Chilli heat

Hi

I have a question i cant seem to find a definative answer to on the net anywhere, and would really appreciate it if someone could shed some light on the problem, ahead of this years growing season

i have grown chillis for the last 2 years, mostly jalapinos, my problem is that at least 90% of them have no heat at all, not even a tingle at the stalk end. Ive had them in the greenhouse and im using b&q multipurpose compost, not overwatering and feeding every 2 weeks with a standatd tomato feed, however last year again was a big dissapointment. can anyone help? I even tried a supposedly "x-hot" variety last year and they were duds too....

Thanks

Conor

From personal experience I find that they need to have a good dose of actual heat for the fruits to become hotter themselves. You're getting fruits so they're pollinating fine. I'd try upping the heat for 2013 or putting in a greenhouse. Without knowing what seeds you bought etc it's hard to give a definitive answer. Buy some good seed stock & see how you go but deffo up their heat climate. Good luck

Depends what you consider hot, people have different tolerance levels. I don't pick chillies from the plant to use in cooking whilst growing but wait till ripe and dry them, as I'm usually still using the previous years dried chillies which last a year or more if dried ripe. I grew Apache and Ceyenne in 2011 and they kept really well but only the deep red one's should be kept and they were hot... 

Mine are grown in pots in the GH. Apache and Cayenne did really well again in 2012. They aren't hot whilst still green but if picked when red taste hotter the nearer to the stem and are eye watering when dried.    

I stand chilli pots in gravel trays, water from below and have gravel on the surface of the pot to reduce water evaporation.