What to do with peppers (or chillies)

Please bear in mind I haven't seen these - but my daughter tells me she's '...been given some pepper, or perhaps they're chilli, cuttings which are about 2" -3" high and I'm told I've got to give them somewhere sunny.'

Now, I don't like peppers (or chilli) so have never grown them and since my daughter lives in a flat with not even a balcony and knows less than nothing about gardening, I'm completely at a loss to suggest what she should do with them, although she does have a large window with a wide sill, which gets a great deal of sun.

I'm guessing they're probably seedlings, as opposed to 'cuttings', and I'm told there are 3 in one pot and 2 in the other although I've no idea what size these pots are - the answer I got when I asked was 'smallish'!

I've suggested, for the moment at least, that she leave them in their pots until she can just see tiny white roots at the bottom, after that I'm stumped.

Any advice on growing 'pepper, or perhaps they're chilli,' plants on a windowsill - particularly in relation to soil type, pot size and amount of water etc - would be very much appreciated.

Thank you

 

Hi Fidgetsmum

I have no experience of the 'right' way of doing things. However, I once shared an office with a girl who had turned the whole of her window space into a mini-greenhouse. She grew loads of peppers from seed and there never seemed to be any problem with getting them to grow and fruit. I don't think they got any special attention other than a dousing with horrible office coffee every now and again.

 

Pot them up into slightly bigger pots as the roots fill the current pot. Keep well watered, in full sun. Just use ordinary multi-purpose compost.

You won't get fruit this year, but you can overwinter them. Just cut down on the watering in Aurumn, and keep them in a warm, sunny place indoors all winter.

In spring next year, give them a little trim and start watering more regularly. When they are growing vigourously again, pot them into large pots (at least 6-8 inches) and you'll have peppers in no time.

 

Hi, I am no expert but, I have been growing my own chilli's/ peppers this year and i am amazed with the results. They really do like the heat though or at least the sun. I have mine on my bathroom windowsill (hygienic I know!) They really thrive on sunny days. but on colder cloudier days they wither a little. keep them well watered until the season ends.

 

Thank you all for your replies - she'll be delighted to be able to grow something edible (other than a few leggy herbs!).

In a previous life (when I worked for the Police), the office next to mine was occupied by the Drugs Squad ... their windowsill was 'home' to several tiny cannabis plants being held as evidence - by the time the case got to court, several months later, those plants were considerably larger, although I've no idea whether the size of the plants had any bearing on the length of sentence given!