Of course this has just reminded me that I ought to provide an update on how my chilli plants are coming along. Well, they have grown a lot the past couple of weeks. They are so tall now that I have had to remove the second shelves of the mini-greenhouses in which they live.
These plants are doing what chillis normally do: when they get to a height of about 35 or 40cm they begin to branch out, like this:
You can see how there is no longer just one growing point, but (on this plant at least) three. If they get beyond 50cm tall and have still not branched out, I would pinch out the growing point, in order to force them to adopt a bushier habit.
You can also see that the first flowers are beginning to form.
Often I find that the first few flowers don't set fruit - maybe because the pollinating bees don't discover them until it's too late. It's unlikely that I'll be short of chillis though. Before long I'll probably have masses of them.
A word now about the pots in which I am growing some of the chillis (e.g. the one on the right in the second photo of this post). They were originally marketed as tomato pots, but I have found them to be too small for tomatoes. The big tomato plants were too thirsty and it was always a challenge to keep their compost moist. The pots come with a cover, which is intended to reduce evaporation. The cover also helps stability: it has a hole through which you can insert a cane, pushing it through to a matching hole in the perforated inner base. The inner base itself is removable and fits low down inside the main pot . You put a layer of gravel or pebbles under the removable bit to aid drainage and the main pots has some holes in the side at a height of about five centimetres through which excess water can escape (you can just see one of them in the photo). These pots are just right for chillis.
Will you transplant at some point or are these pots their final home?
ReplyDeleteDavid; these are the final growing-pots for the chillis. I won't transplant them.
ReplyDeleteThe special pot looks a bit of a fiddle and a challenge to me. And isn't it a problem that you can't put your finger in the soil to see whether it is damp or not?
ReplyDeleteMy chilis are about an inch high!
Esther
P.S. That bracelet looks lethal . . . or like human teeth hanging from a cannibals necklace. Did you have it specially made?
ReplyDeleteEsther
So how big are the pots your chillies are in Mark? I've still not decided what size to put mine in (though I think they will need at least one more intermediate size before their final home).
ReplyDeleteHow long will your chillies stay in their little hot house...or will they move out into the garden? I must say that bracelet is 'hot'. I have written this comment twice before and the computer has crashed. Do you have it set up that way so your stats look good? If it doesn't work this time, I am not trying again. *fingers crossed*
ReplyDeleteYay!
ReplyDeleteJanet; the chilli pots are 12" in diameter. Actually I think chillis will grow quite successfully in slightly smaller pots.
ReplyDeleteEsther; the so-called Tomato Pots have some fairly big holes in the covers, so it is still possible to judge the moistness of the compost - and of course you could always omit the cover anyway.
Re the bracelet - Jane bought it from a place she found on the internet. It's a really nice item ,and only £4.99 including postage! The chillis are made of glass.
Hazel; thanks for your persistence! The chillis will probably be moved out into the open at about the end of May, as long as the weather is OK. Once they are properly established they are fairly resilient.
That is a really cool pot for chillies. I am sure they will grow well there.Mines are still sprouting, hopefully they will be ready in time for the season.
ReplyDeleteTell the Mrs. her bracelet rocks!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely bracelet, very apt. I'm sure your wife will get lots of admiring comments about it when she wears it. I don't grow chilies but I've got a couple of pepper plants on the go.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the chilli are green in envy with the hot bracelet. My cousin who is living with me had a small farm of chili before and sells chilies to the middleman. She says if chilies are allowed to grow leaning towards the ground it will produce more instead of standing upright.
ReplyDeleteBracelet is very pretty. It probably makes a cute tinkling sound when the glass clicks together. I didn't know that a chili would grow in that size pot, so thanks for the info-post!
ReplyDeleteOh Mark,
ReplyDeleteI don't wear much jewellery, but when I do its this kind of thing, so it will not be a surprise to you to note that I'm so envious of Janes grogeous purchase. Can you send me the link so that i can treat myself to one too, please pretty please :)
The bracelet is great isn't it? I got it from this ebay listing http://tinyurl.com/6gv57g9
ReplyDeleteNow I need a badge for Mark to wear when he's being Mr Compers Grapevine. I'm not sure my bunch of grapes earrings would suit him.
Thank you so much for the link Jane,
ReplyDeleteI'm off to check it out.
I'm sure Mark would appreciate a badge, but now you have me imagining him wearing your grape earings :)
(Anonymous said)i am having trouble posting usign my google account so had to go for anonymoue is james...Looks like your chilli plans are comming along nicely this year i am a bit behind this season as you can see. http://chillipepperheaven.blogspot.com/search/label/Home%20Grown%202011
ReplyDeleteThis year I am growing, Yellow Scotch bonnet, chocolate habarno, padrons, jalapenos, cherry bombs, ring of fire, krakatoa, black naga and Chilli Willys.