Chilli! All Things Chillies.

[raven19]

Those chilli plant pics look mighy hot! Ouch!

Will be planting some of your seeds tomorrow Tony... interested to see how they go.

 

[raven19]

Planted some 7 pods, and Devils tongue this arvo Tony.

Got them in punnets under glass.... fingers crossed they shall shoot soon! If things warm up a bit one day here in chilly Adelaide!

 

[Tony]

you will need to keep them (the seeds) at around 20 - 22 deg c constantly. If they cool down over night, they probably wont shoot.

And if they do you will need to keep them warm. The winter cold kills chillis. Once the temp drops below 10 deg at night they start to die off.

frost will murder them.

save some seeds for august/september.

let us know how you go with them.

cheers

 

[Weizguy]

I'm gonna try and get some Xanthan gum tomorrow, and have put my remaining chillies (from Tony) in the freezer, in storage bags.
I had 4 Fatalis that were a bit damaged/rotten, but I cut the bad bit off and threw them into a batch of kebab sauce, based on the Masterfoods Hot Chilli sauce (my fave kebab sauce ever). I use it to spice up everything from kebabs to chicken satay wraps and snags and schnitzels.

The bottle states the ingredients as: water, sugar, mustard seed 4%, acidity regulator (acetic acid), chilli 3%, salt, paprika, vegetable gum (Xanthan), treacle, colour (paprika oleoresin), herb and spice extracts.

I felt that I had some fair substitutes, so I proceeded with:
1 cup water
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup of vinegar (seeing that it's already diluted acetic acid)
about 3 1/2 Fatali peppers (yellow Devil's Tongue)
~20g mustard powder
1 tblspn of Hungarian paprika
a good pinch of salt
~15 ml Golden syrup (no treacle in the house, but plenty of GS)
herb and spice? I added about 1/2 tsp of Keen's Curry powder.

Boil 15 minutes, after heating gently to ensure that all ingredients are dissolved and combined.
I may need to cool, whiz it up and store until I get the Xanthan.

I used to be able to buy this in 2 litre bottles, but can only source 700 ml squirt bottles through the same warehouse now.

Hell; if I can make this sauce, or a fair substitute, it will decrease my grocery bills over a year, and I can eat this whenever I'm not having a hotter (or milder) sauce/condiment.

No photo, sorry. I need to charge the camera battery and then find the USB cable. Darn, I think I left it at work.

Initial tastings indicate too much sugar and too much vinegar, but the colour is pretty close.

Les out

 

[Yeldarb]

Pickled Chillies

1kg fresh red thai chillies
8 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2.5 cups water
0.25 cup fine sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1.5 cups white vinegar
1.5 cups malt vinegar

Add chillies to large saucepan of boiling water, return to boil and drain
Rinse chillies under cold water, drain well
Pack chillies, bay leaves, peppercorns and seeds firmly into hot sterilised jars.
Combine the water, salt and sugar in saucepan, stir over heat until salt disolves and mixture boils.
Remove pan from heat.
Pour vinegar mixture over chillies in jars to cover completely, seal while hot.

Some notes...
I use Jalapeno chillies, mixture of red and green (whatever is ready for picking)...we have them with "afternoon nibblies" (cheeses, girkins, pickled onions, olives, etc, etc) and they are bloody lovely. I like them fairly crunchy so do not over do the "return to boil" bit.

I also make up lots of the vinegar solution...keep in the fridge, then when you have more chillies ready for picking you simply take it out of the fridge, reboil (what you need) and add to freshly processed/packed chillies and seeds/leaves.

 

[Renegade]

Tony did you happen to save any extra seeds for sharing, of the Bhuts ? The last couple of years Ive looked at buying seeds, they are a total rip off. If youre keen to swap some for a 125ml bottle of this season's 10+++ Habanero & Triplesec sauce from the Renegade Kitchen (and garden), let me know, because I would love to get my hands on some of those seeds.

 

[Steve]

Tony did you happen to save any extra seeds for sharing, of the Bhuts ? The last couple of years Ive looked at buying seeds, they are a total rip off. If youre keen to swap some for a 125ml bottle of this season's 10+++ Habanero & Triplesec sauce from the Renegade Kitchen (and garden), let me know, because I would love to get my hands on some of those seeds.

Oi! Stop jumping the queue. :icon_cheers: Cant believe he forgot me in the original list. Promised me n everything
I'd be interested in a swap of sauce though?
Cheers
Steve

 

[Tony]

Hey folks.

Im in PNG for work ATM but will be back for a break soon and will try and get some seeds sent off.

PM me your name and postal address and it will be done.

