[richyrich7]

I've had a middling success growing peppers out on the allotment plot (2006 was excellent, last year so-so down to the weather) and this year I hope to try a few chilli plants as well.  As an experiment, I hope to use some left over insulation (the silver foil bubble wrap you can put behind central heating radiators on outside walls) with the shiny side facing south (about 12-18" height) along the bed they'll be in, to increase heat and light and reduce some draught factor for some of the plants.  Does this sound a bit silly (the old boys on the allotment site already think I break all the usual rules of how things should be done), or worth trying?

I would not recommend growing peppers outside without cover (poly, cloche, whatever you can knock up in the way of that), chillies might do better in a sheltered warm corner.

Long range forecast is for another wet summer folks, Sept + Oct being the dryest.

[sweet nasturtium]

What would you recommend Richy?  Plant later or earlier?

[Sadgit]

I've had a middling success growing peppers out on the allotment plot (2006 was excellent, last year so-so down to the weather) and this year I hope to try a few chilli plants as well.  As an experiment, I hope to use some left over insulation (the silver foil bubble wrap you can put behind central heating radiators on outside walls) with the shiny side facing south (about 12-18" height) along the bed they'll be in, to increase heat and light and reduce some draught factor for some of the plants.  Does this sound a bit silly (the old boys on the allotment site already think I break all the usual rules of how things should be done), or worth trying?

I would not recommend growing peppers outside without cover (poly, cloche, whatever you can knock up in the way of that), chillies might do better in a sheltered warm corner.

I grew loads outdoors last year.. joes long, bol rainbow, rocco red and fiesta all produced a fair number of fruit considering is was a dodo year..

[Sadgit]

Long range forecast is for another wet summer folks, Sept + Oct being the dryest.

Shhhh never look at long range forecasts.... last winter was supposed to be the worst in ages.. err wrong and last summer was supposed to be one of the hottest/driest we had in yonks... wrong again.. They cannot get the forecast right for tomorrow never mind 6 months time.. I stopped looking at them now

[sweet nasturtium]

Without polytunnel Sadgit?  What's the secret?  Mine never got ripe, plenty of fruit but not ripe.  I planted them in milk bottle cloches (with open tops) and then put a mini tunnel over them late august.

[wildeone]

mine refused to go ripe until they got some direct sunlight last year it just didn't seem warm enough for them!!! :roll:

[sweet nasturtium]

I suppose the answer will be that old chestnut  "extend the growing season" - plant early and keep out as late as possible.

[paintedlady]

I suppose the answer will be that old chestnut  "extend the growing season" - plant early and keep out as late as possible.

Actually, I think that was partly why my pepper harvest in 2006 was very good (outside on the plot with no cloche or other protection whatsoever) because I sowed the seeds in January and then having heatwave summer to really boost it.  Last year when I decided to follow the seed packet instructions and sowed in March/April - that was a big mistake.  By the time they germinated, the wet weather arrived and it all went a bit downhill after that.  I still got some fruit but nothing in comparison to the year before.

[Sadgit]

I suppose the answer will be that old chestnut  "extend the growing season" - plant early and keep out as late as possible.

Pretty much.. plus my garden is south facing and so is the patio, which is very sheltered and gets rather warm (IF THE SUN COMES OUT!!!!)

had dozens of chilli plants out... things like tepin were a disaster and hardly got any flowers never mind fruit.

the ones that didn't ripen were taken off the plant and they ripened within a few days on a warm window ledge.

[clarebear]

Should i be putting plant food on the chillies. organic stuff i mean

[gobs]

What compost are yo using? Young seedlings don't need feeding.

[sweet nasturtium]

I suppose the answer will be that old chestnut  "extend the growing season" - plant early and keep out as late as possible.

Actually, I think that was partly why my pepper harvest in 2006 was very good (outside on the plot with no cloche or other protection whatsoever) because I sowed the seeds in January and then having heatwave summer to really boost it.  Last year when I decided to follow the seed packet instructions and sowed in March/April - that was a big mistake.  By the time they germinated, the wet weather arrived and it all went a bit downhill after that.  I still got some fruit but nothing in comparison to the year before.

I think I did the same thing - after the 2006 Summer I was over-optimistic about 2007 and went a bit continental (could that be rhyming slang for something?).  I was a bit "manyana" with my planting assuming the summer would be great.  We also got a false impression of the year's weather with the warm April.

So January it is then!  Better get a move on.  Would you mind telling me when and how you planted / transplanted them?

[gobs]

I've had a middling success growing peppers out on the allotment plot (2006 was excellent, last year so-so down to the weather) and this year I hope to try a few chilli plants as well.  As an experiment, I hope to use some left over insulation (the silver foil bubble wrap you can put behind central heating radiators on outside walls) with the shiny side facing south (about 12-18" height) along the bed they'll be in, to increase heat and light and reduce some draught factor for some of the plants.  Does this sound a bit silly (the old boys on the allotment site already think I break all the usual rules of how things should be done), or worth trying?

I would not recommend growing peppers outside without cover (poly, cloche, whatever you can knock up in the way of that), chillies might do better in a sheltered warm corner.

I grew loads outdoors last year.. joes long, bol rainbow, rocco red and fiesta all produced a fair number of fruit considering is was a dodo year..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think them all chillies, Sadgit, aren't they?

Also, when I say outdoors I don't mean your patio next your house, I mean proper outdoor cultivation. In field or allotment.

[Sadgit]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think them all chillies, Sadgit, aren't they?

Also, when I say outdoors I don't mean your patio next your house, I mean proper outdoor cultivation. In field or allotment.

They are all Chillis, ahhh proper outdoors not, not really outdoors..
I know what you mean though, but I am gonna grown some at the plot this year, just didn't get chance last year

[richyrich7]

What would you recommend Richy?  Plant later or earlier?

Me I will be planting Chillies, Peppers, And Tom's in a heated propagator in mid Feb (early March at latest), then they will go into a heated Greenhouse.

 Should i be putting plant food on the chillies. organic stuff i mean

Don't feed at all until you see the first flowers open, then you can feed if you feed before hand all you will get is lots of leaf growth. Then feed with a tomato feed as per the instructions , organic or inorganic the choice is yours .