Chili devastation last

2011 had all the appearances of a bumper year in Rotherhithe. A record number of chilis were present on the roof of the Sausage Factory when the hailstorm struck.

Chili devastation 5

The trail of destruction wreaked by the great Rotherhithe hailstorm

Chili devastation 4

Leaves and blossoms were ripped from their stems as the great hailstorm of 2011 swept across the roof of the Sausage Factory

Chili devastation 3

2006 Vintage Port, heard of it? You won't have, as freak hailstorms decimated the crop in the Douro Valley in September of that year. Now it appears that 2011 Rotherhithe chilis may be another great lost vintage

Chili devastation 2

This year will live in infamy for lovers of fine wine and good chilis. The vineyards of Sauternes were destroyed by hailstorms in April; in June it was Rotherhithe's turn

Chili devastation1

Eight years after Bollinger lost their entire 2003 vintage to a hailstorm the Rotherhithe Sausage Factory chili crop was similarly devastated

Hail! Hail!

The great hail shower of 10th June 2011 has caused devastation. Fully thirty plants have now been fully hardened off and potted up. The first chilis are moving rapidly towards ripe maturity. Even the twelve spindly weakest chilis, most of which are from older seeds, are being hardened off. On our return from Nandos yesterday evening we discovered that the plants had been pounded by a hailstorm. A coating about an inch thick lay on each of the pots. The Habaneros apprear to have suffered most, losing about a third of their leaves and suffering damage to almost all those that remain. The Tepins also suffered badly. Some of the spindly twelve lost most of their leaves.

Hardening off

Flowers have started to appear.
The twelve plants in five inch post were staked today and hardening off starts for them tomorrow.
Another eighteen plants were potted up to five inch pots

Up to 5"

A dozen of the chilis have been potted on to 5" pots.
The last of the plants have been potted up from the first trays.

Tray B3 is now made up as follows:

• Row one: hNM/C x1; hNM/LRx1; Cayenne US x1


• Row two: Cayenne US x1; Tepin US x1; New Mexico US x1


• Row three: Habanero US x1; Cayenne OSx2


• Row four: Long Red OS x1; hNM/C x1; LR OS09 x1
  

More potting on

The first of the Tepins from US seed has sprouted.
The first of the New Mexico from US seed has germinated

More potting on:
Tray B2

• Row three: Guajillo x 3


• Row four: New Mexico US x2; Habanero US x1


• Row five: Habanero US x1; Long Red R10 x1; Red Jalapeno x1

Tray B3

• Row one: hNM/C x1; hNM/LR x1; Cayenne US x1


• Row two: Cayenne US x1
  
  
  
  

Potting on

Potted on the first batch today. The second trays are 3x5s and are made up as follows: Tray B1

• Row one: Cayenne, own seed 2010 x3


• Row two: Long Red, own seed 2010 x3


• Row three: Red Jalapeno, own seed 2010 x3


• Row four: Hybrid New Mexico/Cayenne 2010 x2; Hybrid New Mexico/Long Red 2020 x1


• Row five: Hybrid New Mexico/Long Red cross 2010 x2; Long Red own seed 2010 (3rd gen) x1

Tray B2

• Row one: Long Red own seed 2010 (3rd gen) x3


• Row two: Long Red own seed 2010 (3rd gen) x 1; Cayenne (purchased USA 2010) x2

Que Viva Mexico

The first stirrings in the third tray - one of the Guajillos has sprouted

More Jalapenos

Looks like the ?Jalapenos from the mixed bag purchased in the US are pushing through the surface

First Habanero

Two more rows are sprouting: one of the Habanero seeds bought in the US has sprung into life as has one of the Long Red seeds from 2009 The lid has had to come off tray two due to vigorous growth of the Red Jalapenos and the Hybrid New Mexico/Cayennes

They're alive!

Buds have erupted all over both Tepins which means that they have successfully overwintered.

More sowing

Just hours later and there is serious activity: the Long Reds (3rd Gen), Cayennes and US Cayennes are all sprouting. Planted out a new tray, entirely from seeds in dried chili packets:

• Row 1: Ancho


• Row 2: de Arbol


• Row 3: Guajillo


• Row 4: Mulatto


• Row 5: New Mexico


• Row 6: Pasilla


• Row 7: Piquin


• Row 8: Piri-piri

All except for the Piri-piri come from Cool Chile packets, bought on the Mexican stall at Borough Market. The Piri-piri comes from the Spice Mountain stall, also at Borough Market

First leaves

What a difference a day makes. The Jalapenos have shot up, the largest already having two leaves. Two Long Red 2010 seeds have sprouted as has the first of the Hybrid New Mexico/Cayennes

Sprouting...

The first seeds have sprouted. The weather has warmed up markedly over the last 24 hours so hopefully more will follow. So far four of the Red Jalapenos and one of the New Mexico/Long Reds Hybrids have sprung into life.

sowing the seeds

Didn't think to take pics beforehand but never mind.
Planted out the first chili seeds of the year.

There are two seed trays and they're planted as follows:
Tray 1
Row 1: ?Tepin 2010 own seed x 2; Tepin purchased USA 2010 x3
Row 2: Tepin purchased 2010 USA x1 (T US); ?Tepin from mixed bag purchased 2010 USA x4
Row 3: ?Jalapeno from mixed bag purchased 2010 USA
Row 4: ?New Mexico from mixed bag purchased 2010 USA
Row 5: Habanero purchased 2010 USA (H US)
Row 6: Habanero from dried Habanero purchased in London
Row 7: Cayenne own seed 2010 (C R10)
Row 8: Long Red own seed 2010 (LR R10)

Tray 2
Row 1: Habanero own seed 2010
Row 2: Red Jalapeno own seed 2010 (RJ R10)
Row 3: Red Hybrid, ?New Mexico/Cayenne cross (hNM/C)
Row 4: Red Hybrid, ?New Mexico/Long Red cross (hNM/LR)
Row 5: Long Red 0wn seed 2010 3rd generation (LR R10.3)
Row 6: Long Red own seed 2009 (LR R09)
Row 7: Cayenne purchased 2010 USA
Row 8: New Mexico purchased 2010 USA (NM US)

Lets see how they go...