Chillies - Growing and Over wintering 2020

[Mark Rand]

Got some RSM appeared on the cluster of cayenne plants. I knew I should have used a sulfur* candle on greenhouse number 1. Toxic chemicals have been applied...

*correct IUPAC approved name. Just got to convince the septics to use aluminium now instead of aluminum.

[stigs]

Would people who have grown chillies outside successfully list the varieties and any special conditions ie: I have grown sweet peppers against a white south facing wall. I have downgraded from a polytunnel to a greenhouse and have too many plants to keep in there.
It might be helpful to mention your latitude as you lucky people south of the M4 have an advantage.

[ameno]

Would people who have grown chillies outside successfully list the varieties and any special conditions ie: I have grown sweet peppers against a white south facing wall. I have downgraded from a polytunnel to a greenhouse and have too many plants to keep in there.
It might be helpful to mention your latitude as you lucky people south of the M4 have an advantage.

I grew Apache on my allotment through black plastic last year. Got a pretty good crop (50+ fruit per plant, over half of which ripened). I didn't grow them on purpose, mind. I bought them as sweet pepper plants, but they were mislabelled it seems.

This year, I am intentionally growing three mild chilli varieties (through black plastic again): Numex Suave Red, Biquihno, and Beaver Dam. The plants are doing well, with small green fruits on the Beaver Dam plants and plenty of flowers and buds on the others.
I'll try to remember to do an update in early autumn.

I live in Somerset, so we get a longer season than up north (first frost where I am isn't usually until mid-November), although it can be quite cloudy and damp.

[burnie]

I have an ant colony moved into a long tom pot with one of my Hot Wax in it, the chillie looks fine except for a couple of chewed leaves, do we get leaf cutter ants in Scotland? off to do some googling................................

[Scarlet]

I think it's a bit hit and miss growing chillies outdoors...though chillies do a bit better than sweet peppers.
it depends if you are expecting a huge crop or happy to pick a handful.
I don't bother with outdoor chillies anymore - since I've had a GH ( over 10 years) but if I was to choose one it would be Nigel's Outdoor Chilli.

[Shortie]

Scarlet, my chillis were left outdoors a few weeks back and as healthy as they look as a green leaved plant they've done nothing as a chilli, so I would agree here - indoors it is for them as of tomorrow and hopefully they will have time to catch back up and produce some flowers

[Containergardener]

I have my chilli plants on a sunny windowsill this yr. Lots of flowers but no chillies yet

[Scarlet]

Chillies left indoors on a kitchen windowsill will take a little longer to fruit - they aren't getting the sun and constant heat as they can get in a GH but you have the added bonus that they will fruit all the way upto Christmas so worth the wait.

[stigs]

First ripe chillies, happy days

[ameno]

I have lots of flowers and a fair number of green fruits coming on my outdoor chillis now. The largest fruit are about 4 inches long (that one is a large variety).
Having the same issue I had last year, though: snails or slugs climb the plant and munch on the fruit. Any fruits with holes in then quickly rot.

[annie8]

Got my first ripe chilli today. Lovely red cayenne. First of many I hope.

[stigs]

I have lots of flowers and a fair number of green fruits coming on my outdoor chillis now. The largest fruit are about 4 inches long (that one is a large variety).
Having the same issue I had last year, though: snails or slugs climb the plant and munch on the fruit. Any fruits with holes in then quickly rot.

I go out 2/3 times between sunset and 03:00 to remove slugs in the greenhouse every night, when the season is closed the floor will get more cement

[Ms-T]

Look under the leaves , i found 8 really tiny snails ...gone now.

[ameno]

I'm afraid both of those suggestions rather assume a finite number of slugs or snails.
Alas, I am not so blessed. Where I am, slugs are like the Hydra - kill one, and another immediately appears to take its place. I went out at 5am a few weeks ago and killed over 200 of the things. It helped for all of about 5 days, then things went back to normal.

[SimpleSimon]

Does anyone have any idea how I might resolve the issue of my habenero and related chilli plants from producing ripe fruit the size of a pea? My orange Hab produced loads, which I would have thought is quite early for a habenero so just rover them all. Now my bahmanian goat is doing the same. And also my choc hab plants. They look far healthier and bushier than they did this time last year but last year I got loads of nice sized pods.