Growing and caring for chilli plants

[bergs]

Hi, I'm trying to over winter my Chillies. Last season they were all coming on strong when Autumn came. I thought that if I tried to keep the plants alive it would give me a head start this season. I'm in Victoria (cool temperate).

I have googled it, but it's mainly British and American area guides. I trimmed them back fairly harshly and located the potted ones in a sheltered spot in the garden and backed the watering right off. They are a mixed variety.

So far one is showing signs of shooting. There has been a fair bit of die back which I have now trimmed off. The weather is not far away from getting a bit warmer, so the hopefully, they will take off again and give me earlier crops.

I had preserved (pickled) quite a few but stocks have run out.

Has anyone else had any success in over wintering Chillies? If so please share your methods with us.

Thanks and Cheers🍻Bergs

[Jason]

@bergs

My seedlings were about 10-12cm - they were big enough to handle and seperate and the weather is now warmer so I thought I would put them in. I probably should have given it another week or two.

Jason

[Jason]

Thanks for joining in the discussion @Scott12. Please keep us updated on how your plants do over the summer. 

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Workshop community. I look forward to reading more about your projects and plans. I'm sure you will find plenty of helpful information and inspiration from our community members. 

Please let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the site.

Jason

[robchin]

I have a number of hot chillies that have a sheltered spot in my garden. I replace them every 2 or 3 years. I do cut them back a bit before winter. Remember if your planting chillies or any member of the Solanaceae family (Tomatoes, chillies, capsicums) - don't put them in exactly the same spot each year.
There is an Australian Chilli Fanatics Facebook page that is a bit of fun: https://www.facebook.com/groups/874858215875765/

[Jason]

How are your plants going @bergs?

Mine still have a lot of growing to do!

Jason

[Scott12]

Hi Jason,

They started well I handicapped them initially by over watering particularly when we were experiencing low ambient temps. Only 2 seeds germinated initially send when I transplanted them into a garden my Dog destroyed my best. I moved the others into a warmer area and now the temps are rising have discovered another seedling making an appearance.

It's good therapy for distracting me from all of the obligations of life.

The bulls horn chilli has been going well producing good quality chili's.

[Jason]

Thanks for the update on your plants @Scott12. I feel like mine are behind where they were this time last year. But hoping for lots of growth in the next month or two, and plenty of fruit.

Jason

[bergs]

Hi All,

My overwintered chillies are just starting to show signs of moving. I only have 7 plants left from previous years and they are 6 Nellie Kellies and one Black Pearl.

Four of the N.K. are in the ground and this will be their third season, but they only grew fruit lucky to even be pea size over last season.

My seed (all vegie seed) germinated in my little 4 tiered plastic hothouse.

I sowed my own seeds in July and one day it got too hot and I think I cooked most of the seedlings.

This included my tomato seedlings too.

I shoved the tomatoes into the ground when I went away for a week (Melb. Cup w/e) and hoped for the best.

They were only 2cms and you could see their second leaves sprouting,they're now 40cms tall and starting to flower.

The chillies never actually died but they didn't grow any more than about 1cm, not even big enough to get their second leaves.

I gave up on them last week and threw them in the compost.

I sowed some Habenaro seedlings (bought at a market while away) and they haven't done anything after planted out for a month.

Jason I think weather is still not right as it gets up close to 40c for a day or so and then drops back to the low 20c or less.

Chillies need a more constant heat like 25 to 30c. When temperatueres are too hot they will burn and when it gets cool they stop

[bergs]

Hi, only half my post went on the last reply, can't see it all. I takes me so long to type it etc. maybe it was too big!

These Nellie Kellie chillies were sown at the end of July and germinated in my mini hot house between 8/9/17 and 13/9/17. This photo was taken Nov 21 and up to last week they were still that size so they went to the compost.

Below are my original Nellie Kellies. I collected seed from these in 2015. Each year the plants and the fruit get smaller and are lucky to be pea size.

Cheers bergs

[bergs]

Hi all, we're about to have a thunderstorm (Geelong) here or it's just my stomach, it's dinner time

If you Google chillies there is an amazing amount of info.

I found that chillies like the morning sun and dappled shade in the arvo, it's the heat that ripens the fruit not the sun.

All areas have different climates and there are plenty of sites that show you what climate zone you're in.

Mr Google; how marvelous. I don't know how they have time to put all that info on it, maybe they type a lot faster than me

I've had to buy more chilli seedlings this year because of my set back with the my seeds.

I have been given some Thai Chillies from an Asian lady my wife works with. This lady is brilliant she is always giving me chillies because she knows I love them. At one stage last season she told my wife she picked 4kgs of chillies that morning. now that's big load of fruit

I bought a Caroline Reaper (arguably the hottest in the world) and a Trinidad Scorpion Butch T (in the top ten hottest), I will use them in curries and stir-fry etc. they are seiously hot. I have tried Carolina before and it made my glasses steam up, tread carefully!

I've had my Black Pearl for 4 yrs now. It's easy to grow from seed. It really self seeds from the fruit falling off the bush.

This is my Black Pearl below that was triimmed a couple weeks ago.

Below is the chilli I bought from Bunnings a month ago and I picked about 2 handfuls of red ones yesterday.

This is one of my Nellie Kellie plants from my own seeds. They are smaller and the fruit is smaller. They are just starting to flower.

Chillies are self pollinating, but they are easily cross pollinated, so if you have different varities plant them well apart if possible.

Did you know eating chillies can take weight off? Look up the atributes of chillies. It apparently is the capsacim in them and it can burn off fat. Mind you, you also need to eat sensibly. I was 110kg and my doctor said I needed to lose 10kgs. I now weigh 88kgs, but I did cut back on my meal sizes and eat chilli everyday. Still have a few drinks and have kept the weight off for two years in January.

That's a bit of waffling on but it maybe useful to some members!

Cheers bergs

[Jason]

Here's my biggest jalepeno plant at the moment. I have about half a dozen healthy plants now and most are just starting to show signs that fruit isn't too far away. 

Jason