2014 Chilli Growers Thread

[topgun06]

It has been miserable for the past few days. Mine are being deprived of sunshine!

 

[Zenduri]

Update on mine

Front are the Aji's, rear are the Scotch Bonnets. Aji's were started about 2-3 weeks before the Scotch Bonnets.

Aji's are starting to get pot bound now so i'll need to transplant them soon. Scotch Bonnets take their time but coming along. The Aji's are going new shoot mad at the moment.

 

[neil_g]

I spy some buds on my largest Aji?

Chillis 13/05/14 by -neilgates-

Certainly lots of new growth going on..

Chillis 13/05/14 by -neilgates-

And just for fun, the choc bhut and goronong from above..

Chillis 13/05/14 by -neilgates-

Chillis 13/05/14 by -neilgates-

 

[NickK]

I'm having a problem with flower drop on the Naga. I've been trying to hand pollinate but they don't seem to be producing much (if any) pollen. I've brought in one of the cayennes (which produce pollen in abundance) to use as a pollen donor. I know I won't be able to use the seeds cross-pollinating but at least it'll hopefully get me some fruit. Would be a shame to grow a plant that big for no return.

If they get stressed then they'll drop their flowers - I found chilli focus helped but they like a good amount of heat at this point but only as long as they get the right amount of water too (give them a good bottom up soak on a regular basis).

I would say that they're a little small at the moment - I had the same issue in the first year. I think the size of the plant/roots is directly related to how easily they drop their flowers.

My dorset nagas had 3 fruits in the first year.. then 60+ in the second after overwintering. The naga will grow up but they'll grow even more outwards


In other news - I have to report my conservatory cooked all my seedlings.. both temperature and light levels.. I'll start a couple and overwinter them for next year

 

[CHokKA]

I have a question for those that overwinter successfully. How do you normally go about it? I've always failed miserably, so I need to prepare better this year and I thought I'd ask now and then I can be ready to go come winter this year!

 

[NickK]

I simply waited until the plant had dropped it's leaves (i.e. the sap is pulling back). Then cut the entire plant back to the main stem so that you have a small Y shape from where the first branches appeared (leave a little bit). Sometimes they'll die back a bit more.
Some people prefer to cut the roots back. I just left it - same pot etc.

If the central heating is going full whack over winter you may find it attempts to keep going and then find there's not enough light.. when that occurs it will struggle.
Over winter I just gave it a small amount of water to simulate the drought of winter months.

In spring, simply repot to add new soil for the nutrients and then as it starts to grow slowly bring up the water levels and chilli focus again.

 

[Noxia]

One of the plants I put outside now has silver leaves, strange how only that one got burned though as the rest seem ok, just a bit on the tips on a few others.
I'm a bit limited with a PVC tunnel though as far as shading goes. My thermometer reported 40 degrees inside although I'm sure this is due to me leaving it out in direct sunlight, I'll try hiding it under a plant pot and reset it tomorrow. Low reported as 10 which is ok.

 

[Herman Gelmet]

I'm having a problem with flower drop on the Naga. I've been trying to hand pollinate but they don't seem to be producing much (if any) pollen. I've brought in one of the cayennes (which produce pollen in abundance) to use as a pollen donor. I know I won't be able to use the seeds cross-pollinating but at least it'll hopefully get me some fruit. Would be a shame to grow a plant that big for no return.

I don't have much time as I'm at work. I just wanted to say you can't pollinate and get reliable seeds using annuum x chinense but you can with baccatum x chinense. Also, you can freeze pollen to use later, although you would need to ensure it stayed bone dry by using silica gel packs. This is true for pollen in general but I haven't yet tried this with chillies but I will later today. I have everything I need, including a few pollen heavy flowers on my CAP 253c.

Cross breeding (my spreadsheet - what a geek!):

Spoiler

 

[Stan_Lite]

I don't have much time as I'm at work. I just wanted to say you can't pollinate and get reliable seeds using annuum x chinense but you can with baccatum x chinense. Also, you can freeze pollen to use later, although you would need to ensure it stayed bone dry by using silica gel packs. This is true for pollen in general but I haven't yet tried this with chillies but I will later today. I have everything I need, including a few pollen heavy flowers on my CAP 253c.

