First frost :(

[Bacchus]

Had to scrape the frost of the windshield this morning - first frost of the year - after the summer.

The thermometer in the poly tunnel said that 5 degrees was the lowest but still - my poor chilies...

Not my favorite growing year at all ...

[sparrow100]

Eeep. Am in a warmer area than you, but that's a handy reminder to get mine inside.

[Nicos]

Ouch.
Not surprised though cos we've had a few really chilly nights recently.

Your plants OK?

[Scarlet]

Mine have been in for a week, though I'm not getting many chillies I'm hoping to overwinter them.
I know I'm in the South West but I think I'm in a little climate all on its own. We had a light ground frost last week.

[Bren In Pots]

No frosts here yet my lowest GH temps been 6.8c it will soon be time to get the fleece out.

[Bacchus]

It was down to 5 degrees in the tunnel but hopefully only for a short while. I have too many chili plants to bring in (about 70) - though I might bring a couple of better ones in just in case.

Most are still green but they are just starting to go red or brown now. It hasn't been a great year for them to be honest - hopefully better next year.

I will try and overwinter some of them though. I hope all you more southerly growers had a better crop

[Scarlet]

Mine had a really slow start this year Bacchus even though I'm South. I don't have grow lights so I can't really start them off until the end of Feb and Spring was too cold for them to stay in the GH for long. I cut my losses pretty soon and binned the ones I thought wouldn't be worth my while. I've just kept one cayenne for some chills jam and my super hots that haven't even flowered yet. 5 of which I've now got indoors to overwinter - scotch bonnet, lemon drop, black naga x2, and another that I've forgotten off the top of my head! Luckily I had a couple of lemon drops from last year that have given me a steady supply.

[Bacchus]

Mine had a really slow start this year Bacchus even though I'm South. I don't have grow lights so I can't really start them off until the end of Feb and Spring was too cold for them to stay in the GH for long. I cut my losses pretty soon and binned the ones I thought wouldn't be worth my while. I've just kept one cayenne for some chills jam and my super hots that haven't even flowered yet. 5 of which I've now got indoors to overwinter - scotch bonnet, lemon drop, black naga x2, and another that I've forgotten off the top of my head! Luckily I had a couple of lemon drops from last year that have given me a steady supply.

My Cayenne's did reasonably well - they are just starting to turn red now. What surprised me was my chocolate variety have done really well - no heat of them, but they are the exceptions (I can't remember the exact name - I'll have to look it up) - most other varieties do have fruit - just not very many and the plants are small

My superhots haven't flowered yet either - very disappointing this year - I'll bring in a couple to see if the heat in the house helps those.

I started mine off in January - under lights but I actually think that next year I'll hold off until February. The cold snap in May/June times this year seemed to really set them back - so starting early didn't really benefit me at all.

[1Bee]

Down to 4 degrees on the plot last night, but everything seems quite happy, still. I'm itching to start 're-modelling' for next year, though - starting to get impatient.

[Philthy]

I don't use lights either. Therefore early February is my start time, as there isn't enough natural light available for growing on if I was to start earlier than that, and the plants would stall in their development i.e. the advantage of starting so early would be lost.

I agree this year hasn't been the best. I've been shielded from the disappointment to an extent in that I've been harvesting from last years sowings; these plants were already sufficiently developed to start flowering this year despite the cold (and I'm sure my southerly location helps enormously).
But I took the shade cloth off of the greenhouse early in August after the weather became so rubbish for the time of year that the shading became counterproductive (and the long term forecasts were predicting no let up for the rest of the month).
The superhots I could accommodate have been back indoors since mid August for the same reason - I don't think my Moruga Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia, and Scotch Bonnets would have cropped at all if I hadn't done that. Funnily enough the Fatalii's stayed in the greenhouse and they cropped and ripened no problem. Thai types and Aji's likewise. But there was no room for Paper Lantern and Carolina Reaper indoors, so they're still very green and not many of them. They'll have to be a windowsill job once they're picked.

The GH stock should be okay where they are until the middle of next month, even though autumn has come early this year.

Surprised you've had frost already though, Bacchus. Bring in what you can now and hopefully they'll start flowering. There's a few weeks of productivity to go yet provided the warmth is there.

[Bacchus]

Yes I'm starting to think about bringing a few in. If I get a chance tomorrow I'll take a few pictures of where things are at. I've far too many to bring in them all - so I think it will be mostly the superhots, not necessarily to fruit this year but to get a head start for next year through overwintering.

[Tripmeup]

Mmmmm.. Surprised you had frost this early Bacchus, but it is a timely reminder which way we are heading
I would bring mine in too, but I have way too many so will have to be selective....That plus the fact that I already have about 18 plants inside all summer anyways
So, if I was to start arriving into the house with armfuls of plants, there would be an outbreak of "raised eye" syndrome

I have had a reasonable year with my chilli and pepper plants....Loads of Jalapenos, Cayenne, Anaheim and one new to me, Chilaca was good too...My Red Habanero (overwintered) is starting to fly now too..............
On the pepper side, Antohi Romanian and Sweet Banana did well in addition to the usuals.

[bramble]

I left my peppers outdoors in the garden while i was away and only brought them back into the greenhouse yesterday after two weeks. Doesnt seem to have done them any harm although i am sure it slowed them down somewhat.
They still have chillis and blossom on.

[DannyK]

First frost on cars and few roofs. Nothing on grass

Clear sky.

[chris_m]

A bit on my lawns this morning, but mostly on the moss rather than the grass.