note the words 'improvised' and 'mini' - cut the bottom off the tub they'd been growing in, and wanged it straight on the soil...
This week in your Kitchen Garden.
- Thread starter Mrs Magpie
- Start date
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
Picked these y/day
Lovely looking peppers! Mine are still purple/green at the moment but another few weeks should sort them out.
Placid Casual27
Gorau Chwarae Cyd Chwarae
So my vastly-bushy chilli plant has yielded only one chilli (it is still on there and by God I love that bugger like life itself) - shall I prune the plant right back and overwinter it now in the hope it comes back bigger and stronger in spring, or can I get the flowers to fruit even now? It is indoors as it is getting colder out there, hey
All tips welcomed thanks, Sub-Urbs
All tips welcomed thanks, Sub-Urbs
invisibleplanet
porter des cornes
I have huge marrows 
I have many, many tomatoes on 6ft+ plants. Still waiting for the majority to ripen. Feel a green tomato chutney session coming on
Lots of little cucumbers - taste great, but got to pick them when they're small.
Nearly finished all the beans, mainly because IPJnr picks them and eats them raw! They were glorious and the cobra were the best.
Steady supply of parsley and chives and coriander has been wonderful - allowed the remaining coriander to go to seed and will harvest and dry upside down inside a paper bag to collect seeds for next year. Need to sow more coriander as there wasn't enough to satisfy us.
But the marrow/courgette plants have been amazing. Going to plant 6 instead of 4 next year.
I have many, many tomatoes on 6ft+ plants. Still waiting for the majority to ripen. Feel a green tomato chutney session coming on
Lots of little cucumbers - taste great, but got to pick them when they're small.
Nearly finished all the beans, mainly because IPJnr picks them and eats them raw! They were glorious and the cobra were the best.
Steady supply of parsley and chives and coriander has been wonderful - allowed the remaining coriander to go to seed and will harvest and dry upside down inside a paper bag to collect seeds for next year. Need to sow more coriander as there wasn't enough to satisfy us.
But the marrow/courgette plants have been amazing. Going to plant 6 instead of 4 next year.
Cropped a couple of batches of chillies over the weekend, one for pepper sauce, another for pickling. Loads of variety - serranos, jalapenos, wiris, ajis, choc habs, purple tigers, birds eyes and many more - to try and make attractive pots of pickled peppers. My oven's now on to sterilise the jars for the sauce, with the selection on the right currently brining, pre-pickling.
Still about the same again x2 on the plants left, mainly the habaneros, nagas and caribbean varieties. Some ripe, but give it a month or so and there'll be more bounty for different pepper sauces.
Need to trim and dry the thymes and other woody herbs soon too.
lynne8
Well-Known Member
Cropped a couple of batches of chillies over the weekend, one for pepper sauce, another for pickling. Loads of variety - serranos, jalapenos, wiris, ajis, choc habs, purple tigers, birds eyes and many more - to try and make attractive pots of pickled peppers. My oven's now on to sterilise the jars for the sauce, with the selection on the right currently brining, pre-pickling.
Still about the same again x2 on the plants left, mainly the habaneros, nagas and caribbean varieties. Some ripe, but give it a month or so and there'll be more bounty for different pepper sauces.
Need to trim and dry the thymes and other woody herbs soon too.
you should be proud, fantastic! Most of my peppers are still not ripe and we're soooo close to frost.
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
Tried my first ripe Spanish Naga yesterday - Good Grief that was hot! About another week or so for the rest of them and I'll post some pics.
mr steev
magic thought wizard
Tbh, I don't think we've had a very good year for courgettes. It's not really been wet enough... Although even in a 'not too good' year they can be quite productive. 6 plants in a good year would produce a hell of a lot!
Yep, we had two courgette plants fruiting so heavily that 4 of us couldn't keep up with them. Admittedly one of our 4 allotmenteers doesn't like courgettes, but they can produce bloody heavily.
They died off fairly quickly this year, but I suspect they'll be even more productive when we improve the soil on our second year on the plot.
They died off fairly quickly this year, but I suspect they'll be even more productive when we improve the soil on our second year on the plot.
Cheers Mr Numbers. Tested out three pepper sauce recipes so far this year - they've gone down a storm so far with the locals - plus making some wiri wiri sauce in the next week or two. Yellow (Pomeroon) wiris admittedly and some look a bit like mutants (longer, thinner, hotter), but it'll be grand for the relatives.
