Peter Robinson wrote:

Thanks a lot for this info, Peter

Last winter, as a present, I was given five little sachets of varieties
of chili. I think it was an offer from a magazine. Sometimes it's nice
to have decisions like that taken out of your hands. I sowed three of
them - Cherry Bomb, Jalapeño and Numex Twilight. This year, I've sowed
some "Thai Dragon" just today (don't take that as advice though - I'm
sure it's far too earyly if I had any sense!)

LOL - Well they do like a long season ;-)
I'm going to try and hold on til next month to sow mine.
Will start them in a heated propagator in the conservatory.


Cherry Bomb was certainly the most successful. I could easily have had
enough from those plants alone,

Looks good and apparently good for pickling too.
Will add that one to my list


I've kept two plants of each over the winter, and they seem to be very
happy inside despite the lack of light. They're still trying to flower,
but I'm having none of it until it warms up - last spring I found fruit
didn't really form inside anyway. They'll just have to wait until I
plant them out again.

Yes, I've read about people over-wintering them.
Might try it - conservatory get cold in the Winter but never freezing.
Nothing to lose.


From what I've grown, the variety I'd recommend would be "Cherry Bomb"
without any doubt. But chilis seem surprisingly easy to grow.


OK.
Thai Dragon
Cherry Bomb
Garden Salsa

Biggest problem inside for me was spider mite (I think) and fruit not
setting. Biggest problem outside was slugs & snails, though they seemed
to be equally happy to eat the garden twine used to tie them up as to
eat the plants! Neither was much of a problem.

Mine will all be inside.


Germination was surprisingly easy (if slow) in general purpose compost
on centrally heated windowsills - 29 from 30 germinated in 3-4 weeks,
with one runty seedling that lived and fruited but never grew as well as
the others. They need heat apparently though: it would probably be
harder outside or in a greenhouse.

Good luck!


And you too!
Thanks again for sharing all this.
Can't wait now...

Cheers,

Jeff
NE England