Growing Chillies

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NickK said:
You could get some superbright LEDs that match the wavelengths too. Then create an array of standard 5mm LEDs (add a few resistors) and power that. Not as intense light but would still do the job.
You'd need to put them close to the plant.

A guy on the chilli forum has four 130,000mcd blue set in an old espresso bean can to make a solarium for a signal chilli.. that chilli is now really doing well and fruiting once out of the blue (needs some red to trigger flowering/fruiting).
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Am using a set of these over a planted fishtank, they are rather good. The good thing being that they don't throw out any heat and are easyer on the power usage. Not as good light outup as a set of MH but nice all the same.

http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/aquarium/aquaray-lighting.asp
NickK said:
I'm using a 400W Euro Grow light combo which is a little confusing but only one bulb is used at one time but you get separate MH and HPS bulbs in the pack. There is, of course, the dual spectrum bulb version (and you can buy other bulbs too as needed). Just to explain the acronyms to anyone reading:
MH = Metal Halide which produces a blueish cold light that causes the plants to grow vegetation.
HPS = High Pressure Sodium which produces a orange tinged light that is meant to help promote fruiting.
The dual spectrum is basically MH and HPS in one bulb.

The reflector is ok but a little flimsy (does the job - don't get me wrong).
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Metal Halides which produces a blueish light come in different shades from orange to blue. The more blue the light the higher the color temperature, 20000k is very blue white --------> 3000k is a very orange white. So you could drop the HPS unit by having a few MH blubs with differing color temperatures. Do you blubs have a UV filter, if not you should use a UV filter glass?

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How long to the chilli plants live?
 
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So you could drop the HPS unit by having a few MH blubs with differing color temperatures. Do you blubs have a UV filter, if not you should use a UV filter glass?

How long to the chilli plants live?
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The bulbs themselves have two parts to them - an inner and outer. The outer is a UV filter. For example if the HPS outer breaks then the bulb will produce masses of shorter-end UV light. The bulb packaging states this.
MH is marked as 400W/U/LU/4K: http://www.venturelighting.com/LampsDataSheets/EnergyMasterandWhiteLux/52134.pdf
So that's a 4000K colour profile.

I know people that have cut their plants back over winter (once the sap has retreated from the tops of the plants. With the right temps they'll continue fruiting over winter but eventually I assume they'll die of a pathogen getting the upper hand.

HPS is a Sylvania Grolux 400W
 
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NickK said:
I know people that have cut their plants back over winter (once the sap has retreated from the tops of the plants. With the right temps they'll continue fruiting over winter but eventually I assume they'll die of a pathogen getting the upper hand.
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My small peach habanero cutting (given in August) has been growing fruits over winter - but recently it's been bursting with fruit, I assume because of the longer daylight hours. I'm not very green fingered, I just let the things grow :)
 
Orcish-Horde said:
Nice let us know how they work out if you use them.
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I will, my electric propagator was posted today. So should have everything I need by next week, to get it under way. My house has been a steady 18degrees as well for the last week. with no heating. So I think the temperature is right, to get going
 
Heres my 6 bhut jolokias and 6 naga morich,no lights used just a cheap electric propergator:

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Propagator has arrived. what the best way to germinate. the instructions say stick some compost in make sure it's heating to 22degrees then sow seeds.
Or is the best way in damp bags.
 
Excellent :) yup - just check the temps first.

What you do to germinate depends on what you have at hand. 5ingh's bag and cotton wool is a good one. just put the seeds in with the wool, water and seal the bag before placing into the prop.

A prop is only semi sealed but the problem is that it requires water to keep the entire air (and the seeds) in a moist humidity.

Then leave... if you didn't use a bag then you'll need to keep an eye on the moistness of the soil/jiffy as they will dry out of they're sat on the floor of the heated prop. With a bag - as they get started you wait until there's a root and move it carefully to a pot of soil.

chilli plants like a good draining soil - the water goes through from the top out of the base of the pot rather than having a sealed bottom that causes the water to sit and rot the roots. Jiffy's will be fine for 4 weeks and all you'll need to provide is water.
The soil drainage is helped further by mixing in vermiculite and pearlite in something like a 1/2 soil 1/4 v, 1/4 p. or perhaps 3/5 soil, 1/5 v, 1/5 v.

