I have never had much success growing peppers/chillies and was wondering when is the best time for sowing the seed and do they need heat once they are through? and if not what is the minimum temperature for them

This old bath was a water trough used by the cows grazing in the field when we bought it (and indeed afterwards, although nobody thought to mention it. The owner of the cows is well known for sticking his animals on any empty bit of land. Complain to the mayor they said. Guess who is acting mayor?!)

   
After ten years of various uses, it is now going to be a planter for all the herbs that love our heat but hate our clay

The bottom half is full of boulders dug out of the borders and veg beds and we've topped it off with a trailer load of broken roof tiles. They were free, rescued from a heap where they had been thrown off my neighbour's roof which is being replaced. I'll be topping it off with some weed matting and then a mix of broken down (I hope) turf, shop compost and a bag of gravel.

   

The planned plants are a pair of prostrate rosemary plants at each end (I've taken cuttings from an ancient and now very pot bound one in a beautiful curved pot that I can't get it out from), lavender and then a load of different thymes, some to creep over the edges ...

Anything else I should be considering?

   

This I-SPY starts tomorrow - 1st December.
You'll have to look in later to see what you have to SPY.

I have came across recommendations for growing Amaranth for protein, is this the same plant that was grown in the past as love lies bleeding, or is it a different variety?

Today I decided would be my chilli harvest, I have left the fruit on the plants as long as u could to ripen. Some are starting to rot on the plant from the water dripping down on them from condensation inside the poly tunnel.
Any way here goes the photos.

Capsicum Annuum
   

Apple Crisp
   

Joe Long Cayenne 
   

Killian
   

Yellow Bumpy 
   

Hungarian Hot Wax and Apricot
   

Lemonella
   

Lemonella in the air fryer for drying at 80’C
   

The others I am drying in the oven at 80’C. 

Looking forward to experimenting with blends of chillies to form different chilli powder mixes

Viewing the different seed catalogues there are different prices for the same seed, but does a higher price indicate better quality or is it just snobbery that makes us buy the more expensively priced products

Anyone watching master chef the professionals at the moment? 
One of next week’s contestants is from Mull. I’ve eaten in her restaurant many times. Stunning food.

Today I placed an order for potatoes, onion sets and garlic, i will also sow some onion seeds along with the usual tomatoes, cabbages, lettuce, beetroot and carrot, no doubt there will be other veg sown, but as I have the time, I don't think any other veg plants will be purchased, as for the flower garden for the next growing season I might buy some fuchsia and I am still considering some chrysanthemum plants, but everything else, I intend to grow from seed, I usually buy begonias and petunias, but the last season my best displays came from plants I had grown from seed, therefore unless I come across  a good bargain, that how I will be going for next season, so wondering what other forum members will be doing next year

How do you use your leftovers? 

As its cold outside, I've made Leftover soup. 

Recipe - sort of!
Yesterday, I pressure-cooked some sprouting spuds and limp carrots together and turned them into mash - enough for 3 meals  (in the freezer).
The Left over mash (not enough for a serving) was returned to the cooking water in the pressure cooker. (I always keep the cooking water for stock).
Added some split red lentils and cooked it all together until the lentils were soft.
Seasoned and herbed.

Its tastier than it sounds - believe me.

I read this article in the news and it brightened my day. Must be getting dotty in my auld age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55104153