Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie
The temperature is certainly a lot cooler than it was a few weeks ago as we have had nothing but rain for the last 3 weeks and outside temps of around 14 degrees with the occassional 20 degree day here and there. It is always warmer than that in the conservatory but not by a huge margin.
I am watering them when the soil in the pots is dry to touch on top. I am watering them from the bottom of the pot though as I was under the impression that this is correct? They are being watered pretty much every day.
I feed them once a week using tomato feed to the dosage advised on the bottle.
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You don't expect every flower on your apple tree to turn into an apple, and so it is with your chilli. Going yellow and falling off is what they do when they don't want to set. The fact that it has been cold recently won't have helped either, they don't set fruit when it is too cold. But I expect the thing they are really missing is sunshine. They need plenty of sunshine, and I think it is the lack of sunshine which means chillies are not doing well in Britain this year.
I would say you are overdoing the fertilising. I've read use half strength and once a fortnight. Many people don't even bother at all.
You may also be overdoing the watering. Dry to touch on top will still have a lot of water inside. I leave then until looking a bit wilted. They perk up fine. They even perk up from looking very wilted when I go on holiday.
I grow my chillies outdoors. They normally do fine lined up against a south-facing wall that bakes them in the day and keeps them warm at night - in a normal year, even in last year's not particularly wonderful summer. Last year I was picking my first chillies by the end of July and this year they haven't even flowered yet. The weather is one thing I can't fix.