Chillis Galore

By Mwillis
I'm in chilli mode at present folks - big time! If you're not into chillis, maybe you want to skip this post...? And I should perhaps mention that today I'm at the Challock Chilli Fest, so expect more photos of chillis over the next few days!
Well, the weather has been holding. September has been quite dry and warmer than usual, so the chillis have had a chance to ripen, as my photos today will demonstrate.

7-Pot Brain Strain


Aji Limon


Challock Chilli


Cayenne Thick


Hybrid of Pimenta Puma


Not everything is as rosy as I would like though. The creatures have taken a fancy to the big fruits on my "Not Gusto Purple" chilli. Several of the chillis have big holes bored into them. The fruit dies and drops off the plant soon after. This has happened with my Turkish Sweet Pepper too, so whatever it is that makes those holes evidently like the bigger fruits.

"Not Gusto Purple" - very inconsistent fruit


Talking of creatures, I have noticed several Harlequin Ladybirds in the garden just recently. Here is one at the larval stage.

The remaining fruits on the "Not Gusto Purple" plant are now turning red.

"Not Gusto Purple"


Several of the Habaneros are ripening now. Most of the fruits are very tiny, although there are a few decent-sized ones as well.

Orange Habanero


Red Habanero


Immature Red Habanero


This next one is a variety whose name I don't know. I think it may be a local hybrid. Definitely not one I deliberately grew. The fruits have a lot of similarity to "Nosferatu" and the plant itself has a strong resemblance to my "Turkey, small red" type.

The fruits start off being a mixture of green and black (hence I have started referring to this type as "Camo").

It also has a brown stage, which comes between the black and the red!

I'll end today's post with a photo which confirms the presence in my garden of Harlequin Ladybirds. This one is lurking on a "Nosferatu" fruit.