Sam’s HGII adventures (with Owen too)

[Homegrwoninillinois]

@bower

Today I went in and cut off most of the newer flower sets on the potato leaf cross. Instead leaving 5 flowers that had set in an effort to get the plant to put its energy to the fruit already there. Once I cut some branches back I was SHOCKED to see the size of the fruit and sepals in this newer flower set.

I am not sure I’ve ever had sepals on any plant so large. When trying to read and understand about sepals it seems in some places to be an indication of fruit size and also flavor? The flavor part seemed strange to me.

Please ignore my nail polish, I’m a bit under the weather. Trying to get a measurement it seems as though a single Sepal is just under 2 inches. Meaning from sepal end on one side to the other side is just over 4 inches with the top of the tomato area in that measurement. This thing is really impressive.

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[MissS]

I must say that I didn't notice that you needed polishing. What I did think was, "WOW, a gardener who wears nail polish." I have never seen such a thing! LOL

That plant is amazing. The sepals make it look like a great big ole octopus coming to grab your finger. I saw another person post about huge sepals on their plant. Gosh darn if I can remember who or where that post is from. I hope that this trait is passed on to Owen's new cross. It's unique and fun to see.

[bower]

I don't know anything about sepal size linkage to either fruit size or taste, but a big fruit size definitely seems likely with such enormous sepals!! Wow. Very cool.
Where did you read about the linkage?
I just googled and got this:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7460612/

"Sepals affect the flower development by coordinating cell division, cell differentiation and cell expansion with other parts of the flower whorl. The morphology and size of the sepals have been associated with the yield and quality of the fruit. The larger sepal size tightly associates with the protection of flower whorl and better fruit quality [1]. In SlMBP21-RNAi tomato, the sepals are longer and fruit sets are improved [2]. Among the green parts of the flower, sepal has the greatest ability to photosynthesis, follow by the receptacle [3]. The contents of Chl and the activity of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, the key photosynthetic enzyme, are both increased in longer sepals, and photosynthesis is enhanced in longer sepals, which may contribute by improving the fruit set [2]. Conclusively, sepal morphology is closely associated with fruit development."

Better fruit set and better fruit quality are attributed to the large sepals in these studies... how cool is that!

In my own (limited) experience I remember a couple of lines with extra long sepals (not as long as yours though!!) - I sort of associate it with heart or elongated fruit genetics more than anything (but that's based on vague memories not actual data on a page).
I am thinking of one line in particular, not grown recently, where all the sibling plants had long sepals and larger flowers. Those plants were variable in shape but tending to be long (ovate at least in the genetics) - the taste for sure was also variable, so there was not a 1`:1 association of unusual taste qualities with the trait. I wonder if i can find my notes from that year, hmmm.
I also recall a number of those plants with sepals stuck together so not fully opening, and there was a problem with mites that year, or some kind of thrip or tiny pest that infested buds and especially liked these tight and long ones, so I missed out on seeing a perfect fruit set.

You may have a record there on sepal size, goodness!!

[Homegrwoninillinois]

I don't know anything about sepal size linkage to either fruit size or taste, but a big fruit size definitely seems likely with such enormous sepals!! Wow. Very cool.
Where did you read about the linkage?
I just googled and got this:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7460612/

"Sepals affect the flower development by coordinating cell division, cell differentiation and cell expansion with other parts of the flower whorl. The morphology and size of the sepals have been associated with the yield and quality of the fruit. The larger sepal size tightly associates with the protection of flower whorl and better fruit quality [1]. In SlMBP21-RNAi tomato, the sepals are longer and fruit sets are improved [2]. Among the green parts of the flower, sepal has the greatest ability to photosynthesis, follow by the receptacle [3]. The contents of Chl and the activity of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, the key photosynthetic enzyme, are both increased in longer sepals, and photosynthesis is enhanced in longer sepals, which may contribute by improving the fruit set [2]. Conclusively, sepal morphology is closely associated with fruit development."

Better fruit set and better fruit quality are attributed to the large sepals in these studies... how cool is that!

In my own (limited) experience I remember a couple of lines with extra long sepals (not as long as yours though!!) - I sort of associate it with heart or elongated fruit genetics more than anything (but that's based on vague memories not actual data on a page).
I am thinking of one line in particular, not grown recently, where all the sibling plants had long sepals and larger flowers. Those plants were variable in shape but tending to be long (ovate at least in the genetics) - the taste for sure was also variable, so there was not a 1`:1 association of unusual taste qualities with the trait. I wonder if i can find my notes from that year, hmmm.
I also recall a number of those plants with sepals stuck together so not fully opening, and there was a problem with mites that year, or some kind of thrip or tiny pest that infested buds and especially liked these tight and long ones, so I missed out on seeing a perfect fruit set.

You may have a record there on sepal size, goodness!!

Please keep in mind that this is a full sized plant in a grow tower. With the number of flowers I left on the plant along with the ones I cut off. If all set (which they likely would have with me and my toothbrush tickler)…

The plant is about rib cage tall if placed on the floor. Total number of flowers so far is 21! And they look to be larger fruit. I am starting to have really high hopes for this plant and seeds.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

I must say that I didn't notice that you needed polishing. What I did think was, "WOW, a gardener who wears nail polish." I have never seen such a thing! LOL

That plant is amazing. The sepals make it look like a great big ole octopus coming to grab your finger. I saw another person post about huge sepals on their plant. Gosh darn if I can remember who or where that post is from. I hope that this trait is passed on to Owen's new cross. It's unique and fun to see.

Owen’s current crosses are micros. This is the full sized potato leaf. His are learning crosses but we have some big ideas together with some interesting and fun things to come.

