Chillies - growing and overwintering 2019

[Small pumpkin]

That looks great. I have a orange habenero that is absolutely laden with beautiful glossy orange pods but I harvested them all today and pruned it right back for over wintering. It was very sad. How big is the container you have that in? Looks massive.

My Dorset Naga is in about 100lt pot. ( well 2 fish boxes joined together )

[SimpleSimon]

What's the Dorset Naga like? I might have a go at it next year. Seeds aren't cheap mind.

[Scarlet]

I've got one growing..,.Did SP send it to me last year? I just get a searing heat when I eat it
But it's a lovely plant and over winters well.

[Scarlet]

Here you go Scarlet.
A couple of pics ( just before I cut them down)
Giant white hab

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Peach hab

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My white hab is the same yellow, but oh my!!! That lovely peach....

[Scarlet]

But that yellow/white hab is such a fab plant! The stem is gorgeous - like a twisted trunk. He will be huge next year if I can get him through the winter - unfortunately he has been cold, leaves drooped hugely....but I'm giving it a shot. Currently warming up in the kitchen.

[Small pumpkin]

What's the Dorset Naga like? I might have a go at it next year. Seeds aren't cheap mind.

Can grow very big if it’s given the chance. That plant of mine is just this years growth . And as Scarlet says it’s bl@@dy hot.

I've got one growing..,.Did SP send it to me last year? I just get a searing heat when I eat it
But it's a lovely plant and over winters well.

I think I sent you a Dorset Naga in the swap last year.

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

Hey Folks,

Every gardening question I�ve googled for the past couple of years has brought me to threads on here, so thought it was time to join.

Just a quickie regarding Chillis. Is it too early to start germinating them for next year? I noticed this thread started on Boxing Day last year.

I�ve developed a real fondness for chillis this year so wanted to start growing my own.

I�ve planted my broad beans for next year and got my garlic ready to go, and I�m currently chomping at the bit to grow more things, I can�t wait until spring

Thanks,

[dave_100]

Hey Folks,

Every gardening question I’ve googled for the past couple of years has brought me to threads on here, so thought it was time to join.

Just a quickie regarding Chillis. Is it too early to start germinating them for next year? I noticed this thread started on Boxing Day last year.

I’ve developed a real fondness for chillis this year so wanted to start growing my own.

I’ve planted my broad beans for next year and got my garlic ready to go, and I’m currently chomping at the bit to grow more things, I can’t wait until spring

Thanks,

I've also been researching this, I'm not 100% sure but I think the issue might be that they will get really leggy due to lack of light this time of year, unless you put them under growlights.

I've been wondering what happens if you just keep the seedling small (trim the top perhaps?) so it can develop the root system and boom come Spring so would welcome anybody's input.

Overwintering is a more documented option, though I see you haven't grown any this year, so no use for you (till next year )

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

So with your idea would you wait until the second shoots were starting to come through and then cut them back, just leaving the small seedlings?

Re overwintering I have a pepper plant still outside that I�ve been debating bringing in to overwinter.

I bought it at the end of the season for 50p reduced from a garden centre, it�s the type you find in jars stuffed with goats cheese.

It had one fruit on, but that�s all I ever got. I wonder if this would overwinter well?

[Small pumpkin]

Hi fromyorkshiretobucks welcome to the vine.

I’ve germinated chillies in November before. I’ve found starting them this early just makes them to big before the weather has warmed up enough for them to go out to the greenhouse/polytunnel. So I sit on my hands and don’t start germinating until mid December. I do use lights for my chilli seedling once they’ve germinated. I only start the super hot varieties and the ones I know to need a very long season. Things like jalape�o, cayenne I don’t start till February.
I wouldn’t advise Pruning seedlings. But then I’m not a believer in pruning chillies at any stage. There’s many different views on the subject. I’ve tried the topping method to make the plants bush out and allegedly produce more pods. All I found was it slowed the plant down and didn’t manage to catch up again before the end of the season. To be honest most varieties will produce more than enough pods in a season given the right conditions and feed without the need to chop bits off it.
Again there’s many views on overwintering chillies. Many on here have great success with it. I’m not one! I fail miserably at it so I’ll let someone else advise you on that.

