Went down the allotment this morning and after taking off the cloches pulled
up all the chilli and pepper plants before they get frosted.
Superb crop of Inferno and Thai Dragon chillies with quite a good percentage
red especially the Inferno, the little tiny very hot Tabasco were mostly red
but an absolute pain to pick off the little bushes.
The Bullhorn Mixed peppers did well too, first time we have ever been
successful with peppers out on the plot. If only we had had a decent start
to the summer instead of the plants sulking for a couple of months they
would all have ripened to whatever colour they were, as it was we got some
nice yellow ones and a couple of red ones amongst lots of green.
We froze what chillies we want, gave lots of everything to three Asian
neighbours including one of the Tabasco bushes each to pick their own off.
:-)
The remainder went to our favourite Indian Restaurant again, the lads down
there tell me they eat the Infernos in a salad!

Recommendations (after growing the first two for many years) are...
Thai Dragon Chilli... hot, reliable cropper in the UK.
Inferno Chilli... mildish, large Hungarian Hot Wax type, superb reliable
cropper.
Bullhorn Mixed Peppers... certainly worth trying.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK

On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 Bob Hobden wrote:

Went down the allotment this morning and after taking off the cloches
pulled up all the chilli and pepper plants before they get frosted.
Superb crop of Inferno and Thai Dragon chillies with quite a good
percentage red especially the Inferno, the little tiny very hot Tabasco
were mostly red but an absolute pain to pick off the little bushes.
The Bullhorn Mixed peppers did well too, first time we have ever been
successful with peppers out on the plot. If only we had had a decent
start to the summer instead of the plants sulking for a couple of
months they would all have ripened to whatever colour they were, as it
was we got some nice yellow ones and a couple of red ones amongst lots
of green.
We froze what chillies we want, gave lots of everything to three Asian
neighbours including one of the Tabasco bushes each to pick their own
off. :-)
The remainder went to our favourite Indian Restaurant again, the lads
down there tell me they eat the Infernos in a salad!

Recommendations (after growing the first two for many years) are...
Thai Dragon Chilli... hot, reliable cropper in the UK.
Inferno Chilli... mildish, large Hungarian Hot Wax type, superb
reliable cropper.
Bullhorn Mixed Peppers... certainly worth trying.

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't
get very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because
the weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately
green with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in
a conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

"David Rance" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:

Went down the allotment this morning and after taking off the cloches
pulled up all the chilli and pepper plants before they get frosted.
Superb crop of Inferno and Thai Dragon chillies with quite a good
percentage red especially the Inferno, the little tiny very hot Tabasco
were mostly red but an absolute pain to pick off the little bushes.
The Bullhorn Mixed peppers did well too, first time we have ever been
successful with peppers out on the plot. If only we had had a decent
start to the summer instead of the plants sulking for a couple of months
they would all have ripened to whatever colour they were, as it was we got
some nice yellow ones and a couple of red ones amongst lots of green.
We froze what chillies we want, gave lots of everything to three Asian
neighbours including one of the Tabasco bushes each to pick their own off.
:-)
The remainder went to our favourite Indian Restaurant again, the lads down
there tell me they eat the Infernos in a salad!

Recommendations (after growing the first two for many years) are...
Thai Dragon Chilli... hot, reliable cropper in the UK.
Inferno Chilli... mildish, large Hungarian Hot Wax type, superb reliable
cropper.
Bullhorn Mixed Peppers... certainly worth trying.

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?


No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

Try some outside bin the ground next year if you have a sheltered spot in
the sun even better.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Rance" wrote

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.

But can you dry green chillis? I always dry my red chillis to keep for
cooking throughout the year. Well, not the jalapeno which I eat fresh
stuffed with ricotta.

I suppose the alternative is to pickle them.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

In article ,
David Rance wrote:

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.

But can you dry green chillis? I always dry my red chillis to keep for
cooking throughout the year. Well, not the jalapeno which I eat fresh
stuffed with ricotta.

I suppose the alternative is to pickle them.

Yes. They are typically trickier, because they contain more water,
but they dry perfectly well if you can stop them rotting while
doing so. But the same applies to red ones :-(

I agree that letting them ripen first is better, if possible.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"David Rance" wrote

Nick Maclaren wrote:


Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't
get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of
water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.

But can you dry green chillis? I always dry my red chillis to keep for
cooking throughout the year. Well, not the jalapeno which I eat fresh
stuffed with ricotta.

I suppose the alternative is to pickle them.