[bower]

@Homegrwoninillinois Will you be growing the next generation outdoors this summer?
I would love to see a row of these and all the amazing fruit in your F3.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

@Homegrwoninillinois Will you be growing the next generation outdoors this summer?
I would love to see a row of these and all the amazing fruit in your F3.

As long as I can get one of these bad boys to ripen we will have a row of F2’s outside to choose from and move forward

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Pepper starting day is 3/1 for us, these are the varieties we will be growing in our garden this year. Our 2025 garden is memorial themed. Some names will be obvious, others are tied to family members in various ways, and some are just because we wanted to grow them.

Aji Colorado Orange

Antares

Aphrodite

Apparition Red

Australian Broome

Banana Orange Sweet

Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry

Coyame Jalapeno

Dancing Spirits

Dixon Chile

Fox Big Jalapeno

Gatherer's Gold

Ghost Droppings

Giallo de Cuneo

Haunted Dollhouse

Hellapeno

Intergalactic Red

Jes's Purple Orange Jalapeno

Jimmy Nardello

Juanita Red

Lost Boys

Madame Paraplu

Mini Vezena Piperka

Spicy Jane

Sucette Hyeroise

Sweet Emotion

Tumaticot

Variegated Pepperoncini

We All Float Down Here F2 (my cross)

Yellow Lesya

Yellow Marconi

[Homegrwoninillinois]

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Peppers were started 2 days ago. Now just a wait to see who peeks their little head above soil.

~Sam

[karstopography]

Nice! Good luck.

I really like Megatron Jalapeños. Checks every one of the boxes for me for Jalapeños. Not too small, not too mild or too hot and is consistently just right, productive throughout the entire season, resists problems.

I see a Gatherer’s Gold, tremendously good blistered in a hot skillet and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and it’s a robust potentially productive plant. I wish Jimmy Nardello performed as well here, but I can’t keep them healthy all season long. They are tasty for sure.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Nice! Good luck.

I really like Megatron Jalapeños. Checks every one of the boxes for me for Jalapeños. Not too small, not too mild or too hot and is consistently just right, productive throughout the entire season, resists problems.

I see a Gatherer’s Gold, tremendously good blistered in a hot skillet and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and it’s a robust potentially productive plant. I wish Jimmy Nardello performed as well here, but I can’t keep them healthy all season long. They are tasty for sure.

Where are you located? I’m in northern Illinois and they are prolific for me (Jimmy), they are my husbands favorite.

[karstopography]

@Homegrwoninillinois SE Texas. Jimmy Nardello produces okay here early, but the plant itself tends to decline considerably as summer progresses. If I leave them in, the plants can recover a little in the autumn. There are other sweet peppers that do better.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Update on my cross with the enormous sepals.

Coming along nicely. Now I need it to hurry up

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[MissS]

Oh wow! Those are just beautiful and growing fast. That tower seems to handle them well.

[bower]

Lovely shot of the mega sepals in that first pic.
I've only measured set to ripe time for the first fruit of the season when it's cool, but 30 days would be typical of a cherry or small fruit vs 45 days plus for a large fruit to grow and ripen here.
I have a feeling that first fruit of yours is going to be a whopper....

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Lovely shot of the mega sepals in that first pic.
I've only measured set to ripe time for the first fruit of the season when it's cool, but 30 days would be typical of a cherry or small fruit vs 45 days plus for a large fruit to grow and ripen here.
I have a feeling that first fruit of yours is going to be a whopper....

This plant set its fruit the first week of February. Even at 45 days or so I am hoping I will still be on schedule for planting.

Is it correct that if the fruit isn’t fully turned and just blushing that I can save seed and they will be viable? This isn’t a practice I would normally do, which is why I’m unsure.

[MissS]

Lovely shot of the mega sepals in that first pic.
I've only measured set to ripe time for the first fruit of the season when it's cool, but 30 days would be typical of a cherry or small fruit vs 45 days plus for a large fruit to grow and ripen here.
I have a feeling that first fruit of yours is going to be a whopper....

This plant set its fruit the first week of February. Even at 45 days or so I am hoping I will still be on schedule for planting.

Is it correct that if the fruit isn’t fully turned and just blushing that I can save seed and they will be viable? This isn’t a practice I would normally do, which is why I’m unsure.

Yes, seed is viable once the fruit has reached first blush.

[bower]

I think, @Homegrwoninillinois , the only concern about seed from fruit that aren't fully ripe, is that the seeds are said to have a shorter shelf life - they may not be viable as many years.
So if you're behind schedule for sowing them, I could see sowing directly from the blushing fruit (or even green ripe, maybe). I've never done it myself but I've heard others talk about it. Let us know if it works out, if you do that. When a fruit is already blushing it's only a few days from fully ripe anyway, right.
For seed to keep, just designate another fruit and get the full ripe seeds for your backup, that's what I would do.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

I think, @Homegrwoninillinois , the only concern about seed from fruit that aren't fully ripe, is that the seeds are said to have a shorter shelf life - they may not be viable as many years.
So if you're behind schedule for sowing them, I could see sowing directly from the blushing fruit (or even green ripe, maybe). I've never done it myself but I've heard others talk about it. Let us know if it works out, if you do that. When a fruit is already blushing it's only a few days from fully ripe anyway, right.
For seed to keep, just designate another fruit and get the full ripe seeds for your backup, that's what I would do.

Thank you. The plant has four fruits on so all should be an option depending on how it moves forward.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Photoroom_20250323_114723.jpeg

60 peppers up potted today. A few more to do tomorrow. Finalizing a tomato list this week and plant on April 1st. It sure doesn’t feel like spring yet.

~Sam