Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

[Philthy]

...I stink of neem oil. Nobody has sat next to me.

Sounds like a plan! Slosh some over yourself every morning, guaranteed seat

I brought a single Paper Lantern indoors a few weeks ago, initially to help ripen the pods hanging from it, but it's also given me a useful insight into the speed with which a few random aphids can morph into an infestation when left 100% unchecked. I've just observed on this occasion.
In 2-3 weeks on a warm windowsill the plant has gone from nothing to report to being smothered in the green gits! Surrounding surfaces are nice and sticky too and littered with shed skins.

There are ways and means to reduce the threat of greenfly, but time will always determine effectiveness.
In my setup, I ensure the bench and surround always gets a thorough clean down every year just prior to plants coming back indoors, as do the outsides of all pots the plants are in; clean and sterile helps keep other problems at bay, such as any diseases that might arise from overly damp soil or reduced airflow. Once the plants are pruned and winter ready, I spray them with an off the shelf insecticide to destroy any remaining critters and/or their eggs still on the plants. This preparation usually buys a few weeks of problem free stasis. Aphids will arrive at some stage though, it's inevitable.

So this year, I'm also going to try filling the remaining spaces among the chillies with a few extra plants, chiefly those most commonly thought to repel insect pests. I figured the herbs dill, fennel, and chives would be good choices as there'll be limited room and these examples are available in supermarkets, where they're kept compact and for little money.
I looked into ladybird larvae, but that seems to be a solution for the warmer months as the bugs apparently need 12 hours at least of daylight per day in order to be effective.. (unless anybody knows different ). Worth baring in mind for spring then.
I could also try more regular spraying, using the organic soap and/or oil solutions. The risk with that though is overly wetting the compost in the process, just have to be careful I guess. Timing also important as prolonged wet leaves will invite mould.

I still think that despite the ever present threat of insect invasion, the space lost, and the balancing act needed regards watering and temperature, overwintering can be of huge benefit for the following year. With good prep there's no reason why the majority of a collection of plants cannot survive and go on to thrive in subsequent years, which is especially useful for slow growers, rare specimens, and anything you want to save seed from.

[Small pumpkin]

I've made the decision not to do anything ( apart from harvest ) with Monty. He will hopefully be good for any of the ladybirds that attempt to hibernate. The ones that don't want to use the bug box provided.
I've still got a few walking round.
I will definitely use ladybirds again next year they did a fantastic job controlling aphids.

[darraghb]

Have to highly recommend this sauce.
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/c...ero-hot-sauce/
I used 2 Ring of Fire, 2 Jalapeno and 5 Peach Habanero instead so its a bit hotter than the recipe called for.

[toomanytommytoes]

We've not really had many aphids on the pepper this year compared to last year. Only a few towards the end of the season and parasitic wasps must have been keeping the population under control as I found a fair few mummified aphid corpses. Try growing a few pots of flowers which attract aphid predators in the greenhouse. This year the coriander bolted very quickly all summer long and the small flowers probably lured the parasitic wasps and hoverflies in. Lemon gem marigold, dill, fennel, yarrow and alyssum are apparently good choices.

P.S. I quite like the smell of neem

[IainM]

I did put a couple of ladybirds in there a couple of days ago, but they didn't like the buffet and left. The neem oil soap solution is working a treat. Squashed a few stragglers yesterday and I couldn't see any live ones today. I'll give them another spray in a couple of days to dispatch any survivors. The companion plants idea is good. There's some chives thriving in the greenhouse, so I might move them under the lights.

[toomanytommytoes]

We've not really had many aphids on the pepper this year compared to last year. Only a few towards the end of the season and parasitic wasps must have been keeping the population under control as I found a fair few mummified aphid corpses. Try growing a few pots of flowers which attract aphid predators in the greenhouse. This year the coriander bolted very quickly all summer long and the small flowers probably lured the parasitic wasps and hoverflies in. Lemon gem marigold, dill, fennel, yarrow and alyssum are apparently good choices.

P.S. I quite like the smell of neem

Here's a list of plants to attract the predators - https://permaculturenews.org/2014/10...icial-insects/

[Philthy]

Great link! what pepper variety did you grow?

[toomanytommytoes]

Great link! what pepper variety did you grow?

Two plants each of Early Jalapeno, Basque and Palivec. Gives us enough chillies to cook with for most of the year. Prefer to grow for flavour and mild heat. Would like to add something like a padron or shishito or other tasty non-hots.

