82 replies to this topic

[siztenboots]

Just wondering if anyone else is planning to grow their own veg, chilies this year. Started sowing the first early batch of salady stuff, on the 14th into compost and progating trays and most of it has germinated well indoor beside the radiator, and is now beside the window and everyday seems to be advancing skywards. Last year I grew a variety of tomatoes that were bloody superb, called Campari , smell delicious just like old tomatoes used to, skins are lovely you can eat them just like a fruit, sizewise well bigger than cherry yet slightly smaller than the usual , but the taste is amazing. Started everything really late last year in April, but we had such a good summer, almost too hot at times. There is an incredible reward at the end, and it is most satifying , especially growing from seed rather than buying plants at a garden centre ( usually boring taste varieties anyway ). I think last year I got most of my seed off ebay, with little packages arriving in the post from as far as the US for the Campari seed, and most from a seller in Cornwall and one in the Orkneys. The only failure last year really was not had much success with fennel. This year, still waiting for the fennel, chilies and red holland spring onions to come through. steve

Edited by siztenboots, 29 January 2007 - 04:18 PM.

[slindborg]

I planted a load of lemon seeds in about april time last year. I kept the "best" looking (and tallest) 5 plants. theyve not grown much over winter but they look like they are trying again now there is sunlight. Cant imagine that they will be giving fruit for a good few years lol. but hey im offsetting my carbon emissions lmao. I tried to grow some M&S cherry stones but ive a feeling they were iradiated prior to shipping to keep fresh without pestacides lol

[flamy]

my dad does all growing an stuff, pretty good actually i'll perhaps start when i've my own place + a big garden. home grown beetroot is brilliant, unpickled. ive only ever grown cannabis myself

[Elaine]

11 chilli plants gave us about 1,500 chillies last year. One of them is still fruiting now - A Hungarian Sweet Banana. The other varieties were Thai Birdeye, Cayenne Slim, Scotch Bonnet, Chocolate Habanero, Hungarian Hot Wax, and Anaheim I think that's the lot. We originally got the seeds from Gaz.
We've only got six chilli plants growing in home at the mo (Apache, Red Savina, Medusa, Brazilian Rainbow, Nippon Taka, and the Hungarian). The others have been left under the car port to die yes I'm evil!

We've got rhubarb, raspberry, & wild strawberry plants in our garden. The woods behind us give us blackberries, elderberries, and wood pigeon.

Building raised beds this year, so will have much more home grown stuff next year.

E&R.

Edited by Elaine, 29 January 2007 - 07:27 PM.

[Spindoctor]

Planted my chilli seeds in September last year - pretty bad timing, but that's just after I bought them when we visited the South Devon Chilli Farm. By the way, cool ( ) place - check it out. The plants are now doing very nicely but I think they're confused about the time of year: germinated at the wrong time, growing and blossoming during the winter... I've told them its all down to global warming No chillis yet but they're gonna be hot Great looking plants

[Kip'n'Srin]

I've had an allotment since October last year and so far only put in onions, garlic and potatoes. Already have Gladioli and rasberry bushes. Soon to plant lots of herbs. £13 per year which is cheaper (and harder) than going to the gym

[Elaine]

Soon to plant lots of herbs.

Ooops, forgot about the herbs! Got chives, basil, coriander, flat leaf parsley & mint here.

Elaine&Reg.

[SAPD]

Grew 2 Scotch Bonnet plants last year (got the seeds from chillis we bought in Sainsburys )
Fruits were hot as fcuk!

REALLY hoping to get my hands on some of These Badboys this year. On the mailing list and everything

[Elaine]

REALLY hoping to get my hands on some of These Badboys this year. On the mailing list and everything

I give the pub most of my chillies, and I don't think the diners would be too impressed, so I'll be sticking with my max of the Red Savina.

E.

[siztenboots]

Been growing four varieties last two summers, Inchanga, Thai Hot, Nipon Taka and Birdeye. Its really interesting how each plant develops in a quite unique way, some growing their fruits in bunchs , small ( but potent ), whilst the Inchanga is almost runner bean sized and very glossy. When ripening the colours turn from green to really vivid oranges and yellow, to fire engine red. Made the mistake last week of opening a bottle with the blended up skins and seeds to make chili flakes. Took a deep sniff of the amazing smoky aroma, and spent the rest of the day sneezing and eyes watering , really good stuff. I have always grown a new batch of plants from seed each year, but can the parent plants grow season to season ? They always look dead during the winter months.

