Short back and sides

Being halfway through August already, the emphasis has now moved away from growing big sturdy plants but to swelling and ripening the fruit forming on the plants.

I trimmed plenty of the leaves from the base of the plants to increase airflow and prevent any risk of fungus on the soil. I also thinned out the tops, removing any stems that didn't already have fruit forming, to allow more light into the greenhouse.

A light pruning to open up the plants to light and air

7 Pot Habaneros

7 Pot Habanero

The 7 Pots are growing well with gnarly looking pods forming. I've not tried these bumpy looking pods before so I'm looking forward to them ripening.

Scotch Bonnet

Scotch Bonnet

Peach Habanero

Friar's Hat

Friar's Hat

Cheyenne

Cheyenne

Sweet Banana

Scotch Bonnet Big Sun

Unknown - was labeled as a Jalapeno but looks like a Cayenne type

Orozco

Superchilli

The greenhouse looking slightly lighter

It's a jungle in there!

With the recent good weather the chillies are growing rapidly with plenty of flowers and some unripe fruit forming.

Superchilli

Orozco & Black Pearl

The Cheyenne is particularly impressive with a huge quantity of pods. I've never grown this variety before so I don't know what to expect in terms of flavour but the yield is promising.

Lots of fruit on the Cheyenne...

...and more flowers on the way

Distinctive flowers on the Black Tongued Scorpion

Sweet Banana

The Habaneros are coming on well in the Chilligrow

The larger plants are growing vigorously.

As long as I can keep an eye on the reservoirs during this hot spell I should be able to prevent anything drying out. The drip feed system is working ok with the Root Pouches but i'm having issues with the automatic timer (the connectors are leaking like a sieve) so I'm still having to run it manually for now.

It's a jungle in there!

June greenhouse photos

Asides from a few chillies developing on the Cheyenne, there's been no major developments this week, just plenty of growth and a steady stream of aphids to kill.

Random chillies on the nursery table including Superchilli & Black Pearl

Chillies, melons and even a Christmas poinsettia on the nursery table

Not much top-growth from the seedlings but plenty of roots developing below

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.

Pruning time.

The chillies are doing well but there's a lot of unripe fruit and the plants are still putting on lots of new foliage.

The ornamental varieties have lots of colourful fruit already as they tend to mature faster than the hotter varieties.

Loco, a very reliable shrubby plant with lots of fruit

Black Pearl

The golden Cayenne has been a real success story with plenty of large ripe pods.  I've yet to try it for heat but I expect it to be quite feisty.

In an effort to encourage the plants to put all their efforts into the fruit and to help the fruit ripen I cut back a lot of the branches that didn't hold fruit and any tips that were putting on new growth.

Hopefully this will let more sunlight to the fruit and ripen them before the end of the summer.

Superchilli, living up to its name

The Scorpions are beginning to ripen.

The Paper Lantern Habanero has been sensational

More pods than you can count!

Fatalii

Scotch Bonnets 

Peach Habanero in the hydroponic 'Gurgler'

A bit of light pruning

The casualties of the pruning. Big Jim, Lemon Drop, Paper Lantern & Friar's Hat