Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

[Philthy]

**Interesting footnote on chilli pepper lifespan though:

(Googling with tweaks)

The Capsicum Pubescens species is quite different from all other domesticated species of peppers and is also the least cultivated and least widespread of them all.
They are identified by their black seeds and hairy leaves.
A significant trait of this species is its ability to withstand and even thrive in temperatures that are lower than the temperatures other pepper plants can handle. (Still not frost hardy though).
Some of the more well known cultivars within this species are the Mexican Manzanos, Bolivian Locotos and Peruvian Rocotos.
The Rocoto for example is a heritage variety and is reputed - in ideal conditions - to grow into 3m+ woody plants relatively quickly, and live up to 15 years, which gives them, especially with age, an almost tree-like appearance.
Medium heat, fleshy fruits with black seeds, ripening from green to purple finally to red.

Fancy a challenge?

[Bluenowhere]

Would that be Challock Chilli Fest? I'm going to that, maybe see you there
Hoping to get hold of some Cheiro Roxa seeds; it's one of the exhibition plants on show

Indeed it is.
Well never say never, it’s always good to say hello
I have no idea what I want to get, just to get even more obsessed with growing chillis I think!


Thanks for the advice on greenfly, I’ve only ever had them outside on mature plants so all help welcome. Perhaps I’ll overwinter them in a different room from the one I use for my seeds in that case.

[ChilliWilly70]

Wow, they are incredible! You have done brilliantly to get them to crop like that; what's your secret? I would be thrilled to have a crop like that.

They look pretty reaper-like to me; you've got wonderful tails on them. If they are not reapers then they will still be incredibly hot. Have you tried any yet?

Hey no way i can tell you how i did it.:
Seriously i think i just got lucky with a combo of good weather and a good strain of seed.
Both plants put out some small smooth skinned peppers early on. But also lots of flowerdrop I thought this was due to the very high temps we were experiencing. So i put them outside for maybe a week.Both plants were covered in flowers and during July lots of peppers set i couldn't believe my eyes. Over 80 on the red one and nearly as many on the yellow.Once i had a decent amount set i removed any new flowers and pruned the red one to speed up ripening. The yellows are hot lots of my friends can confirm that,but at the same time nice flavoured. Only had a couple the reds and they very very hot. Well to me anyway, milk on standby and needed pretty soon after tasting.:
The other 4 four plants never really did anything right from the word go, not sure why as they all had the same treatment. I used a cheap single bulb led lamp to give them the extra light they needed while indoors.
Thanks for all your kind comments, i will need your advice re overwintering so please brace yourself for more questions.

[Babru]

Three chillies I can grow next year?

I've been reading this thread and am amazed by the weird and wonderful chillies so many of you grow. A mind-boggling variety in fact!

I'll have my first greenhouse by this winter and next year plan to grow tomatoes, cucumber and three chillies. I think one will be jalapeño as I already use these for cooking. We like Indian and Thai food especially. Is jalapeno a good choice for the novice home grower?

Any recommendations for my other two would be welcome. I don't want anything super-hot as I doubt I'd use many of them. Early cropping, long season, very pretty etc would all be good reasons to choose one over another.

I live in Edinburgh, and the greenhouse will be in my back garden and get sun a lot of the day. Any thoughts?

Also, given my northerly location, when should I sow them? I can keep the greenhouse frost free in spring till the weather warms up.

Thanks.

[Small pumpkin]

I've been reading this thread and am amazed by the weird and wonderful chillies so many of you grow. A mind-boggling variety in fact!

I'll have my first greenhouse by this winter and next year plan to grow tomatoes, cucumber and three chillies. I think one will be jalapeño as I already use these for cooking. We like Indian and Thai food especially. Is jalapeno a good choice for the novice home grower?

Any recommendations for my other two would be welcome. I don't want anything super-hot as I doubt I'd use many of them. Early cropping, long season, very pretty etc would all be good reasons to choose one over another.

I live in Edinburgh, and the greenhouse will be in my back garden and get sun a lot of the day. Any thoughts?

Also, given my northerly location, when should I sow them? I can keep the greenhouse frost free in spring till the weather warms up.

Thanks.

Jalapeño is perfect for a first chilli. I'd also go with basket of fire and Thai dragon ( I might think of a better one later and change my mind).

Greenhouse getting sun most of the day is perfect.
Best time to start them is Feb at the latest. But they will have to be in your house until at least May. Frost free isn't warm enough for chillies. Especially germinating seeds and seedlings.

[Babru]

Thanks, I'll look these both up. And thanks for the info about keeping them indoors till May. No point wasting money on a keeping the greenhouse frost-free if I don't need to.

[Scarlet]

If you don’t want to grow super hots a cayenne is very much worth growing. You can get a huge crop off one plant and they are an all rounder in the kitchen. Dry well and freeze well. Though I think a lemon drop is worth a shot too! If you take any of our advise on board you will end up with two dozen plants! Mitzi will be along soon with her favourites ....
I don’t have lights, I start off in a heated propagator and grow on the windowsills until mid/end of May when they go in the greenhouse.

[Babru]

Jalapeño is perfect for a first chilli. I'd also go with basket of fire and Thai dragon ( I might think of a better one later and change my mind).

Greenhouse getting sun most of the day is perfect.
Best time to start them is Feb at the latest. But they will have to be in your house until at least May. Frost free isn't warm enough for chillies. Especially germinating seeds and seedlings.

Basket of Fire look lovely, and a Which Best Buy in the past, which is also a good recommendation https://www.sowseeds.co.uk/products/...e-chilli-seeds

I think I may go for that one.

[Philthy]

Any recommendations for my other two would be welcome. I don't want anything super hot as I doubt I'd use many of them. Early cropping, long season, very pretty etc

I'd second cayenne as a good choice, specifically it's Purple variant as that one ticks a couple of your other boxes:
"The thin peppers go from a dark purple and eventually to red when fully ripe.
The plants are quite compact but can become tall and have wonderful white and purple flowers. This Pepper makes a great ornamental edible pepper. Mild to medium heat.
Great for all types of cooking, particularly if picked young and still purple.
Very easy to grow and very good for a beginner."

[robbra]

I picked up a chocolate cabanero with pods at Homebase for £1 yesterday and I'll be using the tips on here to try and overwinter it. If it doesn't work I should have some seeds to start again next year. Apparently it is quite a hot one.
Rob

[annie8]

Am going to try to overwinter my habaneros. When is it best to bring them inside? They are currently in the greenhouse.

[Scarlet]

I’ll probably bring mine in on the weekend. It’s getting cold at night.

[Mitzi]

Mitzi will be along soon with her favourites ....

I wasn't planning to, as there good suggestions already, but I can't see that anyone has recommended Lemon Drop which normally gets a nod on here...

Edit: Oops, Scarlet did in the very post I was quoting.

Personally I like scotch bonnets, I find them as hot as I can cope with for most dishes and like the flavour (what I can detect of it; I can't really detect the nuances of flavours that some chilli aficionados talk about. What is this "unmistakeable" scotch bonnet smell? I don't know.)

[Tripmeup]

Other suggestions from me (on the not too hot scale) would be Padron, Basque, Bulgarian Carrot, Chilaca (makes lovely pepper type powder when dry) and Big Jim...

[robbra]

Another trip to Homebase for paint and a ladder and felt sorry for a bedraggled Shakira, with four pods, great shape somewhat like chilliwilly70s'. A trunk then "Y" and more "Y"s upwards. Some sites say it's F1 but hope it isn't, another to try and overwinter.
This may get like my love of tomatoes.
Rob