Peppers in the Greenhouse

[eileenjb56@hotmail.com]

Hi
Is it best to grow peppers in the greenhouse?
If so any tips?

[Alison]

I have managed to grow some outside but I get a much better crop in the greenhouse. It probably depends on where you live but they do seem to like the extra warmth, especially if you want them to go red / orange rather than the less sweet green ones. I tend to grow ones which say they are suitable for a UK climate and can cope with a shorter growing season. This year I have Gypsy and Lipstick which I have grown before and Orange Bell which is a new one. I sowed them all back in Feb in a heated propogator and they are now in 5" pots in either the greenhouse or conservatory. They strongest and sturdiest ones will be planted out into grow bags with rings on top later this month where they will stay for the summer. They are now starting to produce flower buds and so hopefully I will get a decent crop. As they are already starting to flower I have given them a weak solution of tomato food and will feed them with either this or worm wee every week throughout the season.

By the way, quite a few of the DIY shops seem to sell Californian Wonder which is supposed to be good, however I've found it pretty useless and don't think that the peppers it produces are very tasty at all.

[smallblueplanet]

It might be a bit late in the season to be sowing your own peppers, even in a greenhouse they'll be a while getting to fruiting size. As with Alison we started ours in mid-Feb. No harm in trying though. Or try somewhere like B&Q or your local Garden Centre for plants to grow on. I also second Alison re: Californian Wonder having tried them they were rubbish.

We grow two 'standby' sweet peppers in our greenhouse - topepo rosso & cubanelle. The first is like a small, blocky 'supermarket' style pepper the 2nd is a type more often seen in the Med and sometimes called a 'frying pepper'. They both crop well ie more than two or three fruits on a plant!

Here's an RHS trial from 2006 - RHS Sweet Peppers pdf

Have you grown peppers before?

[eileenjb56@hotmail.com]

Hi Both

I have never grown peppers before. I bought a plant at a car boot sale yesterday.

I have a greenhouse so there are no problems there.

I also bought a cucumber. I know that needs the greenhouse.

Having never grown either Im not sure how they grow. Will thet need support/special feeding?

[Frana]

What type of cucumbers you growing Eileen?

All female types are the easiest apparently, as you do not have to mess about removing male flowers to prevent bitterness through pollination.

I always grow Marketmore with good success and this year began trying Telegraph Improved (but the slugs got to em!). I have recently sown some Tiffany F1's from Thompson and Morgan which are coming on grand and apparently a nice variety.

I usually grow mine in a large pot with the bottom cut out, sank into a growbag.

I train them up strings tied to the top of my greenhouse and give them a tomato feed every week.

This has worked well for the Marketmores in the past and even though this variety can be grown outside, I never do as I am a bit sceptical.

They will grow quite high so I pinch out the growing tip when they reach the top and train a couple of side shoots for a few more fruits.

Hope this helps, I am definately no expert, so there are bound to people here who know much more than me - but GOOD LUCK!