Sprouting seeds from random dried chili peppers I had in the pantry, and now trying to grow them in the most makeshift greenhouse set up ever, has been a weirdly gratifying activity during the quarantine.

Update after a week: the seedlings are growing! Second leaves are starting to emerge, which I believe means they are becoming a real plant.

Update after two more weeks: these plants are still growing. All under a single LED bulb from a decorative lamp fixture.

The plants originated from a couple of cracked open dried chilis.

Two weeks later, the seedlings are doing well w more leaves.

But they’re getting spoiled inside w warmth and their light bulb. Going to start hardening em off soon (leaving them outside for increasing time each day).

Maybe they will graduate to an outdoor pot next week https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌶" title="Chili" aria-label="Emoji: Chili">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤞🏾" title="Crossed fingers (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Crossed fingers (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">

Two of the plants have graduated and moved into their summer home on a NYC rooftop. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☀️" title="Sonne mit Strahlen" aria-label="Emoji: Sonne mit Strahlen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌶" title="Chili" aria-label="Emoji: Chili">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌆" title="Stadtbild in der Dämmerung" aria-label="Emoji: Stadtbild in der Dämmerung">

Update: These little pepper plants—that I sprouted from seeds taken out of random dried chillies in the pantry—are def growing up.

Nature is fascinating and amazing. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☀️" title="Sonne mit Strahlen" aria-label="Emoji: Sonne mit Strahlen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌶" title="Chili" aria-label="Emoji: Chili">

So my chili plants are officially producing flowers, and it’s early, but a few are turning into real peppers!

We’ve come a long way. The seed and plant experiment begun months ago is a success!

I have no idea what kind of pepper this is, how spicy it is, nor when to remove it. They are def bigger than I expected. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌆" title="Stadtbild in der Dämmerung" aria-label="Emoji: Stadtbild in der Dämmerung">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌶" title="Chili" aria-label="Emoji: Chili">

So many peppers https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤩" title="Vom Star geblendet" aria-label="Emoji: Vom Star geblendet">.

And I think I figured out what they are: mirasol peppers (aka guajillo when dried). Not sure how to use, but this is all very exciting nonetheless.

End of summer update on my quarantine guajillo peppers. Just a portion of the season’s harvest. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😳" title="Errötetes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Errötetes Gesicht">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🌶" title="Chili" aria-label="Emoji: Chili">

Will be pickling some and trying to dry the rest!