Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

[Scarlet]

Watering each day isn't advised, especially just a few drop. Generally when watering a plant you need to get to the roots, so give them a good drink. Make sure your pits have good drainage. Sit them in water for half an hour, let them take up water and then make sure you drain the excess away. Pick the pot up, feel the weight in your hand. You should be able to tell a watered pit from a dry pot by the weight. I generally only water around once a week in the early days....in the Summer or on warmer days it's different.

[Chris11]

Have lost some of the over wintering plants, especially as expected, the annuums. Also lost some of the early seedlings, probably to cold damage. Frustrating circumstances, unfortunately have a cold house, had some heating problems and we had some exceptional cold temperatures this year.

Other seedlings doing ok, and will benefit from lengthening days on the window sill.

Recently had germination of Bulgarian Carrot and Orange Thai Large

[Mitzi]

On Saturday I checked on the plants overwintering indoors at my mum's house. Unfortunately the baccatums all seem dead, which has surprised me a bit. They must have dried out too much, as they have been in a heated room so it can't have been too cold. They have been well watered over the last couple of weeks but have not come into growth. However a Chenzo is alive - well, one of two plants which are in the same pot - the other one seems dead. I wasn't even trying to overwinter that. I just brought it indoors to ripen the pods it was carrying, and never chucked it out again.

I haven't checked on the baccatums in my garage but after the freezing temperatures of the last few weeks I expect they will all be dead too. Sad, as I was hoping to get better crops from them this year.

The indoor overwinters at home (7 chinenses and 2 annuums) are all still alive, some thriving, but some badly affected by aphids. I was hoping not to have to cut them down too much (as it will delay fruiting) but the three in the bedroom are so badly affected that I think they need a drastic prune and some treatment. Just not sure when I can get round to it; I'm really busy at the moment. Maybe I just let them succumb to the aphids in order to make room for this year's seedlings in the Chilligrow.

[rambleberry]

I had an appalling time last year with chillies, made all the rookie errors, and eventually lost most of them to damping-off. This year I seriously over-sowed, expecting the worst, and now I've got far too many. I'm just glad they've come through and seem to be doing well, though, so I shan't complain and tempt fate!

This year's grow list:
Anaheim
Apricot
Biquinho Red, Yellow and White
Black Olive
Bolivian Rainbow
Bulgarian Carrot
Cayenne
Dedo de Mocha
Lemon Drop
Mulato Isleno
Onza
Pumpkin
Tangerine Dream
Telica (large Jalapeno)
Moroccan - from a seed swap, can't find any information online about it.

[Reefer123]

Watering each day isn't advised, especially just a few drop. Generally when watering a plant you need to get to the roots, so give them a good drink. Make sure your pits have good drainage. Sit them in water for half an hour, let them take up water and then make sure you drain the excess away. Pick the pot up, feel the weight in your hand. You should be able to tell a watered pit from a dry pot by the weight. I generally only water around once a week in the early days....in the Summer or on warmer days it's different.

ok thanks scarlet, i will hold off on watering them till next week now. They seem to be growing quite fast. One of them has its first set of two leaves.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Ahhgh!

The first disaster strikes!

Has I have been giving my seedling a four day watering cycle, I got tied up at work yesterday and forgot Tray 1 needed a drink!

A little wilted, but have now given them a decent drink! Now In ward 7 in the kitchen!

Not a great start for seedlings, I know, but I'll keep an eye on em!

Hey! What will be will be!

But to be honest tray 1 consisted of the basics such as Cayenne, Hungarian hot wax etc

So not missed the window yet!

[Small pumpkin]

Ahhgh !!!
Not the Hungarian hot wax !!!!!!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

No Worries! I'll sort It!

[Mitzi]

It's amazing how dramatically they wilt and how equally dramatically they revive, Lazarus-like. Last night I noticed a seedling in a Jiffy 7 had completely collapsed and several more were wilting. Gave them a good soak and couldn't even tell which ones it was by this morning. They'll be fine.

[Tripmeup]

On Saturday I checked on the plants overwintering indoors at my mum's house. Unfortunately the baccatums all seem dead, which has surprised me a bit. They must have dried out too much, as they have been in a heated room so it can't have been too cold. They have been well watered over the last couple of weeks but have not come into growth. However a Chenzo is alive - well, one of two plants which are in the same pot - the other one seems dead. I wasn't even trying to overwinter that. I just brought it indoors to ripen the pods it was carrying, and never chucked it out again.

I haven't checked on the baccatums in my garage but after the freezing temperatures of the last few weeks I expect they will all be dead too. Sad, as I was hoping to get better crops from them this year.

The indoor overwinters at home (7 chinenses and 2 annuums) are all still alive, some thriving, but some badly affected by aphids. I was hoping not to have to cut them down too much (as it will delay fruiting) but the three in the bedroom are so badly affected that I think they need a drastic prune and some treatment. Just not sure when I can get round to it; I'm really busy at the moment. Maybe I just let them succumb to the aphids in order to make room for this year's seedlings in the Chilligrow.

Dangers of over wintering Mitzi...Don't let any of those plants anywhere near your new plants for this year...Last year some of my new plants were badly affected with greenfly from overwintered plants kept indoors...
Made me question the merits of it..

[Small pumpkin]

I've stopped overwintering for that reason. I did experiment this year with chillies in a mini greenhouse with a heater in the tunnel. It didn't work. So no more overwintering of any sort.

[Reefer123]

Seedlings 1 week after planting
https://imgur.com/a/hBgh3
Just waiting for slowpoke center right to hurry up
Overwintered 1 week after first feed with chilli focus
https://imgur.com/a/kZo4Y

[Chris11]

Maybe I just let them succumb to the aphids in order to make room for this year's seedlings in the Chilligrow.

Never Surrender to the Aphids. Squish, squish, and squish again.

Although I do understand being able to cope with loss of plants with some equanimity if you've got lots of new seedlings and spare seeds.

Aphid problems never go away, but I've had very few in the last year or two compared to when I first started. Aforementioned squishing on overwintering plants, and lots of wildlife friendly companion plants in the garden and greenhouse, have made a massive difference.

Last summer, I rarely even needed to do any squishing on the greenhouse plants and just let the hoverflies and ladybirds deal with them

[Dalrimple]

It's amazing how dramatically they wilt and how equally dramatically they revive, Lazarus-like. Last night I noticed a seedling in a Jiffy 7 had completely collapsed and several more were wilting. Gave them a good soak and couldn't even tell which ones it was by this morning. They'll be fine.

had look at mine this morning and found 3 flagging they'r in 3in peat pots and they seem to dry out quickly ! I don't want to over water but I must keep a eyeout in future! atb Dal

[burnie]

My over wintering cayenne is covered in whitefly and looking sick, now in the compost as a failed experiment, four new chillies growing in the propagator.