Im fairly sure i have seeds for Bhuts, Devil tongues (YUM), 7 Pots and Goatsweeds in the garage.

cheers

PS........ Steve. I didnt forget you, you never sent me your details

 

[Steve]

Just rustled up a hab sauce:

Tropicanberra Summer Sauce

12 orange habs (frozen from last season)
1 cup white vinegar
2 cup apple juice
1 cup water
1/4 cup lime juice
Tbspn cinnamon powder
1/2 tin of pineapple
1/2 tin of mango slices
1/2 tin of apricot slices
1/2 tin of peach slices
Tspn salt
Dash of red food colouring

Not as thick as I was hoping! Bit runny.
One will be in the mail Monday kirem
Cheers
Steve

 

[Tony]

Im back in PNG and will be back in Aus (if my plane doesnt crash.... we fly with the same charter company) at the end of the month (August).

If anyone else wants some seeds, or i missed anyone who PM'd me, then PM me your details and i will be doing one last mail out (subject to availability) on a first in best dressed basis.

Cant wait to get home. Im getting some bigger pots, a trailer load of soil and getting some chilli and tomatoe plants going.

All the oned i have kept over winter will get cut back, their roots trimmed up and re-potted. Cant wait to see what they produce as second year plants after what i got the first year off them.

cheers

 

[Steve]

Im back in PNG and will be back in Aus (if my plane doesnt crash.... we fly with the same charter company) at the end of the month (August).

If anyone else wants some seeds, or i missed anyone who PM'd me, then PM me your details and i will be doing one last mail out (subject to availability) on a first in best dressed basis.

Cant wait to get home. Im getting some bigger pots, a trailer load of soil and getting some chilli and tomatoe plants going.

All the oned i have kept over winter will get cut back, their roots trimmed up and re-potted. Cant wait to see what they produce as second year plants after what i got the first year off them.

cheers

Thanks for my seeds Tony! That was a great surprise to find them in the mail box last week.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Tony]

This is kind of Chilli related.

I have built a grow box to get my chillis going while its till too cold out to germinate seeds. They can get to a good size before i move them out into the big bad world.

I stuck 4 x double 2 foot fliro's in the top of the box and insiulated it. There is a fan to circulate air and maintain an even temp through out. Air movement also strengthens the young plants by simulating wind and forcing the stalks to thicken and become stronger. Aparently also seals off the leaf cell structure and makes them more resistant to burn when they meet the sun for the first time.

Im going to go and get some seed raising trays tomorrow and put a heap of chilli and tomatoe seeds.... and soem herbs...... in to get them going. With the fan running i get a temperature of 29 deg in the box which will be perfect for germination.

Here is the boc from the outside

Now from the pic above..... you can see the room is well lit. When i opened the box you can see what it did to the photo exposure. Its very bright in there

The lights in the roof

And i put the fan in the corner to circulate air over the lights to move the heat generated into the rest of the enclosure.

I plan to stick a piece of ply in there and raise it up on bricks to keep the plants close to the light and slowly lower it as they grow.

Im getting the seed trays tomorrow and will have seeds in by tomorrow night.

IM EXCITED!

cheers

 

[troopa]

Brilliant, Those Chilli and Tomatoes will be up in now time. If only there was a way to cross pollinate em and save us all a heck of alot of time
Now if only i could get my hands on some fluros



Tom

 

[Cube]

I plan to stick a piece of ply in there and raise it up on bricks to keep the plants close to the light and slowly lower it as they grow.

Im getting the seed trays tomorrow and will have seeds in by tomorrow night.

IM EXCITED!

cheers

I'd be excited too! You could also rig the lights up with small chain and hooks in the ceiling Then you can raise and lower the lights a link at a time or any number of links in a second flat ( or raise one set of lights and leave the other side lower to compensate for faster plants than other in the box ) . Faster, more adaptable to the plants and less hassle than the old brick height adjustment. If it's just an 'overall temperature' thing you are after then just ignore me

 

[Tony]

Hey cube...... yeah i do plan to modify it once this lot are done. I slapped it together in a hurry to get the seeds going but will make modifications based on problems encountered this time round. I plan to set u pseperate switching for the lights and adjustable height for the lights as you mentioned.

I have a heap of seeds in there now.

Chilli's im growing:

Douglah
Choc Habanero F1 variant
7 Pot
Trinidad Hot Cherrys
Trinidad Scorpions
Faria (Trinidad Scotch Bonnet)
White Habanero
Bhi Jalokia
Rocotto (yellow)
Hot Lemon
Fatali
Netmex Big Jims
A Cross Polinated strain of Jalapino's and Thai heart shapped chillis

Tomatoes:

Ox Hearts
Yellow Subarine
Toms Yellow Wonder
Roma
Purple Cherokee

The chilli plants that i kept over winter looked fairly scrappy. I pulled them from the pots, cut them right back, cut off most of the root ball and gave the roots a soak in some water. They were a it dry and neglected but i did shove em up the side of the shed and say.......if you live you love, you die you die.

