Early Chilli Flowers

I’ve noticed a bit of a trend this year with my Chillies that are growing, quite a few of them, despite being small, have decided that they’re old enough to flower.

While it does make for an impressive sight I was / am worried that my plants are going to stop growing and I won’t get as big a crop as I’m expecting, and, wanting.

When I first noticed this a little while back I did some research and found mostly conflicting advice. Some people just left theirs to it, some people where adamant about pulling them off and not letting the plant waste energy. I fell down on the latter side, I thought their energy would be best spent growing than trying to flower so I started pulling the buds off as soon as they appeared.

However, some plants weren’t for being told what to do and carried on with their buds with a passion. Eventually I gave up and gave into mother nature, I heard a rumour that she actually knows what she’s doing with this stuff so I let her have her way.

In reality, most of the buds dropped off on their own accord. I guess the plant(s) knew they were being ambitious and dropped the whole idea, literally.

But, some didn’t.

This little one is a Masquerade plant. Tiny. 

But do you see what the rebellious little runt has gone and done?

Yes. Those are two flowers you see. Beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But I could have waited to see them. I’m in no rush.

That isn’t the only one that’s at it, I found this hiding away at the back of my little greenhouse doing its best not to be seen, this time it’s one of my Golden Cayenne plants…

While I was hunting for more delinquent behaviour I came across one of my Filius Blue plants hoping not to be noticed, it’s covered itself in buds! Of course, there is time for it to drop all these like the other plants did before it.

I’ve had plenty of reassurance from the Chilli growing community on social media that everything will be OK, but of course there are always some people that you come across who put that little seed of doubt in your head, that little niggle that you’re doing something wrong.

I’m still of the opinion that Mother Nature knows what she is doing, I shouldn’t worry about this stuff really. Not all flowers become pods and it could just be that they wanted to give something back to me for looking after them so well…

As always, shall update when I know more…