Chilli Plant Update - 18th July 2020

Well, the weather here in the UK hasn't exactly been chilli plant friendly since posting the last update and most days have either been overcast or rainy. It's all been a bit gloomy to be honest with you. Some days have felt quite autumnal, and for three nights last week the temperatures in the porch were sitting between 52 and 54F. The poor chilli plants are like a disappointed audience who've all paid good money to watch their favourite show but the acts have failed to turn up.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 14th July 2020

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 13th July 2020

Anyway, we had a slight break in the weather last Sunday afternoon and so I used the opportunity to take some photos of the tribe. Towards the end of our little photo shoot just after Albert had finished performing a Sundance I moved all of the new varieties into position to get some group shots and then the wind picked up and blew several of them over. Thankfully, none of them were damaged, but for that reason I haven't included any group shots of the new varieties in this post.

Both Aji Mochero plants are coming along nicely and if their mother could see them she'd be very proud. This variety has now become one of my favourites to grow. The growth habit is well suited for indoor growing and the chillies have a great flavour and a nice amount of heat.

Aji Mochero - 14th July 2020

Aji Mochero - 12th July 2020

Alberto's Locoto is an old friend from way back when and the last time I grew this variety was in 2017. The plant is doing okay and has set about 28 peppers up to now.

Alberto's Locoto - 12th July 2020

Alberto's Locoto Flower - 14th July 2020

Alberto's Locoto Flowers - 12th July 2020

Alberto's Locoto - 12th July 2020

The Aribibi Gusano plant seems quite happy living in a bedroom window in a 5-litre pot and is now in the process of setting fruit. It's been six years since I last grew this variety.

Aribibi Gusano - 14th July 2020

Aribibi Gusano - 12th July 2020

Both Chocolate Habanero plants are doing great and have recently gone into flower mode. The one on the left is the greenhouse plant and the one on the right is the porch plant. The porch plant has now set about four small fruits but there are none on the greenhouse plant just yet.

Chocolate Habanero - 12th July 2020

The Habanero Numero Diez plant is plastered in flowers and has now started to set fruit. If it ends up being anything like last year's plant then most of the chillies will probably be undersized. In the future I think I'll just stick to growing Orange Habanero instead.

Habanero Numero Diez - 12th July 2020

Both Inca Red Drop plants are thriving and producing lots of chillies, but given that it's a Capsicum baccatum variety then I wouldn't expect anything else. The plant shown in this next photo is the greenhouse plant and on Monday evening it was given a light pruning to prevent it from growing too large and taking over. After all, our dear old HMS Walk-In Plastic Fantastic isn't very big to begin with.

Inca Red Drop - 12th July 2020

The Mako Akokosrade plant is coming along nicely and has set quite a few fruits. The growth is a little slow compared to where its mother was this time last year, but this is most likely due to the low light levels and low temperatures that we've been experiencing in the UK this summer.

Mako Akokosrade - 12th July 2020

There are some odd shaped leaves on this year's Red Mayan Habanero plant, but apart from that it seems to be doing okay and has now set a few small fruits. Next year, I'll be going back to growing two plants of this variety in the porch in 12-litre pots, plus another one or two in smaller pots outside in the greenhouse. I intend on replenishing my seed stock for this variety next year.

Red Mayan Habanero - 12th July 2020

It's very convenient having a Ring of Fire plant growing in the kitchen because I can just pick off the green chillies and add them to my curries. Four days ago I picked the first ripe fruits and they're now in the process of drying. Ideally, I should try and find a new spot for this plant because I think it gets a bit too humid for it in the kitchen.

Ring of Fire - 12th July 2020

Both Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero plants have now started setting fruit, and hopefully they'll be as prolific as usual because I intend on making several batches of hot sauce with these. Both plants have already been treated twice for aphids, but at least it's nice to know that the aphids have good taste.

Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero - 12th July 2020

Whilst on the subject of aphids, the amount that I've had to deal with so far this year has been ridiculous. Most of my indoor plants have needed treating at least once. In spring there were lots of winged adults flying around and every time I went outside I'd have to kill a dozen or so of them before I could go back in the house. I guess it was a sign that this was going to be the year of the aphid. It's just a shame we can't make a tea from them and feed it to the plants.

Some years I don't see any aphids at all, and other years I have to deal with them on an almost constant basis. They are less of a problem when the weather is hot and sunny, but when it's overcast, damp and cool like it has been this year then the damn things can become a real nuisance. As mentioned in a previous post, my outdoor plants don't have an aphid problem because the natural predators take care of them.

This next photo was taken on Tuesday and shows the first small chilli harvest of the season. The varieties shown here are Ring of Fire and Aji Mochero.

Chilli Harvest - 14th July 2020

Hopefully, this gloomy weather will disappear and the sun will make an appearance again at some point this summer. It's no fun living under a rain cloud. I much prefer to wake up to the sight of sun shining through the window as opposed to gray skies and drizzle.

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Chilli Plant Update - 18th July 2020

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