Easy to grow chilli plants in England?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by kyleleonard, Jan 9, 2012.

  1. kyleleonard

    kyleleonard Total Gardener

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    I think mine are Chilli Apache, the longest chilli is probably 2 inches in length. I'll give it a Google now and see when to pick them.
     
  2. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    I'm panicking. My 'Peter' Pepper chilli plants look just like my sweet pepper plants and I seem to have a few less than I thought, and wonder if I've mixed the labels up(remember last summer when I planted cordon toms in my window boxes that were labelled as 'tumbler' toms?). Now the reason why I'm panicking - I think some of my 'Peter' Peppers got sold as Sweet Pepper at the local Methodist's Sale.
     
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    • Gay Gardener

      Gay Gardener Total Gardener

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      Everyone elses chillies and peppers look so much further forward than mine. Mine are about 3 inches tall and look healthy enough, but as this is my first year trying to grow them, think I've got it wrong. They have been sitting moping and looking roughly the same for weeks and weeks.
      I think I've put them in pots that are too big and perhaps my unheated sun room which is where they are is just not warm enough (no sun=no heat).
      Ho hum ....
       
    • Jack McHammocklashing

      Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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      Jack McH
       
    • kyleleonard

      kyleleonard Total Gardener

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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        Looking good, Kyle :dbgrtmb:

        My few year old plants are looking distinctly sad :sad: and I didn't start my new ones off until late. So this year is going to be a bit short on chillies - but the new ones should be good by next year. :thumbsup:
         
      • HarryS

        HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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        My Hungarian Hot Wax Chillis are doing well , lovely big lime green chillis , nearly 4" long ,on each plant . At the moment only 3 chillis per plant and it has stopped flowering . They ripen to yellow and then red - you can pick at yellow or red . Hopefully more flowers will appear when I start picking .
        [​IMG]
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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          I've had a wee look about this morning, and I appear to have four chillies starting!! :hapfeet:

          I'll try and get a photo later on.

          Oh, and I learned a valuable lesson last night - if you've had your fingers in amongst the foliage and baby fruits, don't rub your eyes!! For some reason I didn't think that the plants or the baby fruits would have the same effect as a fully grown fruit, and although it is to a lesser degree it still stings like hell!
           
        • Kristen

          Kristen Under gardener

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          No pee-ing on the compost heap either!!
           
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          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            • Fat Controller

              Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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              Ouch!!

              Well, as promised, here is a photo of the first one to show - I've circled it, because I am apparently as experienced with a camera as I am at gardening :biggrin:

              P1010794.JPG
               
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              • HarryS

                HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                I asked this earlier on Chillies but no one replied .:mad:
                Take II
                To tell a Chilli is ripe some have tell signs , from my very limited chilli experience
                Cherry bombs go red , Jalapenos get "corking " marks down the side . Hungarian go yellow then red. My Fresno's are now big shiney and green , once they were little shiney and green . How can I tell when to pick them ?

                TIA
                 
              • Fat Controller

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                I will watch for an answer to this one too Harry, as I haven't a clue either :scratch:
                 
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                I'm just back in the world of GC after being too busy :)

                Fresno chillies can be picked green, orange or red. The redder they are, the hotter they are. When you say 'big' it depends on what you mean by big. They grow 2" - 3" in length so if they are much bigger they are probably not Fresno. They are related to the Jalapeno, which grows 2.5" - 4", but are slightly hotter.

                With almost all chillies you can pick them young but they won't be as hot as when they are mature. A lot of them can have a nicer flavour when not quite ripe but will not have as much heat.

                So, if they're over 2" you can pick them but if you want them hotter then wait for them to colour. Fresno usually take about 10-12 weeks to ripen fully from the setting of the flower (faster than many other chillies).

                This chilli plant is a miniature and is likely to ripen quicker than ones like Fresno. The chillies remain small but the plant usually will produce many dozens of fruit. This is its second year (last year it took a long time to develop but then raced away in the autumn). As of last year it hadn't been named so I can't tell you what it's called. It is quite hot.

                P1120608.JPG
                 
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