Chilli Plant Update - 14th October 2021

The chilli growing season has almost come to an end now. We've already said goodbye to Antillais Caribbean, Chocolate Habanero, Apache, Cumari do Pará, Aji Arnaucho, Dorset Naga, the Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero plants, two of three Demon Red plants, the indoor Aji Lemon plant and the Bell Pepper plants. The remaining survivors are Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Fatalii, Orange Habanero, El Oro de Ecuador, Inca Berry, Inca Red Drop, the last of three Demon Red plants, the outdoor Aji Lemon plant and the Aji Largo plants. There are quite a few chillies still waiting to ripen on the outdoor Capsicum baccatum varieties, plus some good-sized Orange Habanero chillies and three or four good-sized Trinidad Moruga Scorpion chillies, so for that reason these plants will be staying for the time being.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 10th October 2021
Chilli Plants in the Porch - 10th October 2021

Chilli Plants in the Glasshouse - 10th October 2021
Chilli Plants in the Glasshouse - 10th October 2021

Demon Red - 11th October 2021
Demon Red - 11th October 2021

The Fatalii plant turned out to be quite prolific, although it didn't really get going properly until later in the year. I've saved seeds from it and will be growing this variety again next year. A few nights ago I sliced open a ripe pod to save more seeds and the fragrance filled the kitchen and the lounge. Fatalii really is one of the best Capsicum chinense varieties there is! I should grow it more often.

The outdoor Aji Largo plants have done exceptionally well. Both were moved into the glasshouse about 10 days ago, and there are approximately 50 large peppers on each plant waiting to ripen. Hopefully, there's still enough time left for them to do so before the cold weather sets in. We've been lucky up to now because the weather has been very mild for the time of year.

Aji Largo - 10th October 2021
Aji Largo - 10th October 2021

I made another batch of hot sauce a couple of weeks ago and used up some of the remainder of last year's chillies. I now have just over a kilogram left of last year's chillies and they will be used up when I make the next two batches. My regular hot sauce recipe is made using only Capsicum chinense varieties, but I'm currently working on another recipe that only uses Capsicum baccatum varieties. The colour obviously varies from batch to batch depending on what varieties are used.

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 28th September 2021
Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 28th September 2021

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 28th September 2021
Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 28th September 2021

The chilli plants have surprised me this year by how well they've done, given that the weather in the UK this summer wasn't great. Here are some photos showing the three most recent chilli harvests.

Chilli Harvest - 18th September 2021
Chilli Harvest - 18th September 2021

Chilli Harvest - 26th September 2021
Chilli Harvest - 26th September 2021

Chilli Harvest - 11th October 2021
Chilli Harvest - 11th October 2021

I think it's likely that my growing season will come to an end in late November, but it all depends on the Rocotos at the end of the day. All hail the Chilli Gods. 😛

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