Chilli plant advice

zippychick

Hi All, I don't post in here often but wanted some advice

I am new to growing your own, so bear with me

I have two scotch bonnet plants just sprouting chillis now, and 2 other chilli plants - which are fresno chillis. A couple of mnths ago i had bad caterpillars and brough the fresnos in - the flowers/buds died, wilted and fell off. After a month or so I have put them back out side - i did this about 6 weeks ago so they have been out this long.

They have started to bud now and look like they are about to pop out little chillies! :j One plant has a half grown deformed chilli which has been there ages. The other has a fully grown one chilli which is going red.

I know there could be frost soon - should i bring them in now and keep them close to a window? They are in relatively big pots so windowsill not necessarily an option! :rotfl:

My two scotch bonnets can come in too. Do you think they will all still continue to grow the chillis as there are heaps and heaps on each one.

Lastly i have two other chilli plants in a pot together but am unsure of the type. They are long and quite pointy but seem to be spitting chillis out. I tried a green one today and it was quite hot ! :j

So has anyone any advice or help? I am learning about over wintering but don't know if it's worth it.

I also don't know if the chillis that look like they are about to come out , will do so inside as last time they all died.

Any help/advice/suggestion welcome. I did search but there didn't seem to be a definitive chilli plant thread

thank you :A

podcake

Hi..
People may tell you many different things RE: chillies. They are a much debated topic in my experience.

I have no greenhouse ( to talk of) and so my chillies live their whole lives inside. When I first started growing them, a few years ago, I started them off inside and transplanted them into bigger pots and slowly acclimatised them to the cold Yorkshire outside. I gained maybe one or two odd shaped fruits. At that point I thought that I had nothing to lose and moved them inside the house. I have never looked back. I just don't GET insect trouble as there aren't any in my house (I assume thats why) the Chillies grow faster and over the last few seasons I have never failed to get TWO crops off each plant.

in basic terms no, there is no issue bringing them in. If you can put them on a south facing windowsill, or near to, and keep them watered ( although as plants go they aren't even TOO fussy about that!)
The chillies that fell off were almost certainly because they hadn't developed or similar (in my experience). I tend to chase mine round with a paint brush when they flower to make sure they are pollinated.. (not sure if that makes a massive difference)

also if you have grown chillies that are hot, well done, that can be quite tricky depending where in the UK you live and what types you grow.

If you intend to grow them next year I have had my best ever crops with something called ' hot patio sizzle' it is a wilkinsons special and is currently COVERED in flowers ( 2nd crop). I'll take a photograph for you in just a moment. they make wee little plants that don't need big pots and produce literally HUNDREDS of chillis that are relatively hot ( best dried and ground in a pepper mill)

lastly ( god I feel like i'm writing an essay here) don't let them failing this year let you get put off trying again... they are great fun to grow.

podcake

I would post you the pictures.. but the forum.. it say no
both sets are this season. The first two are the first crop, the 2nd two are the 2nd crop. I am most likely going to pot these on into a slightly larger pot and try and over winter them as they have been very prolific this year..

www podcake co uk/picks/MSE/P8030155.JPG
www podcake co uk/picks/MSE/P8030156.JPG


www podcake co uk/picks/MSE/PA170174.JPG
www podcake co uk/picks/MSE/PA170177.JPG


I have missed out strategic dots so as I can post the links.. you need one each after the www, podcake and co

valentina

I would bring them indoors if you can, mine have been on the windowsill indoors now for about a week. I cut off any chillis that were very small/undeveloped so the plant would hopefully ripen up the fully developed ones, which seems to be happening. I also cut off the majority of the leaves. I have previously tried to keep them over winter, but tbh as I find them pretty easy to germinate it didn't seem worth it, also it gives you the opportunity to grow different sorts each year.
I don't eat chilli very often and these ones are so hot that I have been using about half a chilli at a time and freezing the other half!

Sambucus_Nigra

One trick with chilis for next year; always take the first one off as soon as it shows a flower; it thinks it's dying and speeds up the growing process and you get twice as many chilis in the long run.

zippychick

First time back to this- thanks for the advice! my plants seem to still be growing new chillis, so am keeping my fingers crossed for now.
If anyone has any more advice i would be more than greatful

sooty&sweep

Hi

Any suggestions on the best way to preserve chillis once picked off the plant ?

Thanks

Jen

zippychick

sooty&sweep wrote: »

Hi

Any suggestions on the best way to preserve chillis once picked off the plant ?

Thanks

Jen

There are a couple of threads which should help

recipes for chillies

preserving chillis #

flavoured oils

nigellas chilli jam is easy - a small jar makes a good addition to christmas pressies :j
:money:

themull1

My chillis are on the windowsill all the time, when they are ripe, i freeze them in a bag whole and just get them out when i need them. Only do chilli oil if you're going to use it straightaway, see the other thread, its too dangerous keep for any length of time.

zippychick

themull1 wrote: »

My chillis are on the windowsill all the time, when they are ripe, i freeze them in a bag whole and just get them out when i need them. Only do chilli oil if you're going to use it straightaway, see the other thread, its too dangerous keep for any length of time.

Botulism - exactly. I should have mentioned that!:A

Primrose

zippy - I always now bring my chilli plants indoors to overwinter. Once I've picked the ripe chillies around September/October, I prune them back quite heavily and they soon start sprouting again, bearing more flowers and fruit on their sunny windowsill. over winter. I've currently got three plants on my lounge window sill which are all bearing a second green crop. Next spring when it's warm enough for them to go outside I'll crop the fruit when ripe, prune them back again, pull as much old compost as I can off from around the roots and repot with fresh compost that has a few chicken manure pellets mixed in. This way you can keep your plants going for several years if there's a variety you particularly like, rather than having to sow fresh each year although saved seed will be fine for reproducing. Exactly the same technique can be used for over-wintering pepper plants as they belong to the same family.

The one problem I've found with over-wintering is that sometimes an infestation of white fly can build up. I reduce this problem by occasionally putting the plants in the bath and giving them a gentle but thorough washing with the shower head. A drop of liquid manure occasionally will also help them along.