The sun has got his hat on

With the ongoing attacks from aphids I've been forced to move most of the chilies outdoors.  Whilst this deters the sap-sucking blighters, it's not done a lot to encourage the plants to flower or fruit. With the wettest April/May/June/July on record it's been a disastrous year for the garden with slugs demolishing anything that isn't washed away in the torrential downpours.

However, we're reliably assured that the jet-stream has now shifted and summer has begun at last. And, as I sit typing this, I can see sunshine through the window and, you never know, the forecasters might be right for once.

So, camera in hand, I've ventured out into the garden once more to record the somewhat limited progress of the Chilli Forest

It's certainly looking more forest-like these days.

There's about 15 different varieties of chilli in this photo alone.

Inferno - taken a while to ripen but now looking good.

Orozco flowers

Ancho Poblano 

Hungarian Carrot 

The Padrons are going strong now they've acclimatised to the outdoors.

Purple Jalapeno - Been a disappointing season for them with many plants amounting to nothing but this one at least has a few fruit to show for its troubles.

Yellow Scotch Bonnet - Good crop on this plant, grown from seed saved from a chilli bought in the supermarket

Big Jim - Three large fruit on such a small plant has left it somewhat unbalanced on the windowsill.

A modest harvest this week - Loco, Friar's Hat, Superchilli, Chilhaucle Negro, Hungarian Hot Wax and Black Hungarian.

The photo edition

 For a change I thought I would ditch the compact camera and actually take some proper photos with a macro lens. So here's a few shots of some of the various chillies on the go at the moment, flowers, fruit and foliage.

Flowers on the rare superhot Black Nagas, whether the fruit is truly black remains to be seen.

Tiny fruit and flowers on the ornamental Prairie Fire.

Purple Jalapeno  

Explosive Ember

New Mex Centennial

Cayenne

Cayenne

Scotch Bonnet

Aphid Attack!

Greenfly is a constant problem, particularly for those plants grown on the windowsill.  The heat and lack of humidity are perfect conditions for these sap suckers.  Putting the plants outside will help slow the aphids but sometimes the infestation is so bad that the only resort is the dreaded pesticide.  Fortunately there are organic pesticides that will still allow you to harvest the fruit within several days of spraying.

Superchilli

Superchilli

The Superchilli is a real standout plant, producing mounds of hot red fruits.  Sadly I gave most of mine away this year but it's a plant that I'll definitely overwinter and sow more next year.

This unusual fruit is actually a Padron pepper.  Not only is it the wrong size but also the wrong shape.  I suspect that it's a cross-breed with the Chilhuacle Negro plant next to it.

Chilhuacle Negro

Hungarian Hot Wax

Black Hungarian (in the rain). 

Loco

A healthy crop of Friar's Hat chillies.  It's important to keep picking the fruit to encourage the plant to put out more flowers.

Orozco's beautiful leaves 

A two-tone leaf on the Orozco plant