1st year chilli's

[mark m]

Hi all, this is my 1st proper year growing chilli's and they are doing quite well (i think).
I was given a couple of Apache plants tail end ef last year and were still producing fruit right through the winter dec/jan and feb on my windowsil. this year I have grown from seed and tried several different types. I have 16 plants on the go at the moment including a pepper plant which only has 1 peper on it. will post a pic of that tomorow.
Here are a couple of pics.
What do you think?

P.s. Just started having a few problems with caterpillars eating the leaves. Trying to keep on top of the but its not easy. Pesty blighters lol.

[northepaul]

They look great, Mark.
Its my first year with them too, and I have to say they are one of, if not the best crops I have had. I have: bolivians, prairie fire, cayenne, sauve orange, bulgarian carrot, numex twighlight and hungarian hotwax.
(I have had less success with habaneros - my chocolate one surcumed to an unknown virus)
We ate some the other day in curry - great! Saved 70p on buying some in Sainsburys AND they aren;t flown over from Kenya!

May I ask what are the ones in the second picture?

Keep on growing them, they are looking GOOD!

[mark m]

May I ask what are the ones in the second picture?

Keep on growing them, they are looking GOOD!

Thanks, the ones in the second picture are Razamataz chilli's. Although the plant has grown well and is producing many fruits (the pic doesn't do it any justice as there are lots more under the foliage) the fruits have suffered alot from sun scorch. I don't know why as they are not directly in the sun all the time. I noticed the blackening and moved them straight away and they continued to darken. they do grow multi coloured (red/green/purple/orange/yellow but at the moment they are only green, scorched black and a few red in the middle of the plant.

I've included some more pics of my plants.

[ginger ninger]

Hi Mark, welcome to the vine firstly. Your chillies look great as does the pepper. I've grown Petter pepper, Chocolate & Orange hab, Pepper dew and Dorset Naga this year. I'm having the same problem with caterpillars the leaves look like lace, I'm for ever squishing them. I've grown chillies for a number of years but this year's the first time I had caterpillars on them. Mind you...I've got them on mi tomatoes as well and that's never happened before...flipping caterpillars.

[mark m]

Thanks ginge, looks like a great site. Full of great info and great green minded people. I bought some organic bug spray from my local supermarket as I was adverse to putting chemicals on my plants but the stuff doesn't work and I might have to if they get any worse. The bigger plants have so many leaves it takes ages to go through all the plants and you can't help but miss a few. I squish as many as I can on a daily basis lol.
It would be nice if they cocooned n then flew off in a few days.

[OllieMartin]

Are you sure that's sun scorch on the chillies and not just a natural colour change?

Chillies are so addictive to grow, I only grew one variety last year, but have 5 on the go this year. Not getting much of a crop off them yet, but there's still time.

[mark m]

Are you sure that's sun scorch on the chillies and not just a natural colour change?

Hi Ollie, They have been like that for ages. I know they take time to change.
Well I'm not an expert on chilli growing and Ive just gone by what I've read and learnt on other sites. Lets hope your right and it is just change of colour. You've got me wondering now.

Thanks for the input.

[chilliking]

they look great. after last years washout this year has been much better for growing chillies.

mine have suffered from aphids quite badly but that a-side i like you am more than happy with my crop so far!

[mark m]

they look great. after last years washout this year has been much better for growing chillies.

mine have suffered from aphids quite badly but that a-side i like you am more than happy with my crop so far!

I just can't wait until this seasons finished and find out what yeild I've had off the plants

[cupcake]

My chillies and aubergnes in the polytunnel have all got holes in the leaves. The garden expert on the local radio reckoned they were capsid bugs which move on. True to form the new leaves are perfect.

[mark m]

Just keep an eye on it cupcake. have you seen the little blighters?
Mine are attacked by caterpillars as are many others and they can be difficult to spot when they are small. I've found they have gone for my bigger older leaves and the new shoots and leaves are fine.