Hi all,
I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting to
form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
months to come.
I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and quality of
fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should water
them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which was to
go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

In article ,
"K" writes:
| Hi all,
| I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
| growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting to
| form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
| months to come.

Mine are 2" high :-(

| I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and quality of
| fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should water
| them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
| them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which was to
| go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

The critical things are full sun, warm to hot conditions (at least in
the day), good drainage and preventing serious pest infections.

They are pretty tough, and grow in a variety of conditions, so the
other factors are less critical. Don't be deluded by claims that
they need high humidity - that is only by Californian standards!
The UK very rarely gets dry enough to worry them, even indoors.

I can't tell you which treatment is optimal, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...


Mine are 2" high :-(

All mine are too, except for one on the kitchen windowsill (about 4") and
one in a hydroponic system which is about 3.3 but has the most leaves! I
was worried mine were a bit small, but never mind eh?

Charlie.


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"Charlie" wrote in message
...

one in a hydroponic system which is about 3.3 but has the most leaves! I
was worried mine were a bit small, but never mind eh?

Charlie.

Oh cool - at last someone with a hydroponic system. I spent big bucks last
year on a flood and drain system and was SOOOO disappointed with the results
that I lost heart and all the buckets of pebbles sit empty of crops. They
are/were outside in the polytunnel to make use of daylight and save on the
artificial provision of 12/18 hrs of light they need but the crops got
*really* heavily infested with greenfly (the leeks), the strawberries
produced 3 berries, and the tomatoes got struck with blight. I am thinking
(have half moved) the system into the basement.

Where is yours located and how do you get on with it?

TIA
--Alison

"K" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting to
form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
months to come.
I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and quality
of
fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should
water
them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which was
to
go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

One thing that seems to help is to ensure they are a little root bound.
Seems to force things like chillies and aubergines into fruiting better in
my experience. Given free range in the open soil they all crop very poorly.
So I guess don't pot it on too often.
Duncan

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in message ...
In article ,
"K" writes:
| Hi all,
| I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
| growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting to
| form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
| months to come.

Mine are 2" high :-(

Try pinching out the growing tip to encourage side shoots

You may also need to pollinate them if they are on a windowsill

Mine are 2" also

regards
Martin McRiley



| I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and quality of
| fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should water
| them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
| them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which was to
| go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

The critical things are full sun, warm to hot conditions (at least in
the day), good drainage and preventing serious pest infections.

They are pretty tough, and grow in a variety of conditions, so the
other factors are less critical. Don't be deluded by claims that
they need high humidity - that is only by Californian standards!
The UK very rarely gets dry enough to worry them, even indoors.

I can't tell you which treatment is optimal, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Alison" o.uk wrote in
message ...
Oh cool - at last someone with a hydroponic system. I spent big bucks
last
year on a flood and drain system and was SOOOO disappointed with the
results
that I lost heart and all the buckets of pebbles sit empty of crops. They
are/were outside in the polytunnel to make use of daylight and save on the
artificial provision of 12/18 hrs of light they need but the crops got
*really* heavily infested with greenfly (the leeks), the strawberries
produced 3 berries, and the tomatoes got struck with blight. I am thinking
(have half moved) the system into the basement.

Where is yours located and how do you get on with it?

Well, mine didn't cost big bucks! I have a pickled onion jar (the big one)
with a two holes drilled in the lid. The big hole has a chilli in it and
the small one has an old fish tank pump with an air stone on the end
(salvaged from my old fish tank). The water is a gro-more solution with the
roots dangling in it, the plants just propped up by the hole in the top on
it's bottom leaves. I turn the pump on for a few minutes a day (if I
remember) and change the solution weekly when I feed my other plants into he
garden and greenhouse. It lives on my bedroom window which gets sun
throughout the afternoon.

In total it cost me... NOTHING!

Charlie.


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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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"K" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting to
form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
months to come.
I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and quality
of
fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should
water
them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which was
to
go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

K
You don't say what type of chilli it is!
I've never had a chilli plant that did not produce a lot of fruits, in the
ground or in the pots.
I would tomato feed every week but don't over water!
The drying out and then flooding is a trick I picked up but will only add to
the 'heat' of the fruit not to the quantity!
Remember the hotter the temperature the hotter the chilli!

For a large crop I think what is most important is the type of chilli!
Heatwave or Prairie Fire will supply you with a very large crop per plant!
My bottom line is grow and see! Learn and then progress!
I've been growing chillies since I was 11 years old and I'm still studying
and learning!

