I brought my chillies in a while back. I thought that the fruit on the Padrons would keep growing and I would get a really good late crop from the one that was loaded. That didn’t happen. The tiny fruits just turned red and the plant went brown and crispy. The plant that I harvested fruits from and cut back in size is thriving and has flower buds appearing. So my lesson for next year is harvest what you can soon after bringing Padrons in and cut them back/compost them.

The 2 Habaneros are ok – one is better than the other. Both have had larger branches trimmed back. The leaves have fallen off one, but it did have a huge aphid community on it. At least that went with the leaves. The Lemon Drop was really spindly, and has been cut back fairly hard. It’s now sprouting again – which I am a bit relieved about. Of the 3 surviving Albertos, one is in a sunny room, hasn’t been cut back and is staying as it is. The 2 that are in the shady living room are doing much better, though Piero would so much rather that I put them anywhere else. One is cut back and one’s been left alone. The one that was left has a lot more new growth.

3-4 months to go before they can go outside again…

Other things – I picked up some half-price rhubarb roots from the garden centre, a timperley early and a champagne, which I need to stick in the ground or a deep temporary pot.

The second, late sowing of Rainbow carrots on the balcony is looking really good. It’s north-facing so they grow really slowly and I thought they would be ok for Christmas/New Year’s Day lunch. I pulled up a few and YIPPEE! Perfect 3-5 inch baby carrots. Big cheesey grins. I would have posted a cheery picture, but I ate them.