[Reprobate_Rob]

I've just sown the South Devon Chilli Farm's top 10 about a week ago and so far 15 out of the 22 seeds I planted have germinted successfully which is a pretty good result. Only about half the last lot germinated, and most of those took a couple of weeks or more.

I also ended up cutting back and removing the fruit from the ones I mentioned above and they're looking nice and strong and bushy now.

Got a bunch of tomatoes and sweet peppers to do soon as well. Should be a good year!

[slackline]

Thats pretty quick germination, some of the species (particularly the C. chinense) can take upto five weeks to germinate (see Devon chilli farm tips & pointers linked above).

Good work over-wintering some too, they should provide a nice early crop.

[Reprobate_Rob]

Yeah, I was surprised by the germination rate. Only the Orange Hab's and Fresno (i think) that haven't sprouted yet.
I'm in a pretty good spot for growing I guess - down in Guildford, with a south-facing garden and bedroom windowsill, (there's gotta be some benefit to being stuck down here, eh?)

Do you put yours outside at some point? In a greenhouse or anything?
I've been thinking about getting/making one of those little plastic greenhouse things to go along the back wall of the house. D'ya reckon that's necessary/particularly beneficial down here?

[slackline]

Outside will give you more space, I would certainly wait until after there possibility of frost has long passed though.  Keeping them in a greenhouse of any sort will be a good idea as it increases the temperature, just be wary of pests (throw ladybirds in there to eat green/white-fly).

Don't bother up here as I live on a hill that gets very windy those plastic things get ripped to shreds and I've not had the time/inclination to buy a proper green house yet.

[butters]

You will be better off putting them into a Cold Frame to harden off as they are unlikely to like the sudden change in temperature going from inside to directly outside - plenty of desgns on Google to choose from.

[Adam Lincoln]

Ok, without trawling through all the thread, where do people recommend for buying seeds. I am sure some people have better quality seeds than others. After some scotch bonnets, some habeneros, etc etc.

[slackline]

Local market is good for those, you get plenty of seeds sow quite a few and you're bound to get some germinate.

[Peanuts]

Pass the water ....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12506652

[TobyD]

Any other chilli-heads growing their own this year?

I have a few Apache Hots on the go.

Any experience withthe resilience of bird's eye plants?

[fatdoc]

mine went perennial this winter, I have between 30 to 60 birds eye / finger chillis at any one time, from 2 plants. they near constantly flower. I pollenate with a fine painting brush every week or so. feed only once a month, tomato feed.

[fried]

I planted a good few seed a couple of weeks ago, and am now the proud father of 18 one inch high chili plants. I really don't know what I'm going to do with them all if they all grow to maturity as I live in a small flat. I was only expecting a couple to pop up! I have no idea what they are either, the parents were those two inch red ones you get in Oriental supermarkets.

[fatdoc]

consider your endstage being mine... but with 16 more plants. they will need a 15cm dia pot each quite soon. Once germinated they will be unlikely to die.

i suggest a great UKB chill giveaway.. or start to consider a commercial enterprise!

[butters]

i suggest a great UKB chill giveaway.. or start to consider a commercial enterprise!

Please put me down for one or maybe two if do give them away (Sheff based).

[tregiffian]

Myself when young mistook a tin of chilli for bolognaise sauce in Payot Pertin. Not being a fan it wasted a hard-earned and much anticipated 200g of Hache. All epithets apply.

[tommytwotone]

A new spicy addition to the T3 sauce range - Holy Cow!

http://www.holycowfc.com/

Got their "Madras Mint" first, really nice and, well minty but with a heck of a kick!

Purchased the Mango Monsoon and the Himalyan Hot Garlic over the weekend, just tested them out with some pakoras and can report they are similar in terms of flavour and heat, the Hot Garlic particularly so.

More of a dipping sauce / relish than a ketchup, but excellent for dipping the usual accompaniments in.

[Fultonius]

I've checked through this thread for hints'n'tips on growing chillies - all pretty helpful  Basically I've got 3 plants that I got given as a birthday present and they're now residing on the balcony in a mini greenhouse. I've just potted them up from 2.5" square pots to a single 8" x  6" ceramic pot.

Any tips on holping them grow and preventing infection etc.? I got white fly on my herbs the other year :-(



Oh, I also made my second batch of Nam Prink Poa - this time witht he correct Kashmiri chillies which are much milder than the rocket rockets that I used last time!     This time it's actually edible neat and quite tasty in stir frys etc. 

[slackline]

Give 'em lots of feed, and keep them warm will help them grow, they soak it up. Sounds like the mini greenhouse will be fine.

I use Chilli Focus but I'm sure any generic plant food would do fine (e.g. tomato fertiliser).

No magic cure for white/green fly, but keep an eye on them and nip it in the bud as early as possible.  Soapy water is an organic solution, otherwise insecticide with pyretherin.

I've got this lot on the goal (picture about a month old, all a lot bigger now), which consists of Naga Morich, Red and Yellow Seven Pod, Black Pearl, Tabasco, Patio Sizzler, Sweet Mini Red and some miscellaneous ones that I've no idea what they are...


Chillis! by slack---line, on Flickr

[Fultonius]

Cheers Slackers!

Do you need to do anything to polinate them? 

[slackline]

Not really, most pollinate fine with the aid of ickle insects.

You can aid/artificially pollinate them by taking a small paint brush to one flower, dusting it and getting pollen on, then going to another flower, and repeating (ad nauseum).

[Adam Lincoln]

I have a few very small chillies starting to show on the flowers. I have not pollinated, but then again there are 10 bee hives in my garden.
Have had a few flowers drop off, not sure what this is a sign of?

[Paul B]

mine do that a lot. I'm wondering why all of my Chilli's appear within a few inches of each other on the plant though?

[slackline]

Doubt there's enough nectar in chilli flowers to interest bees.

Wouldn't worry about flowers dropping off either, happens if they don't get pollinated and start turning into the fruit, its just senescence.

Are you a part-time/hobby apiculturist then?  Its something my wife and I are looking into starting doing.

[Adam Lincoln]

Are you a part-time/hobby apiculturist then?  Its something my wife and I are looking into starting doing.

My dad is a bee keeper, and keeps hives at my house as i have a nice big garden. He lives in Scotland and having some hives down here gives a different taste of honey, due to the difference in local flowers, etc etc. This in turn gets me pretty involved with looking after them. I have picked up quite a bit of knowledge really, and its not hard. Hardest thing is keeping the bees alive during the winter. A lot of good beekeepers still lose hives during cold periods.

Anything you need to know Slackers, just ask, and if i can't help, ill ask my dad. Just don't buy foreign bees if you do decide to get into it.

[SA Chris]

Do you get a buzz from it?

(sorry)

[slackline]

  I found a module I did in 3rd year Zoology on "Social Insects and Apiculture" dead interesting, particularly from the genetics aspect (the other part of my dual honors degree).

Wife is keen simply 'cause she likes honey!  Bees in general need all the help they can get though due to hive declines.

Going to join the Sheffield Bee Keepers Association as they run courses and provide insurance against Varroa infestations.  Not pulled our thumbs out yet though.

Will holler if I've any questions though, cheers.