Our chillis had a late and slow start. The first few we ate, DM said ‘these have NO heat in them at all, I don’t know why we bothered’.

I was really disappointed because we grew three varieties yet the only plants that grew well were the jalapenos and, although they were romping away, producing flowers and chillis all over the place, they were really disappointing.

Well, they came good eventually and now the chillis off those plants are fab – hot and full of flavour. We’ve had some excellent chillis and curries made with them.

Not only that, but the other two varieties, whose names will forever be a mystery to us as I had an accident in the greenhouse and their packets got destroyed before I’d made a note of their varieties, are now flowering like they’re in the last drink saloon! Which of course they are, given that it’s late September and soon the winter will be upon us.

So, we have these – a habanjero style fruit so hopefully very hot – there must be a hundred creamy-white, green tipped flowers on the plant at the moment and a dozen or so fruits, some of them getting quite big, though all are very green, no sign of turning colour. We also have a couple of tiny plants with bright white flowers and strange, pale green fruits that are growing upwards, instead of dangling from the plants. If you think you know what variety they are, do let me know.

I reckon we’ve got a couple more weeks ‘grace’ with them before Mother Nature ceases production for us and so, when I wandered into the greenhouse late today to check out progress of stuff since I’ve been away, I thought ‘it’s now or never’ really in terms of getting a shot of them. Still, at least it’s an idea – I’ve not had many of those today because I am totally drained after the conference.

Next on our agenda is an attempt to over-winter them so we get a head start next year and don’t have to grow all our plants from seed so we get an earlier crop. That’s the theory – let’s hope the practice pans out.

I was really excited because we hadpegged the start of our future last year - it was the day our offer on this house was accepted!