Peppers for the frozen North

[sewer rat]

Thanks Alice. I wouldn't have tried growing them for myself but my local GC want me to supply 100 pepper plants spit 50/50 between chile and sweet peppers. They helped me out by saying what sold for them last year so I now have my varieties - Bell Boy and Poseidon. I know Berr grew Bell Boy successfully last year and Poseidon seems to be of a similar nature, so hopefully I'll be okay.
Hope to see you at Dunblane.

[mrskp]

i grew a pepper last year, cunningly called "Yellow Pepper" saved seed from a friend.

I had one fruit which I picked to take down to my daughter for christmas !

I'm starting earlier this year!

[SarzWix]

Hi, just thought I'd add my two penn'orth
http://www.readytogrow.co.uk/index.htm
The seeds from this company have been marvellous for us - practically every one has germinated, they grow as many as possible themselves (in Leeds) so they're not namby-pamby(!) plants, they give a reasonable indication of cropping time in the description, and they explain how to over-winter your plants... This has been the best advice we've had - last year's pepper and chilli plants did ok but this year, after cutting them back for winter, they have gone crazy and we're picking something every day from just 4 pots.

So if you don't get too many this year, don't dispair, next year the same plants could produce bumper crops!

(The Sweet Peppers are listed in with the Chillies...)

[sewer rat]

Cheers Sarzwix
Will see how I go this year but their site looks good - will bear them in mind for next year.

[Uncle Albert]

Hi SarzWix,

I'd be very interested in knowing what tips they have for over-wintering peppers. My chillis did fine in the conservatory, but the sweet peppers had no chance in the greenhouse. I've checked the website, but couldn't see anything there...

Thanks.

[Alice]

Thanks for the link Sarzwix - looks useful.

I couldn't see the overwintering advice either Uncle Albert.
I had a super pepper last year, don't know the variety as I bought it as a plant for 50p. I tried to overwinter it indoors. It came through allright but didn't grow on in the spring.
I did keep seeds from it and they seem to be as good as the parent. The plants have many peppers and I'm eating them already. Some are in the house and some are in the greenhouse, but they seem to doing as well as each other. When the weather improves a bit I'm going to try a couple outdoors and see how they do.
This is some of this years peppers, pic taken a month ago
and some of last years peppers which I left to ripen on the plant, with one of my butternut squash.

[SarzWix]

Hi SarzWix,

I'd be very interested in knowing what tips they have for over-wintering peppers. My chillis did fine in the conservatory, but the sweet peppers had no chance in the greenhouse. I've checked the website, but couldn't see anything there...

Thanks.

Hmmmm, they seem to have got rid of that useful advice... Anyway, they advised cutting the plants right back once fruiting has slowed down/stopped - we cut ours down to a stalk 3 - 4 inches tall - keep them just damp over winter in a warmish place, then they should start sprouting again in early spring. We kept ours on the front room window sill, which is west facing. We have a Bell Boy pepper, a Hungarian Hot Wax chilli, a Cherry Bomb chilli and a Scotch Bonnet chilli. All have been fruiting well since mid March except the Scotch Bonnet but that was a temperamental beggar anyway!

Another good thing we've found about this seed company is that they sell seeds in smaller quantities, for a smaller price. Usually about 10 seeds in a packet, which is about right for the home grower - who needs 30 chilli plants?!

[Uncle Albert]

Thanks for the advice SW.

My peppers are in the border in the greenhouse. I'll cut back a couple at the end of the season (and fleece), and cut back & pot a couple and bring in to the conservatory, and see which method works best.

The only downside for me with peppers is the short season when sowing in Feb/March, so anything I can do to get a crop over a longer period would be great.

Alice - those peppers from last year were absolutely sensational. Mine taste great, but they don't look anything like yours. Are you sure someone didn't steal them off you plants & replace them with wax ones? And you're getting them already!!!
I think I might be begging for some seed sometime soon...

[Alice]

Yes I'm cutting peppers now Uncle Albert - green off course. Here's a link to a pic of them on the plant I posted last year.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...hlight=peppers

[Alice]

And Uncle Albert, here's the peppers I cut today.

I did plant them very early and grow them on a very sunny south facing window although some have now gone to the greenhouse. I had to cut them as some were starting to redden.

[mrskp]

wow Alice .... very impressed.

[Uncle Albert]

That does it Alice, I'm clearing out the furniture in theconservatory and moving the peppers in.