Chilli/pepper question

[Kristen]

That one look stressed. Lower leaves quite yellow, looks like Purple too? (Purple patches on the leaves is a sure sign of cold stress as it indicates that a major nutrient (Potassium I think, might be Phosphate - I get confused!) was not metabolised)

[rhyswales]

I think stressed plants flower early to continue their life cycle - as March said above. Which could be the reason the toms are fruiting?

Rhys are all those chillies Apache F1? They are a dwarf chilli, maybe grow no more than a foot tall.a compact kitchen windowsill plant. Have you pinched out the growing tip? This slows the plant down and encourages the growth of side shoots.
It is also a capsicum annum which fruit much earlier than the super hots, aji, habs, nagas etc that have a much longer growing season.

Hi Scarlet

Yes they are the Apache F1, but no I have not removed the growing tip. Could it be that they have got to the maximum size they can get too due to the pots they are in and that's what causes the fruiting?

[Scarlet]

Well, they are a F1 variety bred for early fruiting. If you remove the growing tip you will encourage the growth of side shoots and the plant "should" focus on growth rather than flowering. They look healthy enough but haven't bushed out at all, the bushier the plant the more fruit later. Personally I'd sacrifice the flowers and pinch out the centre stem now. How tall are they? Pot on if you can see plenty of roots at the bottom of the pot.

[Scarlet]

Libby, yes they look stressed! How long have you had them in the same soil, they look cold stressed as Keisten has said but they also look like they are lacking in nutrients. Don't forget to take out the "armpits"

[rhyswales]

Well, they are a F1 variety bred for early fruiting. If you remove the growing tip you will encourage the growth of side shoots and the plant "should" focus on growth rather than flowering. They look healthy enough but haven't bushed out at all, the bushier the plant the more fruit later. Personally I'd sacrifice the flowers and pinch out the centre stem now. How tall are they? Pot on if you can see plenty of roots at the bottom of the pot.

I have added a pic of the Apache plant, it is quite bushy, and yes there is a lot of roots at the bottom, think I'll pot on to a bigger pot and see if it stops so much fruiting.

[Scarlet]

That one looks much bushier than the top one. Remember that they are a "Dwarf" variety. How tall is it? If looks really healthy

[rhyswales]

The first picture was a ceyenne, this Apache is about 7 inches, but as you say is quite bushy. If it only grows to about a foot, shall I leave the fruit rather than pick them off?

[Scarlet]

Yes, I'd be tempted to leave the flowers on the Apache, it's a very compact plant and fruits early. You've taken off the first ones so let it do it's thing the fruits on that one are small so it should be ok. If the cayennes are like the top photo though, I would nip out the growing tips to encourage side shooting.

[rhyswales]

Yes, I'd be tempted to leave the flowers on the Apache, it's a very compact plant and fruits early. You've taken off the first ones so let it do it's thing the fruits on that one are small so it should be ok. If the cayennes are like the top photo though, I would nip out the growing tips to encourage side shooting.

Thanks Scarlet, have just repotted into bigger pots and will nip the growing tip, will give you an update on how they go.