Bit of a panorama of the poly tunnel. We have assorted aubergines; black beauty, dancer,diamond and tres hative de barbentane. The THB is the most developed with at least two fuzzy flowers amongst the velveteen leaves.
Most of the chillies are flowering. Nigel has a lots of little buds. The California wonder sweet pepper has actually flowered. There are three of these and the plants are actually quite short.
At the back we have the two habanero varieties and then the nagas. All quite leafy; and slowly getting taller.
The second round of super hots also need potting up. Simply because, they had started to pick up a little pace with the sun light and being fed. Jamaican jerk and serrano have certainly got leafier and taller. The two scotch bonnets don’t seem to be enthusiastic yet.
In poly, the aubergines are just as sloth like. They are still there, and looking more like growing aubergines. Just doing it very, very slowly. There could any number of reasons. They probably don’t like the clay, it’s not hot enough, they like being divas, I don’t know.
The california sweet pepper is starting to flower. Small in stature, but flowering. Nigel seems to be okay, sat where he is. Third from the right of the door. He is a chilli and not the leader of the political part, okay?
It may well be, that some of the super hots don’t end up in the poly. I still have to also squeeze in a watermelon.The sweet crimson has all of one true leaf at the moment, and is being carefully monitored.
These are my second more diminutive batch of chillies, bells and super hots. The bengle, Dorset nagas and choc habanero are in the left, assorted scotch bonnets and jamaican jerk in the middle.
These were a later sowing, and they are late maturing Superhots some of them. They sit by a sunny bay window, which helps the boost up when the sun is out. But the current growth seems painfully slow.
The tomatoes are already out in the 4TB, nestled in fleece but at the moment uncovered. Have gone a bit purple stemmed; but have not keeled over.
Since they look greens and leafy; I have transferred some of the chillies and aubergines to the Wendy house. These are sat in tented fleece as it is all a bit precarious still. They look reasonably robust; and will all be going into the polytunnel anyway in about a month to six weeks.
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These are the nine other ones that’s remain. These are significantly smaller, with the two nagas, and two types of scotch bonnet.
I might just be being a little precious. But the Superhots are taking the time growing. I am aware that the Dorset Naga and Bengle Naga won’t necessarily bear fruit til Novemeber. That does feel a very long time away. They weren’t all sown at the same time, so that is one reason that they are still quite small. I did anticipate that they would be moving into the polytunnel at the end of May. Whilst that is six weeks away, I’m not sure how much of growth spurt they will put on between now and then.
Might have to get the Pom poms out and start cheering them on.
A heaving gallery of pictures for you today. Today’s session started with mama h and I sinking corden trees. These Victoria plum, conference pear and falstaff apple had been in pots for nearly two years. However these were proving to be too small. So these are now sunk into open ground. Hopefully this will contribute to them doing better. Also tidied up the inside of the poly tunnel. It has been up to
30 degrees Celsius in there, with my glasses steaming up as I go in.
The next task was to pot up tomatoes. These were starting to become tall and gangly beyond their baby leaves. Some of their foliage is now quite frilly.
Taking a quick look at the peppers and aubergines. Had to some emergency potting up these week, with both of them as they have an accelerated growth spurt with the spring sunshine. There are quite a few aubergines, I know. Mama h quite likes them, so it will be interesting to see if they fruit. All being well, chillies and bells will be in the poly tunnel. Dorset and bengle nagas are small, but growing. Pretty purple rainbow chilli is romping ahead with its purple tinged leaves, with early jalepeno hot on its heels.
The Superhots are coming along. The challenging Jamaican jerk has made an appearance, as well as orange habanero. Hot scotch is also present. We are still waiting on yellow scotch bonnet, but I am not holding my breath for that one. The California sweet pepper isn’t doing too badly either. >
The last few days has seen mild spring like weather. Weather that window sill babies have been basking in; least of all the chillies. I am growing the chillies from cold, I am not using grow lights or heated mats. This means that the chillies are perhaps a little smaller, and their growth rate is little below than those with grown with sophisticated equipment. So one has a bit of capsicum envy.
See I know full well that at this time of the year, chillies will be diminutive. A couple more weeks, and they will start to pick up and plume. That does feel a little like a distant memory, and it’s quite a leap to fully fledged, foliaged plants ready to be transplanted to the poly.
Whilst the sun is out, the chilies are loosely lidded with a prop cover. They are sat on reflective aluminium foil to help absorb some heat and light to keep the plants from getting too cold at night and then keel over. With the second Superhots are sunk, I would like to be optimistic. However I’ve been told that Jamaican jerk is very difficult!
Have realised that the windowsill babies are getting on a bit. Some of the seedlings have started to grow past their baby leaves, albeit a little slowly. The aubergines have been growing quite quickly compared to the chillies. Thought I might as well pot everything on.
Seedlings are still a little small; but it is still very early. Perhaps won’t have more accelerated growth til later. I have for the moment removed the foodbag cloches. Just hope things don’t got pair shaped!
Apologies for my absence, this week has seen a return to work and the inclement allotment weather continues. As I write this, there is a spittar splatter of rain across the window panes. The plot is most likely under puddle of water. This means that any growing is inside.
Above is an image of the experimental chillies and one of the superhots-serrano. Cayenne and California wonder have been amongst the casualties. Cayenne failed to germinate, and california wonder fell in germinating but not being able to exit its seed case. Dorset Naga and one choc habanero has done the same, and have both been resown, A little frustrating, but the slowness of these two germinating and then not getting any further should have been somewhat telling.
On a second window sill, orange habanero and tobasco are sitting still. I worry about the tobasco, some of its very tiny baby leaves snapped off as it was exiting its seed case. So that one will be somewhat touch and go as to whether it does actually survive. It may be that the leaves are two small to photosynthesise for the seedling.
You will note that the pots are still in foodbag cloches. A retaining security measure; if they get cold with a drop of temperature in any impending cold snap, they may well keel over. I would much rather they didn’t. In the heated prop, we are awaiting fire, scotch bonnet yellow and choco habanero.
It is now January. When did January get here. I’m not ready yet. I don’t even have any window sills. And no lights. Have never used grow lights. I don’t want to have make any, don’t want to buy them. How am I going to grow these things, exactly?
I don’t have any compost.
Corner shop do.
I shall go get some compost then. I’ll walk, won’t be heavy. I’ll carry it back.
There are yoghurt pots in Dad’s shed. Go find them, a few of them might need a hole in the bottom. You won’t need many. Can’t fit that many in the propogator anyway. Look, how many are you thinking of sowing, and they all have to go in the Poly tunnel anyway. That’s if any of the seeds you sow, actually germinate. And you are only sowing, what, three? You have a very small sample. Not one of them might germinate.
Oh, go on then. Have a go.
Eight yoghurt pots, filled with multi-purpose compost. Is that cold or damp. Feels a bit of both. Hmm, don’t put any water in there, then. Fresh dirt under my fingernails.It has been too long.
All the seeds are lined up. Pops is wandering past. Takes one look at them, frowns, shakes his head then scarpers.
These are super hot chillies. They are irritating to the skin. You might want to put on some gloves. Sow each variety, one by one. Jab three holes into the dirt of each pot. Pencil. Equal distance apart. It is then really quite fiddly, putting a seed into each hole. Don’t drop them.
The varieties sunk:
Serrano
Orange Habanero
Chocolate Habanero
Dorset Naga
Bengle Naga
Fire
Scotch Bonnet Yellow
Tobasco
Are all now sat in the heated prop; nice a warm,
In other news, there are two baby nigel seedlings sat in the window sill.
horticultural 'obbit 