Chillies - Growing and Over wintering 2020

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

You are officially crackers!

Are all these greenhouses / polytunnels / cold frames heated? Because if not, there's no way you can put chilli seedlings out in them in February. You might get away with April if you're in a particularly warm area but realistically it's going to be May. You've started them quite early so they will be substantial plants by April. Where are you going to keep them until it's warm enough to put them in the greenhouses?

Replying to SS, Mitzi, SP in one- yep I realise I may have gone a little OTT with the SB, I think part of it is that I’m desperately looking for a way to leave the corporate life behind, and do something that combines my love for growing Jung’s and cooking, so seeing planting the full packet was probably a subconscious response to that and to see if can keep everything alive on a larger scale than I have previously.

Regarding growing on, I am going to send a fair few in to my parents who can probably fit 30 in my old bedroom window / kitchen window until April, the rest will have to grow on my own windowsill, luckily I have a pretty light gardening room which has a work top right next to the window with room for maybe 60 more mature plants. Other than that, I will be visiting the in-laws for space haha

Regarding using them, I do love slow cooked Mexican one pot stuff, so I think I’ll be eating a fair bit of that this year, and I’ll probably test some hot sauce recipes out. Looks like everyone will be getting hot sauce based hampers for Christmas next year

[ameno]

Be warned - chilli growing is addictive. I grew a few accidentally in 2016 and last year had over 40 varieties (cutting down this year.)

When to sow depends more on what facilities and space you have indoors than on where they will end up. Do you have grow lights? Sunny windowsills? Obviously you’ll have to wait slightly longer to plant outside compared with in a greenhouse but if you can provide heat and light and enough space to grow them on, then you could start them now. Otherwise wait until mid to late February when natural light is getting better.

I have a heated propagator, and I do have one grow light, but it's currently being monopolized by my citrus plants.
Think I'd best wait until mid February.

[Mitzi]

I accidentally grew chillis last year (bought what were meant to be sweet pepper plants, but two ended up being chillis), so I thought I'd try growing some on purpose this year.
I plan on growing them outside, through black plastic (brave, I know, but last year's ones did well this way, and my allotment gets a lot of sun, so I thought I'd chance it).
The varieties I'm growing are all fairly mild (I don't like much heat). I've bought seeds of:
-Biquino Red
-Numex Suave Red
-Beaver Dam

How early should I be sowing for outdoor plants?

Be warned - chilli growing is addictive. I grew a few accidentally in 2016 and last year had over 40 varieties (cutting down this year.)

When to sow depends more on what facilities and space you have indoors than on where they will end up. Do you have grow lights? Sunny windowsills? Obviously you’ll have to wait slightly longer to plant outside compared with in a greenhouse but if you can provide heat and light and enough space to grow them on, then you could start them now. Otherwise wait until mid to late February when natural light is getting better.

[Mitzi]

I’m probably cheating a little, several of my varieties are very big producers and quite weighty pods. (Jalapeños, rocoto la Paz rojo, monkey face) which helps put up my average.

I sowed my first lot on the 27th, first one pop his little head above ground today. I was starting to worry!
When did you start Mitzi?

I got a grand total of 2 pods off monkey face and zero jalapeño. La Paz Rojo was fantastic in 2018 so I’m going to try that again this year.

29th (Sunday).

[ameno]

I accidentally grew chillis last year (bought what were meant to be sweet pepper plants, but two ended up being chillis), so I thought I'd try growing some on purpose this year.
I plan on growing them outside, through black plastic (brave, I know, but last year's ones did well this way, and my allotment gets a lot of sun, so I thought I'd chance it).
The varieties I'm growing are all fairly mild (I don't like much heat). I've bought seeds of:
-Biquino Red
-Numex Suave Red
-Beaver Dam

How early should I be sowing for outdoor plants?

[Small pumpkin]

I grew over 60 plants last season. Probably averaged about 10g of chillies per plant (had numerous plants where I got no harvest at all as they either hadn't formed or hadn't ripened by the time the frost came and turned them all to mush.)

This year's shaping up to be even worse because not one single seed has popped yet.

I’m probably cheating a little, several of my varieties are very big producers and quite weighty pods. (Jalapeños, rocoto la Paz rojo, monkey face) which helps put up my average.

I sowed my first lot on the 27th, first one pop his little head above ground today. I was starting to worry!
When did you start Mitzi?

[Mitzi]

I usually grow 60 to 70 plants. They averages out at about 1kg of chillies per plant.... just saying

I grew over 60 plants last season. Probably averaged about 10g of chillies per plant (had numerous plants where I got no harvest at all as they either hadn't formed or hadn't ripened by the time the frost came and turned them all to mush.)

