Should my chilli plants ALREADY be showing buds??!

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hello all....bought 4 'cheyenne' (yellow chillis) & 4 'cayenne' plants from Wilkinsons about 4/5 weeks ago-at the time they were 'plug' plants in a 1 inch square 'plug'. Repotted straight away to a 3 inch pot & left on windowsill (gets sun from 3pm...probably between 14 degrees & 25 degrees when sun out properly!)....now the Cheyennes are 13 cm tall now (can't see any sign of roots showing near drainage holes on either type of plant so not pot-bound ) & are just showing tiny flower buds now...cayennes are not far behind at 10cms & if I look very carefully I think some buds are showing on them too!

Is it too early for buds to show? Does it mean I need to re-pot (I'm aiming at putting all out in greenhouse (plastic) from early-mid June onwards) yet? And should I be pinching the tops out yet?

Any advice would be great as I don't want the plant to just produce a few lowers early & hardly any chillis!!

Kay_Peel

Well done!

You have given your plants the right amount of light, water and heat and they are showing willing to reward you. Who's a clever green-fingered gardener, eh?:T
The Cheyenne is an early fruiter, I think - I'm not sure - but it will still take another 90 -100 days from flower to mature fruit. So there's a still long way to go. I would say - don't pinch out the flowers or the growth yet and don't be in a hurry to repot it. Just relax and watch it for another 10 days and then we'll see where you're up to then.

It sounds to me as though you are growing a healthy vigorous specimen in the right conditions, so just keep on doing what you've been doing and it will be well and truly ready for transplanting outside next month.

Finefoot

I agree. leave them alone for now. they are obviously happy.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks...will do!

misskool

if you pull off the first flower of the chilli plant, it encourages more flowers and you'll get more chillies

DEBTMONKEY1A

Misskool....kaypeel says the opposite...I'm confused now??!

ginvzt

I have planted some chilli seeds I think in October, and I have the first red chilli today. I have left three plants and they are full of 'fruit' now. I have no idea what variety it is, as the seeds where brought to OH by his mum from Italy, and it was his dad who collected the seeds. (He is a very much balcony gardener - they have no garden, living in the flat, but huge balcony that wraps around the flat).

mrbadexample

Mine have quite a few flowers and the beginning of fruit. I think they need a bigger pot though.

DEBTMONKEY1A

For the replies....will do as kaypeel says...