Chillies - what are you growing/overwintering?

[Tripmeup]

They're 'Inferno', 'Hungarian Wax' and 'Jamaican Hot', all sown Jan 13th and grown under lights. All about 3" tall. They've been going out in the greenhouse during the day and back in the house at night. They're currently in very small pots, but they look about right considering the pathetic size of the plants! No sign of roots at the bottom or anything.

Hi Bario
I would have thought they should be quite a bit taller alright if they have been under lights..Pics will help, but did they get any kind of shock that you can think of?
Were they too close to the lights for any period?
Sounds strange to me..

[Small pumpkin]

Somebody stop me...... I'm considering buying more chilli's

[Tripmeup]

Somebody stop me...... I'm considering buying more chilli's

Fire ahead SP

[Small pumpkin]

Thanks Trip very helpful
Space is the issue. Because I'm not playing this year all my chilli's are getting planted into the biggest pot/tubs possible. Smallest are my 7lt flower bucket. I planted a Dorset naga into a 35lt bucket yesterday and I have another 7 containers at 90+lt. So space is going to be tight. But I do like the look of turtle claws

[sparrow100]

I 'm fed up with my chillies - every single one apart from my Padrons has stalled at about 3" tall... they've been like that for months after racing off to a great start under lights. Now they just seem to have 'petrified', the leaves are small and dark and hard, there's no new tender growth, and the stems are thick and knobbly. I don't know what it would take to kick start them again now, I've tried a weak feed of chilli focus a couple of times without any improvement. Anyone else experienced this?

I have a tray of miserable tiny chillies - I have treated mine pretty badly this year though and I think that's my problem. Not enough light, left in a crowded tray and small pots. Not saying you've done this, but I have - and am feeling guilty!

[Scarlet]

Crowded trays really don't help ^^^

Ive gone for big pots this year too SP....my black nagas, they are usually in my bay window but I'm cleaning windows (well supposed to be )

[bario1]

Here are some pics:







Possibly they need re-potting, I'll try that. Possibly they spent too long too near the bulbs in my growlight garden - but the instructions did say keep the bulbs 6cm from the canopy of the plants at all times... a few leaves here and there are looking a bit dry and yellow. None of them have put on any growth for at least a month.

[Scarlet]

They look burnt, so probably a little stressed but I would definately be potting those on.

[bario1]

Thanks Scarlet, I'll pot them on tonight if i get a chance. So much for starting early, I think the ones I started in March last year were bigger than this by now. I wasn't going to bother with chillies this year as I've never had much success, but my brother bought me some seeds so I thought I'd give them a bash. At least my Padrons are doing a bit better - probably because they got too tall for the lights, so weren't frying for 18 hours a day!

[Scarlet]

I think they will romp away once you've potted them on.

[Jay22]

Mine are still tiny (cayenne), only on second set of leaves! Took your advice Scarlet and covered the pots containing Prairie Fire with cling film and kept them warm...up they shot, in fact the second lot have appeared in less than a fortnight.

[Small pumpkin]

Crowded trays really don't help ^^^

Ive gone for big pots this year too SP....my black nagas, they are usually in my bay window but I'm cleaning windows (well supposed to be )
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Black Naga's are look good scarlet


Bario I agree with scarlet re pot them and they will be like triffids in no time

[Philthy]

Bario, I think temperature might be your issue. How long have you been ferrying them back and forth to the greenhouse? Is it ventilated at all (drafty)?
Even daytime placement is a bit risky given how cold it's been until very recently Plants of that size I would keep indoors full time until mid-May down here (probably June where you are). The compost looks quite wet too. If it's staying wet for days at a time that will also make for unhappy plants. I'd keep them in a light window for now if you have one available (not above a radiator though). The smaller plants are probably okay in their existing pots for now, just let them dry out a bit.

[bario1]

They've only been out on sunny days when the greenhouse gets quickly up to 25+... it's a new greenhouse, so very snug, with an autovent in the roof to stop it overheating. If the sun's not out they stay in the house under the lights. Only a couple of times I got the weather wrong (i have to make a judgement call before I go to work) and they sat in the greenhouse on a dull day, with temps hovering around the 13 mark I guess. I try not to overwater, but it's difficult to get right, as they can easily dry out in a day in those tiny pots. I left them on capillary matting for a week or so when I went on holiday, and I think that made them too wet, but they were already sulking like this before i went. If they don't buck their ideas up soon...

[Philthy]

Yes, water management when away is usually a pain in the proverbial and harder to predict the smaller the pot... I do think wetness of compost is a major influencing factor though. In those small'ish pots they'll dry out much faster in the greenhouse when like you say the temperature quickly hits the high 20's on a sunny day. Indoors it'd be easier to monitor and regulate water uptake, and temperatures would probably be less erratic. Easier for when you'll be away all day. When the plants are next due to be watered (the rule of thumb is when the compost surface is dry to the touch, and dry for the first inch on large pots), try adding some nitrogen feed at the recommended dosage. Put them back outside permanently when they're a bit bigger and less fussy