Tips for growing chillies

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Una Bee on May 21, 2011 at 15:42

I'm sure there are as many ways to grow chillies as there are growers. I was leafing through magazines and found a couple of tips from Monty Don.

 

- Terracotta pots are better for chillies because it drains faster (waterlogging always harms the plants more than slightly drying out).

- Water only in the morning to avoid fungal problems arising from the plant sitting in humid air overnight.

- Chillies need regular watering as they are growing and setting fruit but once the fruit has grown it ripens better and faster if the plants are kept pretty dry.

 

I was mainly worried about germination, so next year I will try soaking the seeds for 5 mins before sowing to give the more erratic seeds a chance and see if my heated propagator is the answer to my problems. I'll still be growing my chillies in plastic pots though, our energetic dog has turned out to be an avid terracotta smasher.

Permalink Reply by Plantaliscious on May 22, 2011 at 9:48

So many tips, so little time... Last year I got lots of very mild fruit on a plant that was supposed to produce very hot fruit. I guess that was down to the watering, so I think I will try Stephen's method this year. Am now very confused about pot size though - on the one hand, restricted pot size is good, on the other hand Stephen grows his is huge 12l pots... I was going to use 5l pots for the taller Thai Dragon plants and 2l pots for the shorter Numex Twilight plants. Any views?

Permalink Reply by Una Bee on May 22, 2011 at 12:44

I was wondering about pot size as well (there's lots of conflicting advice about this), but decided to leave my chillis in small pots. I don't think mine will grow very tall (50 cms max), so they should be fine. Purple Gusto might be an exception as someone mentioned on another forum that theirs grew quite large, might need to pop that one in a bigger pot. 

Permalink Reply by Zoe on May 23, 2011 at 8:18

I ended up potting into 10L pots, & I am experimenting with having 1, 2 or 3 chilli plants to each pot.  So far the pots with 3 plants in are outgrowing all the others.  So there may be something to this after all.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Shirley on June 2, 2011 at 8:14

I got round to this yesterday (hope its of use) ...

 

Permalink Reply by Una Bee on June 2, 2011 at 10:19

Excellent clip and lots of sound advice, thanks. My chillis have been nibbled by something or other so I'll try the garlic and citrus solution (do I just drop a garlic clove and some citrus peel/juice in a spray bottle?). I thought I shouldn't save seed if I grow more than one variety because of cross-pollination, but I didn't realise that you might still get good (although different) results. I'll try that this year and see what happens.   

 

  

Permalink Reply by Zoe on June 2, 2011 at 11:21

Really interesting clip.  Thanks Stephen.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Shirley on July 30, 2011 at 15:17

This is part 2 ...

Permalink Reply by Phil Warren on October 19, 2012 at 12:51

Hi Guys, newbie here, I have enjoyed this discussion and found the tips and hints and the videos very informative. Steve's comment that chillies are fairly easy to grow intrigues me, as I am having all sorts of problems, probably because of my ignorance about how frequently to water my chillies.

I have just three plants, a Big Banana, Pepper Big Red and a C(apsicum) Tabasco. I got them in April, I think, all around 6" tall. About a month later I transfered them into 9" diameter pots, they are being kept indoors on the window sill. The Big Banana had a mass of flowers but only one fruit, about 4" long. I know they can grow fruit upto about 10" long, but the poor little plant had enough of a job staying upright with it at 4". It was subsequent used and enjoyed and we looked forward to more..... and still are. It has flowered again and we are hopeful.

The Pepper Big Red has dropped so many seemingly health leaves that it resembles a palm tree. The guy I got them from said I was watering them too much, so I cut back, and cut back in an effort to stop the leaf drop, I'm down to once a week now. A couple of weeks ago, it flowered (Yippee!) the flowers died off and we wait with baited breath for fruit, be it chillies or dates! The poor little plant is still only about 10" tall, but fighting for life like a trooper despite my efforts!

Th Capsicum Tabasco is growing like nobody's business, getting on for 2ft tall, bushy, a truly magnificent specimen! Success! Flowers? Fruit?...well if you must know... nothing, not a single bud, flower, chilli or date for that matter.

So guys, if you have any hints, tips or help.....er when you've stopped laughing that is! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Phil.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Shirley on October 19, 2012 at 13:20

Hi Phil

Of all the varieties, Tabasco is one of the harder to get a good crop of fruit on - and is usually the only variety we have no ripe fruits of for our Chilli days end of September.

From what you describe, I think the problem is two-fold...

1) You probably have been overwatering as even in mid-summer in a polytunnel in really hot weeks you may only need to water 3 or 4 times a week. Currently I would say we are watering about once every 10 days.

2) I'm thinking lack of light. If you could grow in a more open position you will probably do better - so eitehr as an outdoor crop next year, or invest in a little cloche tunnle or similar.

The reality is you're probably not going to get very far with these plants now, I'm sorry to say - and you may be better to start a fresh next year.

Permalink Reply by Phil Warren on October 20, 2012 at 7:45

Hi Stephen,

I think you are right, start afresh next year. the overwatering bit is probably frustration on my part, when the soil in the pots is bone dry, it seems like the plant MUST need watering, so that is something I must etch into my grey cells for next year.

As for the light aspect, they obviously need quite a lot, so I think a change of window sill would help.

Do I need new plants for next year? Are they a 'one year' plant or will the ones I have survive for further years?

Thanks again Stephen,

Phil.

Stephen Shirley said:

Hi Phil

Of all the varieties, Tabasco is one of the harder to get a good crop of fruit on - and is usually the only variety we have no ripe fruits of for our Chilli days end of September.

From what you describe, I think the problem is two-fold...

1) You probably have been overwatering as even in mid-summer in a polytunnel in really hot weeks you may only need to water 3 or 4 times a week. Currently I would say we are watering about once every 10 days.

2) I'm thinking lack of light. If you could grow in a more open position you will probably do better - so eitehr as an outdoor crop next year, or invest in a little cloche tunnle or similar.

The reality is you're probably not going to get very far with these plants now, I'm sorry to say - and you may be better to start a fresh next year.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Shirley on October 20, 2012 at 9:16

Phil,

Apart from Chiltepin I always start with fresh plants each year.

Stephen

Phil Warren said:

Hi Stephen,

I think you are right, start afresh next year. the overwatering bit is probably frustration on my part, when the soil in the pots is bone dry, it seems like the plant MUST need watering, so that is something I must etch into my grey cells for next year.

As for the light aspect, they obviously need quite a lot, so I think a change of window sill would help.

Do I need new plants for next year? Are they a 'one year' plant or will the ones I have survive for further years?

Thanks again Stephen,

Phil.

Stephen Shirley said:

Hi Phil

Of all the varieties, Tabasco is one of the harder to get a good crop of fruit on - and is usually the only variety we have no ripe fruits of for our Chilli days end of September.

From what you describe, I think the problem is two-fold...

1) You probably have been overwatering as even in mid-summer in a polytunnel in really hot weeks you may only need to water 3 or 4 times a week. Currently I would say we are watering about once every 10 days.

2) I'm thinking lack of light. If you could grow in a more open position you will probably do better - so eitehr as an outdoor crop next year, or invest in a little cloche tunnle or similar.

The reality is you're probably not going to get very far with these plants now, I'm sorry to say - and you may be better to start a fresh next year.

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