Growing chillis

[RedZuleika]

A couple of months ago I bought a chilli plant - Hungarian hot wax, I believe - from the local market. It's come on really well and has loads of perky bright red chillis on it. Quite sweet and tasty and although I would prefer one a little hotter, it's more to my husband's taste.

When I bought it, I asked the stallholder what would happen in the winter: would it die back and come again next year or would I have to replant it again from seed (as some friends of mine do). They said try the former and if it doesn't work, try the latter. Very helpful.

However...

The ones I have cut into thus far have had no seeds inside. Would anyone have any thoughts? Do I need to leave the chillis on the plant for longer, or is it effectively barren...? I don't want to lose the plant. Thanks.

[Thomcat]

Don't know but yum at home grown chillis, how lovely.

[PeachyClair]

My chilli plants have always gone over in the winter and needed reseeding, if that helps. They did have seeds though.

[RedZuleika]

Thanks. How long had you left them on the plant before cutting into them?

[nikkie]

I always thought that you had to plant new ones next year, but I don't know much!
I have chilli plants but I don't know what sort they are, even if they are red or green!
Any ideas anyone?

[Fauve]

I've got two chilli plants and a few sweet peppers. The chillis are just turning red - they go from green to red as they ripen. I'm hoping the sweet peppers will also get bigger and juicer soon, though I have been picking and cooking them small and green.

No idea why you have no seeds, weird, but maybe they just need to develop for a bit longer?

In The Gourmet Gardener, Bob Flowerdew says that pepper plants are perennial and crop even more heavily the next year. You have to keep them warm and nearly bone-dry or they go mouldy. I thought I'd stick mine in the shed over winter and hope for the best. Hadn't even thought of saving seeds - thanks for that

[swiperfox]

I bought a chilli plant yesterday - it's only little but covered in chillis - yellow/green/orange/red. I assumed that as it's like a little tree it would just re-grow itself every year. I've just opened up one of the really red chillis and it does have seeds in. Do you think I should plant them?

[swiperfox]

Apparently if you put them into a large enough pot they can grow to 2-3 ft tall too

[swiperfox]

Excellent chilli growing website!!

[Fauve]

Mine are 2 to 3 foot tall

[swiperfox]

Brill Hope mine gets big!!

[RedZuleika]

Will have a look at that website. My little plant is covered in chillis too - and I'm leaving one big fat on it for a while to see if seeds develop (hopefully, I've just been picking them too early...)

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[GeraldGiraffe]

i've got a sweet pepper plant in my bay window, about 2-3 ft but only 5 peppers atm
do they come back on after you pick them?

[RedZuleika]

Not sure about peppers, but my chilli plant has just had another crop of flowers - from which I anticipate further chillis...

[RedZuleika]

Hooray! Have just picked two chillis which have been on the plant for a while and have found four seeds! Ok - so it's not much, but it's better than nothing...

[Fauve]

GG - yes, keep picking, it's like beans, the more you pick, the more you get - althought it's late in the season now, so they might have finished. I'm about to put mine in the shed to see if I can overwinter them. I'll leave the remaining fruit on and pick it when I need it.

[goosey]

A local company to me has a website here which has lots of info on it.

[nikkie]

I have a plant with around 20+ chillies( I think are full size ish) on (green) don't know what sort they are!
Problem is that I took one off to try and it just tastes like a green pepper not hot at all, any suggestions.

[RedZuleika]

Either it's not a particularly hot variety, or it could benefit from being left on the plant for a bit longer to develop more flavour.

That's my best shot - I'm new at this chilli-growing game...

[alux]

i've grown habanero from seeds and successfully overwintered them by putting them in a warm bright room. Water less but since they prefer the air a bit humid and will drop leaves in low humidity. I spritzed them with water every day or so but kept the soil fairly dry as you don't want to give it a growth spurt in the middle of winter as it will stress out.

[flatmouse]

treat 'em mean and they get hotter - lack of water and they'll be more fiery.

[Fauve]

Would high up in my kitchen be ok, alux, do you think?

[alux]

sounds fine - just trial & error really. they are hardy plants so don't worry if it looks sad over the winter. it ought to pull thru. i'd also prune it a bit in the spring when the light levels go up & it's warmer

[nikkie]

Chillies have all of a sudden turned red!
Has everyone seen the free chilli seeds from gardeners world?

[casper1979]

is anyone interested in exchanging seeds for very hot sorts of chillies? i don't know how legal is to ship them internationally, but we might have a try?
i can email you some photos of my trees, and i would expect the same from you. Last year I lost my seeds for hungarian cherry chillies and "twilight" (they should be cone shaped, short and small, usually purple-yellow-red at the same time)... please drop me a mail at davelasc(at)gmail(dot)com.
regs from bosnia.