Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

**monkeyboy** · 05-07-2018, 10:38 PM

I've got a single jalapeno pepper growing and two padron peppers. That's from 4 jalapeno plants and 2 padron plants. Lots of flowers but despite feeding weekly with tomorite, the flowers aren't developing into peppers but falling off.

Any ideas?

**Small pumpkin** · 05-07-2018, 11:07 PM

Originally posted by monkeyboy View Post

I've got a single jalapeno pepper growing and two padron peppers. That's from 4 jalapeno plants and 2 padron plants. Lots of flowers but despite feeding weekly with tomorite, the flowers aren't developing into peppers but falling off.

Any ideas?

Where are they? How big are they? Are there lots of pollinating insects around?

**HoneyChild** · 06-07-2018, 09:30 AM

Are they falling off before or after opening up? If they fall off before opening up I tend to blame aphids. I don't know for sure if they're to blame or not but it's worth having a look on your plants for them.

**the big lebowski** · 06-07-2018, 09:52 AM

mitzi and sp those are looking great ,well done

**monkeyboy** · 06-07-2018, 10:10 AM

Originally posted by Small pumpkin View Post

Where are they? How big are they? Are there lots of pollinating insects around?

Indoors, on kitchen window sill. Approx 12-18" tall. 8" pots IIRC. Windows are generally open. Last year, we managed quite a few jalapenos from packet seed from homebase and I started off much earlier this year so I was hoping for more fruit.

Originally posted by HoneyChild View Post

Are they falling off before or after opening up? If they fall off before opening up I tend to blame aphids. I don't know for sure if they're to blame or not but it's worth having a look on your plants for them.

After opening up. They start to shrivel like they're going to form a pepper and then they just fall off. I don't know if it's excessive heat, lack of watering (I'm now on alternate days and they get droopy leafed by that point), lack of nutrients (fed weekly with tomorite) or something else.

**Mitzi** · 06-07-2018, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by Scarlet View Post

They look fab.....I really like the look of the nagabrain chocolate. Though I had a naga and it filled the freezer and I even struggled using them up cooking chutneys and jams with them as you don’t need a lot

to produce some serious heat.

It's the first naga I've grown. To be honest I'm scared to try it. I'm not sure exactly where it sits on the heat scale but I'm fairly sure it will be well beyond my tolerance levels. If I get a second crop off it I will probably dehydrate them and make powder - easy to put just a tiny bit of chilli powder in a recipe, and as yet I haven't used the dehydrator that my other half bought me for Christmas.

**Mitzi** · 06-07-2018, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by monkeyboy View Post

Indoors, on kitchen window sill. Approx 12-18" tall. 8" pots IIRC. Windows are generally open. Last year, we managed quite a few jalapenos from packet seed from homebase and I started off much earlier this year so I was hoping for more fruit.

After opening up. They start to shrivel like they're going to form a pepper and then they just fall off. I don't know if it's excessive heat, lack of watering (I'm now on alternate days and they get droopy leafed by that point), lack of nutrients (fed weekly with tomorite) or something else.

It could certainly be the heat. It's unlikely to be lack of watering. It is most likely to be lack of pollination. Try tickling the flowers when they are wide open, with a soft paintbrush, cotton bud or just your finger. Also try vigorously shaking the plant every time you go past it. The shaking will make some flowers drop off, but those were going to drop sooner or later anyway. It will help the pollen to drop down onto the female bit of the flower.

Given the current weather I'd be tempted to stick them outside and let nature do the pollination for you. Do harden them off first (by putting them out for a short time only, then increasing it over several days.) I failed to do that, stuck some plants outside in the sun a couple of days ago, and within 24 hours the leaves all turned white and are now dropping off. Oops!

**the big lebowski** · 06-07-2018, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by Mitzi View Post

It's the first naga I've grown. To be honest I'm scared to try it. I'm not sure exactly where it sits on the heat scale but I'm fairly sure it will be well beyond my tolerance levels. If I get a second crop off it I will probably dehydrate them and make powder - easy to put just a tiny bit of chilli powder in a recipe, and as yet I haven't used the dehydrator that my other half bought me for Christmas.

i think those are a cross from the dorset narga (former wolds hottest chill) and a 7 pot (apparently gets its name because 1 chilli has enough heat to make 7 pots of chilli ) i would expect it to be over 2 mill on the schovile scale ,you might want to get a volunteer to test it for you

**Mitzi** · 06-07-2018, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by the big lebowski View Post

i think those are a cross from the dorset narga (former wolds hottest chill) and a 7 pot (apparently gets its name because 1 chilli has enough heat to make 7 pots of chilli ) i would expect it to be over 2 mill on the schovile scale ,you might want to get a volunteer to test it for you

That was my plan, but he says he's not trying it unless I do too. We're going to a BBQ tomorrow; I might slice it, take it with me and see if there are any takers.