The 2010 Chilli growing thread - it's scorching!

:D
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There's a couple of other flowers that are looking like they're fruiting too.
 
I have 5 plants. They are around 15inches tall, and are growing nicely.
However, all have recently grown flower buds and have dropped them at different stages. Some even after they have just opened.

Currently i have 1 flower bud on all of them and it have just opened. I am not sure if it will drop that too though.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what is going wrong?

The temps below 10degC at night can do it. Also under watering can also lead to dropped flowers. As the plant matures it's more likely to keep hold of the flowers. The initially the flowers will not even have pollen, later they will start having pollen and that when the plant tends to hold them longer (they open right out, almost pushing the petals really far backwards).
 
I've been taking an interest in this thread lately as I've been growing tomato's over the past couple years but now fancy a little change. Am I a little late to start with chillies now?

Probably a little late but if you want to try then go for a jalapeno/smaller species.
 
it looks like i should try habenero and scotch bonnet and hopefully they will taste like that sauce does.

If you can find ones that are already growing (ie a plug from a reputable grower) then that will help, other wise it may take a 2-4 weeks to germinate and then you're into late summer. The plants will have grown but may not have enough time to flower and fruit, or the fruit will not have ripened properly before the autumn. Worth a go though!

The good thing about fresh chillis are the taste difference.
 
923k is weak sauce! a bhut jolokia has been measured at just over 1.1mil

Well at this level there's little in it unless you want the title 'world breaker' :p.

Next year people here will branch out to try different chilli species now they're comfortable growing them. The Naga, like the Bhut, as you know is a harder chilli to grown and get ripe. So if people can grow this one the world is their ..oyster?.. chilli pepper :D
 
Just out of interest, what are you planning on doing with your Nagas when they fruit?

:D

Currently, the over wintered superstar naga from last year has two confirmed chilli fruits growing. The other two plants seem to be making flowers and not much else - just like last year!

I'll keep the seed but I'll probably make a large batch of curry base and use the fruit flesh itself.
 
I dry my nagas and crush them into flakes / powder.

Will need to understand how you do this without almost killing all the occupants in the room.

Update - two chillis but the cooler summer is not making it easy for my 'all natural' attempt this year.
 
Did you try putting them in the oven like I did.

BAD BAD idea I couldnt breath. the dog ran out the house when he could smell t LOL

This is *exactly* what happened! :D

Thanks Mr D, will attempt that this next time around!

I concur - it looks chilli like. Probably something chinese but unless you're a complete expert then I doubt you'll know until it flowers/fruits.
 
That looks like a bacterial infection - possibly something biting the leaves judging my the locations being near the main veins. The leaf will now die and drop off.

My plants are starting to show signs to heat stress (just the two lazy ones). The flowers are shrivelling before the plant goes limp. They have water but obviously need a good soak when the sun is not on them.

@DavidMarq - that's the same plant that fruited last year and give all the seeds.. I'm considering only overwintering that plant and growing two if it's seedlings for replacements next year.

@taske - keep at it. They're beautifully healthy! As Mark has said, they'll shoot up with the additional root-space. If you don't get a crop this year then overwinter them and you'll get bumper crop next year!
 
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@mark - those look like nagas.

The naga is slower growing than things such as jalapenos. I'm not sure of the point when overwintering is viable but I'm assuming that it requires the stem to be woody.. Mine survived very cold temps but I'd advise keeping them above ~7degC (mine got to near zero).

They will naturally wind down as the days shorten and temps drop. They'll then drop their leaves and go into hibernation.
You may need to keep them warmer so they don't drop their leaves (~15degC) if they're still soft stemmed. However the summer isn't over yet :)
 
I'm still waiting for my Bhut Jolokias to germinate...

They'd need incubation and inside lights to survive the winter.

How did you try to germinate them? Some of mine last year appeared well after the others but I had a grow light going so they got to a good size and could be given away to a work colleague who has grown nagas in the past.
 
You could but the plant seems happy at the moment.

Just spotted more chillies!
Plant #1 has 5 chillies now :D
Plant #2 has 1
Plant #3 has 0
 
Scores on the doors, fruits in progress:

Plant #1 - 14
Plant #2 - 3
Plant #3 - 0

So the plant that fruited last year is going to make a bumper crop! :D Amazing considering it's not had a lamp or heating this year, surviving living on a window sill over winter with single glazing and -8 outside.

Fear not - I will be saving the seeds for the 2011 chilli growing thread :D
 
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Ah great, thanks. How do i know when they are ready to harvest? Do they get to a certain size?

For Jalapenos they usually turn red. I'd leave them on until they feel ripe too. The riper the fruit, the more likely the seeds will germinate as their internal energy reserves will be topped up nicely.

Save the seeds before you cook them. Then if you like the taste and you don't over winter you can grow more next year :D

@aceface - probably wind causing stem thickening in addition to insects sucking may have slowed the growth overall resulting in a thicker stem.
 
I'm really confused.

My tepin is fruiting like mad, about 14 3" peppers, but none of them are ripening. All still green, when they should be going to yellow and then red.

Plant itself is healthy, and I feed once a week with Chilli Focus.

What gives?!?!

They can be green for a while and then suddenly change over a couple of days..
 
I've been over harsh on plant #3 ... just discovered 7 fruits on it.. they're smaller and just extremely well hidden!

So that'll hopefully give me 30+ chillies :D
 
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