Also two each of King of The North and Napia sweet peppers. Looking for other early pepper varieties for next year. We've got few Lipstick seed left (all this year's seedlings died) and New Ace F1 looks might it be OK, though I prefer open pollinated varieties for seed saving purposes.

Anything you could recommend?

[annie8]

Got a few jalapeños but there are a small number of chillis and have grown really big. Wanted them to turn red before harvesting so left them. They don’t seem to be turning at all though and wondering if they are going to now. They are in the greenhouse. Don’t have space for them in the house. Any thoughts?

[Mitzi]

Got a few jalapeños but there are a small number of chillis and have grown really big. Wanted them to turn red before harvesting so left them. They don’t seem to be turning at all though and wondering if they are going to now. They are in the greenhouse. Don’t have space for them in the house. Any thoughts?

Try picking the pods and putting them on a warm sunny windowsill indoors. Even better if there's a ripe banana in the vicinity. I've ripened quite a few green pods on my sunny windowsill (without the banana.) It's just a race against time as to whether they ripen before rotting, particularly with the fleshy ones (thin-walled ones dry.) But as they are jalapenos, I'd probably say just use them green, as that's the most common way to eat them anyway.

[annie8]

Try picking the pods and putting them on a warm sunny windowsill indoors. Even better if there's a ripe banana in the vicinity. I've ripened quite a few green pods on my sunny windowsill (without the banana.) It's just a race against time as to whether they ripen before rotting, particularly with the fleshy ones (thin-walled ones dry.) But as they are jalapenos, I'd probably say just use them green, as that's the most common way to eat them anyway.

Will take a few off and try that thanks. I know jalapeños are mild but was hoping for a little heat and thought getting them read was the best way to do that. Maybe speak to the hubby about picking some of the greens.

[rambleberry]

Today's chilli harvest, from top, clockwise:
Morocco (the large red pepper)
Lemon Drop
Pumpkin
Biquinho Yellow
Biquinho Red
Cayenne
Chupetinho White
Apricot
Black Olive
Dedo de Mocha

[Mitzi]

Today's chilli harvest, from top, clockwise:
Morocco (the large red pepper)
Lemon Drop
Pumpkin
Biquinho Yellow
Biquinho Red
Cayenne
Chupetinho White
Apricot
Black Olive
Dedo de Mocha

Gorgeous looking harvest there; such variety! I've not grown any of those (except cayenne.) What are your opinions of them all?

[rambleberry]

Thank-you! I'm quite pleased with this - first year growing anything other than C. annum. These are all the plants I grew in the greenhouse (Except Cayenne)
My favourites are the Biquinhos and Apricot. I haven't tried the Dedo de Mocha yet.

Lemon Drop (C. baccatum) has been a very heavy producer with very little effort from me, though I fail to get anything 'citrusy' at all in the flavour. The plant habit might be a bit 'messy' for some. I put a whole, deseeded fruit in a slow-cooker curry yesterday and it gave a nice 'background' heat.
Pumpkin (C.chinense) came from Sea Spring Seeds and produced a fair amount, but is perhaps a bit hot for my liking. Only tried a bit raw, mind. Might come into it's own in cooking.
Biquinho red/yellow (C. chinense) are probably my favourites and, I think, the most versatile. Lots and lots of small fruit with a low, pleasant heat. The fruit sort-of 'pops' in your mouth when you bite them. I could just snack on these. I've put some in a salad and on pizzas so far and they look lovely. I want to try growing them in a much bigger pot next year. Chupetinho is like Biquinho but much hotter.

Apricot is another very low heat variety, from Sea Spring Seeds. Lower heat than Biquinho. The largest and bushiest of the plants I grew, but very neat, not straggly. Good raw, sliced thinly. All the flavour of a habanero without the pain, and such a pretty colour!

I won't be growing Black Olive again. The plants took months - and that's not an exaggeration - to get going. It was only once we had that heatwave that they started to grow properly and finally set fruit. Definitely an ornamental rather than a culinary plant. The couple of fruit I've tried have tasted like chewing on a leaf - horrible. I've got two other black chilli varieties to try next year, so fingers crossed. (I'm on the hunt for a good black/purple variety for making purple tomatillo salsa with.)

Morocco is a funny one - looks like a very shiny sweet pepper, and is nice and fleshy, but is definitely a high-medium heat. Not hugely productive but I might try it in a large pot next year.

[Billy's lad]

I harvested most of mine today and have got loads of yellow monkey face which are too hot for me has anyone got any recipes ideas for these