Yours
Badger

So you reckon they can be planted outside in this country? I'm in Essex,
would they still bear fruit? They're overtaking my little greenhouse, I've
given a few away and I still have too many! (Got a little enthusiastic with
the tomato's and peppers too!)

Charlie.


"Little Badger" wrote in message
...

"K" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I've currently got 2 chilli plants on a windowsill at home - they are
growing beautifully and are about 2 feet tall. One of them is starting
to
form buds that will hopefully be the origin of some lovely fruit in the
months to come.
I'm looking for tips on how to obtain the best crop - numbers and
quality
of
fruit. I've read here and there that I should use tomato feed, should
water
them consistently throughout, should starve them of water and then flood
them to increase the heat etc etc. but I'm not too sure exactly which
was
to
go..... any help / advice / comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

K
You don't say what type of chilli it is!
I've never had a chilli plant that did not produce a lot of fruits, in the
ground or in the pots.
I would tomato feed every week but don't over water!
The drying out and then flooding is a trick I picked up but will only add
to
the 'heat' of the fruit not to the quantity!
Remember the hotter the temperature the hotter the chilli!

For a large crop I think what is most important is the type of chilli!
Heatwave or Prairie Fire will supply you with a very large crop per plant!
My bottom line is grow and see! Learn and then progress!
I've been growing chillies since I was 11 years old and I'm still studying
and learning!

Yours
Badger




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.476 / Virus Database: 273 - Release Date: 24/04/03

In article , "Charlie" writes:
| So you reckon they can be planted outside in this country? I'm in Essex,
| would they still bear fruit? They're overtaking my little greenhouse, I've
| given a few away and I still have too many! (Got a little enthusiastic with
| the tomato's and peppers too!)

I have never succeeded. They are very borderline.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from "Charlie" contains these words:

Where is yours located and how do you get on with it?

Well, mine didn't cost big bucks! I have a pickled onion jar (the big one)
with a two holes drilled in the lid. The big hole has a chilli in it and
the small one has an old fish tank pump with an air stone on the end
(salvaged from my old fish tank). The water is a gro-more solution with the
roots dangling in it, the plants just propped up by the hole in the top on
it's bottom leaves. I turn the pump on for a few minutes a day (if I
remember) and change the solution weekly when I feed my other plants into he
garden and greenhouse. It lives on my bedroom window which gets sun
throughout the afternoon.

In total it cost me... NOTHING!

I'm planning one at a very similar price, but it will be planted with
watercress. I recently acquired a roofless old wooden garage which is
two sections long and one section wide.

There's only room on the end of my clay-lump shed for half of it, so I'm
using two of the spare side sections for a roof, and since the structure
butts against an existing shed, I have an end section left over. (The
one without doors.) This will have the gable removed when it will make a
fine gate.

Also, there is a lot of thick plastic guttering. I intend making a
series of obstacles along the length of each run, and arranging them in
a shallow zig-zag down the side of the shed and running a trickle of
water through the system

"Charlie" wrote in message ...
So you reckon they can be planted outside in this country? I'm in Essex,
would they still bear fruit? They're overtaking my little greenhouse, I've
given a few away and I still have too many! (Got a little enthusiastic with
the tomato's and peppers too!)

Charlie.

Charlie,

Before I had a greenhouse, I used to grow Cayennes outside (in Essex)
- had no problems - although a bit later cropping and maybe lower
production.

Cheers,
Ian

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

| So you reckon they can be planted outside in this country? I'm in
Essex,
| would they still bear fruit? They're overtaking my little greenhouse,
I've
| given a few away and I still have too many! (Got a little enthusiastic
with
| the tomato's and peppers too!)

I have never succeeded. They are very borderline.

There's a guy I know who lives in South Cambs who seems to manage. He plants
his late, grows them indoors (in the light, but not much direct sunlight)
and plants them out in June.

"Ian" wrote in message
om...
"Charlie" wrote in message
...
So you reckon they can be planted outside in this country? I'm in
Essex,
would they still bear fruit? They're overtaking my little greenhouse,
I've
given a few away and I still have too many! (Got a little enthusiastic
with
the tomato's and peppers too!)

Charlie.

Charlie,

Before I had a greenhouse, I used to grow Cayennes outside (in Essex)
- had no problems - although a bit later cropping and maybe lower
production.

Cheers,
Ian

All depends on Mother Nature and hot the summer is!

Badger