Chillies - what are you growing/overwintering?

[Small pumpkin]

Friggitello look good. Unfortunately I'm only growing one variety of sweet pepper next year, which is lamuyo. Sweet peppers take up far to much chilli growing space

[Scarlet]

I don't grow F1s, part of the growing cycle for me is seed saving. Obviously I can't save everything but even so open pollinated/heritage seed for me only.

I don't have huge luck with peppers but Maverick sent me some sweet aji seeds this year from realseeds absolutely fantastic. They aren't a huge pepper, maybe 4inch long narrow thing but they have a lovely taste. Green or red. Plants were really prolific. They just kept coming.
[
Sorry...think this one is cyklon...


Sweet Aji

[Small pumpkin]

They do look very nice scarlet. Is that a distant cousin of lemon drop, isn't that a Aji ? Or am I getting confused again

[Scarlet]

Yes, lemon drop is an AJi...here's the write up..wish I'd looked earlier - it says a 3year plant gave 270pepers!! It's on my grow list for next year.

"a hot pepper without the heat! Given to us by pepper expert Jeff Nekola. Aj� are a different species: Capsicum baccatum. This is one of the largest-fruited of our Aj� peppers, the beautiful fruit are shiny, almost waxy in appearance and glow a deep red when ripe.

Incredibly productive, & a favourite every year, we like it grilled and served with olive oil. Without the heat, subtle undertones of Aj� flavour come out, with distinct smokey tastes being the most obvious.

One of the easier of our unusual / rare peppers to grow, though you do need a polytunnel or greenhouse. If you want a challenge - it can be overwintered if you keep it frost-free - we did have one plant that made it to 3 years old and in its last year it made over 270 peppers!

We have had a couple of reports last year of stressed plants making some heat near the seeds. But in normal conditions this should be classed as a sweet pepper.

Very rare, pretty easy to grow. Gently smokey Aji. Not hot - mostly: the occasional pepper is warm, especially towards the end of the season, or with plants in their second or third year."

[Tripmeup]

Haha, don't listen to SP, she's nuts! ive just checked my book I grew both of them and indeed one is bigger than the other!



I'm never that lucky! You don't need to drill them. Youcan either heat up a screwdriver or a piece of copper pipe and push it through the bottom. The drills can sometimes split the bucket.

One thing I find that helps prevent splitting if using a drill is to do a number of them stacked on each other at the one time...

[Philthy]

...Maverick sent me some sweet aji seeds this year from realseeds

Is it just called "Sweet Aji" then? Seems a bit generic..

[Scarlet]

Early Sweet Pepper vegetable seeds to buy from The Real Seed Catalogue UK

"Dedo de Mocha" Sweet Aji.

I left a little bit off!

[Small pumpkin]

I'm very tempted now! So just stop it I haven't got space!
I'm growing 45 chillies next year +5 I'm over wintering ( if they make it )

[Ms-T]

Oh dear. sweet aji on the list for next yea r.they look wonderful ,Scarlet..

[Mitzi]

(Filius Blue): Beautiful plant to look at but chillies are very fiddly when using I find...may give them another go next year...

I'm planning to grow them on my Mum's patio. The primary consideration is that they look attractive, and being able to eat them too is almost a bonus. I read that they are quite hot when unripe but become much milder once they ripen to red, so that intrigues me.



I had another think about overwintering and have finally accepted that the mildewed annuum which may or may not be a Super Chilli F1 has to go in the bin. It's been such a good producer this year, and it feels like betraying an old friend, but it's the right thing to do. I don't want its problems to affect next year's plants, and it's unlikely to produce as well in its second year. I already knew that in my head but it's taken ages to get my heart to accept it. Just waiting for its current crop to ripen then I'm going to get rid. Sob.

[jacks10]

I'm very tempted now! So just stop it I haven't got space!
I'm growing 45 chillies next year +5 I'm over wintering ( if they make it )

Wow good luck!!

[jacks10]

Friggitello

I've got the same mixed pack from Mr F's.

The other 2 lots of seeds going to leave to early next year if I have space!!

[Small pumpkin]

Next year I will have one polytunnel with nothing but chillies in it
Would you stick some companion plants in there to encourage pollinators?
What would you use?
I was thinking a few tubs of marigolds dotted around.

[Mitzi]

Next year I will have one polytunnel with nothing but chillies in it
Would you stick some companion plants in there to encourage pollinators?
What would you use?
I was thinking a few tubs of marigolds dotted around.

Any open, daisy-like flowers should encourage pollinators. The tagetes type of marigold (French & African) are supposed to discourage something bad (forgotten what) from tomatoes so as chillies are related to toms, that should be a good companion plant. Also basil is supposed to discourage aphids or whitefly or something like that, so grow lots of basil!

I have polytunnel envy! I can't have one - my front garden faces south but slopes steeply and there's a restrictive covenant saying it must be kept to lawn, no shed or greenhouse allowed. The back garden is north facing and surrounded by high hedges, pretty much completely shaded except in the very height of summer.

[Ms-T]

Welll ,do some of you lot remember when some of us got some seeds in a sale in June.and i just had to try out my new heated propagator ,you know just to see if it worked,welll
here is next years swap.




Goronong Yellow