Chillies - growing and overwintering 2019

[Small pumpkin]

Ok so two days of monitoring my germination room, steady between 14.5-17 hopefully should be ok, maybe with a lamp on there to raise it slightly.

Next question is suitable germination pots. I’ve traditionally used trays with speedster modules, but I’m sick of breaking them when I push the seedlings out to repot. I need something a bit more substantial

What’s speedster modules ? I use cheap module trays. I manage to reuse them for several years. They don’t break when I remove seedlings.

[toomanytommytoes]

Here's a pic of a seed packet, says it's annuum. Semo are also the breeder/grower of Semaroh, Palivec, Amy and a few others you see being sold by seed sellers in the UK.

[ecudc]

I've got an orange hab, biquinho, lemon drop, Birdseye from a supermarket, Trinidad perfume and a Havana gold overwintering inside. The rest are having to risk it in the conservatory along with the lemon, lime, olive and passionfruit but as it's not heated so I don't hold out much hope. As usually I seem to have bought about a small countries worth of chilli seeds for next year. Hopefully we will have better weather.

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

What’s speedster modules ? I use cheap module trays. I manage to reuse them for several years. They don’t break when I remove seedlings.

I think that was meant to be separate, autocorrect got me. It sounds like we use similar trays, I just seem to break them.

What are you trying to germinate? Germination will be very low and sporadic for chillies in that temperature. You will probably need some bottom heat? Airing cupboard?

We’ve not actually got an airing cupboard in our house, but do have a nice cupboard round our boiler in. The kitchen which always seems quite warm.

I might just get a couple of module trays planted up and put in there until they germinate.

Thanks all

[Jungle Jane]

If you use a teaspoon to scoop the seedling out the plastic modules,they last for years. The spoon of seedling can go straight into a 3� pot of compost really easily.

[hop-a-long]

Hi all,

I've had a mixed year growing chillies this year, jalepenos and cayenne did well for me, but had a pretty small crop from the superhots. I grew 7 pot bubblegum, really lovely flavour and heat just the right side of bearable when sliced onto a pizza! Also tried growing a chocolate Carolina reaper.... Just pure pain!! Couldn't handle it fresh, but I've got a couple in the freezer that I might make into hot sauce if I get time.

I have probably left it too late at this stage, but was thinking I should probably try and save some of my chilli plants and overwinter them, I haven't pruned them back or anything, thay are still out in the greenhouse. The pots are too big to bring into my house so they'll have to take their chances out there, but I was just wondering - have any of you ever tried taking cuttings from your plants around now and rooting them on inside for next season, incase the overwintering plants dont survive?

[dave_100]

Should be fine as long as the roots haven't frozen and been killed,

Here are a few pics and notes on how I am overwintering my Thai dragon chilli this year (first time for me!)

https://imgur.com/a/bN94qqt

[Mitzi]

Does anyone have any idea of a minimum temperature the room will need to successfully germinate / for the seedlings to grow?

For germination you want a location that is constantly warm, but they don't need light. I still have an old fashioned airing cupboard with a hot water cylinder in it, so I germinate mine in there. Someone I know germinates his in a plastic tub sitting on top of the Sky TV box - it's always on so it's always warm. Ideal temperature range is between 20 & 30C I'd say. Once they have germinated, they can grow on cooler, and if you don't have grow lights they need to go in the lightest possible spot in the house. A a large fluctuation between day and night time temperatures can harm tiny seedlings.

[Mitzi]

Next question is suitable germination pots. I’ve traditionally used trays with speedster modules, but I’m sick of breaking them when I push the seedlings out to repot. I need something a bit more substantial

I germinate my seeds on damp kitchen roll in plastic boxes. Once they start to sprout, I prick them out individually into Jiffy 7s. Once the roots grow through the Jiffy 7, I pot them up into either pop bottles or doubled plastic porridge pots or large yoghurt pots. This involves more faffing about than most people do, and I don't always manage to pot them up when they need it, but mostly it works for me.

[dave_100]

I bought a �15 heated Stewarts propagator from B&Q and it was very easy and successful, best investment I've made on my chilli growing I think so far. Just whacked it on, 8 small pots inside, seeds popped in just over a week

https://pasteboard.co/IL6S1M0.jpg

[Itschilliupnorth]

New ish chilli grower

Hey I�m new to the site and looking for advice on all things chilli. So 2019 was my first year growing, started them off in a propagator to germinate then moved to a sunny windowsill untill they were big enough to go outside, this year I�m stepping my game up and I�ve got a 100w vitopod heated propagator, I want to put it in the garage so it�s out of the way but I�m unsure about lighting, I have a 30cm led light but I want to know if this will be enough light.

Light specs

Lamp power 12w
Colour temp (cct) 6500k/2700k
Length 30cm
Beam angle 120degrees
Height of 35cm will give a spread of 110cm

[Itschilliupnorth]

Chilli

I don't know much about lighting but as soon as they germinate they will need space and light to grow on.
Often they can't go outside until May. How many plants do you intend to grow on?

I can fit 15 fully grown in my greenhouse at a push, so the propagator can fit quite a few in so I�ll start quite a few off as I tend to give some to family and friends

[toomanytommytoes]

That light won't cover a very large area, you'll probably be able to fit about six (or nine at a squeeze) 9cm pots under it. You probably want the bulb about 4 inches above the canopy of the plants. Seedlings and young chilli plants don't need tremendous amounts of light, mine do fine underneath 24W 2ft fluorescent T5 bulbs. If you want to cover a larger area I would buy 2ft or 4ft LED battens or find an old fluorescent fixture and put LED tubes (i.e. 'substitubes') in it.

[Mitzi]

Hi all,

I've had a mixed year growing chillies this year, jalepenos and cayenne did well for me, but had a pretty small crop from the superhots. I grew 7 pot bubblegum, really lovely flavour and heat just the right side of bearable when sliced onto a pizza! Also tried growing a chocolate Carolina reaper.... Just pure pain!! Couldn't handle it fresh, but I've got a couple in the freezer that I might make into hot sauce if I get time.

I have probably left it too late at this stage, but was thinking I should probably try and save some of my chilli plants and overwinter them, I haven't pruned them back or anything, thay are still out in the greenhouse. The pots are too big to bring into my house so they'll have to take their chances out there, but I was just wondering - have any of you ever tried taking cuttings from your plants around now and rooting them on inside for next season, incase the overwintering plants dont survive?

I had a very poor year, the late spring pretty much scuppered it.

I have tried taking chilli cuttings a few years ago but most didn’t take and the one that did, didn’t thrive. It’s certainly possible but not easy.

[Mitzi]

Today’s the day! First seeds are soaking. Purple Peach, IC2, BBG7 and Fatalii. Some are old seeds so I’m not expecting them all to succeed.

Definitely not growing as many plants and varieties this coming year and very few new ones; going back to some old favourites.