Little Help

[Nubber]

Hi, as some of you may or not remember, I joined the forum last year and had ALOT of questions. I have planted around 100 chilli plants over the past 2/3 years and never had a single one get past the "first two fake leaves" part. well I planted around 30 seeds a few months back, and only 2 have gone past the "two fake leaves" part. I don't know what chilli they are from or what variety, but I found two tiny white flowers on one of the plants earlier, my question is, will that flower fruit ? and does it mean I will get a chilli now there is a flower

Thanks in advance !!!

[Baldy]

Hang on - you planted then in November?

I'm trying some seeds at the end of January in a heated propagator and am not having much success. If you haven't got growlights/heat/propagator then you will struggle to get them going at this time of year - and maybe even if you have that stuff. Wait another couple of months and maybe try some sturdier / easy(er) types on a nice sunny south facing windwsill.
They need a certain amount of warmth and light - and in wintertime UK they will struggle to do anything - maybe wait till end of March and try a few more tolerant types? Good luck.

[veggiechicken]

Nubber's previous thread about chilli growing http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ong_91965.html
At lest they're stlll alive, Nubber. Sounds like progress

[Baldy]

Ahh - I see - South Wales divisions as evahhh !!
Nubbers probably in the shady bit...

[Jungle Jane]

I found two tiny white flowers on one of the plants earlier, my question is, will that flower fruit ? and does it mean I will get a chilli now there is a flower

The plants have been under light for 3 months they must look nice,yes the flowers will become peppers eventually,well done!

[DataMonkey]

As Jane has said, the flowers should produce chillis in due course.

You might be being a bit over-enthusiastic trying to get them to flourish at this time of year.

Sow them in May on a warm window sill and they should do fine !

[Mr Bones]

You could increase the chances of fruiting by pollinating the flowers with your finger.

[Scarlet]

Nubber, have you got any photos? How big is your plant?. If it's small it may be best to pinch off that flower there is plenty of time yet to get a crop, best to let the plant get to a reasonable size before you let it fruit.

They need a certain amount of warmth and light - and in wintertime UK they will struggle to do anything - maybe wait till end of March and try a few more tolerant types? Good luck.

I think that's a little bit late for starting off chillies, except maybe cayennes - lots of varieties can take several weeks to germinate especially if you haven't got a heated prop.

..and if you aren't having success, what varieties are you trying? You need patience for growing chillies.

[burnie]

Patience, what's that?................................lol

[Baldy]

Nubber, have you got any photos? How big is your plant?. If it's small it may be best to pinch off that flower there is plenty of time yet to get a crop, best to let the plant get to a reasonable size before you let it fruit.



I think that's a little bit late for starting off chillies, except maybe cayennes - lots of varieties can take several weeks to germinate especially if you haven't got a heated prop.

..and if you aren't having success, what varieties are you trying? You need patience for growing chillies.

I've got lights and heated prop - so Little Elf, Lemon Drop, some cayennes others too on the go...
Before I had that gear I didn't get much to germinate on south Window sill till mid to late March...

[Nubber]

to be honest my knowledge of gardening is at a 0, i only recently got told a south facing window is actually what it sounds like. however, my windows face east and west so when i see that it throws me. and i have no idea what the growing seasons are. the plant isn't that big if I am being honest. and i don't have any photo's.

the reason i (sowed ?) the seeds in November was because i kept reading about grow them indoors so they are established plants and when it warms up outside leave them outside, and i will have extended my growing season and they will be more established for when they go outside. again my knowledge of gardening is 0. so im just winging it and see what happens

[Mitzi]

It sounds as though you're very successful at germinating the seeds, but then most of them die before growing true leaves. I would suspect that you are overwatering and the compost is waterlogged and they are damping off. Cut down on the water, they don't need much when they're small and at this time of year. Also check how much feed is in the compost / soil you're using - for example, I'm using one which says on the bag "feeds for up to 8 weeks" so I'm not giving my plants any feed at all for about 7 weeks. Chillies don't need as much feeding as tomatoes and probably don't need any at all yet. Overwatering and overfeeding is far worse for them than under.

Good luck!

[Nubber]

thank you Mitzi. I just soak some kitchen paper and germinate the seeds that way, or throw them straight into the soil (which I did with these chilli's). funny you should mention over watering, because I only water once every two weeks and have been told I have problems because I don't water enough ha, to be honest I bought my first ever "feed" last year on offer from wilko, tomorite. and i never used it on chillis until my two plants went past the two leaf stage.

my next question is when it warms up now, can i just put the plants outside and leave them outside ? or will i need to bring them back indoors ?

[Scarlet]

Chillies come from hotter climes than ours. They don't like the cold...if you haven't got a green house don't put them out until your last frost...you should put them out in the day and then back in at night to harden them off before leaving them out permanently. Temps need to be consistently over 12, preferably over 15 before you do.

To give you any help on getting your germinated seeds through the seedling stage we would need a few photos - they often tell the story. If you don't think its an overwatering issue, check location of your seedlings, they don't like radiators - especially if they are turned off at night, they don't like draughty window sills at night either. They like constant warmth. Pot them on singly, not too deep. Keep them in the sunniest spot you can during the day.