First "season" - indoors!

[Trizza]

Flowers have opened!

The mystery plant that I think is Black Scorpion Tongue but can't be sure, anyone recognise the flower?


And birds eye baby has opened up too:


So, what do I do now Should I pollinate these by hand?

[Trizza]

Work has been crazy since my last update, didn't have a chance to start fertilizing flowers until recently, but the plants have been putting out lovely flowers at a steady rate

First pod a couple of days old on Black Scorpion Tongue:


How do you guys fertilize your indoor plants? I've been using a small paintbrush but i'm having a lot of difficulty getting much pollen on it.

[jeQQ]

I just usually use my finger or simply shake the plants. The lack of pollen might be a result of low light!

[Trizza]

I don't think its for lack of light - we've had an awesome week here, lots of direct sunlight..

[jeQQ]

I don't think its for lack of light - we've had an awesome week here, lots of direct sunlight..

Hmm.. Maybe something else then..

[Trizza]

Short update - planted 15 more varieties today for my indoor garden!

C. baccatum:
Orchid
Starfish
Criolla Sella
CGN 22871

C. annuum:
Baby Bell Pepper
Ethiopian Brown

C. chinense:
Pink Habanero
Orange Habanero
Petenero
Limon
Chocolate Fatalii
Cheiro Amarela

C. chinense x annuum: Bonnet Bell F3
C. galapagoense
C. cardenasii var. pendulum: Ulupica Large

I may have started some of the bigger ones too late, as I intend them to go on the balcony. We'll see, I guess.

When I last pruned my Aji Cristal (boy those things love to grow) I looked at the leftovers and thought "such a waste" so I trimmed one piece back to two leaves and stuck it into some soil and put it under the LED lamp. I was fully expecting it to die - but here it is a month later:


And heres the whole garden (for now):


The biggest plants and a few of the ones in little pots will go into nice big pots and live on the balcony as soon as it stops getting below zero overnight - hopefully I'll have a nice crop in the summer

Only problem now is that the windowsill for the lounge is full XD I need to install windowsill under the bedroom and kitchen windows to house my expanding collection! Also still looking for a good solution for pollinating my plants.

I think I misidentified the Black Scorpion Tongue - the pod is clearly yellow and looks very much like a Short Yellow Tabasco.

[Trizza]

So far Limon and Bonnet Bell have "popped", with any luck there'll be plenty more soon.

As the pod matures I'm thinking this might actually be Black Scorpion Tongue after all:


And it looks like my fertilizing by "stick a fingertip in and swish it around" is actually achieving something with Aji Cristal:


There are two more like it

[Michael]

Heck, why not. I will try the "ET-method" as well. I noticed that approximately 50 % of the flowers I tried to get pollens from did not have any or were unwilling to let them fly when I visited them. But I will use the finger method and use a magnifying glass to see if I even get some pollen.
If I do then I think it is easier to put that pollen on the stigma with a finger then a paintbrush. But that is just a subjective opinion. It feels like that at least. Thanks for the input.

[Trizza]

Yeah I agree, its definitely easier to transfer pollen with a fingertip. Its a bit of a clumsy tool when it comes to smaller flowers though!

[jeQQ]

I prefer to just shake the plant from the trunk Much more effective when the plant is filled with flowers! And yeah that is a definite Black Scorpion Tongue. It will mature bright red like this:

[Trizza]

A few more pictures of tasty looking little pods:

I think this might be Luiza Yellow Pumpkin - its an incredibly cute little yellow pod:


Aji Cristal is producing some delicious looking pods - when is it best to pick these?


And that Black Scorpion Tongue looks really tasty, think I'll pick it imminently:

[Trizza]

Well, I picked that Black Scorpion Tongue today:



And sacrificed most of it to add to some fajitas I ate the rest raw - quite mild, very easy-going sweet flavour, reminded me a lot of bell pepper. Gave a very welcome bit of warmth to the fajitas - I think adding two would have been a nice level of heat for these. Given how pretty this one is I think I have definitely recommend it!

[Julli-]

Good looking stuff! Just out of impatient curiosity: how long did it take for the pods to ripen? Mine are just turning pale after the purple phase.

[Trizza]

Mine appeared in late March, so maybe 7 weeks? I probably could have picked mine a week ago.

[jeQQ]

BST is somewhat fast one to ripen.

[Anbanero]

Nice looking plants! I especially like Luiza Yellow Pumpkin, looks delicious.

[Trizza]

Cheers, sure does Anbanero. I really like the looks and the way it grows, so I'll definitely be saving seeds from that pod.

More pictures!
Today I spotted a cute shiny Birds Eye Baby pod:


And this incredibly evil radioactive looking pod, I have no idea what it is but the flowers look like a Chinense. The plant is growing very strange, so I have a feeling the pod is abnormally small for the variety. I'm scared of this pod. Any ideas what it could be?


Aji Cristal is churning out pods and they all look delicious:


Lots of babies ready (overdue in fact) for replanting:


Baby bell finally sprouting, after a month! Kitten damage is visible on the tags (same kitten that likes uprooting young chile plants):


And the rest of my latest planting. Half have sprouted:


I'm thinking that I will soon buy some buckets and transfer my favourite plants into them and out onto the balcony. Is there anything to be wary of with this move?

[Chilli.tk]

Hello,
if you want move plants from some biosystem to other(from indoor to outdoor, outdoor to greenhouse or whatever)
you must do it by steps - you move it outdoor for 30 minutes and second day you will see result.
I move plants for 2 hours and second day I have with some chinense UV problem.

Your plants looking nice and Aji Cristal look really tasty:)

[Trizza]

Apologies for lack of updates and pictures, its been a very busy summer (got married, family visiting Finland for a long time, etc). All is going great with my little windowsill farm - I've been eating a steady stream of delicious Aji Cristals all summer, and a second wave of flowers is now coming on my best producers.

Thoughts:
- Aji Cristal is an amazing plant. Easy to grow and delicious - I think I'll be growing several of these every year.
- Birds Eye Baby is prolific, and very pretty! Taste is OK as well.
- Black Scorpion Tongue is very decorative, and tastes OK.

Two of my chinense are covered with flowers and I'm getting pods from them - one keeps putting out those tiny little red pods that I have no idea what they are. Very confusing & mild. The other one has put out some pods about 3cm long that are smooth and green - I'll have to take some photos to share, I can't ID them. My Bonnet Bell has a couple of pods coming, which I'm really looking forwards to tasting

[Trizza]

This is that plant I'm having trouble identifying. The flowers appear to be chinense type, and the pods are smooth and green. I guess it can't be Naga, since their smooth, so maybe its Peito de Moca?


Black Scorpion Tongue continues to put on pretty pods:


And this is the super cute Bonnet Bell - the photo isn't very good, sorry!