Chilli and Tomatillo question

[BroadRipple]

On the one hand, none of my chillis (mostly from seed) have a single flower, let alone fruit - should I rip 'em up and use the space for something else, or is there still time for a bit of progress? I'd have thought so but others on this forum seem to be doing rather better...
On the other hand, one of my tomatillo(e?)s is VAST and covered not only with flowers but also those strange chinese lanterns. My questions are these: a)should I be doing some pinching out, and if so where/what? and b)does the lantern go dry/papery/browner when the fruit is ripe, or is there some other way of telling? and do they stay on the plant happily for a while or...not?
Thank you...

[taff]

don't bother pinching out unless it's taking over the world, they do grow to at least 1m squared. The lanterns cover the forming fruit, they go a bit dry when the fruit is ripe, but they don't really go completely papery. The fruit will fill the lantern shape too.
There'sstill time, some of my lemon drop chillis didn't actually ripen till October in the greenhouse, none of my jalapenos have flowers yet but they're fine and growing as they normally do for me.

[BroadRipple]

Taff, you're a star, thank you for being so knowledgeable and encouraging. My chillis will live to fight another day, and I'll stop trying disgustingly underripe tomatilloes...

[taff]

I wish I was knowledgeable
thinking back, the fruit will also grow bigger than the lantern shape. They have a type of sticky coating on them too, so wash before use. No good for eating without adding something else to it, or making into salsa i found.

[Florence Fennel]

There's still time for the chillies, lots of mine aren't flowering yet, but I'm sure they will eventually. They seem to have been real slow growers this year.

[BroadRipple]

Glad mine aren't the only ones...

[Alison]

I don't tend to pick my tomatillos until well into August and then mainly use them in chutneys, salsas and various Mexican sauces. I freeze loads to and still have quite a few left from last year. One of my favourite ways is to stew some up in a chicken / veg stock. When cooked blend with the water, chilli, corriander, garlic and onion. Add milk / cream to thin down a bit then fry the off in a pan before using as a enchilado (sp) sauce. Also nice poured over fish and baked in the oven.

[BroadRipple]

very helpful thank you Alison - don't think I've ever even eaten one so I can't imagine what to DO with them. will just faithfully follow your advice here. If only the plants I know how to eat were doing as well...
sounds like you're a big fan of them then...any other advice?
Anyone else out there have some good recipes?

[CaroltheCarrot]

Some of my chillies are only just coming into flower, I was beginning to give up on them this year.

[horticultural_hobbit]

It is the late, late show with the chillies this year. Were planted woefully late, and are tiddly in comparison to their predecessors. I finally took pity on them, due to the inclement weather that we have been experiencing. They are now draped in two great big semi transparent garden waste bags (Thanks be to you, Brummieland council) to serve as a a bit of cover slash mini green house thing. Since someone has switched on Autumn again, they've had a gutful of rain. On a lighter note, had a whoop whoop moment yesterday; with some chilli and peppers coming from Real Seeds yesterday. Have to wait for the Nigel's out door chilli seeds and that french Aubergine thingy. My chillies tend to be grown outside what the lack of proper great big green house. Any ideas how to make them more comfortable?