Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

[monkeyboy]

I've got one padron pepper the size of a grape. The other padron pepper plant and the jalapeño plants are still flowering. Judging watering frequency is a bit difficult.

Any tips?

[Mitzi]

I've got one padron pepper the size of a grape. The other padron pepper plant and the jalapeño plants are still flowering. Judging watering frequency is a bit difficult.

Any tips?

If the pots are small enough to pick up, then judge by weight. Pick it up, if it feels light then water. If it feels heavy then don't. Too little water isn't as bad for it as too much. If you haven't watered for ages and the leaves start to wilt then water it. But beware - leaves can also go floppy from overwatering!

[Philthy]

Well, as of sun up this morning I am seriously hacked off with the errant wildlife in my area

Couple of nights ago I took what would've been my prize chilli plant for this year - Espelette 2 yr old - out of the GH as once again I'm plagued with greenfly, and I've found a few nights in the open air is usually effective in at least diminishing the numbers prior to a more comprehensive clean up.

Got in this morning, was stood in the kitchen looking out, glanced at the plant, thought to myself that doesn't look right, I could've sworn it was bigger, back outside for a closer look..... practically every new shoot and leaf has been bitten off leaving barely an inch of stalk behind!!! Utterly ruined it for this year. All the effort and attentiveness getting it through winter wasted.

What else? Damned %$@#! DEER!! AGAIN.

Absolute pain in the proverbial. And they're everywhere, see them more than foxes now. No timidity, bold as brass, just maraud around day or night, snacking on whatever they fancy, causing a nuisance on the road... And the final insult must be that the bits of plant the deer was kind enough to leave still have greenfly on them. Give up

[Mitzi]

Oh dear (sorry, couldnt resist.)

I'd be seriously considering venison for tea if i were you. Gutting.

[self-contained]

Quick chilli query: Can I still pot them on once they are flowering and forming fruit? I've left it a bit late, but I could pot some on today if it's still possible.

Edit: I went out to my sunroom after posting this and found my chillies in a very sorry state in this heat. I've gone ahead and potted them on, thinking a larger root system and bigger plant will make for better tolerance of the sun and heat. I think they are going to have to move outside for a bit too, as the sunroom is far too hot for them right now. I've currently got them in a shady spot outside. If they perk up now they are potted on and watered, I will move them to a sunnier spot. However, they look thoroughly fed up right now. Probably, I should have put them in the shade and given them a good watering with a view to potting them on in a few days, but sadly, it tends to have to be sink or swim in my garden!

[monkeyboy]

If the pots are small enough to pick up, then judge by weight. Pick it up, if it feels light then water. If it feels heavy then don't. Too little water isn't as bad for it as too much. If you haven't watered for ages and the leaves start to wilt then water it. But beware - leaves can also go floppy from overwatering!

Thanks. I had been watering twice weekly, cut down to once weekly at the suggestions here and the leaves wilt within a few days. Twice weekly seems best for me.

[Scarlet]

Thanks. I had been watering twice weekly, cut down to once weekly at the suggestions here and the leaves wilt within a few days. Twice weekly seems best for me.

To be honest i water mine pretty much every day if they are in pots in the green house. its very difficult to say how much/how often a plant needs watering. Pot size, plant size, position - in or out of the GH etc all play a part in how much water they require. its very much a learning curve.

[darraghb]

Watering really doesn't have a one size fits all solution. It the current heat I'm watering some plants every two days but some only once every 5 or 6 days. If the surface soil is dry then I lift the pot to see how light it is and decide then.

[chillithyme]

Hi

Ive just bought a turbo grafted pepper Cupid,reduced in Wyevale for £2. I’ve never grown grafted plants before,it says it will grow large and be more productive.
Any ideas as to what size pot or how many litres of soil I should go for please?
It will most likely go outside front door,south facing sun all day,as I’m having an infestation in the porch,so have emptied it.

I’ve got some chillis grown from seed which have caught up well and are flowering,also some from plugs

[Mitzi]

Hi
Ive just bought a turbo grafted pepper Cupid,reduced in Wyevale for £2. I’ve never grown grafted plants before,it says it will grow large and be more productive.
Any ideas as to what size pot or how many litres of soil I should go for please?

As usual, it's difficult to be prescriptive. I'm not familiar with Cupid. Just keep potting it up as it needs it?

[chillithyme]

Thanks mitzi
I normally pot up chillis/peppers as I go along, but wasn't sure if the same for grafted as apparently they have larger route systems. The plants also covered in flowers, so I was hoping to pot it on just once so as not to disrupt the fruit development.
I normally pot up in size as I go along 2 or 3 times, but maybe il just wing it and go straight for the larger pot size than i normally would, decisions, decisions

I looked up Cupid online, didn't fine much, I think it's meant to produce smaller peppers, which I don't really like, but I've only got one other sweet pepper plant, so bought it anyway.

[Scarlet]

I don’t pot on in sizes.... I just go from a small 3 or 4 inch pot into the biggest pot I have room for. I have tried several ways over the years and they don’t seem to mind. So I would chance it and pot up into your chosen final pot size. I’m sure it will be fine

[chillithyme]

thanks scarlet, I'l put it straight into a large pot asap

[Small pumpkin]

I don’t pot on in sizes.... I just go from a small 3 or 4 inch pot into the biggest pot I have room for. I have tried several ways over the years and they don’t seem to mind. So I would chance it and pot up into your chosen final pot size. I’m sure it will be fine

I do that as well. Works brilliantly for me.

[the big lebowski]

my chillis are doing good i have 12 up at the plot and about that many on my window sills at home (planning on trying chilli grafting with the ones at home ) ,i have been feeding them once a week atm with tomato feed but in this heat i might pull out the big guns and use some hydro feed