It may be the 28th of January, but for me it’s the first day of spring. I spent a busy afternoon today repotting two of my citrus trees, splitting and potting up various carnivorous plants and sowing the first seeds of the year – mainly chillies.
The chillies and sweet peppers need a long growing season, so I always start them early in my dad’s propagator in the limery. I don’t own many things that belonged to my dad, but his propagator is a valued possession and I know he’d be delighted that I’m still using it.
This year, with my new interest in Mexican food, I have planted six varieties of chilli: lemon drop, chocolate habanero, jalapeño, black Hungarian, serrano and ancho. Fingers crossed for good germination.
The Snail of Happiness 
Ann Pole
/ January 28, 2018We too have peppers sown in a propagator in the Peach House. Sown 2 weeks ago, no sign of germination yet though. Fingers crossed.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018I have been restraining myself until now! They always take quite a while to get going, though.
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nanacathy2
/ January 28, 2018Happy Germination! Nice to use something from your Dad, it would make him happy.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018Yes, he was always pleased to hear about me using it when he was still alive (he stopped gardening in his later years and passed it on to me then) and I feel a bit of him is with me when I get it out to switch on each year
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thecontentedcrafter
/ January 28, 2018Spring like already? I’m not at all surprised though when I see those beautiful green plants in your Limery. And how wonderful to have your dad’s propagator!!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018My dad mainly owned useful things – he wasn’t a great collector of ‘stuff’ – so I don’t have many items that were his. The propagator, therefore, is very special to me.
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katechiconi
/ January 28, 2018A touch of heat for the chill of winter!
There was something I wanted to ask: have you ever considered growing loofah/luffa gourds for scrubbers instead of those green nylon things? This follows on from a discussion over on Celia’s Fig Jam & Lime Cordial blog about reducing waste, and did knitted cotton dishcloths work for scrubbing pots and pans? I’ve seen people using loofah sections here, they’re quite durable and totally biodegradable, plus of course, self-reproducing if you save the seeds. There’s a woman in Canada who’s grown them and blogged about it, so if she can grow them I bet you can. Your heated propagator made me think of it; they need a warm start and long growing season.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018An interesting idea. I’ve never tried growing them, but I might look out for some seeds now you mention it. I use a little scrubbing brush for pot-scouring, it is wooden with bristles made of something plant-based (can’t remember what) and I’ve given up on shower-puffs now that I use bar soap – I choose one with ‘bits’ in it and get all the exfoliation I need that way.
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katechiconi
/ January 29, 2018I’d love to hear how you get on. I’m giving the link to the Canadian blogger who grew them; it’s an entertaining read as well as giving some handy growing tips.
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/growing-luffa-sponges
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sparkscrochet
/ January 29, 2018You have a fantastic start on your garden. I will be starting a few of my seedlings next week! I can’t believe it’s that time already.
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Nice Piece of Work
/ January 29, 2018A very productive afternoon’s work 🙂 I’m guessing there’ll be chili concarne on the menu come winter?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018I expect so… especially if my bean-growing also goes well.
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tialys
/ January 29, 2018I love chillies – except my husband sometimes goes a bit mad with them in his cooking – and I also love those names, Lemon Drop and Chocolate Habanero ❤
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018We grew some Hungarian Wax chillies a few years ago that were described as sweet and mild – but it was like playing Russian roulette with them as some had no heat and some were inferno-level. I do not recommend the experience – we had some truly horrible food before I composted them!
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tialys
/ January 29, 2018Ew! Mind you – perhaps you should have been warned – ‘Hungarian Wax’ sounds like something scary you’d have done at the beauticians 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018I’d never thought about that… ew!
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Helen
/ January 29, 2018You’ve beaten me to the sowing! I am going to start next weekend – and try out my propagator for the first time. Best of luck with your peppers.
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ January 29, 2018Oooh, look at those! Chilli season is under way in our house too, albeit on a much smaller scale. I like the sound of those lemon drop ones you’ve sown though – how hot are they likely to be?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018I’ve grown them for quite a few years now and they are my favourites – one chilli is good for a tasty curry. They are hot but not ‘blow your socks off’ hot!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ January 30, 2018Sounds like my kind of party! All the ones currently in the propagator have nice friendly names involving the words “naga” or “reaper”… Too rich for my blood, I think! 😆
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neilsonanita
/ January 29, 2018Wow! They’re coming along great! Well done. Anita
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wybrow1966
/ January 29, 2018Are they sundews?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018Some of them are – some Cape sundews and some that may be round-leaved sundew, but that arrived unbidden so I’m not certain. There are also some Saracenia pitcher plants with their pitchers chopped back for winter and to reduce any shock of splitting them up.
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wybrow1966
/ January 29, 2018I love pitchers – have a few at home and in the garden myself.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2018I also have a monkey cup, which is doing well, but has to come into the house for the winter as it’s a tropical plant and can’t stand any cold.
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wybrow1966
/ January 29, 2018I have one that stays in the kitchen all year round – love it.
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