I put them in a mix of fresh garden soil, blood and bone, fire ash and peat moss which gave me wonderful healthy plants last year. I used better soil this year though.

The Devil TOngue on the left and Bhut Jalokia on the right.

The plants all got trimmed right back

And the roots got cut back. They were basicly a massive root ball that lifted cleanly from the pot.

cheers

They already have some shoots starting to start out

 

[raven19]

Thanks for the update Tony, I need to get some more seeds of yours going (my last lot did not germinate - too cold! doh!).

I have some other less hot chilli plants have been trimmed back too... i may give it a full repotting though like yours...

Great indoor germination hutch!

 

[Cube]

Tony can you give a run down on your pot mix and fertiliser used when you re pot for outside I have a bunch of seeds coming up now as an experiment on a window sill north side. All but one out of eight is sprouted. Not your seeds, just some birds eye from the supermarket I'd had stored. Yours go in this weekend when I get more potting mix and pots. The 7 pot seeds have been selected as that monster powder 7 pot has me hooked.

Made a big mistake after using the powder mixing it into meat patties.. Went for a wizz and holy crap it burnt like a ******* for about 40 minutes. I washed my hands before hand as well :lol:

 

[Tony]

I find plain old potting mix is completly spent after a few months so i like to add a few extras to help the plants along through the summer.

I start with a good quality potting mix or as i did this year.... went to the garden center and bought a trailer load of their best garden soil with mushroom compost added in for a lot less. Potting mix was $20 to $25 a bag where as i got a half a ton in the trailer for $60. Biiiiiiig savings there. THis stuff is all soil where as even the best potting mix is usually a high percentage of wood chip crap.

In a large pot full of soil i mix in a small handfull of blood and bone, a couple handfulls of peat moss, a couple big scoops of cow or horse poo.... sheep poo is great too. And also a handfull of fire ash but its not really necessary. Its just for an extra nitrogen hit at the start. leave a couple inches at the top of the pot to hold at least an inch thick layer of Lucern hay or sugarcane mulch to keep the moisture in and the roots cool.

make sure the pots have good drainage in the bottom because they hate wet soggy roots. You dont want the pots holding water. Just keep the roots damp.

Cube....... after handling 7 Pots, your hands are weapons for at least 24 hrs washing them has no effect.

Wait till you taste a fresh one

cheers

Edit: forgot to add. I use a liquid fertaliser twice a week. I use one with nitrogen in it to start with for plant groath and when it starts to flower i switch to alternating this with a Seasol which has no nitrogen. 2 Seasols to one normal fertaliser when flowering will have 50% more fruit on the plants as the plants use the compounds other than nitrogen (Potasium i think) for pod production and lots of nitrogen will have the plant growing more and drop its flowers.

 

[Cube]

I start with a good quality potting mix or as i did this year.... went to the garden center and bought a trailer load of their best garden soil with mushroom compost added in for a lot less. Potting mix was $20 to $25 a bag where as i got a half a ton in the trailer for $60. Biiiiiiig savings there. THis stuff is all soil where as even the best potting mix is usually a high percentage of wood chip crap.

.Cube....... after handling 7 Pots, your hands are weapons for at least 24 hrs washing them has no effect.

Funny you say that about the potting mix. I made three planter boxes about 2 m long each when I moved into my house. I used premium top soil from a landscape place and no matter what I put in there it goes off like a rocket. All my pots using bag potting mix just dies or looks like a sad git. So I fluked that when I last made some boxes up and never buy potting mix. And as you say, cheap as chips. Mulch as well.

Come to think of it next hop growing season it might be interesting to do a comparison of top soil and potting mix pots side by side.

Oh and I think I may be to girly man to bite into a 7 pot raw. I'll dry them and grind them up or make mega bad *** 7 pot paste like you did a few pages back with the Habs I think it was. **** I made a bad *** burger pattie last week out of 7 pot flakes and my nose somehow touched the pattie while eating it and my nose burnt for an hour. :huh:

 

[Tony]

You have to cut a slice off a fresh one and chew it up. It has to be done.

Swallowing is an optional extra and i dont recomend it but if your brave go for it.

Who was it that put the whole packet of the powder i sent out on one Pizza :lol:

That thing would have cooked itsself and glowed in the dark.

cheers