peppers! Mine top out at about 4 ft tall as well, same spacing as yours. I'm going to try a different variety next year since I had such a hard time with BER with Quadratos, but will still do those too since I have a feeling it was due to the extremely hot summer causing quick water evaporation in the raised beds, the one I put in the ground showed no BER.
ReplyDeleteFour feet tall pepper plants? My cayenne plants are only about 18-24 inches tall, but I guess they don't need to grow that big to support smaller hot peppers. I kind of like these compact little plants, but I also want to be able to be grow big bell peppers like you, too!
ReplyDeleteDid your jalapeno peppers ever get hot this year? I remember you complaining about how sweet they were earlier in the year, or maybe that was last year.
Wow, your peppers need to come give my peppers a talking to. One of my plants only yielded one pepper this year. ONE!! What gives?
ReplyDeleteI can't get over those babies, and I have yet to read your previous post. This year may not be a pepper best for you, but I am still amazed!
Beautiful!! I bookmarked Ohio Seed. I need to check my seeds to see what I don't have, and then I think I'll be trying them this year. I've been looking for a pepper that gets a little bigger than what I've got outside now. Thanks!
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Meemsnyc, I'm not real happy with the square foot planting in the entire bed. Last year I did two rows down the middle of the beds, still with one plant per square foot, but I think the air circulation was much better around them....and no diseases.
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Erin, I think these Quadratos will be my ONLY pepper next year. I just love them.
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Thyme2, I haven't harvested my jalapenos yet. They are also a good month behind last year. The one I did pick, and my son tasted, was hot. I have three red ones in the fridge that I haven't yet tried.
My Hungarian Wax, however, were very mild. I'm wondering now if they are HW, maybe they are sweet banana peppers!
Wow - they look great!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful peppers! I didn't have much luck with peppers this year. I think my timing was off. When they began to blossom, the heat rose and the blossoms fell off. Only now are they producing, but they are running out of summer fast and have no chance to reach the size yours have.
ReplyDeletePeppers seem to do really wellin my SFGs with 1/sq ft. I also use the smaller tomato cages to help support the peppers.
I had a horrible pepper and tomato year in 2010. Last week I had to just harvest the green peppers - or at least what was left of them as many had started getting damaged from a fungal disease. The cold wet weather we had all summer and worsened more recently was just too much for them. Your peppers are gorgeous though and I may grow that variety next year.
ReplyDeleteYour peppers look great!
ReplyDeleteI had some chili peppers but bugs got to them before I could.
I like the red ones especially.
I'm choosing which peppers to start and did an internet search for Quadrato Rossi. You were on the first page. I've still got some of the seeds you sent me a couple years ago and will start some today. (hope I have half the luck you did with them)
ReplyDeleteCheryl, I hope this year is better for them than last year. The weather didn't cooperate, and not many made it to the red stage. The previous year they all did.
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