Really - they'll just sit there... then suddenly you'll look in one morning and OMG I GOTZ CHILLIS! :D
 
AcidHell2 said:
Awesome will get them in a bag tomorrow and hopefully the lights will turn up before they start leafing.
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In the worst case just put a desk lamp over them initially. They'll not need a massive amount in their first few days.

Duluxe1 - they're looking healthy!
I'd give them some exercise with a desk fan. It'll strengthen the stems, promote the uptake of nutrients (evap helps the capillary action) and will help keep the humidity under the canopy in control which will help reduce/prevent mold/fungus attack.

I see you're starting to get big leaves too :D

You all realise we're going to have to have a chilli eating youtube thread..
 
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Stupid Question Alert:

On these sites it says like £3 for 10 seeds etc...will these last me forever if I keep the plant alive or will I only get so many chillis from the seeds? :o
 
Mikoyan said:
Stupid Question Alert:

On these sites it says like £3 for 10 seeds etc...will these last me forever if I keep the plant alive or will I only get so many chillis from the seeds? :o
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Germination is the risk - once you've got a good way of germinating the seeds to return a good number of seedlings then you're laughing.

The seeds grow into plants, the plants will fruit and you can use those seeds (assuming they don't cross pollenate you'll have the same chilli variety).
The plant will over winter if cared for, even fruiting given the right conditions. The main thing is that if it's planted outside then the cold UK winter will kill them.

One of my plants (one germinated seed) has over seven Jalapenos growing with more on the way.. the plant has a mass of flowers on it. That's going to be hundreds if not into the thousand(s) by the time summer is over - I may over winter a plant or two ready for a quick start next season.
It's possible to dry and store seeds too for next season or the season after, although the germination rate drops as seeds don't stop they just slow down their use of their inbuilt energy reserves. Once those reserves have dwindled to a point below what is required for germination then it's all over.
 
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Just tried the largest Jalapeno.

The fruit's taste is weak peppery jalapeno, it's got seeds inside, the smell is jalapeno but there's also a slight sappy taste. So I think it was still under-'green' ripe. So the other's aren't ready yet - two to four weeks I think!

I snapped it off with my fingers and I think next time I'll use scissors. Partly because it's quite an effort but also although the pepper may not be hot the sap is also long persistent heat.. hence after wiping my nose it's tingling and all I can smell is jalapeno peppers (I used a knife & fork on the open fruit).

Also repotted the Naga's into larger pots. They were starting to look as if they were having problems getting enough nutrients/water. I think the jalapenos may not be far behind.
 
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i started growing some a couple of weeks ago, got the seeds from some chillies from tesco :p

put the seeds in some damp kitchen roll in a tub for a few days till they started to sprout, kept the tub next to my pc for warmth.

planted them in a mini green house thing (cant think of the name) about a week ago and they started coming through the soil a few days ago.

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our window gets a lot of sun so its been keeping them nice and warm and im just keeping the soil moist.

if their successfull i will look at getting some lighting and keep them going over the winter.
 
utajoker said:
our window gets a lot of sun so its been keeping them nice and warm and im just keeping the soil moist.

if their successfull i will look at getting some lighting and keep them going over the winter.
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Excellent. You don't have to use pedigree seeds; if you like what you get at the supermarkets then you can eat the chilli and use the seeds for more :D

Just couple of points:
1. in the top photo the soil looks too moist (almost water logged). Careful with this otherwise you'll get a spread of mould and the roots can rot. Chilli plants like their soil well draining so you may want to mix the compost with pearlite and vermiculite which are easily available at garden centres.

2. I would look at potting them asap rather than using a single bed of soil. The roots will quickly spread and intertwine.
 
Would now not be the best time to buy Chilli seeds? My brother is a chilliaholic and its his birthday ina few weeks, a few of these ready for next summer could be something really cool for him, as I know he'd be really up for this kinda thing! :)
 
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