Shout next time you're down in Brixton and I'll see what's left in the fridge
Shout next time you're down in Brixton and I'll see what's left in the fridge
tendril
Coming up blastin' like Yosemite Sam
Bit late postin these up. Cherry toms and pink fur apple potatoes from about 2 months ago:
And the main crop reds from about three weeks ago.
All the beds have been cleared now, except where the chard and chillies are. Pathetic little chillies tis year. Grew them from seed from last year's crop. Not sure if I'm gonna do as much veg next year. Deffo wanna do some spuds, and had a good crop of jumbo toms so think I'll also do those. Maybe more flowers, and a few ornamentals and shrubs. Gotta get the apple trees trimmed back, they're really blocking the light and the apples are crap. Perhaps a crown of rhubarb too. Anyway, all winter to plan
And the main crop reds from about three weeks ago.
All the beds have been cleared now, except where the chard and chillies are. Pathetic little chillies tis year. Grew them from seed from last year's crop. Not sure if I'm gonna do as much veg next year. Deffo wanna do some spuds, and had a good crop of jumbo toms so think I'll also do those. Maybe more flowers, and a few ornamentals and shrubs. Gotta get the apple trees trimmed back, they're really blocking the light and the apples are crap. Perhaps a crown of rhubarb too. Anyway, all winter to plan
Picked another couple of batches of chillies from the greenhouse today, as you may have guessed from the photo above. On the left various serranos, cherry/cheeky chillies, cayenne and many others - set to make another batch of Tulasco (Tulse Hill Tabasco) for Christmas. And on the right some Dorset Nagas, Yellow 7 Pots and Scorpions to try and make the most ridiculously hot (natural) pepper sauce possible - someone already wants to buy some for Christmas and has laid down the challenge. I've understandably bought some plastic gloves this time around, after the burning fingers sensation got me for a couple of days after the first experiment.
In the background are some of the previous sauces - one big pot of yellow wiri wiri caribbean hot sauce, the first batch of Louisiana style 'Tulasco' and a Chocolate Habanero and lime number. The first tasters were well appreciated, so the next batches will be bigger and better
There's still a load more green chillies and a few more ripe ones down in the allotment. Keep thinking that I should take them down for the year, but the frosts still haven't struck. Can't quite bring myself to cut them down yet.
Rescued some plants from the greenhouse in expectation of the frosts which have never quite arrived. Will see how this overwintering lark comes along. And have cropped another couple of pounds of peppers, mainly Trinity habaneros and some chocolate habs. Loads of green cayennes and serranos down there still, but the greenhouse is looking emptier for sure, shorn of all the tomato growbags and most of the chillies.
invisibleplanet
porter des cornes
Ordered 450l of John Innes compost ... soon time to prepare the indoor seed pots and bring them indoors for the soil to warm up.
Going to keep an eye on tarannau's chilli timetable this year and follow suit!
Going to keep an eye on tarannau's chilli timetable this year and follow suit!
BoatieBird
Well-Known Member
I'm itching to get going again. I don't like this time of year when there's nothing to do in the garden 
I will follow your lead IP and get some pots indoors to warm up the soil.
I picked up some bread bean (aquadulce claudia) that can be sown in January, but the soil was a bit wet yesterday so I didn't get round to planting them. Hopefully I'll get them in at some point over the next week.
I've been planning what I'm going to grow and looking on this website that a friend recommended to me.
www.moreveg.com
I will follow your lead IP and get some pots indoors to warm up the soil.
I picked up some bread bean (aquadulce claudia) that can be sown in January, but the soil was a bit wet yesterday so I didn't get round to planting them. Hopefully I'll get them in at some point over the next week.
I've been planning what I'm going to grow and looking on this website that a friend recommended to me.
www.moreveg.com
Couldn't wait myself. The heated propagator went on a couple of weeks ago and I've been nurturing the first shoots for a week or so. 56 plugs in that prop - about 20 types of the slower growing chillies - plus a few more in the boiler cupboard as a test.
I like this time of the year. I still get a little excited by opening up the lids every morning and seeing what's popped up
I like this time of the year. I still get a little excited by opening up the lids every morning and seeing what's popped up
Those seedlings are coming along now - getting towards growing their second set of true leaves in most cases and about 80/90% germination, excepting the White and Orange Habaneros which aren't sprouting in the slightest. May just be old seed I guess.
Cracked and bought a second heated propagator too, setting up yet another bank of plugs this weekend. So far 2012's chilli grow list is already looking a little excessive - 44 types and over 130 plants at last count. So needless to say there'll probably be a few spares looking for good homes in the next few weeks.
