Summer months

So despite the lack of updates, the garden has kept growing.  I had a disappointing crop of seedlings from the seeds I planted.  Only about 50% germinated and I lost many due them drying out.  Whilst I took every care to keep the seedlings watered, the Root Riot cubes seemed to be very quick to dry out and I lost many due to a moment's inattention.

However, the seedlings that made it were duly planted out in one of the Quadgrows and a Chilligrow. In order to save me having to check for watering so regularly (yes, I am that lazy), I then hooked them up to an additional 25l reservoir which would supply the 'grows via a water level valve (Greenhouse Sensations again).

Once that was done, I practically ignored the plants and just let get them on with the job of growing...

The greenhouse is looking full, time for a prune

Plenty of lush growth in the Chilli Forest

Twilight Chillies, this year's chilli challenge plant.

More Twilights

Even more Twilights - Just the one plant but it seems to be thriving. 

Peach Bhut Jolokia 

Flowers on the Cayenne

Kashmiri Mirch chillies, mild chillies with a brilliant red colour (when ripe) which are used to add fantastic colour to curries without excessive heat.

Joe's Long Cayennes - these were the chillies we used last year for the chilli challenge. These could be record breakers by the time they ripen!

It's not just chillies in the greenhouse. The Sweet-Millions tomato is also doing really well in a Quadgrow.

First Harvest

Autumn is here and I'm beginning to enjoy the (meagre) fruits of this year's labour. Due to a late start I've not had the huge crops I hoped for but there's certainly enough chillies to produce some of the sauces I've got planned.

Every once in a while you can get complacent with chillies, such was the case with a bowl of Padrons the other evening. These tangy green chillies were grown by my mother and she presented me with a carrier bag full of them to enjoy.  Fried in olive oil and scattered liberally with salt, these Northern Spanish chillies make a delicious Tapas.  However, about 10% of these usually sweet chillies are hot, and these particular ones, being a little older and larger than usually picked, packed a fearsome punch. Nose streaming and mouth burning I was forced to quench the fire with a cold beer (the hardship!) and proceed with caution through the rest of the bowl.

Padrons - handle with caution.

This year's chilli challenge was a success with an number of impressive looking Joe's Long Cayennes being entered for the title of longest chilli. After much deliberation by the judging panel (i.e. holding up the chillies for comparison) the winners were announced as Dave and Annie, who took home the hamper stuffed with chilli goodies (and a couple of bottles of wine as well).

Below are growing photos from the entries.

 

Meanwhile the chillies in the greenhouse have been slowly ripening, I've had to employ the old trick of ripe banana skins to try and speed things along. It seems to have had some success and I managed a few small harvests before the weather broke and the rain set in.

7 Pots ripening in the greenhouse

Scotch Bonnet Big Sun

An early harvest from the greenhouse - Clockwise from top left; Sweet Banana, Cayenne, Superchilli, Cheyenne.

Clockwise from top left; 7 Pot Hab, Black Tongued Scorpion, Cayenne, Peach Hab, Scotch Bonnet Big Sun, RedScotch Bonnet, Nepalese Snakebite.

Supersized pods - Yellow 7 Pot Habs and Peach Habs.

Now the weather has changed I've begun the task of winterising the greenhouse.  I'm slowly covering all the glass with bubblewrap and, time and budget allowing, I'm hoping to employ some more innovative methods of keeping the greenhouse frost-free this winter. More to follow soon.

A new season

It's that time of year again, time to start thinking about the new season and what to plant.

The hotter varieties, such as Habanneros can be quite slow growing and therefore benefit from a longer season. 

With the addition of the new grow room and a heated propagator it's the perfect excuse to make an early start to the season.  I've chosen a variety of sees this year to give me a crop for all occasions.

1. Chocolate Habanero - Very hot and full of flavour, I first grew these a few years back and although the plants flourished, they bore no fruit (except for the plants that I gave away). Determined not to be beaten, I'm given them a second try.

2. Yellow Seven Pot Habanero. This year's volcanic choice. Superhot and flavoursome, I'm looking forward to growing these gnarly pods.

3. Pimentos de Padron. I collected these seeds from our family that we visited in Galicia in northern Spain earlier this year, within just a few miles of the town of Padron itself. These randomly spicy tapas peppers are delicious when fried in olive oil and liberally scattered in salt.

4. Black Tongued Scorpion. A new one for me, these chillies resemble black scotch bonnets but with less heat. How could I possibly resist a chilli with a name like a death metal band.