[Elaine]

I have always grown a new batch of plants from seed each year, but can the parent plants grow season to season ? They always look dead during the winter months.

We've had these plants a couple of years now, I fetched them all in home last year to survive the winter. This time I've left a lot of them under the car port, they look pretty dead but they still have leaves all be it very crispy!
I'm hoping some will survive though - A friend threw his plants into the garden when he was posted to Iraq a couple of winters ago.............To his surprise they were alive, well & fruiting again in the spring!

Gaz (Mr Seeds) told me that some plants could survive 3-5yrs, I'm not sure if that applies to all varieties though.

The second season our plants produced sh*t loads more chillies than the first year round so I'd defo recommend keeping them alive.

E.

[Spindoctor]

We've had these plants a couple of years now, I fetched them all in home last year to survive the winter. This time I've left a lot of them under the car port, they look pretty dead but they still have leaves all be it very crispy!

Mine are inside on a window ledge this winter. They're loving it, they've been flowering, growing, leaning into the sun and everything.

If climate change and global warming are real, I'll be leaving them outside next year next to the tulips

[SAPD]

spent the rest of the day sneezing and eyes watering , really good stuff.

Spoken like a true chilihead!

GF's brother did something very similar with a 'general use hot powder' he'd made from ground up Scotch Bonnet skins n seeds

Fair play though, he also made a fantastic hot pepper sauce with chili, carrot, mustard and stuff.

[Elaine]

Mine are inside on a window ledge this winter. They're loving it, they've been flowering, growing, leaning into the sun and everything.

Most of our chilli plants (17 in total, but only 11 fruited) grew to about 4ft high, so you can imagine how bushy they were. They'd have robbed our bungalow of natural light if I'd have brought them all in home!
The six that are currently on our window sill only range from 7-15 inches, so they're house-friendly.

[Spindoctor]

Mine are inside on a window ledge this winter. They're loving it, they've been flowering, growing, leaning into the sun and everything.

Most of our chilli plants (17 in total, but only 11 fruited) grew to about 4ft high, so you can imagine how bushy they were. They'd have robbed our bungalow of natural light if I'd have brought them all in home!
The six that are currently on our window sill only range from 7-15 inches, so they're house-friendly.

So if they flower does that mean they'll definitely bear fruit? Mine are about 12" tall, having started life in September. Most of them flowered a month ago but now they're just sitting there, getting bigger, sunbathing and plotting their next move

[SAPD]

So if they flower does that mean they'll definitely bear fruit? Mine are about 12" tall, having started life in September. Most of them flowered a month ago but now they're just sitting there, getting bigger, sunbathing and plotting their next move

I found I had to pollinate the flowers. Just gently nudge the pollen bearing bits in the middle of the flower (that's a technical term!) with a cotton bud ear cleaner thing. This should help them to fruit.

Warning: Interfering with the plants in this way led to me being dubbed a 'chilli fiddler'

Edited by SAPD, 01 February 2007 - 09:39 PM.

[Spindoctor]

So if they flower does that mean they'll definitely bear fruit? Mine are about 12" tall, having started life in September. Most of them flowered a month ago but now they're just sitting there, getting bigger, sunbathing and plotting their next move

I found I had to pollinate the flowers. Just gently nudge the pollen bearing bits in the middle of the flower (that's a technical term!) with a cotton bud ear cleaner thing. This should help them to fruit.

Warning: Interfering with the plants in this way led to me being dubbed a 'chilli fiddler'

Flowers came and went though Guess they might flower again - then I'll give it a go

Chilli fiddling Careful where you put your hands afterwards

[Elaine]

Yeah, you need to tickle them if they're indoors - Insects will do the job if outside.

[siztenboots]

Can't wait till the clocks go forward for BST, and I can get some time after work in the evenings to do stuff in the garden. Plants are coming along well, although 1st and 2nd earlies suffered and I lost a lot with frost and general cold and damp.

[Jaysith]

Mine are inside on a window ledge this winter. They're loving it, they've been flowering, growing, leaning into the sun and everything.

Most of our chilli plants (17 in total, but only 11 fruited) grew to about 4ft high, so you can imagine how bushy they were. They'd have robbed our bungalow of natural light if I'd have brought them all in home!
The six that are currently on our window sill only range from 7-15 inches, so they're house-friendly.

is there a specific variety that only grows to be a l'il plant? i dont have a garden, but i do have a window and a shelf! i haven't tried to grow anything since my bonsai tree that died (my sister wanted to 'clean' it, so she watered it with soapy water, it wasn't happy)