For chilli nerds, here's what in and growing for me this year:
Naga Viper, Pimenta Da Neyda, Datil, Trinity (Milder Habanero),Red Wiri Wiri, Yellow Pomeroon Wiri Wiri, Orange Habanero, Chocolate Habanero, Cheeky, Yellow 7 Pot, Antillas, Fatalli, Trinidad Scorpion (Butch T), Aji Limon, White Habanero, Purrira, Bolivian Rainbow , Cayenne (Long Thin), Purple Cayenne, Red Scotch Bonnet, Nu Mex Heritage Big Jim, Purple Venezuelan, Monkey Face, Trinidad Scorpion (Moruga), Aurora, Prairie Fire, Riot, Purple Flash, Basket of Fire, Loco, Explosive Ember ,Cherry Bomb, Peter Pepper, Nigel's Outdoor, Nu Mex Barkers, Masquerade, Charleston Hot, Sparkler, Serrano, Thai Mound , Purple Haze, Super Chile, Early Jalapeno, Stumpy
Cracked and bought a second heated propagator too, setting up yet another bank of plugs this weekend. So far 2012's chilli grow list is already looking a little excessive - 44 types and over 130 plants at last count. So needless to say there'll probably be a few spares looking for good homes in the next few weeks.
For chilli nerds, here's what in and growing for me this year:
Naga Viper, Pimenta Da Neyda, Datil, Trinity (Milder Habanero),Red Wiri Wiri, Yellow Pomeroon Wiri Wiri, Orange Habanero, Chocolate Habanero, Cheeky, Yellow 7 Pot, Antillas, Fatalli, Trinidad Scorpion (Butch T), Aji Limon, White Habanero, Purrira, Bolivian Rainbow , Cayenne (Long Thin), Purple Cayenne, Red Scotch Bonnet, Nu Mex Heritage Big Jim, Purple Venezuelan, Monkey Face, Trinidad Scorpion (Moruga), Aurora, Prairie Fire, Riot, Purple Flash, Basket of Fire, Loco, Explosive Ember ,Cherry Bomb, Peter Pepper, Nigel's Outdoor, Nu Mex Barkers, Masquerade, Charleston Hot, Sparkler, Serrano, Thai Mound , Purple Haze, Super Chile, Early Jalapeno, Stumpy
BoatieBird
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a good selection tarannau
I enjoyed reading through the list - some of the names are wonderful.
We got out in the garden yesterday and planted shallots (golden gourmet and red sun), garlic (Casablanca and Arno), and a couple of rows of broad beans.
I've also filled up my mini propagator and put it on a sunny windowsill for the soil to warm up. Later today I'm going to plant some tomatoes and chillis.
It feels great to be starting up again after the winter break.
I enjoyed reading through the list - some of the names are wonderful.
We got out in the garden yesterday and planted shallots (golden gourmet and red sun), garlic (Casablanca and Arno), and a couple of rows of broad beans.
I've also filled up my mini propagator and put it on a sunny windowsill for the soil to warm up. Later today I'm going to plant some tomatoes and chillis.
It feels great to be starting up again after the winter break.
hmmph
Well-Known Member
I lurked on this thread last year, feeling insanely jealous, whilst living in a 4th floor flat but I've just moved and I've got a little garden so YAAAAAAAAAAY. I can't wait to grown some herbs and veggies
I'm not too sure about my garden and how easy it is going to grow stuff. Although it's south facing there's a few trees around and having started on it this weekend I can see the soil is pretty damp and there's quite a bit of moss. It was also completely overgrown and didn't look like it's been touched for a few years.
Anyway I'm very excited to join this thread
I'm not too sure about my garden and how easy it is going to grow stuff. Although it's south facing there's a few trees around and having started on it this weekend I can see the soil is pretty damp and there's quite a bit of moss. It was also completely overgrown and didn't look like it's been touched for a few years.
Anyway I'm very excited to join this thread
Good luck hmmph. Sounds like you'll have a grand old time plotting your back garden. You've got a number of herbs (Parsley, Woodruff, Hyssop, perhaps Mizuna etc) that should prosper in the shade, plus there's always the option of pots in the sunny spots.
Thoroughly enjoying the start of the new growing season again. Every new day seems to bring new sprouts, and the first batch of plants are beginning to accelerate their growth. There's that torturously slow early period, but then they seem to grow so much more rapidly.
Thoroughly enjoying the start of the new growing season again. Every new day seems to bring new sprouts, and the first batch of plants are beginning to accelerate their growth. There's that torturously slow early period, but then they seem to grow so much more rapidly.
