Beginner trying to grow Carolina Reapers

[Maxilior]

Hi,

I'm attempting to grow some Carolina Reapers, and i am pretty much as inexperienced as you can get at growing anything.
I'm aware that this is probably not a suitable time to try and grow these plants, but as they've sprouted i would like to try my hardest to get them going.

The seeds were planted in a small pot with soil and were left inside propagator in an airing cupboard for the first week and they sprouted. Sprouting leaves have developed and are now being kept outside the airing cupboard in the light all day and back in the airing cupboard for the evening. Temperature of the airing cupboard probably not getting above 26°. These sprouts are still in the propagator, i'm just wondering at what point should they be removed from the propagator and into the fresh air.

I plan to grow these plants in doors throughout winter and have purchased a full spectrum grow light to make sure they get enough light.

Any tips would be appreciated,

Thanks.

[spamvindaloo]

Transplant when they've got the first or even second set of 'true' leaves (the first leaves are the seed leaves or cotyledons). Pot on in a small pot (no more than 3.5"). I don't think it needs to be in the airing cupboard overnight at the moment (I am assuming you are in the United kingdom).

You will get a head start on next season if you keep it going overwinter. The problem you may have is it will be growing out of season so will be confused as to when to flower. If it starts flowering too early, you could take the flowers off.

[Jungle Jane]

You can take them out the propagator & put them under the grow lights now,they'l stay small for a while but they need to be fairly close to the light depending what light you've got & instructions etc

[Maxilior]

Transplant when they've got the first or even second set of 'true' leaves (the first leaves are the seed leaves or cotyledons). Pot on in a small pot (no more than 3.5"). I don't think it needs to be in the airing cupboard overnight at the moment (I am assuming you are in the United kingdom).

You will get a head start on next season if you keep it going overwinter. The problem you may have is it will be growing out of season so will be confused as to when to flower. If it starts flowering too early, you could take the flowers off.

Yeah i'm in the UK, i have them in a 3.5" pot already and they have grown to just over an inch tall at the moment.

I'll remove them from the propagator tonight and leave it in the light then. Should i leave it to natural light still? or start using my grow light? as theirs barely any sun right now.

Even if they do start to flower over winter, will they not produce peppers?

[SusieG]

Hi & welcome to the Vine Maxilior ...

There's plenty of chilli-heads on this here grapevine who've had loads of experience growing chillis ....

I do grow them, but have never tried out-of-season ~ best of luck Max .....keep us informed how things progress ~ photos please...!!!! We like photos...!!!

[Maxilior]

You can take them out the propagator & put them under the grow lights now,they'l stay small for a while but they need to be fairly close to the light depending what light you've got & instructions etc

Ok great, any approximate amount of time that they should be under the light?

I plan to have the plant by the window during the day and then move the plant to where my grow light is and have that on from 6pm-10pm and then leave them over night.

Hopefully that should give them enough light to be able to feed off of to be able to grow.

[Maxilior]

Hi & welcome to the Vine Maxilior ...

There's plenty of chilli-heads on this here grapevine who've had loads of experience growing chillis ....

I do grow them, but have never tried out-of-season ~ best of luck Max .....keep us informed how things progress ~ photos please...!!!! We like photos...!!!

Thanks for the welcome.

I'll be sure to add some pics

[spamvindaloo]

Yeah i'm in the UK, i have them in a 3.5" pot already and they have grown to just over an inch tall at the moment.

I'll remove them from the propagator tonight and leave it in the light then. Should i leave it to natural light still? or start using my grow light? as theirs barely any sun right now.

Even if they do start to flower over winter, will they not produce peppers?

Are you planning to grow them permanently under grow lights? If yes then you can create your own season by controlling the light levels and heat. If you just want to keep them going over winter so you can stick them in a greenhouse next summer then you want them in sync with the actual season.

Ideally, you want to develop short and stout, strong plants not leggy weak ones so your grow light will help with this and you can start using it now. One word of warning though is that some grow light units (even the led ones) can give off a bit of heat so be careful not to let them get too dry. They definitely don't want re-potting for a while if they're only an inch tall.

[Maxilior]

Are you planning to grow them permanently under grow lights? If yes then you can create your own season by controlling the light levels and heat. If you just want to keep them going over winter so you can stick them in a greenhouse next summer then you want them in sync with the actual season.

Ideally, you want to develop short and stout, strong plants not leggy weak ones so your grow light will help with this and you can start using it now. One word of warning though is that some grow light units (even the led ones) can give off a bit of heat so be careful not to let them get too dry. They definitely don't want re-potting for a while if they're only an inch tall.

I guess so, i don't really have the space to be able to set something up outside.
I'm assuming i can control the their height wit the height of the grow light and trimming the plant yes?

Ok then i'll make sure to keep an eye on them the soil then.
Thanks.

[Jungle Jane]

I create my own season for mine,they're in a tropical microclimate of Essex they're under my light for about 12-14 hours I don't know if that's right at all but it works,sometimes I leave the light on overnight & they have a lot of hours,someone might know a proper timeframe? Watering from underneath will help avoid a problem where the seedlings fall over called damping off,if you put them on a tray or something,put a little bit of water in the tray & let the plant take up what it needs rather than drowning the tiny roots watering from above.

[Scarlet]

.
I'm assuming i can control the their height wit the height of the grow light and trimming the plant yes.

Not really by trimming it as you'll be cutting the flowers buds off but you can nip out the growing tip to encourage it to branch out.

I've got no experience of growing under lights but daylight during winter on the windowsil isn't enough light for a chilli to grow slow and strong/stop them them getting spindly/leggy, especially if you have them in a warm room. So you will need them under the lights most of the day (I would have thought ) keeping an eye on the temperature. To much heat and they will shoot up. Don't pot on too soon either. It's much more difficult to grow something out of season....ideally your seedlings should be out in January.
Sappy young growth is a magnet for aphids during the winter..keep an eye out for them.

[Scarlet]

Sorry Max...forgot my manners! Welcome to the vine!

[Maxilior]

Not really by trimming it as you'll be cutting the flowers buds off but you can nip out the growing tip to encourage it to branch out.

I've got no experience of growing under lights but daylight during winter on the windowsil isn't enough light for a chilli to grow slow and strong/stop them them getting spindly/leggy, especially if you have them in a warm room. So you will need them under the lights most of the day (I would have thought ) keeping an eye on the temperature. To much heat and they will shoot up. Don't pot on too soon either. It's much more difficult to grow something out of season....ideally your seedlings should be out in January.
Sappy young growth is a magnet for aphids during the winter..keep an eye out for them.

Ok then,
Thanks for the advice, i've just removed them from the propagator and are now sitting in a well lit room during the day and under a light. Room averages at around 23° at the moment, live in quite a warm house, and as i've read elsewhere this temperature is ideal for growing this type of plant, so fingers crossed.

Thanks for the welcome

[Scarlet]

23 is ideal temperature although are you sure there is enough light? Ideally they need a glass house to stop them stretching toward the light (though obviously in Autumn this isn't an option)...you say "sitting in a well lit room", is this on a windowsil? Light levels are reducing now this may not be enough in a couple of weeks.

[Scarlet]

This is probably a bit long for you to read all the way through
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_88223.html
But you will find plenty of useful tips in here. Also there are a few posts of grapes who use lights ...Trip uses lights and grows lots of chillies.
Towards the end of the thread you will see lots of photos of our results