peppers/chillies

[JR]

I just let the soil dry out over a few days then water with quite a bit, in truth they dont seem to mind unless you constantly flood them. You can feed with tomato or pepper feed once they start to fruit every couple of weeks.

My Jalapenos all have very small fruit, I am picking the Fresno and the others are starting to flower too. Looking forward to the first fruit on the Naga!

[Kitty Ballistic]

We went a bit mad with chillies this year, so our small greenhouse is full of them - the poor tomato plants are feeling a bit overwhelmed. The Mulatto variety didn't do well at all, but we have a couple of Bulgarian carrots and Variegatas that are doing well (although the Variegatas seem to be all flower and no chilli at the moment). The Prairie Fire I brought indoors from last year is back out there and doing OK too, and I think we have a Twilight somewhere in the greenhouse as well.

[mrsflibble]

Thomzo told me to feed mine with tomato food and see if it helped. oh my god did it help!!! they're happy, leafy, green and the chillies are looking plump and tasty. woohoo! I have no idea what variety I have because I bought them as baby plants from Wilkinson. So far we've eaten two off the plants and they've been hot as hell, but tasted really good.

[MKG]

I haven't grown chillis since Noah built a boat. Are they consistent in heat? I mean, are all the chillis from one plant the same, are all plants of the same variety the same, and are they the same from year to year?

[mrsflibble]

no idea, this is the first time I've tried it.

[Jobi1canobi]

Embedded higher up this thread somewhere is mention of chillis being perennial - is this also true for sweet peppers? I have Californian Wonder and Worldbeater (although I couldn't tell you which are which) and they seem really slow growing from seed (albeit very healthy looking). I'm doubting I'll get any fruit off them this year unless there's a rapid growth spurt but would be happy to let them be if I know they will produce next year...

[JR]

I haven't grown chillis since Noah built a boat. Are they consistent in heat? I mean, are all the chillis from one plant the same, are all plants of the same variety the same, and are they the same from year to year?

They tend to be fairly constant on a plant or type (you will have a small variation depending on location etc) although some varieties get hotter as the plants age. I have a fresno which is about 5 years old and its fruit now very hot. 2 small chillies in a dish make you ears bubble and nose stream, 1 is certainly enough.

In answer to ob1's question, it is worth a try with a pepper as they are from the same family, never tried it myself mind you. I would be intrested to hear if any one else has tried as with chili's the peppers seem to get a bit bigger each year.

[JR]

Chillies are all doing fab, apart from some of the jalapenos are outside in the wind.

I have had pods from Jalapenos, Naga Jolkia, Fresno, Scotch Bonnet, Cayenne and the Twilights are a mass of chillies but all white/cream in colour at the moment. The ozzoco (I think it is spelt correctly) is very slow and the flowers are just formed.

I have had a few plants on my windowsill at work which has kept everyone entertained. I get lots of visitors checkng there progress. I have had lots of requests for seeds and pods so I am happy to have been spreading the joy of growing them around the office.

Does anyone know when the twilights will change colour?
How are yours all doing?

[moogie]

My Fresno's and cayennes are slowly ripening, my sweet peppers too. My Jalapenos are a-plenty. I should have a big harvest, if it stops raining a btit though.

I put an extra not so strong fresno plant on my north face/no light front garden as an experiment and guess what, although it has nothing to do with my other plants it still has too pretty peppers at full size! I am quite impressed.

[shell]

please forgive my ignorance but i have a question or two,my kids have taken seeds from the green,red and yellow peppers we had with our salads,they grew them in tubs,lots of them! will they be edible?are they needing special treatment?and today we are separating them into yogurt pots where to after that,not outside surely?would it be better to get rid of alot and just have a few for them to grow?is the season right?will they grow big?as my kids are so enthusiastic about growing things i dont want to put them off now,so will try to do the best for these peppers not to mention other various seeds that they aquire by dissecting all my veg peelings and waste,fruit seeds from there packed lunches,they have even tried getting seeds from banana`s while my back was turned,you can guess the mess

[Peggy Sue]

So are peppers perreniels too?

My Chillis are actually starting to flower so there is some hope of a harvest, but nothing on the peppers yet... if they come back every year I won't feel so bad, I'll just hope they are bigger and stronger next year!

[JR]

Yes you can grow peppers from seeds from supermarkets and they will grow fine. They need time to mature (ie plant in spring) and are better in a greenhouse. I have found the peppers even with feed are slightly smaller but very tatsy. Give it a go, the kids will have great fun, perhaps get them a propogator kit early next spring.

[Peggy Sue]

Ah I'm being vaugue here with questions....what I meant was are peppers perreniels like Chillis?

[JR]

I am not 100 percent sure but I would think they are. Its worth keeping a couple of plants and giving it a go.

I usually grow most plants in early spring from seed but do keep a couple of chilli plants over winter and they do fine every year. I will try a pepper this year as well.

[JR]

I have been growing chillies for a few years now and as each year goes by are always shocked by them.

This year I have grow some naga jolkia's and boy they are hot. However I do have a Fresno which is about 5 years old. A small red pod from this is much stronger than a green first year naga pod from our plants.

I wonder why this would be. Is it just maturity of the pod perhaps?

I did eat one or two too many fresno pods on saturday after far too much to drink. Not my finest moment in life but very funny looking back. I will post a picture later. My guts did gurgle a bit on sunday, not sure if this was due to the rum or the chillies mind you.