starting chillis

[Scarlet]

Don't sow cayennes/annuals in Jan. They will be fine with a later sowing. The superhots often need a longer growing season and can take a couple of weeks to germinate. You don't want then going leggy either so make sure they are in a very light position (remember we still have very short days in January.) If you have them on a windowsill take them off at night because they will suffer with the cold. I generally don't start until end of jan /early feb because I haven't got any grow lights and you often get leggy plants on the windowsill but it's worth giving a few a shot, though it's wise to sow a couple later too.

[Scoot]

Conflicting reports hahaha.

I'll try swing a couple in both January and February and see which ones are the best come the end of the year.

[Chris11]

I've got a heated propagator, sunny windowsill and plenty of seeds, so I'm itching to get started, but will leave it a bit longer.

Because of the mild autumn lasting in to December, I've got more 2015 chilli plants still alive in the unheated greenhouse than usual for this time of year. Hoping some of them will over winter.

[Scarlet]

Get some indoors Chris, just incase! A chilli plant will give lots more return in year two so it's worth getting in bad books with the Mrs by clogging up her windowsill

[Scarlet]

Conflicting reports hahaha.

I'll try swing a couple in both January and February and see which ones are the best come the end of the year.

Remember Lisa is in sunny Soain and has a slight advantage to us! Some of my January sown plants can be a little weedy as they have struggled, so it's worth doing two sowings and checking it out for yourself. Sometimes the later sowings catch up and are stronger as they haven't struggled for light and gone leggy.

[Chris11]

Get some indoors Chris, just incase!

Already got some indoors, including my Big Sun Habanero

[Scoot]

Remember Lisa is in sunny Soain and has a slight advantage to us! Some of my January sown plants can be a little weedy as they have struggled, so it's worth doing two sowings and checking it out for yourself. Sometimes the later sowings catch up and are stronger as they haven't struggled for light and gone leggy.

I always forget to look where people are from. I knew she was in Spain too but I never clicked. Yeah, I will do 2 sowings and keep the strongest. I would keep them all if I had enough space, but I havnt. I seem to be growing more and more of everything every year and more and more different veg. I love it though.

[Lisasbolt]

I would still do January (mid) in the UK, always did, i cannot help myself , it will take a week to 3 for them to pop up unless chitting or giving ideal environments. I thought lots of people sowed on news years day or have i been fooled all these years

[Scarlet]

Lots of those that sow New Years day ofen have "grow lights" it makes a huge difference.

Fresh seed with a propagator usually means that germination is pretty good. Old seed or when you have them near a radiator that goes off at night is often the culprit of poor or erratic germination. My feb sown chillies are often the better plants.

[Scarlet]

Already got some indoors, including my Big Sun Habanero

got any seeds? They would be very welcome in the VSP - you could swap for something just as exciting.

[More basil]

I would echo the comments re growlights needed if starting early. Chillies of course come from warmer climates. If they are exposed to comfortable indoor warmth they will feel right at home and germinate. As they emerge to low winter lights instead of the expected sunny limes, they will invariably think that they have germinated somewhere shady and grow as fast as they can upwards to get above what they think is shading them. Cue leggy plants.

It is the tricky balance between itchy green fingers and drizzly dank reality... But hey- only a few weeks now before the day light length starts increasing!

[the big lebowski]

i have 2 125whatt cfl cool lamps and santa is bringing me a digital light timer so i think i`ll be good ,i would recomend 1 of these as they are cheap as far as lamps go (£60 lamp and reflector) and only £2-£3 a week ,i have one of those old £1 coin electric meters in the place i rent ,cheers

[the big lebowski]

im setting my lights up this week to go over my chillis and i was wondering how many hours i should put them on for i was thinking about having them come on at 10 in the morning and go off at 4 in the afternoon just to over winter them and the extend the time as we get closer to spring ,does anyone have any thoughts on this ? cheers in advance

[Philthy]

Hi. If your aim is to overwinter I wouldn't worry about it. I would've thought all plants (feel free to correct me ) and certainly chillies benefit from a period of rest during the winter months. My plants have just spent two weeks in the semi darkness of the garage - it's been so mild down south so far this winter that this was the only way to induce winter dormancy. 2/3 of the leaves have dropped as a result, and following a haircut they are now in my back bedroom - the usual overwintering space - where the natural light isn't much better on an overcast day. I don't know much about grow lights I'm afraid, but I wouldn't be thinking about encouraging new growth on my plants until March next year at the earliest. For the reason I've already mentioned, but also because if the plants break out in new growth within the next few weeks I wouldn't have the space for them to stay inside and it'd be too cold and dark for them outside, so any notion of a head start on the season would actually be self-defeating.

[Scoot]

Hi. If your aim is to overwinter I wouldn't worry about it. I would've thought all plants (feel free to correct me ) and certainly chillies benefit from a period of rest during the winter months. My plants have just spent two weeks in the semi darkness of the garage - it's been so mild down south so far this winter that this was the only way to induce winter dormancy. 2/3 of the leaves have dropped as a result, and following a haircut they are now in my back bedroom - the usual overwintering space - where the natural light isn't much better on an overcast day. I don't know much about grow lights I'm afraid, but I wouldn't be thinking about encouraging new growth on my plants until March next year at the earliest. For the reason I've already mentioned, but also because if the plants break out in new growth within the next few weeks I wouldn't have the space for them to stay inside and it'd be too cold and dark for them outside, so any notion of a head start on the season would actually be self-defeating.

Would the same apply to a pepper plant as I just can't get mine to go dormant on my window cill. In fact it's sprouting new leaves and even flowers. Would it been dormant for a month in my garage really help.it next year?