The elusive Aji Rojo

Blueaussi · September 1, 2009

I have been interested in trying a pepper called Aji Rojo ever since I heard it can supposedly withstand light frosts.

http://www.thechileman.org/results.p...&submit=Search

I got better organized this spring and ordered some from 3 different sources. Two were supposed to be C baccatuum, and one was listed as C chinense. I think the baccatuum is the one I want, but I wanted to give them both a try. Well, the best laid plans and all... One of the ones that was listed as baccatuum is actually a chinense, and there was a mix up with the other and I got what appears to be an Aji Panca instead.

I'm a little frustrated, I was really looking forward to playing around with these plants this fall and settling the frost question for myself. Has anyone else grown this variety?

Blueaussi · September 4, 2009

Well, dang. One of my Aji Rojo plants bit the dust. I noticed it was looking a little pale earlier this week. I gave it a boost with fish emulsion and liquid kelp, and sprinkled some Tomato Tone around the base since we were expecting rain the next morning. Wednesday it rained, and yesterday the whole plant was drooping, and it looked paler. There were no obvious signs of disease or insects, and the soil around the plant looked undisturbed. Today it was dropping leaves like crazy, so I pulled it.

The roots looked normal, although the root ball was a bit small. I did the stem in water trick to check for bacterial problems, but there was nothing. As a matter of fact, the stem I put in water perked up considerably.

No signs of blight on the stem, it just went pale and droopy all of a sudden. All the plants that were around it are healthy, too.

velikipop · September 8, 2009

Too bad about losing the plant. Does not sound like it was affected by any disease..maybe it needed a good drench and the extra fertilizer might have stressed it. Remember chilis are not heavy feeders.

I grow the Lemon Drop, which is an Aji variety. Yes they are are very cold hardy. One of the plants was left outside, beside the house, until early December...temps 38 to 42 at night, and it survived and produced hugely next year.

September 1, 2009	#1
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	The elusive Aji Rojo I have been interested in trying a pepper called Aji Rojo ever since I heard it can supposedly withstand light frosts. http://www.thechileman.org/results.p...&submit=Search I got better organized this spring and ordered some from 3 different sources. Two were supposed to be C baccatuum, and one was listed as C chinense. I think the baccatuum is the one I want, but I wanted to give them both a try. Well, the best laid plans and all... One of the ones that was listed as baccatuum is actually a chinense, and there was a mix up with the other and I got what appears to be an Aji Panca instead. I'm a little frustrated, I was really looking forward to playing around with these plants this fall and settling the frost question for myself. Has anyone else grown this variety?

September 8, 2009	#3
velikipop Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Langley, BC Posts: 768	Too bad about losing the plant. Does not sound like it was affected by any disease..maybe it needed a good drench and the extra fertilizer might have stressed it. Remember chilis are not heavy feeders. I grow the Lemon Drop, which is an Aji variety. Yes they are are very cold hardy. One of the plants was left outside, beside the house, until early December...temps 38 to 42 at night, and it survived and produced hugely next year. __________________ I'll plant and I'll harvest what the earth brings forth The hammer's on the table, the pitchfork's on the shelf Bob Dylan

September 4, 2009	#2
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	Well, dang. One of my Aji Rojo plants bit the dust. I noticed it was looking a little pale earlier this week. I gave it a boost with fish emulsion and liquid kelp, and sprinkled some Tomato Tone around the base since we were expecting rain the next morning. Wednesday it rained, and yesterday the whole plant was drooping, and it looked paler. There were no obvious signs of disease or insects, and the soil around the plant looked undisturbed. Today it was dropping leaves like crazy, so I pulled it. The roots looked normal, although the root ball was a bit small. I did the stem in water trick to check for bacterial problems, but there was nothing. As a matter of fact, the stem I put in water perked up considerably. No signs of blight on the stem, it just went pale and droopy all of a sudden. All the plants that were around it are healthy, too.