5. Joe's Long Cayenne. This is our chilli challenge for this year so I felt it prudent to plant a few extra seeds for those who join the challenge late.

For planting I used a mixture of a sifted potting compost and plenty of vermiculite. Hopefully this light mix should promote good healthy roots and make the seedlings easy to pot on into a hydroponic system should I choose to do so. Here the planted seed trays are floated in water to dampen the compost. Using this technique rather than watering the compost is less likely to over-compact it.

Once soaked the trays were topped with vermiculite and placed in the heated propagator. This propagator isn't thermostat controlled I've added a thermometer so I can keep track on the temperature. For germination 25-28 C is ideal, once the seeds start sprouting then the temperature can be dropped a little. 

The heater in the chilli room is working well, rigged up to a thermostat it's keeping a steady temperature as shown by this maximum and minimum thermometer which has barely wavered in the month it's been running.

Despite the relatively low temperatures and the limited artificial light, the chillies that I've overwintered are not only coping but positively thriving. The Aji Lemon Drop that grew so prolifically during the summer has refused to stop and despite the severe haircut I gave it, is throwing out new growth already. I've cut back on the hours of light they're receiving to ensure that they're not too monstrous by the time spring comes. 

First Harvest

The time had arrived for the first harvest.  Picking the ripe pods will encourage the others to ripen faster and will avoid the risks of the fruit dropping off or rotting on the plant.

Scotch Bonnets

Trinidad Scorpions

Superchilli

Capa Conic

Loco

I took the opportunity to prune the plants whilst I harvested.  The canopy of some of the plants had got so dense that, with the damp weather, some of the plants had developed spots of mould on the flower heads.  I cut back these areas to allow more air to move around the plants an let some sunlight reach the  unripe fruit.

Some of the pods from this year's initial harvest, neatly sorted by type.

Golden Cayenne - This plant has been fantastic this year with plenty of large, healthy fruit.

Scotch Bonnets - the yellow ones are destined for Sunburn sauce.

L to R; Orange Magnum Habs, Fruit Burst Hab & Peach Hab

Paper Lantern Habanero - all off one plant and there are plenty more still to ripen.

The thinner, longer varieties were strung onto thread and hung to dry over a radiator. These will be grown to powder for storing and eventually adding to sauces and meals. The varieties with thicker flesh, such as Scotch Bonnets, Habs and the Scorpions were cut in half, packed in bags and frozen for blitzing and using in sauces later in the year.

L to R; Ring of Fire, Paper Lantern, Superchilli & Lemon Drop,  Golden Cayenne and a selection of green chillies.

There's more to pick this weekend, the only concern is when I'll find time to make the sauces I've got planned.

Chilli Contest

In September 2012, at our wedding, my wife Marina and I distributed secret chilli seeds for our inaugural Chilli Challenge.

The competition was to grow the most impressive chilli plant by the time of our first anniversary. The entrants would be judged of the size, health and fruitfulness of their chilli plant.

Unbeknown to our entrants, the seeds we had chosen where Peter Pepper seeds, often known as Chilli-Willys, famed for their unusual and often pornographic fruit.

So with seeds distributed, rules laid down and entrants raring to go, we sat back to await the calls of "Are my chillies supposed to look like this?"

The Cornish Contingent - Emma and James' plants basking in the southern sunshine

Still with flowers on so more fruit to come.

The Yorkshire Chilli Growers - Pam and Jack 

Plenty of fruit on these healthy plants

Neil's unconventional method of planting two-up in a seed tray seems to be paying off.

And the all-important fruit

The Gloucester Growers - Claudio and Diana's plants

And plenty of suitably odd-shaped fruit

 James and Nancy  - Plenty of plants but need a little longer to get to full height.

A hamper of goodies was assembled for the winers, including South Devon Chilli Chocolate, Tracklements Chilli Jam, Sweet Chilli Sauce and plenty of delicious nibbles.

Judging took place on the 28th of September and the results are as follows...

Grand Champion Chilli Challenge 2013:  Neil Saunders

Tallest Plant: Claudio & Diana Martinez

Most suggestive chilli: Lisa Lavery

Congratulations to all who took part, a fantastic effort, particularly considering the number of non-gardeners who participated.

Next year's seeds are now ready for distribution.  The contest is to grow Joe's Long Cayenne plants and the rules are simple - longest single chilli wins!  The Joe's Long produces pods that are capable of reaching lengths in excess of a foot so impressive entries are expected.