I grew "Four Corners" once and they grew not too badly. Each plant produced about 3 green peppers which considering it wasn't a hot year, wasn't terrible. I hand pollinated and didn't fertilize. The peppers were good but the walls a little thin.

I have also grown some kind of Portuguese ram's horn hot pepper which looks similar to your banana ones but longer and curly, and they ripen red. They produced very well and I pickled them. My vegetable garden is pared down these days and I haven't bothered with peppers for a few years.

We are down to about 1' of snow right now with spots that are 2-3'. Can't wait for all of it to be gone! One of my favorite peppers right now is Gypsy Hybrid. I find the fruit tasty and the plant very prolific. Marconi is also a nice one and does well for me. This year I have decided to try different ones as well, those are Sweet Apple, Anaheim, Kalocsa, and Flavorburst, Corno de Toro. The first three I received in trade but I bought the last 2 from Parks. Can't wait to see how they do. Marg

I have paired down with the peppers this year, well my intentions were to. I have two or three plants each of the following. Jalapeno, cayenne, hot banana, thai hot, Hungarian hot wax, sweet bell, orange sun, Californian chili, Californian wonder, thats all i can remember right now, not enough coffee yet this morning. They take up a flat under the lights already. I started them in January this year, hoping to get a great summer and have them ripen on the plant. C

I just love tapered peppers! They do much better than bells for me. I've had good luck in the past with the following:
Sweet: (Sweet) Melrose, Banana Peppers, Big Dipper (bell), Botinecka Zuta
Hot: Hungarian Hot Wax, Jalapeno, Kaloscai V2, Pulla, Purira, Bulgarian Carrot, Chinese 5 Color, Thai Dragon, Cayenne

Tequilla Sunrise and Tuscan Sunset also do well for me but had really tough skins.

This year I'm trying:
Sweet: Apple, Flavorburst, Jupitor, Napolean Sweet, Sweet Melrose
Hot: CAyenne, Habanero, Georgia Flame, Padrone, Cyklon

Great to hear that several folks are growing so many varieties ... it amazes me how much more productive certain varieties are compared to others, especially under cooler growing conditions.

Booberry85, yep, those banana types have always done so much better for me than bells! I'd only ever get a couple bells on a plant ... though, some of the newer short season varieties might be worth trying.

I love hot peppers, okay mildly hot peppers ... this year I'm trying 'Sahuaro'... I'm giving up 'Garden Salsa', although exceedingly productive, it's a bit too hot for me!

'Sahuaro'
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5241?cid=pem001958

'Sweet Spot'
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5651/

Parks has very good prices on these ... and the seed count was much higher than stated :)

twrosz What do those Sweet Spot in your picture taste like? Are they hot? The word "sweet" is deceiving?

I grew bell peppers last year, and I had 4 and 5 each on two fairly small plants and I was thrilled, until they were eaten by what I assume was maybe slugs. Boy was I ticked. Last year's growing season was bad enough without that, too.

nutsaboutflowers ... Sweet Spot is sweet and full flavored with thick walled flesh, it really is as good as touted in the catalogues (at least for me) and so productive!

Other than July, last year was so cool and most things had grown so slowly ... really hope this summer will be much better!

Terrance

I've started two heritage varieties from Heritage Harvest seeds http://www.heritageharvestseed.com/peppersaf.html - Black Hungarian and Chicken Claw. No other company seems to have Chicken claw and I really don't know enough about peppers to know what type they're more similar to. Haven't successfully grown more than a couple of peppers in previous years, but this year I plan to keep them all in pots and already have the materials for a hoop house to keep them warm if need be.

Ancho San Luis and Pinocchio's Nose (a cayenne)are 2 of my favorites to grow.

Twrosz - The more I look at them the more I really would like those Sweet Spot Peppers. However, I'm really new at starting from seed indoors, and I think since I already have about 28 seed packages, I better not get any more.

Do you know if the sweet spot are available at the nurseries as plants? I have old windows I was hopefully going to have DH make into a cold frame, so if we have another season with cold weather the peppers might do well under the glass =:) A cold frame of some sort might also keep the slugs off of them.

I think I'm gonna have to try some of the unusual sounding varieties folks have mentioned :)

nutsaboutflowers, I'm unsure if nurseries will be carrying Sweet Spot, usually they just grow some generic older varieties, though I could be wrong! Yes, they'll do well in a cold frame, just be sure their given enough head clearance, some peppers can grow pretty tall! I always have mine under plastic, they really need the extra heat, unless we get one of those freak hot summers.

Terrance

Marg - Gypsy is a good one you say? Good to know! I just received my seed order (was very late this year getting it done!) and have the Gypsy seeds in hand! Haven't tried peppers from seed for quite a while - me here in 2b land - alway iffy!! And now I'll be late starting them.....

Have never done the cold frame over the peppers in the garden, not sure what needs to be done. Does it stay on all season? Love peppers and would like to have a supply in the yard - any advise would be great!

I've grown the Gypsy for 3 years now. They are great! I start mine on heat mats each year. This year I will have about 14 plants - enough for us and friends. You always get lots on each plant. I dice them up and then flash freeze on a cookie sheet and then put them into a zip lock bag in the freezer they go. I add them to meat loaf, spaghetti sauce or anything else because they are so tasty. I also find that with Gypsy I don't get the 'repeat' like I get with the bells. Marg

i_heart_flowers ... yes, I agree with Marg, Gypsy is very good, it produces early and is very productive! If your summer is warm/hot then no need to worry about the coldframe, though I always keep my plants covered and vent the plastic or uncover completely when temps are toasty. This way I always get a reliable crop no matter what the summer happens to bring.

Terrance