Talkback: Sowing seeds - chillies and sweet peppers - Talkback

Gardeners' World Web User

01/01/2008 at 00:00

Gardeners' World Web User

01/01/2008 at 18:31

How can we tell when the chillies are ready to pick?

Gardeners' World Web User

16/04/2008 at 19:59

I planted the free pepper seeds(Anaheim) indoors as suggested but unfortunately thev'e all failed although every one of the tomato seeds (Gartenperle) are doing well

Gardeners' World Web User

17/04/2008 at 19:01

Are you sure those Chilli pepper seeds have been left long enough? Mine always take ages to come up even on a warm windowsill!

Gardeners' World Web User

17/04/2008 at 22:29

hi can i grow seeds in greenhouse in april without a heater.

Gardeners' World Web User

18/04/2008 at 12:20

Eireens, I agree with Rosemary that you're being impatient! Chilli and capsicum seeds can take much longer to germinate than tomatoes, and are slower to grow and develop. Much depends on the temperature of the compost both day and night. A warm south-facing windowsill should be ideal for germinating pots of seeds this month. You can buy electric windowsill propagators that help provide warmth to get seeds germinated during February and March, but by mid-April you should be successful without.

Gardeners' World Web User

18/04/2008 at 20:53

hi trying out seeds in greenhouse first time, success with a few frosty mornings

Gardeners' World Web User

19/04/2008 at 15:27

I have sowed chilli big banana seeds for the first time this year, sowed in march - no show, so I have sown more april still no show. I put cling film on, and grit, now I am sowing my last batch before giving up, inside the house. Hopefully 3rd time lucky sighed frustrated sower. I sow seeds every year snd never had any bad results.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/04/2008 at 17:44

Don't give up on the chillies! I always start mine off on top of the boiler for 24 hours then on a sunny windowsill. They can drag their heels but usually raise their heads after about 3 or 4 weeks. I'm pretty tough on my plants and put them outside once it starts to feel like summer and I still have one Apache chilli growing outside that i planted last summer.

Gardeners' World Web User

25/04/2008 at 16:00

I've sown banana pepper seeds as well as the free chilli pepper and gartenperle tomato seeds. The banana pepper seeds took approx 3 weeks to appear and thats on a sunny windowsill above a radiator. I'm growing veg for the first time, is it too early to put the tomatoes in grow bags outside?

Gardeners' World Web User

27/04/2008 at 20:47

I have 2 Demon Red chilli plants on a bedroom window ledge, they were planted in April last year and have been giving me fruit all through the winter, there is another crop ready to pick now,I sowed them in a 3" pot then moved them to 5" pots, where they are now, we live in Yorkshire, they did take a long time to germinate so I just left them, it has paid off, I picked 15 chilli's last week.

Gardeners' World Web User

29/04/2008 at 15:23

Don't put tomatoes outside until All Risk of the dreaded frost is passed (even outdoor varieties) The frost will either finish them off completely or badly damage them.

Peas are safe to put out as are salad crops - tho if you sow direct they will be a bit slow (mine are!) I tend to start most veg crops off inside on the windowsills (I don't have a green house- but have one on order!) and then acclimatise crops in the coldframe or outside during the day before planting out.

Hope you enjoy growing veg- I started 5 yrs ago and am now fully converted. PS - the best tip I was ever given was only grow what you like to eat- there's nothing worse than having a crop you looked forward to fail and a novelty crop that you grew just to see if you could, thriving, leaving you overwhelmed with mountains of something you don't like. (I had massive bags of radishes and courgettes my first year)

Gardeners' World Web User

01/05/2008 at 17:01

Both Chillies and Peppers are perennials, if they are kept frost free during the winter they will produce fruit much earlier (and more of it) than sewing new plants each year.

Gardeners' World Web User

03/05/2008 at 11:31

My Chillies and Red Pepper seeds have only just geminated in the greenhouse after 5 weeks! I had almost given up hope.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2008 at 08:50

Thanks for the advice Katie B. I was just about to sow some courgettes which I am not that crazy about. I think I'll give those seeds to my sister. I'm enjoying it so far and now that my various seedlings are growing larger I can't wait for the warmer weather to plant them all out.

Gardeners' World Web User

11/05/2008 at 20:39

My sister gave me some pepper plant seedlings which I put into my greenhouse. Within a week something had munched its way through the leaves, leaving bare stems. There was no sign of slugs and the runner beans had not been touched. Any ideas. She has recently given me another lot which i have put in their little pot into a great big pot and so far, 4 days they are still intact!

Gardeners' World Web User

14/05/2008 at 13:15

i'm growing chillies and peppers for the first time, how high should i let them grow

Gardeners' World Web User

18/05/2008 at 13:17

Thanx have a go g'. never knew chillies etc. were perennials. unlike others, i find them easy to grow (if nothing eats them!) will try overwintering indoors.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/05/2008 at 12:52

I have recently purchased a Californian Wonder pepper plant - any advise on the best way to grow these? Indoors/outdoors? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Gardeners' World Web User

07/06/2008 at 16:08

I am growing peppers for the first time and am really pleased with the size of them and that they look so healthy. I don't know however if they have a natural dark patch where the side shoot meets the stem or if they have something wrong with them. I assume anyone who has grown them before will easily be able to answer but I have no comparison. Anyone advise?