Chillies 2023

Overwintered aji limon producing loads of fruits now starting to ripen. Same with locotos although they are yet to start ripening. We've had so much rain I've not needed to water any pots outside for three weeks even though they are in the small side. Makes a nice change!

The ones in my pop-up greenhouse are getting large and producing now too. They are in much bigger pots, up to 30litres although most are in about 12l to 15l.

 

Hello all,

I recently got back from my holiday in Lanzarote and it seems the UK has had a hot spell while I was away as my chilis have grown dramatically while I was away. The Jalapeños in particular are now taller than me and are full of fruit that is nearly ready for harvesting. I also have some Cayennes that are turning red and can be picked soon. The sweet peppers are growing well and the fruits are close to being ready to pick (see photos below).


Birds Eye, Cayennes and Jalapeños


Jalapeños


Corno de Torro sweet peppers.

Tomatoes in other greenhouse are plentiful but no red ones yet as they were planted late.

That's all for now.

Ademission

 

I've just harvested some Shineybrids and have scraped out their seeds for next year's sowing. And the same with a Ring of fire.

I'm still battling white fly on the reapers, ghost, dragon's breathe, 7 pots and devil's tongue - they are all spread out on my patio table etc and are going through a steady procession of sprays to annihilate all living insects and their eggs.

 

My first ripe hot pepper, Piment d'Espelette, also commonly known as the Basque Pepper.

 

I cannot believe how bushy my Shineybrids are. And they are loaded with flowers and fruit!

 

I started the seeds boxing day and they were potted up and moved out to the greenhouse mid April. And yes, they had star accommodation under the lights at the start.

The first few are being saved for seeds for next year and then I will reap the abundance for using and storing for the winter.

I've got a few jalapenos harvested and a couple of ring of fire.

 

Yes @shiney they are in a different greenhouse to the one that got the flies however I am happy to report that after taking all of the plants out of the infestation greenhouse, cleaning it thoroughly, spraying them with neem oil. Spraying them with water three or four times a day, spraying them with malathion, then doing the water rinse/spray for another 4 days, I believe I have beaten them.

They've been back in the greenhouse and I check them every day and any spots are examined with a pocket microscope to make sure it is not a wannabe white fly!

Your Shineybrids are proving to be the more prolific this year than they have ever been.

 

First batch of hot sauce made, from ripe chillis from over wintered plants and the last of the frozen chillis I had from last year.

mash for fermentation:
500g assorted chillis, chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves
17g salt
Vac packed and fermented for about 3 weeks

Then today, 500ml white vinegar, 100ml lemon juice 20g salt, 5g msg, two teaspoons of Spanish smoked paprika. Boiled with fermented mash for 10minutes, strained, then blended with 3/4 tsp xantham gum. Made a pint and a half of hotsauce. You can dry and grind the strained remains of the mash for a salty, sour chilli powder if you want, I didn't.

This makes a vinegary hotsauce similar to tobasco or louisiana hot sauce.

I've picked a fair amount of ripe aji limon for some chilli jam next

 

Most of my January sown peppers are yet to ripen at all. We've had an over cast 6 weeks and night time temps down to 7c. But there are a lot of peppers forming now, so hopefully will have a decent haul by September. Hopefully.

Aji mochero, a small bushy plant is producing well, as is ring of fire and curry f1. Jalapeno is doing badly, aji norteno has one decent plant, one with one pepper and aji limon is doing good too, albeit nowhere near as good as the overwintered ones.

 

@Hanglow I did not know about the xanthan for sauces! I've only ever used it to make gluten free baked goods for my grandson.

@shiney that just sounds weird... kinda reminds me of a scene from, "Something about Mary"...