So who's growing chillies 2020?

[Ajhutch]

I was going to ask for overwintering tips since I had also read that they produce even more in the 2nd year. When you say cut them right back do you mean prune off all of this year’s growth back to the main stem?

 

[nixhaz]

Yeah I would cut back fairly aggressively but leaving a few leaves so that it can still grow/photosynthesise. Often I've had to cut back again during the winter as they kept growing so well in my bathroom!

 

[Clint]

I have a straggler on my kitchen window sill from last year..looks like it might flower.

 

[user 18729]

Do you think mine would survive in a miniature poly tunnel over the winter (un heated) or should I bring them in?

 

[Clint]

Have to bring them in. You may risk it with a big dollop of fleece over them but only if we have a mild one..

 

[user 18729]

Have to bring them in. You may risk it with a big dollop of fleece over them but only if we have a mild one..

Cheers Clint

 

[DekH]

For over wintering I am building a hot bed in my greenhouse then covering with extra layer of glass and bubble wrap insulation. Trying to over winter 30 plants this time it worked with three last year.

 

[Dutto]

Planted this two days ago!
View attachment 23095

View attachment 23096

It will go out into the garden about mid-April.

I've never heard of "Demon Red" chillies before, but if they are as hot as expected I won't need many of them!

And I haven't got many of them either!

Planted in February and living on the kitchen window-ledge, moved to a warm conservatory in March, then along comes "Black Thumb" (aka SWMBO).

"It was too hot to watch the TV so I thought I may as well open the conservatory doors and move those chillies outside!" said Black Thumb! Dependant on her for food and drink I held my tongue but requested that they were brought back inside before it got dark.

Black Thumb then told me that she had watered them intermittently throughout the year (every time I checked they were dry!) and last week I was finally asked to "Do something with them because they've stopped growing." Surprise, surprise!!

I think they were doomed from about April. I will leave them until I get back from France and in the meantime ...

... any ideas welcome, as long as they don't suggest binning them all and starting again in 2021, 'cos I thought of that already!

 

[Clint]

Keep them...they'll over winter in the house. Then re pot in the spring.

 

[pgk]

Just come across this thread..
I have a 20ftx12ft greenhouse with 8 yellow tomato plants (the only one's worth growing in my opinion) and a row of some 20 sweet peppers for OH who gets through lots. The other side of the GH is a mass of jalopenos plus a few scorpion and scotch bonnet. We just love jalopenos split in two and fried in batter as as lunch. I've never bothered overwintering them - figured it'd need grow lights here to stop them getting nasty and leggy? I usually just start a new lot mid feb.
I gave up heating the greenhouses apart from keeping my citrus house just off frost after the year when i kept that really nicely warm to grow my first lemons and had the electricity board come round to check what was wrong with the meter - and then give me an eye-watering bill‼ Now I just keep the citrus surviving until they can go back out.

 

[DekH]

Adding to the discussion as we all plan next years chilli selection heres mine a mixture of over winter and those I will plant from seed in January

1. AJ Lemon (OW) x6
2. Padron x6
3. Bishops Crown (OW) x8
5. Jalapeño x6
6. Tobasco x6
7. Bhut Jolokia x6
8. Ring of Fire x6
9. Scotch Bonnet x6
10. Fresno x6
11. Unknown mild x6
12. Basket of fire (OW) x5
13. Carolina Reaper (OW) x3
14. Bell peppers (OW) x10