Which chili variety for a beginner?

[Aggienator]

I've tried growing Chili (Inferno) this year from seed sown in February. I have them in an unheated greenhouse in Sheffield. So far I have lots of plants about 18inches tall and a few are just starting to flower. I thought I should be starting to harvest them by now .

Can anyone recommend a more compact variety, and advise on sowing times. Preferably not too hot - I prefer milder ones as the hot ones just blow out my taste buds and I can't taste anything for the rest of the day!

Many thanks for any advice

[gojiberry]

Welcome to the vine Aggienator. Not sure I can help you with your quest for a compact not to hot chilli. I have found that the size of plant can be down to the size of pot and if you want smaller plants keep in a smaller pot. I also find that being a bit restricted does make the plant flower and produce fruit earlier. However the size of fruit and quantity may be reduced overall.

Ian

[Two_Sheds]

aggie, this is a good site for seeing the heat of each chilli variety: Chilli seeds and chilli seed advice from the expert growers - South Devon Chilli Farm

[coreopsis]

Have a look at this thread

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead_42379.html

As for varieties-google around

[smallblueplanet]

When did you plant them out? Can't say that many of my (too many!) chilli varieties are ready to pick yet. But they do have lots of 'green' chillies on them. We are (supposedly) still in the middle of summer so you might get some fruit later, maybe. As for heat, just use less of the chilli and freeze the other bit - we have some bhut jolokias just ripening but no way am I putting a whole one in anything! But the flavour is good so we just use a bit in the thing being cooked.

[HotStuff]

Welcome to the Vine Aggienator.

Two I would recommend are Apache & Chenzo. Some Chilli-heads on here (including me) sow seed around New Year. All you need is an airing cupboard to keep them warm for germination and then a windowsill that gets plenty of light once they pop their heads up. As SBP said you don't have to put a whole Chilli in whatever you're cooking. I tend to dry my Chillies and whizz them in the food processor to make Chilli flakes then just add according to taste.

[Aggienator]

Many thanks for the replies, working my way through the Chilli thread suggested and feeling a bit boggled by the range available! Apache sounds like a good one for me to go for. I think I probably started a bit late, but I don't have very warm windowsill space - how warm do they need to be kept? Reckon the best bet will be to get some seed and give it a shot

[Two_Sheds]

- how warm do they need to be kept?

From the link I posted above: South Devon Chilli Farm - Growing Chillies

[T8Ter]

Hi Aggienator,
Loads of advice and chilli properties here

growing chilli peppers thechileman.org

[rustylady]

I've tried growing Chili (Inferno) this year from seed sown in February. I have them in an unheated greenhouse in Sheffield. So far I have lots of plants about 18inches tall and a few are just starting to flower. I thought I should be starting to harvest them by now .

Can anyone recommend a more compact variety, and advise on sowing times. Preferably not too hot - I prefer milder ones as the hot ones just blow out my taste buds and I can't taste anything for the rest of the day!

Many thanks for any advice

What size pots are they in Aggie? I find I get earlier flowers and fruit by keeping them in fairly small pots.

[Snadger]

Unfortunately, the smaller chilli's are usually the hottest!

[coreopsis]

What size pots are they in Aggie? I find I get earlier flowers and fruit by keeping them in fairly small pots.

I'd agree with that-last year I kept repotting my Jalapenos- got nice bushy plants but...just a couple of flowers.This year I left them in smaller pots-much better.I think that I'm a sadist and like stressing out poor plants-they perform better then

[taff]

I've tried growing Chili (Inferno) this year from seed sown in February. I have them in an unheated greenhouse in Sheffield. So far I have lots of plants about 18inches tall and a few are just starting to flower. I thought I should be starting to harvest them by now .

This years been a funny year all round. Last year i was harvesting jalapenos this time, this year, they're growing but not ripening. But I also didnt get any lemon drop chillis till almost october last year...

Give them optimum conditions and you'll have some, give them british summer conditions, and who knows when you'll get some

[Lavenderblue]

I try to over winter my chilli plants so they get a good start next year. I tried it with 5, lost one to aphids but 4 survived. I have been pleased with how well its worked. I have lots of chillies ripening nicely. I understand that chillies are grown as perennials in other countries so its worth giving it a go. I just kept them in the house on a bright window sill and brought them in at night. They lost quite a lot of leaves but seemed happy enough.

Just a thought!

[salilah]

We had soem Poblano (also called Ancho but wrongly, apparently) last night - fried whole in olive oil, then sprinkled with salt & pepper - known as Pimiento de Padron in Spain, where they cook them much smaller (mine were 4" long I guess)...
The fun is that about 1 in 10 is hot, but the others are not - so you take a bite carefully! I'd say they are too mild for a chilli, but lovely for a tapas

Plant is quite big though - in Morrisons buckets, they are 2-3 ft high? but not staked... (in the greenhouse)

HTH
S