Chilli heads.

If my chillies (outdoor, no greenhouse or cold frame) haven't ripened by now, they're not going to are they?

They are 'de cayenne' and say they can be used green or red. Green chili sauce time I guess?

They ripen with warmth - just put the plant inside, like on a windowsill 👍

You can also eat / use them while still green, but taste / aroma will be different (as with bell peppers).

Sunshine not important, warmth is what it's all about? I've got windowsills (obviously), but none that get much direct sun, whereas outside they are in prime position and get it all day long.

Tried a green one just now and it was great - proper spicy and that nice fresh vegetal taste, so I've harvested one of my five plants. But I definitely want some to ripen red if I can.

First proper harvest this year (have been picking on demand for ages)

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Looking good! 🙂

@lemonade - sun is obviously important for energy, growth of the plant, developing of flowers, growing the fruit etc. but for the actual ripening it's mainly the warmth as far as I know.
Like, vegetables you buy do also continue to ripen in the warmth of your living room (more than they would in the fridge).

Tomatoes and Mustard Seeds with a mix of Hot Wax & Ring of Fire chilli to use up allotment surplus.

In other news the person who gave me what I thought was Chocolate Habanero plant has reminded me it is Bhut Jolokia, and I have some very small fruits forming in the Polytunnel still. Proper hot sauce incoming hopefully.

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What’s the likelihood of being able to overwinter a chilli plant outside at the allotment? A couple have done really well and would like to keep them. Would a fleece or bubblewrap cloche do the trick?

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Right. It's time for me to think about chilli's for next year. I was given some Carolina reaper seeds a while ago. I'm assuming I'm late to get them in pots to germinate for next year?

I miss my old scotch bonnet plant. I had it for 4 years

What’s the likelihood of being able to overwinter a chilli plant outside at the allotment?

slim to none (assuming you're in the uk)
most need 10°C+ some can tolerate 5°C (bigger plants with woody stems are more robust obviously)

still would try to overwinter them somewhere where it isn't so cold

or just save seeds from your favourites and start them early next year!

I'm assuming I'm late to get them in pots to germinate for next year?

no no, you can start to germinate in jan / feb / march next year indoors.
artificial light is very helpful if you start early so the little plants don't get leggy.

This was my issue this year. Was off for a week and two of the plants went mental. Foliage machines.

has reminded me it is Bhut Jolokia

That's a rather shocking culinary mistake averted!

This is kinda what I was expecting to hear! Perhaps I’ll dig up the tree that appears to produce those slim green ones non stop.

With saving seed I kinda assumed that as I had a bunch of varieties nearby the characteristics of the next generation would be a bit random due to cross-pollination?

Struggled a bit with sweet peppers again this year, any advice for a reliable fleshy number that’ll grow outside? Long sweet peppers def do better than bell ones for us so far.

What have people done well with outside this year in general? Not interested in mad heat particularly but a handful of random varieties across the spectrum would be fun.

I had a super crop from some “facing heaven” in pots outside.

What have people done well with outside this year in general? Not interested in mad heat particularly but a handful of random varieties across the spectrum would be fun.

Hungarian Hot Wax did well outside for me.

Pretty sure I’ve got one of those, certainly have some in a random seed mix.

Characteristics I like:
-tall plants over low and bushy
-thicker flesh
-stuff that looks weird

Our cayenne and jalapeño def didn’t do so well so not fussed about them next time.

We mostly use our chillis for making sauces with(and dried some this year) and sweet peppers tend to go into pasta dishes etc.
My partner would not be impressed if I started cooking with anything hotter than a couple of those skinny red ones in the picture above but interested in what other flavours are out there… something smokey as opposed to burny would be nice.

Just had a look through Devon Chilli Farm site. Exciting and overwhelming but certainly looks like a lot of their offerings are at the fuck off hot end of the scale.

Next year:
-Hungarian hot wax
-Facing Heaven
-?

Ghost chilli update:

1 ripening berry, 1 largish berry & loads more little ones.

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looking good 🙂

How are the other growers going this year?
It's felt like a very slow dreary start, none of my excotic variants germinated.

Have a large collection of lemon drops. Most just went into their final pots, am trying out rose pots this year, the square shape being ideal for reducing space.

Now growing fast with the recent addition of the sun in the sky.

Mine were very slow to start but have put on some growth this week. Got Hungarian hot wax and bishops crown.

@spinnnout - looks like a happy bunch of chili plants 👍

I also appreciated rose pots, for the same reason. They worked really well for me, plants were also easier to water 👍.

Picked up this Trinidad perfume plant at the weekend. Hopefully it still has more growing to do but already fruiting loads!

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My chillis have been a bit meh this year, some fruiting going on but nothing amazing.
Just got a new greenhouse/shed though and it seems pretty cosy.
Is there any advantage to just sowing a few chillis now and trying to keep them alive in there over winter to see what happens? Or is it a completely pointless endeavour?
In my mind I’d grow a sturdy little bush that’ll fruit like mad as soon as it warms up in spring but I’m guessing that’s kinda unlikely.. I just fancy growing some more chillis basically ;)

If it is a worthwhile job are there any varieties best suited?

I'm new to chilli plants. I'm seeing some fruit but my leaves are covered in tiny pieces of white sticky residue....

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Enjoying them a bit too much?