Chilli thread 2022 🌶

Stephen_Maturin

Posted about this in an old zombie thread so said I should probably start a new one… I started a veg garden in my conservatory in March which included planting some “Tokyo hot” (a cayenne variety?) chillis. 

I also got some biquinho seeds mid April and but by the time they arrived it’s been too late to germinate so I’m eagerly awaiting next year to get them started!

Have 4 cayennes on the go at the moment all still very small and slow to grow despite being in a hothouse. Say they’re between 3 and 6 inches tall at this stage…can’t wait for them to start stretching…my tomatoes are near 2m now…feel like the chillis are mocking me lol 

Any other chilli enthusiasts growing this year?? 🌶

Would love to hear all of your highs and lows from other chilli growers!

Ms2011

I went to a plant and seed swap about 2 weeks ago and picked up some 'purple pepper' seedlings. I've no idea whether they are sweet or chilli peppers but they are growing rapidly since I transplanted them into individual pots and are loving the heat from my South facing window sill.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119093433#Comment_119093433

Purple pepper sounds pretty cool!

I’ve been growing mine from seed since mid March, they’re in a south facing conservatory and are growing a glacial pace…I’m hopeful they’ll hit a growth spurt soon enough, I suppose the more leaves they put on the more energy they can synthesise to grow faster and it’ll be exponential eventually…I hope!

scarepanda

I sowed jalapeno seeds in February. Left them in the spare room, south facing window, over the rad until April. Moved them out to the greenhouse the end of April. They have been potted up twice so far and will be potted up to their final home tomorrow, 12L buckets.

So far I have 1 fully set fruit and a few more almost there. Plenty of flowers. I also have some bell peppers, a small bit further behind but going good as well.

I've been feeding once a week with tomato feed about 3 weeks.

Stephen_Maturin

Fruits already that’s exciting!

You’ve definitely got the right idea germinating them early - I’ll certainly be getting myself a propagator to do the same myself!

scarepanda

Sure is! I was well surprised when i saw the first flower back in April, it was probably early April too as it was on the plant a week or two before I moved them out. I didn't use a propagator at all! The combination of daytime sun and heat through the window and the radiators at night seemed to do the trick. One thing I didn't have was the plants suffering shock when I moved them out. I've seen a good few youtubers who say their tomatoes and peppers get shock when they move them to polytunnels/greenhouses at their allotments.

I'm not sure if I should have taken the flower off the plant or not to let it get bigger. But I'm not after a huge harvest so I said I'd leave it be and see how we get on.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119123201#Comment_119123201

Well fair play that’s impressive!

I think my main issue is simply that I got started too late, only planted the seed in late March. It’s a south facing conservatory so they certainly aren’t wanting for light or heat - the biggest one (while still only about 6” tall) has been putting on more and more leaves, we better hit a critical mass at some point!

It’s frustrating when every single other crop in the glasshouse is flourishing but I think the chillies will give me the most satisfaction if I manage to get a crop at all!

Exiled1

Very difficult to get results if you plant seed after late February, even more so if you try in March, though I have succeeded. Peppers need a really long growing season, particularly for early growth.

I often take a short cut with germination, putting the seeds in damp tissue paper and plastic bag and leaving in the hot press for a few weeks. Speeds up germination. I lose quite a few but the majority can be easily potted and they will thrive.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133862#Comment_119133862

So I’m finding!

They're growing rather slowly alright.

I’ve biquinho pepper seeds that I got this year too, super excited to get them going but it’ll have to wait till next January unfortunately…can’t wait, those biquinhos are like crack - gonna plant 10, along with whatever hot peppers I go with

Outkast_IRE

I am not growing this year , but i would say i used the Chilli grow planters from greenhouse sensation for a good few years and the yields were excellent.

Best success i had was in a conservatory / greenhouse, huge yields from each plant and a chilli grow planter.

A small greenhouse of any basic type is highly recommended for this country for a good yield.

Ms2011

Mine are getting attack badly but aphids at the moment!!

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156913#Comment_119156913

Yeah I’m growing in a conservatory, they’re progressing slowly but with 3 months of summer now I have strong hopes they’ll provide a reasonable harvest by the end!

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159274#Comment_119159274

What kinds are you growing this year?

Did you try get some ladybirds in to do a job on them?

Ms2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160660#Comment_119160660

They are purple peppers, I'm not sure of the variety as I got them at a seed and plant swap.

They are on a south facing windowsill so Ladybirds aren't really an option 😋

Exiled1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160658#Comment_119160658

if they are strong looking now, irrespective of their height, they will be fine and produce good crops. It's a matter of waiting until autumn.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119166571#Comment_119166571

How do these guys look to your more experienced eye?

