Total beginner gardener, seeking advice...

[Craigfunkulus]

Hello there!

I'm pretty new to this gardening lark, and having no experience except helping out my mum and grannies when I was little, I decided to start growing bell peppers back in June(I wrote the date on it, otherwise I would never remember).

So after putting two peppers worth of seeds into plant pots, and then thinning them out when they got too crowded, I kept the best ones and put them into a home-made greenhouse. So far so good, they were coming along nicely.

I then put them into bigger pots, and eventually a planter, wilting away the small ones for space's sake, I have one that has a flowering flower(that looks wrong to me, don't know the terminology).

However, they seem to be wilting a bit, and I am unsure as to why. They get watered almost every day, and they are away from the harsh elements. The only other thing I think it could be is heat, or a lack thereof.

They do get a good day's sunlight, but this is October in Scotland after all, and I'm now beginning to fear for their lives. I can't imagine if they would need alot of heat, just enough to keep jack frost away, if that is indeed the cause of the problem. Right well enough with this essay, here are some photographs that hopefully someone will be able to diagnose.

Cheers!
Thank you for reading!

[HeyWayne]

We're all beginners at some point.

My guess would be that they're not getting enough sunlight. Peppers (capsicums) are summer flowering plants and are coming to the end of their season. I'd move them indoors for the winter, into a sunny position and keep an eye on them. They'll look unhappy during the winter months, but be sure not to over water them, water them only when they look dry.

I'd hope that come next season you'll hit the ground running with them and get a decent harvest.

Just realised that you say you've put a "whole peppers worth" of seeds. Does this mean you used a shop bought pepper and used the seeds from that? If that's the case you may not be that successful as shop bought "edible" produce doesn't necessarilly mean viable seeds.

You might be lucky though.

Good luck with them.

Oh, and welcome aboard the vine.

[SarzWix]

They need above 5°c, which might be a struggle without a heater at this time of year, plus, I think you might be over-watering them. Chillis and peppers don't like having cold, wet 'feet', so only water them as much as they can use in one day or even let them dry out before watering.

[HotStuff]

Welcome to the Vine Craigfunkulus, as HW & SW have said your little babies are going to need some warmth over the winter, so if you can bring them inside they might survive, in which case you'll have a good head start for next year . June is very late to be sowing peppers, February would be a better time to start some off indoors. I know some people on here start sowing indoors around Xmas/New Year.

[ginger ninger]

Hi there Craigfunkulus and welcome to the vine,
Sound's like you've got some good advice, I'll echo the fact they don't like there feet to be wet, hope you go on alright with them, you'll have to keep us posted.

[rustylady]

Welcome to the Vine, your plants look healthy enough but I think you probably started them a bit too late for this year. Peppers I usually sow indoors around March, then put into the unheated greenhouse around May. You may be able to keep them going through the winter for an early crop next year if you're lucky. If not, then start again next year a bit earlier.

[Craigfunkulus]

Thanks for all the replys folks, I really appreciate it.

I have now taken the potted peppers into the house, but the ones in the box will need to stay outside as I don't have that much space indoors.