Chillies - Growing and Over wintering 2020

[Mitzi]

My Apache chilli plant has been looking ok over the winter but about 10 days ago all the leaves started shrivelling and I think it’s died. It was living near the patio door (ground level) quite near a heater which gets switched off at night. Am wondering if it was the temp fluctuation? I did water it a little but not much. Seems such a shame it made it this far just to expire now . Let me have your tips for next year’s overwintering please, chilli gurus.

Last year one of my overwinters made it all the way through to about February or March, put on a bit of new growth, then suddenly collapsed and died for no reason I could ascertain. (No pests in the soil.) A previous year I tried to overwinter some plants in the garage and, although they dropped their leaves, the stems stayed mostly green. Come spring I upped the watering slightly expecting them to produce new growth but they never did and eventually the green stems went brown. This time one of my overwinters died off in autumn (but it was affected by fungus gnats.) It's just a bit hit and miss.

[Mitzi]

Great to see all the different chilli types people have sown, definitely going to pinch a few for next year (subject to reviews given )

From the 80 seeds I originally sowed, and after getting rid of the weakest seedlings (about 15 so far) I've now got the following plants;

Fatalii Aji Fantasy - 3
Fatalii Cayenne - 5
Montufar (PL 585273 - 2
Turbo Pube - 2
Carolina Reaper - 3
Jalapeno Jalafuego - 4
Jalapeno Mammoth - 4
7 Pod Yellow - 2
Moruga Scorpion Chocolate (seeds from UK Chilli) - 3
Moruga Chocolate (Seeds from Fatalii) - 4
7 Pot Chocolate Douglah - 1
Red Habanero - 1
7 Pod Congo SR Gigantic - 1
Paper Lantern - 1
Lemon Drop - 3
Basket of Fire - 2 - Going to try these in 2 hanging baskets in a sunny spot at the front of the house
Ancho Poblano - 3
Cayenne (Seeds from UK Chilli) - 2
Birds Eye Baby - 4 - The best 2 will be kept and grown as house plants.
Aji Cristal - 2
Scotch Bonnet - 3

So excluding the hanging basket and indoor plants that leaves me with 49 Plants and 23 spaces in my greenhouse beds to put them haha! I will let my dad have his pick from them and then will be giving a lot away to residents on the estate through the facebook page.

Any that I can't get rid of will be looked after till final frost date has passed and then will have to either thrive or die outdoors in pots. I guess their success will be down to the weather.

Nearly all my plants will be going outside for the summer although I'm hoping to have the use of my neighbour's tiny greenhouse again which will take 7 or 8 plants. 23 spaces in the greenhouse sounds like a big greenhouse to me.

You have a wonderful selection of varieties there; should cover every requirement and a few more besides. I hope you have a very productive summer.

[chillithyme]

I’ve still got two Apache chillies in an unheated space on a windowsill going,only watered twice over the winter,but a Hungarian Hot Wax is finished. I think that the mild winter,followed by cold nights now is what finished it off for me MD
I’ve got some scotch bonnet,cayenne and sweet pepper seedlings coming along. My list is not as long,but I can be in awe of yours PMH
My plants will be going out too like Mitzi
The sweet pepper leaves of one seedling is pointing upwards,any ideas why?too cold on the windowsill?

[muckdiva]

Last year one of my overwinters made it all the way through to about February or March, put on a bit of new growth, then suddenly collapsed and died for no reason I could ascertain. (No pests in the soil.) A previous year I tried to overwinter some plants in the garage and, although they dropped their leaves, the stems stayed mostly green. Come spring I upped the watering slightly expecting them to produce new growth but they never did and eventually the green stems went brown. This time one of my overwinters died off in autumn (but it was affected by fungus gnats.) It's just a bit hit and miss.

Thanks Mitzi, that makes me feel reassured that it’s not just me

[Small pumpkin]

So finally got round to working out what I’m actually growing this year

After a bit of potting up and moving around it turns out I’ve got 26 varieties & 68 plants.
Quite restrained for me this year. A little disappointing if I’m honest, but I really must remember I’m going to be a little busy this year.

[annie8]

How are everyone's chillies getting on? I got good germination of my choc and orange habanero,, cayenne and scotch bonnets in the propogator. all now in wee pots on the windowsill. Some growing a big slowly as usual but healthy. When do.people start feeding or adding chicken manure pellets to the pots? Assuming still a bit early?

[Small pumpkin]

I don’t start feeding till I start hardening them off. I just find it easier to do it when they’re in the tunnel, not all tightly packed onto a window sill. But I do pot them on so there’s enough nutrients in the new compost. I don’t put chicken manure pellets in pots until I’m putting them into there final pots.

[annie8]

Really helpful thanks.

[Small pumpkin]

I’m doing crazy stuff again

I’m running out of space in Area 51. So I’ve put some chillies into the tunnel already!
They are on a heat mat and get tuck up at night with fleece :rolleyes. Fingers crossed they do ok. But I have a good few of each variety inside as well.

[Small pumpkin]

I’ve got a survivor !!!
I’ve overwintered a chilli ! It’s not one of the ones I actually tried (half heartedly) to overwinter. I’m not sure if it’s pumpkin or giant white habanero. Hopefully the hab. I’m quite impressed with the little fella it’s been in the tunnel all winter with no pampering of any sort.

[Scarlet]

I haven't posted in this thread for a while! I've seriously cut down the amount of chillies I'm growing this year and also only growing small plants.
Very chuffed with my Tri Colour Variegata. Self saved seeds from a few years back.
Looking very variegated

[Holly Daze]

Can anyone tell me whether it is safe to leave my chilli seedlings in the unseated greenhouse at night with the temp going down to 2 degrees? Exhausted carrying them in each evening.

[Scarlet]

Definitely not! I don't put mine out until mid May.
SP puts hers out in a poly...maybe with a cloche. But it is risky.


# just to add that several of my flowers got frosted several nights ago/with a covering. We are having a really cold snap. If it's cold for just an hour or so it isn't too bad but the temps are low for most of the night which is what I find either slows them up or kills them off.

[Small pumpkin]

As Scarlet said. Don’t put your chillies in an unheated greenhouse.
Yes I’ve put some of mine in the polytunnel. But I’m completely mad and it’s not advisable to do the same as me...........................ever!

My chillies are on a heat mat (a lot sharing so not getting much heat). Also get covered with fleece every night. With that I’ve still had to resuscitate one that had got very cold ( darkening of leaves and very very limp ). Luckily an hour in the heated propagator with the lid on sorted the little fella out.

[Holly Daze]

Thank you Scarlet and Small Pumpkin. Got them back in. Have converted dining room into indoor greenhouse. Let’s face it, no-one’s coming to dinner anytime soon. I must say, they are looking healthy.