Chillies - what are you growing/overwintering?

[Scoot]

think big Scoot



Heated Propagator with Integrated Propagation Lights

Literally no chance of me getting that haha!

[Philthy]

Evening all,

Well this year I seem to have ended up with a greenhouse 100% full of chilli plants!
It wasn't planned this way. I made a conscious choice NOT to grow any tomato, cucumber or anything else for that matter in order to free up some time and space to complete the interior of my GH (still bare earth, supposed to be proper path and staging inside by now). But instead I just gradually filled up the vacant space with more chilli plants and then let them wander! So that didn't work
What's really hacked me off is the chronic infestation of greenfly I seem to have been hit with this year. I was squashing them, wiping the leaves, spraying, but these were just sticking plasters this time around and the little sods were recolonising within days. I tried skimming off some compost from each pot and replacing with new, no help. The only thing that did seem to help was taking the smaller plants and sticking them outside for a few days, but that isn't possible with some of the bigger specimens - the foliage is too extensive and assuming I could even get them through the door the tops would be damaged in the wind.
So as of a number of weeks back I have abandoned all attempts at eradication. Just too time consuming and not particularly effective. Chilli fruit production has continued in earnest fortunately and some decent spells of sun have helped I'm sure. But a few of the plants look a sorry state at this point; leaves now black with sooty mould, pots sticky, bit of a mess. I have my main pick still to do but when it is done I will look to slice off 90% of the leaves of worse affected plants.
Interesting both types of habanero grown this year and also fatalii are virtually unaffected.
Someone suggested to me using a smoke bomb in the GH once all the plants are out; any thoughts on this?

Hope everyone keeping well.

[SusieG]

Sounds like you've been very unlucky with regards to greenfly Philthy. It's a good thing that they don't seem to have affected your plants from fruiting..!!

My GH is full of chillis/sweet pepper plants now that I've hoicked out all the tom/cucumber plants ~ they seem to have grown to fill the vacated spaces...!!!
Fortunately, I only had one case of greenfly earlier this year on two chilli plants that were indoors on a windowsill - and was lucky enough to eradicate them. Something has been nibbling away at some of the leaves in there though ~ doesn't seem to have affected them, plenty of chillis ripening nicely!

When the GH is finally emptied it will certainly need a proper good cleaning ~ not sure about using one of those smoke bomb things though...

[Small pumpkin]

I've heard that smoke bombs are good for getting rid of nasties but I don't remember where I heard it or where to get them from I think there's a few different types you can get. I may be making that bit up to!
I really must go do some proper research on the subject.

[Ladyslip]

I use shield in mine

[Tripmeup]

If you are talking about sulphur candles, I have used them in the past...Sometimes use them at the start of the season when getting greenhouse ready for the new influx...

[Chris11]

Aphids have been more of a greenhouse problem in past years, but I'm hoping my attempts at wildlife friendly gardening and companion planting are paying off. There were some aphids early season, especially on overwintered plants, but then the ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings got stuck in

Have had to be more vigilant with isolated chilli plants grown indoors.

[Vince G]

A selection of the chillies I've grown this year in the polytunnel.

The green ones are Padrón. These are the ones you get in Spain fried up with olive oil and salt. The bush got to about 3½ feet tall. I allowed a few to ripen to red which seemed to make them a bit more spicy, prefer the green as the Spaniards do.

Going clockwise, the next ones are Ají Limón. Pretty spicy and with a very lemony flavour. The bushes grew to 3 feet tall and produced hundreds of chillies so I won't need to grow this variety next year as got tons in the freezer.

Next one is good old Cayenne. Bushes grew to 2 feet, lots of fairly spicy red finger chillies.

Then it's what I think is a Hungarian Wax. Mystery seeds from Mrs G's uncle who had lost the packet. Have been using them in place of normal peppers as they're a little fruity and have no heat at all. Won't bother with these again next year.

...and in the middle, White Habañero. These are little white bullets of fire! I had a nibble of a raw one to see how hot they were and my lips were still tingling half an hour later. Quite a low growing plant and they got drowned out a bit by the bigger plants so I would make sure I grew this on the fringes of the polytunnel next time to get plenty of light. I gave some of these to a colleague at work who also has an allotment. He keeps fit and goes for a swim first thing every morning and claims that having added too many of these to his chilli con carne the night before, he couldn't breath so well during his swim....not sure about that, but they're pretty hot so be warned

[snakeshack]

I'm going to try overwintering my Peppadew this winter as they take ages to get going in the spring and I'm only just starting to harvest ripe ones now.
Any suggestions.

[Small pumpkin]

We had chilli con carne for tea last night with our first jays peach ghost scorpion in it
It was very nice. Definitely growing them again next year. And it seems quite early for a super hot. None of the other super hots are even thing about ripening yet.

[Scarlet]

Snakeshack, Vince, Philthy - do you fancy joining the chilli circle?

I love the sound of those White Habs!
Philthy, where have you been? Love your chilli selection in the VVS! I use Jays() fluid I dilute as per pack I structions and put it in a spray bottle and spray the whole GH, then I jet wash the lot off - just once I used something else and has a ton of greenfly.
Overwintering is hit and miss Snakeshack. I'd bring it in now and reduce watering, every plant is different but I often wait to see what happens, some stems die off, I'll prune those in early Spring. Mine are kept on a east facing window and gets early morning sun. Others keep them in a cool spare room. Aphids can become a problem - keep on top of them or they will get out of hand.
Let us know how you get on.

[SusieG]

.........made a chicken jalfrezi for tea tonight ........ chillis used: 1 cayenne - left whole
2 pretty purple (now orange!) - left whole (tiny little innocuous looking fruits)
2 twilight - left whole

the lads are still blowing their noses and wiping their eyes .......

It was a delicious, very hot curry ~ yum yum...!!!

[Scoot]

The last of my chilli seeds arrived today from South Devon Chilli Farm. I've got for next year:

Jalapeno
Hungarian Hot Wax
Scotch Bonnet Red
Ring of Fire
Long Slim Red Cayenne

And the ones i tried and failed with this year to try again next year:

Numex Twilight
Guindilla pepper
Razzamatazz pepper
California Wonder sweet pepper


See how I do next year with this little lot.

[Bacchus]

200 plants? How much do you spend on compost?

Sorry - I haven't been on for a while.

I spend probably too much on compost - well - probably about £30 will cover it, so not really that much.

I'm trying to grow enough to make a chili relish that I can sell through a local farmers shop (I know the owner very well) It's just taking the growing hobby to another level. It's not just for me, my 9 year old daughter is really intrested and I'm trying to encourage her to be entrepreneural.

[Tripmeup]

Sorry - I haven't been on for a while.

I spend probably too much on compost - well - probably about £30 will cover it, so not really that much.

I'm trying to grow enough to make a chili relish that I can sell through a local farmers shop (I know the owner very well) It's just taking the growing hobby to another level. It's not just for me, my 9 year old daughter is really intrested and I'm trying to encourage her to be entrepreneural.

Have you perfected the recipe and mix of chillies yet Bacchus??