Why not just open freeze them whole then bag them up so you can use as many
as you want at a time. They freeze well, certainly well enough to cook with.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Mon, 11 Nov 2013 Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Nick Maclaren wrote:


Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine
didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of
water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.

But can you dry green chillis? I always dry my red chillis to keep for
cooking throughout the year. Well, not the jalapeno which I eat fresh
stuffed with ricotta.

I suppose the alternative is to pickle them.

Why not just open freeze them whole then bag them up so you can use as
many as you want at a time. They freeze well, certainly well enough to
cook with.

Hadn't thought of that. Thanks, Bob!

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On 2013-11-11 12:11:37 +0000, David Rance said:

On Mon, 11 Nov 2013 Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Nick Maclaren wrote:


Bob Hobden wrote:

"David Rance" wrote

Well, I certainly hope it's a good year for them. Last year mine didn't get
very hot (cayenne and jalapeno) and people here said it was because the
weather hadn't been very hot. This year they're still obstinately green
with only the first two showing any sign of going red. They're in a
conservatory. Is it too late for them to ripen fully?

Not did mine. Jalapeno doesn't get hot, anyway. Last year my Hot
Red was mild; this year it isn't.

No, I don't think so. They say if you cut off the bush and hang it in a
shed/garage they all turn red eventually so growing in a nice light warm
place should be OK. I understood low heat is usually down to lack of water
in the two weeks up to harvest.

That's a popular theory. I am unconvinced. However, there is nothing
wrong with green chillis, though the taste is slightly different.

But can you dry green chillis? I always dry my red chillis to keep for
cooking throughout the year. Well, not the jalapeno which I eat fresh
stuffed with ricotta.

I suppose the alternative is to pickle them.

Why not just open freeze them whole then bag them up so you can use as
many as you want at a time. They freeze well, certainly well enough to
cook with.

Hadn't thought of that. Thanks, Bob!

David

The people that own Seaspring Seeds got over 2000 off one plant of
Naga. That's a lot of Chilli!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

David Rance wrote:

But can you dry green chillis?

Yes and no. Yes, you can dry them, but you won't end up with dry green
chilis - they will have turned red before they get anywhere near
finishing drying.

Peter

On Tue, 12 Nov 2013 Peter Robinson wrote:

David Rance wrote:

But can you dry green chillis?

Yes and no. Yes, you can dry them, but you won't end up with dry green
chilis - they will have turned red before they get anywhere near
finishing drying.

Well, that's encouraging - I think!

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

In article ,
Peter Robinson wrote:
David Rance wrote:

But can you dry green chillis?

Yes and no. Yes, you can dry them, but you won't end up with dry green
chilis - they will have turned red before they get anywhere near
finishing drying.

Sometimes. Sometimes they will dry while still green.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I try to pick my chillis as they ripen, and this year I've been picking and using them since late Sept. I like to use fresh chillies in season, I don't think I could be bothered with frozen chillies. Failing that, I pep stuff up with a small quantity of superhot sauce. I've made a large quantity of chilli and apple jelly, a lot of which is given away to very grateful friends, that's for eating with cheese and cold meats. I've also reduced some chillies to super hot sauce, which includes enough acid and sugar it can be kept without refrigeration until opened like jam.

In better years I've been picking them from August, whereas last year they didn't ripen before the frosts. These dates apply to the rocotos I've been growing recently, which have a long growing season. When I've grown short growing season chillis, I've been picking them from July in good years. Last year when they barely ripened at all before the frosts, I brought the plants indoors, put them on a windowsill, and was picking them from Nov into Jan, though they were not in the best condition.

Don't bother with chillies in the ground unless you have some kind of polytunnel or other mechanism for warming the ground. I've tried chillis in the ground vs in black plastic containers and the black plastic containers win every time, both for yield and timing. I don't have any protection: seeds sown indoors in feb and plants put outside a against southfacing wall some time from mid may to mid june depending upon the weather, it was mid june this year. Chillis need lots of light, so the brightest place you know.

My understanding is that some occasional water stress during growing is what promotes the chillies to become very hot. Chillies recover well from being found with their leaves drooping from underwatering, as has been fortunate as I haven't always been able to arrange to have them watered when I go on my summer hols.

I have found that if the chilli has started to turn from green to red, then if I put it in the fruit bowl it will turn red within 2 or 3 days. If it is thoroughly green still, then it stays green.

I don't like jalapenos. Rocotos are great beacuse the seeds come out easily, cut them in half and you can just knock the seeds out with the end of a teaspoon. They have a reputation for being difficult to germinate, but I have not found it so. I have Alberto's Rocoto from the real seed company.