Soldato
My £1.80 pack of Wilko chillie's are doing well - No idea what they are.
2016 Chilli Growers Thread
- Thread starter RossG
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Soldato
DXP55, they look a little like cayennes, but I'm no expert. Could be wrong. They look a bit like my cayennes tho 
Super jealous of valve90210's prolific bonnet plant though
Mine at home aren't doing great, but the one I have at work seems to be doing very well. Currently got about 9 on it and I hope for more !!
Super jealous of valve90210's prolific bonnet plant though
Mine at home aren't doing great, but the one I have at work seems to be doing very well. Currently got about 9 on it and I hope for more !!
Soldato
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Super jealous of valve90210's prolific bonnet plant though
Got three that are now nicely ripe too!! I'm amazed as back in January I t was looking like a dead stick and then sprang back to life and is doing really well!!
Have to say, your work chilli looking good too!!
Soldato
They look like some sort of Cayenne type chilli to me as well. As you have quite a few it might be worth drying a bunch out and making chilli flakes with them. Ideal for sprinkling into anything and everything to add a bit of chilli kick.
Soldato
I usually chop them up -put them in jam jar or coffee jar - add loads of spices etc - fill jar with vinegar and leave for a few months shaking jar now and again then blitz it all up and put in clean jar and use it as chilli paste.
Might just bite into one tomorrow and see.
Might just bite into one tomorrow and see.
Soldato
Apparently if you plant marigolds they will naturally attract ladybirds to your garden. Or if you buy ladybird larvae the marigolds might aid in keeping them around.
I tried all sorts, including soapy water but nothing seemed to work. Blasting them off the plant with a spray bottle set on the stream setting seemed to work, but is a lot of work if you have a load of plants. I'll be interested to know if the ladybirds do the trick and stick around.
I tried all sorts, including soapy water but nothing seemed to work. Blasting them off the plant with a spray bottle set on the stream setting seemed to work, but is a lot of work if you have a load of plants. I'll be interested to know if the ladybirds do the trick and stick around.
Good idea and a natural way.
Seems that getting them mail order can be difficult if they're harvested but at the same time.. things like the bug house etc are good but from experience attract as many spiders as bugs (mine has a couple of parasitic wasps in at the moment and had a solitary bee last year).
Will get a couple and see - they're indoor plants at the moment so have issues with actually getting predators.. so perhaps a few ladybirds initially then give them the space outside once the aphids are clear.
Will get a couple and see - they're indoor plants at the moment so have issues with actually getting predators.. so perhaps a few ladybirds initially then give them the space outside once the aphids are clear.
Soldato
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I had a load of aphids on my scotch bonnet, so yesterday I set about my usual treatment technique...
Simply get some brown parcel tape (or normal sellotape) cut a 3 inch length, roll it across the width sticky side out. I then take this and gently touch any areas when there are pesky aphids. The aphids stick to the tape and simply lift off. repeat as necessary.
It might seem like it would take a long time but in actual fact it only takes a few minutes so unless you have a large number of plants it's a really quick and simple process. I must have taken over 100 aphids off my plant yesterday and it only took about 10 minutes or so and it's now aphid free again.
Really pleased with how the scotch bonnet is doing:
This was it in January, looking like it had died:
And this is yesterday, doing really well and with over 30 chillis on it:
Simply get some brown parcel tape (or normal sellotape) cut a 3 inch length, roll it across the width sticky side out. I then take this and gently touch any areas when there are pesky aphids. The aphids stick to the tape and simply lift off. repeat as necessary.
It might seem like it would take a long time but in actual fact it only takes a few minutes so unless you have a large number of plants it's a really quick and simple process. I must have taken over 100 aphids off my plant yesterday and it only took about 10 minutes or so and it's now aphid free again.
Really pleased with how the scotch bonnet is doing:
This was it in January, looking like it had died:
And this is yesterday, doing really well and with over 30 chillis on it:
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Soldato
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I was very close indeed, when the top started to go brown, I took that photo and asked on here if it was dead. I was advised that because it was still green it should be ok. I cut the top brown bit off and it just grew from there. Yep, same pot. Fed each week with chilli focus and it clearly likes it position on the window sill facing ENE and getting sun in the morning.
After some setbacks and aphids (protip, don't use 50/50 water to fairly liquid. It kills pests but takes all the leaves with them) I have plenty of flowering plants and some that are fruiting. I've read in a couple of places that it's best to pick the first set of fruits before they ripen to encourage better growth. Any truth to this or will leaving them be OK?
Soldato
Thought I would pick one tonight and try it- I thought scotch Bonnets were hot - had to spit it out- SWMBO put half of it in meal tonight.
Going to harvest them and cut them up -put in jar of vinegar with all spices I can find - shake regularly then in a few month's drain and strain then blitz up to a paste.
I have been tickling the flowers with artists paint brush and got more than I have ever had.
Going to harvest them and cut them up -put in jar of vinegar with all spices I can find - shake regularly then in a few month's drain and strain then blitz up to a paste.
I have been tickling the flowers with artists paint brush and got more than I have ever had.
Soldato
Researching the ladybird thing: http://www.norwichresearchpark.com/newsandevents/latestnews/ladybirdstheydontmakeamealofaphids.aspx
Think the lacewing lava is probably better..
Think the lacewing lava is probably better..
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The Carolina Reapers are finally start to produce some fruit!
Out of 4 plugs in March, 2 are left, 1 at home and 1 at work.
The one at work is about twice the size of the one at home and has roughly 50-60 flowers so it is losing quite a lot of them at the moment. The one at home has about 20-30 flowers and everyone so far is looking like it is turning into a chilli so fingers crossed for a bumper crop!
Carolina Reaper at work
Chilli starting to grow at work
Chilli starting to grow at home
Out of 4 plugs in March, 2 are left, 1 at home and 1 at work.
The one at work is about twice the size of the one at home and has roughly 50-60 flowers so it is losing quite a lot of them at the moment. The one at home has about 20-30 flowers and everyone so far is looking like it is turning into a chilli so fingers crossed for a bumper crop!
Carolina Reaper at work
Chilli starting to grow at work
Chilli starting to grow at home