Chillies - growing and overwintering 2021

[NannyGreen]

It looks a bit like whitefly or aphid residue, have you tried wiping it off with a damp cloth/kitchen paper? If it doesn't wipe off I suppose it could be rust but it is difficult to see from your picture.

[mothhawk]

I'm a chilli growing virgin, and only have a windowsill to grow them on, no greenhouse, so I've started with some seed swap Razzamatazz, which will hopefully look pretty and not be too firey. I sowed 5 seeds, 2 sprouted, and I potted them on today. I'll be checking this thread for growing tips as they get bigger.

[Ms-T]

HM , i grew Firecracker one year..looks like your Razzamatazz , ended up giving them all away as presents because so many people like them.

[SimpleSimon]

It looks a bit like whitefly or aphid residue, have you tried wiping it off with a damp cloth/kitchen paper? If it doesn't wipe off I suppose it could be rust but it is difficult to see from your picture.

Don't think it's whitefly or aphids. It's a bit like salt. Reading up I think it's caused by the high humidity in my grow tent. It's really crowded at the moment as I have my tomatoes in there too. They'll be coming out this week and I'm gonna put a small extractor fan in there there.

https://spicesontheweb.co.uk/small-b...-chilli-leaves

[NannyGreen]

Good luck SimpleSimon I hope it turns out to be a ventilation problem as that will be a bit easier to remedy

[SimpleSimon]

Good luck SimpleSimon I hope it turns out to be a ventilation problem as that will be a bit easier to remedy

Finger crossed. I've removed it from the tent just in case though fairly certain it ain't bugs. Not risking it tho for now. Hopefully it survives as it's an armegeddon which is a British bred super hot and I've only got 1.

[NannyGreen]

Very precious then SimpleSimon although I'm thinking you are a bit of a masochist unless, of course, they are for someone else? In that case a sadist. Personal thing I guess, I just can't handle spice or chilli - with or without the milk

[ameno]

When do you guys usually repot your pepper plants?
Mine are still in the 3cm pots I sowed them in, but they're starting to get quite large (four adult leaves, plus two more coming, 3-4 inches tall), so I feel they probably need repotting soon. However, I am reluctant to do so as I will have to move them to the conservatory when I do, and it's cooler out there (they're on my windowsill at the moment, but there wouldn't be anywhere near enough room once I repot them).

[Ms-T]

All my pepper plants have been repotted..and half of the chilis..and because of space some are in the blow away that gets bubble wrapped at night.,in the green house..so far , so good.

can you bring them in at night ?

[ameno]

All my pepper plants have been repotted..and half of the chilis..and because of space some are in the blow away that gets bubble wrapped at night.,in the green house..so far , so good.

can you bring them in at night ?

Yeah, but not anywhere very bright, and I don't get up early enough to put them out first thing, so I think they'd end up growing rather leggy if they grow in gloom for three or more hours a day.

It doesn't get direly cold out there, certainly there is zero risk of frost, but I wouldn't say it yet consistently stays above the recommended 10c minimum night time temperature for peppers. It does most nights, but if we get a cold night, especially if it follows a cool, gloomy day, then it can drop down to maybe 6c.

[SimpleSimon]

Yeah, but not anywhere very bright, and I don't get up early enough to put them out first thing, so I think they'd end up growing rather leggy if they grow in gloom for three or more hours a day.

It doesn't get direly cold out there, certainly there is zero risk of frost, but I wouldn't say it yet consistently stays above the recommended 10c minimum night time temperature for peppers. It does most nights, but if we get a cold night, especially if it follows a cool, gloomy day, then it can drop down to maybe 6c.

That sounds fine to me. Occasional lows of 6c aren't bad at all. You could always bubble wrap them if a really cold spell is forcast. Or sit them on / near a seed mat over night. Every year I put all my spares in the poly tunnel in Feb and they all survive. Its regularly near zero over night.

[ameno]

What sort of minimum night temperatures should I be looking at before I put my overwintered peppers outside (on a tentative basis, to be brought back in if things get too cold again)?
I kind of need the space, not to mention a lot of them are infested with aphids, which are spreading to my new seedlings, so I'd like to get them out as soon as possible if I can. They've been in my unheated conservatory all winter, so they must be reasonably used to cool temperatures by now.

[SimpleSimon]

I put mine in my PT yesterday. Mainly though as I've had enough of having too many plants in the house. It was very sunny tho so they are under a shade net for a bit. They are under a small bubble wrap tunnel at night. Will bring them back if it's forecast to freeze (well say less that 3c). They'll be fine I reckon. Aphids will kill young plants so defo get them out of there. I'd spray the plants with neem oil as well.

[Mark Rand]

Mine will be coming out of the propagator soon. The lid's been off for a couple of days. Might have to put them all back if it gets cold enough over the weekend.

On another note:- Is there any benefit from transplanting chillies and peppers deeper, as you can do with tomatoes? One of my smaller seedlings is showing signs of roots on the stem below the cotyledon leaves, but will that happen further up the stem?

[ameno]

Mine will be coming out of the propagator soon. The lid's been off for a couple of days. Might have to put them all back if it gets cold enough over the weekend.

On another note:- Is there any benefit from transplanting chillies and peppers deeper, as you can do with tomatoes? One of my smaller seedlings is showing signs of roots on the stem below the cotyledon leaves, but will that happen further up the stem?

Peppers will root from buried lengths of stem, yes, although not quite as readily as tomatoes do.
I usually transplant almost all of my seedlings deeper, anyway, as they tend to get a bit leggy in my conservatory (too much heat, not enough light), including the ones they say not to (like cucumbers). Never does them any harm, and they often do root from the buried length of stem.