[Mitzi]

What's the Dorset Naga like? I might have a go at it next year. Seeds aren't cheap mind.

My other half put two of them in a chicken curry tonight. It took some eating and I�m not looking forward to tomorrow! I had to blow my nose twice and my eyes watered a bit although not full on crying. Taste was nice although that might have been the other spices not just the chillies. Going to take a while to get through the rest of them. I got a reasonable harvest but not a huge one like some people do.

[Mitzi]

Just a quickie regarding Chillis. Is it too early to start germinating them for next year? I noticed this thread started on Boxing Day last year.

I’ve developed a real fondness for chillis this year so wanted to start growing my own.

Welcome to the Grapevine and the addictive world of chilli growing!

I agree completely with SP. I started chillies very early a couple of years ago, growing them under lights, but they outgrew their space before I could plant them out. These days I start the first ones off between Christmas and New Year with further sowings in January and February.

I suppose it depends how many plants you are planning to grow, whether you have grow lights, where you will put them etc. If you have a south facing windowsill you could always try a couple of plants and see how you get on.

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

Thanks everyone.

Growing my own fruit and veg has become my main release from a stressful corporate job, I�m looking forward to sharing tips (mainly receiving ) for the next few years hopefully.

I will hold fire on planting until next mo th in that case. Though now might be the time to do some seed shopping!

I�m wanting to create some different hot sauces next year. Definitely want to do a scotch bonnet, I�ve been loving their flavour recently.

Any recommendations welcomed. I like hot but not too hot! I had a bad experience with a Naga a few years ago, without going into too much detail it resulted in heart palpitations and me rocking on my chair for a while.

Any that are fragrant and have flavours I wouldn�t have tasted before would be great!

Thanks

[Small pumpkin]

Thanks everyone.

Growing my own fruit and veg has become my main release from a stressful corporate job, I�m looking forward to sharing tips (mainly receiving ) for the next few years hopefully.

I will hold fire on planting until next mo th in that case. Though now might be the time to do some seed shopping!

I�m wanting to create some different hot sauces next year. Definitely want to do a scotch bonnet, I�ve been loving their flavour recently.

Any recommendations welcomed. I like hot but not too hot! I had a bad experience with a Naga a few years ago, without going into too much detail it resulted in heart palpitations and me rocking on my chair for a while.

Any that are fragrant and have flavours I wouldn�t have tasted before would be great!

Thanks

Any time is a good time for seed shopping
Best advice I can give is keep trying lots of different varieties. I usually try 4 or 5 new varieties each year. Some end up on my permanent grow list some never get grown again.
Everyone has very different tastes and heat tolerance. So what I like you may find taste horrible or to hot. Also some may grow better in your location and conditions than others.
Some of my personal favourites that I grow every year are Thai dragon, sugar rush peach, monkey face (new to me this year, but love it), Dorset Naga, jalape�o & chocolate habanero.

[Mitzi]

If you like scotch bonnet and want something fragrant then Bahamian Goat is a must. It’s my contribution to the seed circle this year so hopefully everyone will be growing it next year. It has a similar heat to SB with a superb fruity flavour.Drop me a PM with your address and I’ll send you some, as you won’t qualify for the seed circle this year. I’ll add some yellow scotch bonnet too.

For hot sauces you can always blend superhots with milder chillies, you don’t have to stick to single varieties.

I’ve spent the last three years trying lots of new varieties each year but next year I’m going back to some favourites from previous years including Sugar Rush Peach, Aji Omnicolour, Aleppo if I can find some seeds, Basque (Espelette) and Rezha. These last 3 are quite mild but have good flavour so would add some depth to your sauces.

I haven’t decided on which chinenses to grow but I’m trying to overwinter 8 so I might not need to sow any new ones.