Potting on chillies

[Two_Sheds]

Should these be split into separate pots now?

I wouldn't, personally. They aren't crowded, and chillies don't seem to mind being potted on, some sites even recommend keeping them in pots that seem too small

should I water them more, less, more often, less often, adding nutrients....what?

They're seedlings, they don't need feeding yet. Feed them when they start flowering. As for watering, keep them drier than you'd think you should how to water seedlings - YouTube

The surface of the soil should not be moist

[Headfry]

Can I hijack a little please.... at what stage should I pinch out the tips?

[donnakebab]

Eh? Do you pinch out the tips?

Never grown them before so I'd like to know too.

I tell you I'm learning so much on this forum. It's way better than any book.

[MrsDaffy]

I know a guy on a chilli forum who pots seedlings into 6" pots, then straight into builders buckets.
This year he has planted a seed direct in a bucket to see how it goes. The seedling is up, but still early days.
He produces thousands of pods every year
Not that i reccomend quite such a jump. lol

That's one of the best things about growing your own - listen to all the advice and experiment what works best for you. I like the bucket idea - will be giving that one a go!

[MrsDaffy]

Can I hijack a little please.... at what stage should I pinch out the tips?

When your plant gets to about 20 cm and if it looks a bit sticklike, you can pinch out the growing tip and that should encourage your plant to bush out more. A friend of mine does this and it seems to work for her but I've never done it personally - I feel so guilty!

[Florence Fennel]

I treat chillies mean to keep 'em keen. Keep them in a bit smaller pot than you should and water them less often than you feel like and you'll not go far wrong.

[jdlondon]

They're seedlings, they don't need feeding yet.

Why is that then? Is it because they're using whatever it is inside them, and water, and also that they're so small still they don't need much?

[rustylady]

Why is that then? Is it because they're using whatever it is inside them, and water, and also that they're so small still they don't need much?

There are enough nutrients in the compost to feed them for around six weeks, by which time you'll be potting on into fresh compost, again with enough nutrients for six weeks, etc. etc.

[jdlondon]

Thanks. And then when they start flowering/fruiting, you feed according to their specific plant instructions or is there a generic rule too?

[sewer rat]

I grow a lot of chillies (though not so many this year) - usually about 150 plants - mostly Cayenne and Jalapeno, and I never pinched out any of these plants. I am with FF in that I pamper the plants til they are ready to plant in the polytunnel then they are more or less ignored and they seem to thrive on this neglect. I have never had a poor crop and the plants keep going for months and months.

[Headfry]

Thanks folks - think I will go with the NO pinching! have never pinched before- I had read that I should pinch!

Still it will be pinch punch first of the.....on Sunday!!!! then its Easter, then summer (we hope) then bonfire night, then halloween then..... how many shopping days to Christmas...where does the time go!!!!

[mcuk]

Thanks folks - think I will go with the NO pinching! have never pinched before- I had read that I should pinch!

Some people go further, they grow the chillis early, transplant them deeply into a big pot and cut them back heavily - all in order to make the plants into strong low-lying bushes. It just depends on the variety and your personal requirements.

[shona_b]

Thanks for posting the pic of the chillis - they look identical to mine and I have made a note to seperate them out into their own pots now - and to plant them quite deep! thanks all

[Pa Snips]

Thanks for posting the pic of the chillis

'Tis a pleasure.

they look identical to mine and I have made a note to separate them out into their own pots now - and to plant them quite deep! thanks all

Both of which I did yesterday, though not quite as deep as I would have liked; the roots already reached the bottom of the pots and I didn't have any larger pots left, so they went slightly deeper and I filled the compost right to the top.

[SarzWix]

I've been growing chillis and peppers for, um, nearly 10 years I think, and I never pinch out any tips either. The plants naturally branch out on their own, so there's no need IMHO. If you want low/small plants, then it's easier to grow naturally smaller varieties. Or, just keep them in a smaller pot, and that restricts the growth too.