I mistakenly thought I’d planted cayennes but after coming across the empty packet realised they’re a variety called “Demon red”

Planted from seed in late March, about 7” tall now, they’re in a conservatory

Stephen_Maturin

Greetings chilliheads, how are your crops coming along? My demon reds are growing nicely now after an extremely slow start! Flowers starting to appear now so hopefully fruit won’t be long behind.

After some research I’ve learned that demon reds are actually a dwarf variety so I’m no longer concerned about their relatively unimpressive height this far into the growing season

Samson1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119244438#Comment_119244438

Wow, they are very impressive !! And they say that March is too late to plant !!

I planted too early - mid February, their growth got stunted, and they are really only starting to come back now, still only a few inches tall. I did a few varieties and of those only the haberneros might do any good. Had a great crop of Cayenne last year, but they have struggled for me this year.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119246349#Comment_119246349

Thanks! Yeah it’s exciting to see them progressing now after they took so long to get off the ground. Hopefully they’ll set fruit soon enough that there’ll be time to ripen before it gets cold again!

Hopefully we’ll get a nice hot July for your plants to bounce back strongly

Exiled1

Nice healthy plants. Most chili varieties will grow to about 70-90cm tall and need only a cane or two to support them.... may need a bit more when fruits are in full growth.

I still have a coffee jar of dried chilis from last year and they are super when grated into dishes.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119257407#Comment_119257407

And have you many on the go again this year or still surviving off of last year’s crop?

Stephen_Maturin

Greetings chiliheads, another update

The demon red, plenty of flowers on her and plenty more to come

The beginnings of those small, hot chillis coming through! Hopefully another 3 months of reasonably mild weather should see a few ripen at least! I’d be happy even with a mere handful

Ms2011

Getting some flower buds myself at the moment despite the dreaded aphids.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119305441#Comment_119305441

Oh don’t get me started on the aphids - managed to make it this far only for them to strike a couple of weeks ago after a certain unscrupulous housemate brought his plants from the garden into the conservatory 🙄

My plants haven’t been badly savaged thankfully but still require daily checks and the odd spray of soapy water

Ms2011

Washing with soapy water every other day, it's not ridding them completely but it's keeping them at bay!

Stephen_Maturin

FŪCKING APHID BASTAAAAARDS!! 😖

Turn my back for two days being slammed in work and having covid and return to find my prize plant surrounded in a nest of her own dropped flowers and covered in the little leeches. Squished about a hundred of them and then nuked the bloody thing with soap solution.

Still plenty of chillis on the plant but maddening seeing all those potentials gone in the dropped flowers. I was ambivalent up to now but I declare a lifelong enmity for aphids. Pricks.

Exiled1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119305364#Comment_119305364

First of my Jalapeños consumed yesterday. Two shrubs should give me at least fifty and possible double that. It's a matter of patience.

I've been growing chilli's yearly for about 7 years now, but this year Im not having much success. Doing everything as usual, albeit, on the west coast. when previously I was in Dublin. I have grow lights and they are on a west facing window. One basically got fried during the very hot window. I have one small plant with a couple of small fruit and 2 medium size plants with no flowers.

I'm a bit stumped tbh.

Sprog

Sweet thread, has anyone had much luck growing chillis from the seeds of ones bought in the shop? I have some sprouted and growing to about an inch now, wondering if there's much I can do to help them along? (gave the young leaves a few drops of a foliar spray made from some seaweed when I was doing the other plants, but no other intervention)

Exiled1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119411340#Comment_119411340

Sounds like you're a bit late in the year for results. I think they need consistent heat from a relatively early stage. They have a long germinating and growing season. Sowed seeds in mid January and the first full size (green) pepper fleshed out in mid July in good poly tunnel conditions.

Keep feeding weekly and hoping.....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119411340#Comment_119411340

I have grown jalapenos from seeds from Jalapenos in the jar. I was amazed they sprouted and grew fruit. I have also grown them from store bought chillies in the past.

This year I bought a pack of seeds online, and unfortunately have not had much success. Maybe it was just a dodgy pack.

I'll share a couple of gardening 'hacks' Ive developed over the years.

Get a plastic egg box, you'll get them in any shop, similar to this, but remember to take out the eggs!:

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/eggs-in-a-plastic-container-picture-id1202676570?s=612x612

Fill each section with a little bit of compost and plant a seed in each and mist the surface with water. Close over the lid, and you have got a cheap propagator.

In the past I have used a 12-egg box and gotten all 12 to sprout.

This might help others in the future.