Page 27 - ALG Issue 4 2019

out the growing tips of the greenhouse and outdoor plants when they are 12”/30cms tall to encourage side branching. Support the plants using short, strong canes. Pick off some of the early flowers to increase the flower production on the side shoots. Water regularly, never allowing the compost to dry out, and feed with a high potash fertiliser after the flowers are produced. Spray overhead with plain water to provide humidity. Provide some shading in the greenhouse on very hot summer
days. The pepper fruits should be ready to harvest from August onwards. Always cut the stalks, never pull or tear the fruits from the plant. Harvest all of the fruits at the end of the summer, store them somewhere warm and they will continue to change colour.
Whitefly and aphids are a problem. Under glass, use sticky traps at first before introducing Encarsia formosa to control whitefly and Aphidius to control the aphids. The outdoor plants can be
Whitefly and aphids are a problem
sprayed with insecticidal soap to control both pests.
An article about chillies would not be complete without mentioning Scoville Heat Units – the measure of the ferocious heat that hits your mouth when you bite into a chilli pepper. A mild chilli may register as 500 SHU,
the ultra-hot Carolina Reaper boasts of 1.57million SHU. The component that gives the heat is capsaicin, a chemical found in the placenta – the white stringy bits around the seeds.
There are medical uses for capsaicin as a painkiller, and recent studies in China and America suggest that chilli consumption could result in increased life expectancy.
The researchers speculated that it could be that capsaicin is helping increase blood flow, or even altering the mix of your gut bacteria in a helpful direction.
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• Protective cuffs for wrists and forearms
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• £20.00 including postage and packaging
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Giltspur Scientific Ltd
6-8 Avondale Industrial Estate Ballyclare, Co. Antrim Northern Ireland
BT39 9AU
Email: info@giltspurscientific.com
www.giltspurscientific.com
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 27