Chilli Growing (Merged Thread)

[Deleted User]

Thanks Olly I will give your tips a try.

skylab

Found this thread yesterday and was wondering if anybody knows if it's possible to grow habanero plants outside. I live in N.Wales not far from Chester and the two I have growing on an upstairs windowsill are now getting a bit too big. Both are in flower and have a bit of whitefly and both have leaves that look as if they've been chewed by something.

charting

Hi Skylab,
Yes, you can grow habaneros outside, I grew two plants outside and two in a greenhouse a couple of years ago. They won't be as big as ones grown inside. The main problem is ripening the fruit, the hotter chillies - habanero and scotch bonnets seem to grow slower and flower later so the fruits need sunshine to ripen just as there is less of it.
So if we have a poor end to the summer this year you will get a poorer crop. Bringing them in when the weather turns is one answer.

Whitefly is much less of a problem outside. You could try growing a basil plant next to the chillie plant. According to Gardeners World whitefly don't like the smell of basil. It seems to reduce the number of the little critters but its not a cure.

skylab

charting wrote: »

Hi Skylab,
Yes, you can grow habaneros outside, I grew two plants outside and two in a greenhouse a couple of years ago. They won't be as big as ones grown inside. The main problem is ripening the fruit, the hotter chillies - habanero and scotch bonnets seem to grow slower and flower later so the fruits need sunshine to ripen just as there is less of it.
So if we have a poor end to the summer this year you will get a poorer crop. Bringing them in when the weather turns is one answer.

Whitefly is much less of a problem outside. You could try growing a basil plant next to the chillie plant. According to Gardeners World whitefly don't like the smell of basil. It seems to reduce the number of the little critters but its not a cure.

Thanks for the reply. I'll move them outside tomorrow then,it's supposed to be a nice day around here.I'll just keep my fingers crossed the summer starts to perk up and lasts.

Paced_Out

Hi all,

I am a a real beginner when it comes to gardening, although my chillis have grown and have some fruits that are quite well developed. Not all the followers that have died seem to be producing chillis, so I am thinking this may be down to lack of pollination.

So my question (and possibly a daft one!) is:-

When you pollinate the chillis, do you do this by brushing over followers with a paint brush and then brushing the chillis??

Are there any type of flowers that I should use, such as a honeysuckle??

Thanks,

tomsolomon

Its amazing, there were just one or two open flowers yesterday.
Today they have just burst into flowering mode, there must be twenty or thirty flowers opening.

Davesnave

Paced_Out wrote: »

Hi all,

I am a a real beginner when it comes to gardening, although my chillis have grown and have some fruits that are quite well developed. Not all the followers that have died seem to be producing chillis, so I am thinking this may be down to lack of pollination.

So my question (and possibly a daft one!) is:-

When you pollinate the chillis, do you do this by brushing over followers with a paint brush and then brushing the chillis??

Are there any type of flowers that I should use, such as a honeysuckle??

Thanks,

You can only pollinate chilli flowers with chilli pollen, so I guess you just brush the flowers gently with something like a watercolour paintbrush. I'd imagine it's best to brush like with like, if you have a selection of them.

I say 'I guess' because I've never done this; my chillis have just been in the open greenhouse & pollinated by insects.

JWF

I've also found that gently misting with water is successful, but do this in the evening to avoid burning the leaves.

tomsolomon

Davesnave wrote: »

You can only pollinate chilli flowers with chilli pollen, so I guess you just brush the flowers gently with something like a watercolour paintbrush. I'd imagine it's best to brush like with like, if you have a selection of them.

I say 'I guess' because I've never done this; my chillis have just been in the open greenhouse & pollinated by insects.

I use a piece of dried grass or straw and just give em a tickle, when you see the pollen errupt from the flower you know its worked.......

rhodes1968

stefejb wrote: »

can i try to grow chili from chilis from a shop?

You can grow from "saved seeds", but dry them thoroughly, then put them in a sealed container (a 35mm film container is ideal) & keep them in the fridge for a few days, to "overwinter" them.