Chilli Growers - what's on your growing list for 2018?

[Chris11]

Was looking at my over winter chilli plants today and noticed 2 very small fruit on the Chocolate Habanero - One very small green and in the background a Chocolate Habanero (1cm dia). Was not expecting anything until end of feb

What is the best thing to do?

Pick off all the flowers and fruit and force it to put energy into growing - or leave them?

Feed the plant?

Still to build the light and heated bed

I don't think there's a definitive answer to this. I generally leave flowers and small fruits on the plant, and leave nature to take its course. If the plant can't support the fruits, flowers will drop off anyway. If they do produce fruit at this time of year, it will be smaller as the plant has limited resources. I leave them to ripen, and then pick and eat them. In fact I've got a tiny ripe Bahamian Goat which I'm picking this evening

[Aunty Social]

Egged on by a friend and an electric propagator on sale, I'm going to try Tam Jalapeno (Mild)

[Small pumpkin]

Here it is! The big announcement you've all been waiting for .
This years Dorset Naga is named Monty (as in Python, not Don)

[sherlockofsheff]

I've got a Trinidad Scorpion overwintering very nicely and putting out new shoots already.

Bhut Jolokia and Cayenetta in airing cupboard, but no signs of life so far.

Was trying to overwinter a pair of Thai Dragon but they got a lot of aphids after I brought them into the house and are looking very sorry for themselves after I cut them back. Not sure if Thai's are overwinterable anyway, does anyone else know?

[Small pumpkin]

I've got a Trinidad Scorpion overwintering very nicely and putting out new shoots already.

Bhut Jolokia and Cayenetta in airing cupboard, but no signs of life so far.

Was trying to overwinter a pair of Thai Dragon but they got a lot of aphids after I brought them into the house and are looking very sorry for themselves after I cut them back. Not sure if Thai's are overwinterable anyway, does anyone else know?

You should be able too overwinter any chilli. But I've never had much luck overwintering.
I do love Thai dragon. I grow it every year.

[Chris11]

I've got a Trinidad Scorpion overwintering very nicely and putting out new shoots already....Not sure if Thai's are overwinterable anyway, does anyone else know?

All Capsicum species are perennials, although in practice they're often grown as annuals in this country. Thais are C. annuum, and although that species is often the easiest to germinate and grow, they do also seem to be the hardest to overwinter.

Chinense, Baccatums and Pubescens all seem to overwinter more easily in the right conditions. Annuums often seem to die off in winter after fruiting rather than going dormant.

[Philthy]

This years Dorset Naga is named Monty (as in Python, not Don)

Or maybe Withnail's Uncle Monty
Afterall "Flowers are simply tarts; prostitutes for the bees"

Was trying to overwinter a pair of Thai Dragon but they got a lot of aphids after I brought them into the house and are looking very sorry for themselves after I cut them back. Not sure if Thai's are overwinterable anyway, does anyone else know?

Most definitely
I'm overwintering a Thai Dragon myself, but on this occasion I've also had to cut it back, down to a 6" stump which is WAY more than I normally like to take off but this one got left outside a bit too long and cold damage set in an inch or two above where I made the cut. The 2' or so of green foliage above the affected area was otherwise fine but it wouldn't have stayed that way. Bit annoying. The remaining stem is healthy though so I have no qualms about it re-shooting in a few weeks.
In previous years I've had Thai Dragons go to three years no problem. Crop tended to tail off after that though and eventually the plant gets woody.

[sherlockofsheff]

Overwintering Thai chillies

I've repotted the two Thai chillies. Both seem to have a reasonable root system but to be on the safe side I put them back into the same size pot with fresh compost. No signs of any buds at the nodal cuts and the looks to have been some die back although there are lower nodes. Not holding out much hope though.

[Mitzi]

I've repotted the two Thai chillies. Both seem to have a reasonable root system but to be on the safe side I put them back into the same size pot with fresh compost. No signs of any buds at the nodal cuts and the looks to have been some die back although there are lower nodes. Not holding out much hope though.

If they've got a reasonable root system and the stems are still mainly green, they will probably be OK. Keep them somewhere warm with plenty of light and they should burst into life. Cut off any dead-looking shoots.

[Dalrimple]

can I ask how deep do I replant my seedlings ? I tend to plant tomatoes as deep as the first set of leaves on repotting , thanks in addvance .Dal.

[Small pumpkin]

can I ask how deep do I replant my seedlings ? I tend to plant tomatoes as deep as the first set of leaves on repotting , thanks in addvance .Dal.

If the seedlings are a bit leggy I plant them a little deeper. Not as deep as tomatoes. But that's just my personal preference.

[Mitzi]

can I ask how deep do I replant my seedlings ? I tend to plant tomatoes as deep as the first set of leaves on repotting , thanks in addvance .Dal.

Tomatoes can grow roots all the way up their stem so you can bury them as deep as you like. Chillies don't do that (which is why they're harder to take cuttings from than tomatoes.) Bury them to just below the seed leaves but no deeper, else there's a danger of rotting.

[Chris11]

Update, two more varieties germinated. List so far:

Elysium Lantern F2
Golden Marconi
Joes Long
Long Green Buddha
NuMex Twilight x Cayenne F2
Ring of Fire MX F1
Space HJ10 Afterglow

Overwintering lottery, might lose some, especially the Annuums, but these still have a chance:

Aji Pineapple
Akabare Nepalese (Not even dropped any leaves yet)
Bahamian Goat
Bishops Hat (Is trying to grow new leaves)
Burkina Yellow (Is trying to grow new leaves)
Elysium Oxide F7 (Strong green stem)
Orange Thai Large
Santa Fe Grande
TSM Medium Red
Turbo Alberto (C. pubescens) (Early stages of new shoots)
7 Pot Red (Strong green stem)

Rarely seeing fungus gnats or aphids, so must be doing something right

[Mitzi]

Sown my annuums today. This will be my last sowing with the possible exception of replacements for failures.

[damian1225]

Well after a visit to the chilli gods house this morning thats the super hots sown, we have Carolina reapers, Dragons breath, jamaican hot, scotch bonnets, white bhute jolokia (Ghosts), Brain strain, morouga scorpion yellow, 7 pot barrock poke, 7 pot bubble gum, 7 pot red, Mushroom chilli