Chillies - growing and overwintering 2019

[Small pumpkin]

Wow Mitzi! I think you are beyond the need for help .
You're chilli's are doing brilliantly in those Half upside down inside out pop bottles.
Think I might try that with a couple of my mystery chillies.

[dave_100]

I need some quick guidance if possible

Here and Here
are my plants. Some are producing flowers, and the taller varieties getting about 7-10" tall. I've read what you have said about pinching the early flowers, but I'm not sure what height they are supposed to reach so it is tricky to know if these are big enough to support or not.

I'm planning to repot the larger ones into 10 litre pots, so I'm thinking maybe pinch the flowers of those chillies, and for those staying in the windowsill pots, leave them going?

Also do you think the taller ones need a stake?

The smaller ones are prairie fire, the other taller ones are Ring of Fire and Thai dragon chilli.

Any advice appreciated as always.

[Small pumpkin]

Can't see your pictures. Probably my iPad having brain f@rt.
Your taller varieties will definitely need staking. They can get to 4ft without to much effort.
I don't often take flowers off. But I know lots of people do.

[dave_100]

Can't see your pictures. Probably my iPad having brain f@rt.
Your taller varieties will definitely need staking. They can get to 4ft without to much effort.
I don't often take flowers off. But I know lots of people do.

Thanks, does inserting the stake damage the roots or are there any tips to reduce damage?
How do people feel about topping? Seems like some places such as Reddit unanimously recommend it.

[Small pumpkin]

Thanks, does inserting the stake damage the roots or are there any tips to reduce damage?
How do people feel about topping? Seems like some places such as Reddit unanimously recommend it.

If you put stakes in when you repot into your 10lt pots you won't touch the roots at all.
I tried topping once. I'll never do it again. It slowed the plants down far to much. Yes it makes them bush out but personally I don't feel they bush out much more than if you just let nature take its course.

[dave_100]

If you put stakes in when you repot into your 10lt pots you won't touch the roots at all.
I tried topping once. I'll never do it again. It slowed the plants down far to much. Yes it makes them bush out but personally I don't feel they bush out much more than if you just let nature take its course.

Thanks, and for the chillies I keep in the pots on the windowsill should I just carefully insert a stake trying my best to minimise root damage? or just let them be stake-less?

Here are alternative links for the pics
http://i66.tinypic.com/zqw5x.jpg
http://i64.tinypic.com/2uo000y.jpg

[Small pumpkin]

I can see those pictures. They're looking good.
The ones staying on the window cill probably won't need staking.

[meanmoose]

Have a quick question guys. How long does it take for Carolina Reapers to flower and set fruit? I have 16 week old Reapers in 11cm pots now. They are under weak grow lights + near a window that gets morning sun.

They grew a lot for the first 10 weeks. For the last month or so they just stopped growing even though nothing changed. Leaves looks okay, bigger than what I expected, but dark green and healthy.

I might try to share some images later but what am I doing wrong? I also picked one out of the pot to check, they do not look root bound.

[Mitzi]

Have a quick question guys. How long does it take for Carolina Reapers to flower and set fruit? I have 16 week old Reapers in 11cm pots now. They are under weak grow lights + near a window that gets morning sun.

They grew a lot for the first 10 weeks. For the last month or so they just stopped growing even though nothing changed. Leaves looks okay, bigger than what I expected, but dark green and healthy.

I might try to share some images later but what am I doing wrong? I also picked one out of the pot to check, they do not look root bound.

You're probably not doing anything wrong, they are just sulky temperamental b*s in my experience. They are quite slow-growing then even when they do start flowering, most of the flowers fall off. And, on my plant at least, a lot of the pods that do set are tiny. That's normally a sign of inadequate pollination but last summer my plant was outside and pollinated by the bees, and all the other varieties (including superhots) set fine.

How long ago did you pot them up? Quite often they appear to stall after repotting but actually it just means that they concentrate on growing roots in the new compost instead of top growth. Once the roots reach the edges of the pot then it will start to grow more. So you could find that they have a sudden growth spurt. Having said that, 11cm pots are quite small so once the roots start to show at the bottom I would pot up a size.

As long as the leaves look green and healthy then you're not doing anything wrong.

[Mitzi]

Thanks, and for the chillies I keep in the pots on the windowsill should I just carefully insert a stake trying my best to minimise root damage? or just let them be stake-less?

I don't think putting a stick in a pot causes much root damage compared with the damage when an unstaked plant gets snapped by the wind as happened to some of mine last year when we had a gale.

[meanmoose]

You're probably not doing anything wrong, they are just sulky temperamental b*s in my experience. They are quite slow-growing then even when they do start flowering, most of the flowers fall off. And, on my plant at least, a lot of the pods that do set are tiny. That's normally a sign of inadequate pollination but last summer my plant was outside and pollinated by the bees, and all the other varieties (including superhots) set fine.

How long ago did you pot them up? Quite often they appear to stall after repotting but actually it just means that they concentrate on growing roots in the new compost instead of top growth. Once the roots reach the edges of the pot then it will start to grow more. So you could find that they have a sudden growth spurt. Having said that, 11cm pots are quite small so once the roots start to show at the bottom I would pot up a size.

As long as the leaves look green and healthy then you're not doing anything wrong.

They have been grown in jiffy plugs and then into the 11cm pots direct since 05March19 or so.

No flowers at all yet so maybe it’s just a case of bing patient ... just unexciting as they sit there doing nothing.

[Mitzi]

They have been grown in jiffy plugs and then into the 11cm pots direct since 05March19 or so.

No flowers at all yet so maybe it’s just a case of being patient ... just unexciting as they sit there doing nothing.

If it's over two months since you put them in the 11cm pots I would expect them to have filled them with roots by now. I've never had an issue with my plants getting their roots through the "skin" of a Jiffy pellet but I've heard other people saying they have. What sort of compost are you using? Are they in a heated or unheated room?

[dave_100]

I can see those pictures. They're looking good.
The ones staying on the window cill probably won't need staking.

Thank you. Sorry one more question if I can, one of them is starting to rest its leaves against the glass window now it is so big. I've read that it's not good as the window gets cold, which can affect the plant, is that still an issue now we are in May and the plants are established?

[Small pumpkin]

Thank you. Sorry one more question if I can, one of them is starting to rest its leaves against the glass window now it is so big. I've read that it's not good as the window gets cold, which can affect the plant, is that still an issue now we are in May and the plants are established?

To be Honest I don't know. All my plants are out in the polytunnels now. I guess the same applies to anytime of year if you get a cold night you don't want your chillies touching the window. Like I say I'm guessing so Someone else will have to answer that one.

[Mitzi]

Thank you. Sorry one more question if I can, one of them is starting to rest its leaves against the glass window now it is so big. I've read that it's not good as the window gets cold, which can affect the plant, is that still an issue now we are in May and the plants are established?

I haven't found it to be a problem.