Cross breeding (my spreadsheet - what a geek!):

Spoiler

Thanks for that. It looks quite interesting. As I said, I'm aware any seeds are unlikely to be viable. My main objective is to get the damn thing to fruit. The main Naga will be overwintered and I have some seeds left from this year if I want to plant new ones next year so I don't need viable seeds from my plants.

 

[Herman Gelmet]

Thanks for that. It looks quite interesting. As I said, I'm aware any seeds are unlikely to be viable. My main objective is to get the damn thing to fruit. The main Naga will be overwintered and I have some seeds left from this year if I want to plant new ones next year so I don't need viable seeds from my plants.

I think Nickk was right when he mentioned that the plants are not really ready yet. It is still quite early, although I understand Naga = chinense = slow fruit.

 

[Herman Gelmet]

I measured this one at 79 cm from top of compost to tip. It is a Cap 253c (a baccatum) and is flowering now. It was raised under light but then it has been in my living room by a south facing window. It is spindly but healthy, and I am keen to see how this grows without interference (I have grow this type before and I think they are a bit special and rare).

Spoiler

 

[Glaucus]

Decided it was about time to revive some of last years stock.

Nagalah straight from storage


King moricha


Diablo


Cleaned up, bit of pruning.



And a curry which was cleaned up and water for the first time in months, about a weeks worth if growth.


Got one more curry in storage, probably should get that out, running out of space in the conservatory, so may have to go and defend it's self in the garden.
I'm hopping as they have full roots and don't really need to grow anything but new leaves, they'll get back to flowring very fast.
I wonder how many years each plant could last. It would save so much time and effort, storing them properly and then just bringing them back out.

They were just left in a dark cupboard for the winter. Where my grow lights are, just not on.

The last curry, heavy pruning not sure it will survive, as the stem isn't very green. Seems to be any stem that remains green should survive.

 

[neil_g]

im going to have to find somewhere else to put the seedlings in a couple of days, they're nearly outgrown the props.. :-\

 

[Stan_Lite]

Looks like my persistence has paid off. Can't say for certain whether it is down to my hand pollinating from the Cayenne donor or whether it's just simply ready to fruit now but I've got a couple of fruits starting to show on the Naga. Very small at the moment and early days yet but I'm hopeful I'll get at least some fruit from it.

Plant is now 27" high and 29" across its widest part.

Also got one sizeable fruit on the Scotch Bonnet and a few more starting to poke through. All appears to be well in the bay window.

In the greenhouse, the cayenne seems to be doing well and both Jalapenos are now fruiting. The plants are all rather small but at least I'm getting some signs of fruit. The New Mexico seem to be taking their time and the Chinense are unsurprisingly slow off the mark too (it's only just starting to warm up now so will maybe get some progress soon).

 

[Nutella33]

So to hand pollinate do you just get a little stick or something and give the flowers a little poke or is there a better technique? First time growing chillies and I've got the first batch of flowers coming through

 

[Herman Gelmet]

So to hand pollinate do you just get a little stick or something and give the flowers a little poke or is there a better technique? First time growing chillies and I've got the first batch of flowers coming through

Do it like this:

 

[Zenduri]

I've seen that before but i really dont get what shes doing apart from putting cotton/string around the buds?

 

[Herman Gelmet]

I've seen that before but i really dont get what shes doing apart from putting cotton/string around the buds?

She is a bit quick!

I think it shows how to ensure you get the correct pollen on the correct flowers. To achieve this you need to find unopened flowers and break off the petals of the bud to expose the sexy bits

Once the sexy bits are exposed the girls use bits of string as a sexy poker stick. They have a little bag of pollen on their hand and they don't just use any existing pollen in the unopened petal buds, as that is too random, and self-pollination is not desired (for whatever reason).

The attached strings are for ID'ing those with specific pollen applied.

 

[Zenduri]

ahh i see... I need some advice from the Chilli Doctor Herman re the Aji's you sent me!

What would you advice be with the following! The Aji's are going new shoot mental, shoots on shoot on shoot as per the below photo. Let them be or some tactical pruning?

Also re the roots, one advantage of ghetto potting is i can see the root devleopment. Time to pot up do you think or can i get away for a bit longer?

 

[Herman Gelmet]

ahh i see... I need some advice from the Chilli Doctor Herman re the Aji's you sent me!

Let them be or some tactical pruning?

Let them be

Also re the roots, one advantage of ghetto potting is i can see the root devleopment. Time to pot up do you think or can i get away for a bit longer?

They could be potted up but it's not a desperate situation