Too cold for chillies ?

[Newishgardener]

Hi everyone I have a friend at work that decided he is going to grow 3 varieties of chilly this year he sowed 60 seeds and is now a little worries as he got 100% germination they are now 8" and he needs to pot them on again the problem he has is he doesn't have the room to have them all on windowsills so he is planing on bringing me 20 or so plants I live in the midlands Nottingham boar seeing derby to be exact i have a greenhouse at my allotment will it be too cold to put them in an un heated greenhouse now ? Thanks in advance for any help


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[rustylady]

Yes, much too cold. They would be fine during the day, but not at night especially with the cold temperatures forecast for the next week or so.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

You'll be doing the hokey cokey like me. Mine go out in the GH at about 7 - 8:30am and come back in after dark (sit in trays on newspaper on the kitchen table).

The last few nights my toms have stayed out in the GH under fleece (everything else has come indoors). But I fear it will be too cold for even them later this week and into the next week or so.

[Bill HH]

Well if they don't like the cold why in God's name did they call them chillies?

[Philthy]

Given your location and the unheated greenhouse, I'd have thought late April onwards would be the time to consider putting them out to leave overnight. I'm in Surrey; unless we get above average temperatures mine will be staying inside at least until the end of this month. 60 plants is a lot!

[Two_Sheds]

I have a friend ... he sowed 60 seeds and... they are now 8"

lol, it happens to us all. We get so excited at sowing the seeds, we don't think where we're going to keep the sixty odd young plants until May

[Bill HH]

So is it too late to sow chillies when it is warm enough? I have little experience with them, are they so slow growing that they wont fruit if sown in late april? I have some Jalepeno started in the house and now in the green house (No south facing windows) but they look miserable. Stikes me its a high faff factor and that buying the plants might be a lot easier.

[Two_Sheds]

So is it too late to sow chillies when it is warm enough? ... are they so slow growing that they wont fruit if sown in late april?

That's what's commonly believed (that you have to sow them in Feb), but it's not true. As you know with other crops, those sown in spring proper usually catch up with those sown in late winter/early spring.

I have virtually abandoned Feb sowing, because even my greenhouse is just too dark. Any seedlings end up leggy and with a groundcover of moss.

[Bill HH]

That's what's commonly believed (that you have to sow them in Feb), but it's not true. As you know with other crops, those sown in spring proper usually catch up with those sown in late winter/early spring.

I have virtually abandoned Feb sowing, because even my greenhouse is just too dark. Any seedlings end up leggy and with a groundcover of moss.

This is something I have been saying all along but I am weak and don't listen to my own advice. Once those daffodils start blooming I get that itch. As i have already some weedy shivering chillies i will plant some more in april and see just how they compare.