Smoking chillies...

[the_lone_wolf]

i grow cacti, partly because i find their resiliance fascinating, party because they're the only plants that i remember to water often enough...

Class! I sympathise completely!!

Originally Posted by thedonal

I'm very excited and am frequently checking the shoots to see how they're doing!

Hehe. I know what you mean. I've got a 50% hit rate with killing the buggers

Did the seed tray 'tip' trick yesterday. Was balancing too many things on the windowsill

I had mine sitting on top of a portable electric heater (switched off, mind) near the windows, for a bit of daylight- was tidying the flat and klutzed it, followed by much swearing.

Oh well- they're doing well. I'm hopeful, despite killing a bonsai (was gutted about that- one of the best birthday pressies I've ever had) and not having much joy re-potting Basil plants bought from Sainsburys. My flat is, understandably, usually devoid of vegetation (except me, of course).

[Bluepete]

This is my batch for this year;







All planted on the 7th March.

on the 7th?! What the hell are you feeding them? 'roids?

[Bluepete]

Nope, I just sing to them each and every evening as we eat dinner. I have also stopped putting chilli sauce on my food at the table, wouldn't want to upset them by showing their friends pulverised bodies being eaten now would I?

It's over five weeks since they were planted in a heated seed tray, then they have lived in the mini greenhouse by a west facing window. Most are quite hot chillis, so have a long maturation period, hence the early sowing.
The really big plants are about 5 inches and are the early jalapenos which shouls be fully ripe by August. The others should just ripen by mid to late September.

I get them from Chileseeds who have been very good. Helpfull germination and care from The Chileman.org Tesco have greenhouse watering kits at four quid a go, I bought three which is enough for 45 pots.

makes my few tomato plants look weedy, so to speak

Originally Posted by BluePete

I have made and destroyed several smokers in tha past, including one which burned the garden decking to bits!

All you need is a heat source and a box with a tube to connect them.

I have a small chiminea, a piece of kitchen hood extractor tube and a metal bin.

The chiminea provides the smoke, through the tube into the bottom of the bin. It's a cold smoke system, ideal for chillies.

You can make it out of anything tyou have to hand really!

I am growing loads this year, early Jalapenos for smoking, numex orange, pasilla bajio, chinese pot, bih jolokia (hottest in the world) aji lemon, and a few others I can't remember.

The lemon aji ones are great. But seem to take forever to ripen.

[Bluepete]

It's a bit of a passion Ed! I have a big pot with three tomatos and a hanging basket with three trailing varieties aswell. Both are cherry types, mostly for the kids to pick at will over the summer.
Plus, another basket with three strawberry plants by the front door!