This year's shaping up to be even worse because not one single seed has popped yet.

[Small pumpkin]

I'm interested that you are growing TML again. Do you like it? I wasn't impressed by it at all. Very difficult to get the pods fully ripe along the whole length and the flavour wasn't all that impressive.

I love it. It’s a seriously impressive plant ( when I look after it properly, not so much last year ). It dries brilliantly because of it very thin walls, stunning colour when powdered.

[Mitzi]

First batch of seeds have been sown.
ohnivec, Dorset naga, choc hab, monkey face, Trinidad perfume, giant white hab, la Paz rojo, thunder mountain longhorn, nebru7, sugar rush peach, pink hab, pimento de Padron.

I'm interested that you are growing TML again. Do you like it? I wasn't impressed by it at all. Very difficult to get the pods fully ripe along the whole length and the flavour wasn't all that impressive.

[Small pumpkin]

Got my seedlings underway today. I maybe have gone a bit OTT and planted 130 Scotch Bonnets, 10 Chocolate Habaneros and 10 Lemon drops.

I’ve got to ask. Why so many?
In the past I’ve been accused of being a bit nuts ( boarding on completely off my rocker ) for growing a lot of chillies. But holy cr@p that’s a lot of chillies .
I usually grow 60 to 70 plants. They averages out at about 1kg of chillies per plant.... just saying

[Mitzi]

My fiancé’s Aunty gave me an Amazon voucher for Christmas so used it on a heated propagator.

Got my seedlings underway today. I maybe have gone a bit OTT and planted 130 Scotch Bonnets, 10 Chocolate Habaneros and 10 Lemon drops.

Plan is to send up a fair few of the SB’s to my dad in yorkshire in February, to grow on in his greenhouse (or hopefully the 2 greenhouses and potentially 2 polytunnels in the new house they are looking at moving to)

The rest will grow on in my greenhouse and the 4 cold frame / greenhouse hybrids in building!

I ga feeling a lot of my other fruit and veg plans will be shelved this year!

You are officially crackers!

Are all these greenhouses / polytunnels / cold frames heated? Because if not, there's no way you can put chilli seedlings out in them in February. You might get away with April if you're in a particularly warm area but realistically it's going to be May. You've started them quite early so they will be substantial plants by April. Where are you going to keep them until it's warm enough to put them in the greenhouses?

[SimpleSimon]

My fiancé’s Aunty gave me an Amazon voucher for Christmas so used it on a heated propagator.

Got my seedlings underway today. I maybe have gone a bit OTT and planted 130 Scotch Bonnets, 10 Chocolate Habaneros and 10 Lemon drops.

Plan is to send up a fair few of the SB’s to my dad in yorkshire in February, to grow on in his greenhouse (or hopefully the 2 greenhouses and potentially 2 polytunnels in the new house they are looking at moving to)

The rest will grow on in my greenhouse and the 4 cold frame / greenhouse hybrids in building!

I ga feeling a lot of my other fruit and veg plans will be shelved this year!

130 scotch bonnets! Haha. I grew loads of scotch bonnets last year and gave tons to my neighbour. She now bobs round with jerk chicken and curried goat for me. Absolute winner. Cannot argue with that.

Choc Habs are my fav chilli for sure. About as hot as can be without being unusable. They look great when ripe as well. I must be the only person not keen on lemon drops tho. The plants produced so many chillis tho I may have just been overwhelmed.

[Zonmatron]

I’ve started a roquito as of mid December. My chili operation is slightly unusual- whilst we have an allotment this is our first full year on it and I have no greenhouse, so chili are grown in the flat, hydroponically. The last one we grew loved this and was huge- basket of fire variety that lasted 2 years before giving up at about 480 fruit. It was advertised to be a productive plant and that it was!
Hoping to do some sweet peppers outside this year.

[Small pumpkin]

First batch of seeds have been sown.
ohnivec, Dorset naga, choc hab, monkey face, Trinidad perfume, giant white hab, la Paz rojo, thunder mountain longhorn, nebru7, sugar rush peach, pink hab, pimento de Padron.

Area 51 is set up ready for germination.

[Mitzi]

Cayenne is a great choice for sure, a good all rounder.
Is there any variety a little "fruitier" but again not too hot?
I was thinking of something that matches blending several varieties, say cayenne and trinidad perfume?

Aji Omnicolour might be a good one for you. Relatively compact plants and quick to ripen compared to most of the other baccatums, nice flavour, some heat but not excessive. I grew it two years ago and am going back to it this year. Or Sugar Rush Peach? They are a bit fleshier than Cayenne so will need drying properly (dehydrator or oven) as opposed to the Cayenne which can just air-dry naturally.