I like my chillies and bells, I really do. Whilst Nigel, purple rainbow chilli and purple beauty sit quite contently in the windows of my classroom as the top set; bottom and middle set chillies reside in my battered and holey Wendy.

There were of course Aunty VVG’s three adoptees. That would frauzauber, lemon drop and lipstick. These 3 were more than middle set but not as huge as the top set; but these were fairly robust as early sowings. They are flowering now. Lipstick and frauzauber are very similar. Two neat habited creatures not too tall. Lemon drop is also small, but is a very leafy madam with branches stretched out. At the end of which are these rather dainty, petite looking buds. Daintier still, compared to the purple rainbow chillie. Lemon drop has more leaves in comparison.

Not many of the chillies are labelled; so it will be a case of match the description or image should they fruit. There are a few flowering ones, a great achievement; considering how developmentally delayed some of them were. I guess traditionalists would say that you would need a conventional, traditional greenhouse. But I do think that the Wendy is doing a fine job. There is definite progress being made. My mistake is that unlike the classroom crop, I don’t tend to water as much and I perhaps should now, when making my after work visit. Yes, regular feeding could be seen to make them more leafier. But that will help the fruits and that is the name of the game. Not quite sure if they like the big flower buckets either.

Over the last few days, more and more blooms have appeared and also opened in the classroom. The purple rainbow chilli, is as spindly as ever. Yet, has these very pretty white and purple flowers. Nigel, has easily half a dozen baby yellow blooms. I think one opened to day. I rather think of Nigel as a grumpy moustachioed old man sat in my classroom. The blooms go up, whilst the ones on the purple rainbow go down.

The triffids would the two sweet peppers. Measured to be approximately 60 centimetres tall. They have yet to get bigger. The lovely lady who cleans my classroom took pity on them one day, said they looked a bit depressed and droopy; so felt compelled to water them. There is something of a fascination amongst the ladies who used to clean my room about the greenery in there. It will be interesting to see if they crop, we only have a few weeks left of term. Don’t really want to leave them over the summer.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit