Germination Rate : Very Easy 7 days Domesticated
Type of Plant : Outside or Indoor Floor Pot
Chilli Heat : Hot - Scotch Bonnet Heat
Chilli Pods Use : Fresh while still green
Fresh Taste : Fresh, Crunchy, Fruity and good heat - perfect for kebabs, salads, stuffing, or just eating with a dip!
Ease to Grow : Very Easy
Height : Soil Growth is around 5 foot but Hydro will Top 15 foot
Number of expected pods : 200+
Time from Planting Seed to First Harvest : 5months
Ideal Pot Size : 30litre
Overwinter : No
Hydroponic Grow : If you do make sure you have over 12feet head room and 5ftsq floor space but bumper big pods
Aji Crystal Growing Diary 2011
C. Baccatum Aji Cristal 2011
I have been informed that this is the best tasting of the Peruvian chillies - can’t wait to find out!
Early signs of leaves show a little leaf curling - will add some extra magnesium to the mix
16.05.11. Still got some leaf curling going on - so I have upped the dose of the epsom salt today and apply for the week when it needs watering and see the effects in a week - growing strong though
23.05.11. Aji Cristal's leaves are not curling anymore, the additional magnesium sorted them out, however it has left its scars on the leaves that did suffer, but new growth is looking fine - to the point that they have practically doubled in size in a week
30.05.11. These two plants are growing nicely and starting to produce flower buds. The leaves are still a little ugly but improving - one in Hydro and in the pot
The flower buds have been removed to spur on foliage growth first, all looking good though for a big plant and hopefully a great crop
06.06.11. Really got caught out with the Aji Cristal in the Tank this week, woke up to find a massive nitrogen shortage - leaves have yellow patches throughout, so change the water and feed and added a little more than normal - will keep my eye on it
Interesting fact here compared to the plant in soil is the number of flower buds, probably twice as much this week but growing smaller than the one in soil with less flower buds, still this is going to be a monster of a plant in both hydro and soil
13.06.11. The Aji in the tank has grown a lot in the last week and has over 50 buds on it - not bad for two months since planting the seed before it even germinated! The plant is now being supported which is a typical trait of NFT Tanks, but also AJI Plants are growers! Losing some buds this week though - trying to alter the environment to reduce the temperature variation that is causing it, I don’t think it is nutrients but added more Potassium: just in case
20.06.11. Found a 5c hot spot in the room that was affecting the Aji and Rocoto and causing them to lose flower buds, that has now been cured and the plants are holding their buds - should have a plant full of open flowers next week and there are few - lost count after 100 on the plant in the tank
27.06.11. This plant is really suited to Tank Feeding, the hydro is running away with growth, flowers are forming and the pollen is produced within days - I have several pods forming now. Had a heatwave for a couple of days and the temperature has forced a few buds to fall off which is annoying - especially the ones that had pollinated. Flower petals fall off straight away
04.07.11. Had to tie up the Aji Crystal in Soil as it was starting to sprawl, The flowers are starting to open and are quick at producing pollen and starting to produce pods. Made several adjustments in the room and controlled the heat better which has resulted in flowers staying on the plant and pollinating to produce the first few pods - bring them on!
11.07.11. Pods are now growing and they have the trait of Aji Plants. Still growing like a monster and has not stopped, even though I have changed the nutrients to reflect flowering - still full of buds, but few are opening as fast I like at the moment, still the seeds were planted 3 months ago so not bad growth so far
18.07.11. The Hydro Aji is a total monster, but I think is slowing down in growth, but dont quote me on that - had to snip a few branches today to allow the other plants some space. The number of flowers opening is increasing and there are several pods on each plant with a lot more on the way - cant wait!
25.07.11. Its quite difficult to show you how these plants are doing - one for the location of the hydro - just cannot get to it, they are complete monsters of a plant, with plenty of pods starting now - the flowers produce pollen very quickly and pollinate themselves just as easily - when the pods start to change colours you will be able to see the amount then - hopefully within a few weeks this will start
01.08.11. The soil version is starting to fill out with pods as you can see, with lots of flowers now pollinated so in the next couple of weeks they will start to show themselves
The hydro tank is still growing and growing mad! But I am having difficulty in pollinating its flowers and relying partly on wind as I cannot get to it!
Tried my first Aji Crystal Pod on Monday, and wow - I love it, a great flavour chilli with a very gentle back drop of heat that leaves a gentle pleasurable heat trail for a few minutes. Will taste great in a salad or salsa, or stuffed with cheese with smokey bacon wrapped around it - cant wait to try that!
15.08.11. The soil version is now growing very slowly and putting all efforts into the pods, which is starting to fill out a look great
I am so tempted to remove the pods to eat, but I want to leave for now and allow to mature - will use the pods on the hydro version for that
This plant is a nightmare in the hydro tank - I think it has stopped growing largely and is starting to keep its pollinated flowers and pods are being created
18.08.11. First pod has turn colour - doesnt take long either, approx 3 days from point of turning to full colour - nice!
22.08.11. By removing the aussie black plant I have been able to see the pods properly on the hydro aji - the pods are thicker than the soil version
Both plants are producing good number of pods
29.08.11. The soil version looks great with the pods growing all over, if I was using these pods to eat I would pick them now, but I want the seeds so leaving till they are fully mature
05.09.11 The soil is plant is putting on a lovely display of colour with a great picture taken from the hydro plant showing the three colour stages
The aji has a long pale green growth of about 4 weeks, then turns through its orange into red in about a week, with a further two weeks of redness to get its full mature state - fantastic!
12.09.11. Aji soil is looking great with half of the pods now matured - will harvest this week
The hydro is now done growing (mostly) and producing pods all over the place - problem is they are behind the foliage and difficult to get pictures at the moment
19.09.11. Took first pods off both plants today - will take seeds from them
This has proved my experiment - the pods form the hydro tank which receive more nutrients and as much water as it wants has pods which are twice the size and the skin has been split in most due to the stretching - wonder if that is when the nutrients were added or just the fact they nutrients were at hand 247
Eitherway - good harvest do far with many many more to go
01.10.11. Completely harvested the plant in soil and gave the plant to the compost pile - good harvest from this plant, and some pods have been taken for seeds, the others have been used for chilli poppers snack and pickling some for later, very nice tasting chillies
18.10.11. Harvested the Hydro as well - couldnt wait for it to finish fully as it probably wouldnt with signs of new growth - great plant to grow for a great harvest!
16.12.11. Love these pods and they have become a firm favourite - have a lot of them pickled for later use, and will grow several plants next year in the garden