[little sweetpeas]

Gave a couple of my sweet peppers (lipstick and relleno) to a couple a few plots down and chatting to them today was shocked to see they had planted them.  

Isn't this too early?

They have years of experience on me so I feel a bit cheeky in questioning their judgement.

[agapanthus]

I would have put mine out this last weekend but did'nt have the space...yet! Should be ok....just wait in the wings with fleece in hand just in case we get a real drop in temperature

[little sweetpeas]

I would have put mine out this last weekend but did'nt have the space...yet! Should be ok....just wait in the wings with fleece in hand just in case we get a real drop in temperature

OOh  :oops: so I can start to plant them out.  This will free up a lot of space in my mini green house

Thanks for quick reply

[tomato-joy]

My sweet peppers, and chilli peppers, come to mention it are still only about 2" high - am I doing something wrong? They haven't grown much in the last few weeks and if I put them out, I think they'd fall over and die!

[little sweetpeas]

My sweet peppers, and chilli peppers, come to mention it are still only about 2" high - am I doing something wrong? They haven't grown much in the last few weeks and if I put them out, I think they'd fall over and die!

According to The Real Seed Company they shouldn't be planted out until they are 6" tall.

[helluvatractor]

my peppers are also taking ages to grow.  i planted them from seed along with my tomatoes, the tomatoes are about 12" high and the peppers about 3-4".  Is there any tips for growing peppers and chilis?

from what i understand from reading the seed packets, bell peppers should be the same as tomatoes to grow, but the chili peppers require real hot conditions.  if anyone would like to add any advice from their own experience it would be gratefully recieved.

[corndolly]

I find that peppers prefer slightly warmer conditions to tomatoes,especially untill fruiting, less water than tomatoes, the growing season of peppers is longer though, because they dont rely on hours of daylight to ripen as tomatoes do.

I have read that some people keep pepper plants going in the greenhouse through the winter, with plenty of feed such as seaweed extract, manure tea etc and a little heat.

[jackiestagg]

A freind of mine kept a sweet pepper plant over winter as an ornamental in her conservatory, it looked nice and had flowers in March. She put it outside last week and all the leaves have gone limp and the fruitlets dropped off. Mind you, she's never heard of hardening off, she just bunged it out. I think she's killed it. But it does show that you could get a bigger crop earlier if you had space to overwinter them. Runner beans too crop 2 weeks earlier if you can be bothered to overwinter them in pots.
I'm in the sunny south west and I don't put chilli or sweet peppers out at all, they stay in the greenhouse.

[little sweetpeas]

I'm in the sunny south west and I don't put chilli or sweet peppers out at all, they stay in the greenhouse.

I'm going to play it safe I'm going to keep them in the mini greenhouses until it gets really warm again and then I'll put them outsde.

If what they say is true about us having a hot summer I should be alright.  

Thanks for advice

[DD.]

deleted - wrong thread!

[BAK]

We find that initial protection helps with outdoor cultivation:

* sweet peppers (only 2-3 inches high - no greenhouse) put out 10 days ago under barn cloches. Cloches stay in place until the foliage is bursting to get out, typically late June, then they are on their own. First fruits (Gypsy) usually appear in early August. Crop generally prolific, irrespective of summer

* chillies planted out a week ago, each under a 5 litre plastic bottle with the base removed. Remove bottle when plants are touching the sides.  Not ready for picking until about mid-late September. Success depends on summer ... 2005-reasonable ... 2006 - bumper crop.

We are in Berks by the way.

[agapanthus]

I find that peppers prefer slightly warmer conditions to tomatoes,especially untill fruiting, less water than tomatoes, the growing season of peppers is longer though, because they dont rely on hours of daylight to ripen as tomatoes do.

.

I find it best to start the seeds off in January/February....they do need a long growing season......planted seeds in modules with a perspex lid and on the windowsills. Potted up and put in heated greenhouse, potting on when needed. They've been outside for a week now hardening off. Most are about 16" high with lots of fruit and flowers on them
I found last year that my outside ones grew better than the ones grown in the greenhouse....no idea why??

[WG.]

I found last year that my outside ones grew better than the ones grown in the greenhouse....no idea why??

I've read the same thing about basil actually.  Must prefer the fresh air (provided it is warm enough!)

[little sweetpeas]

I find it best to start the seeds off in January/February....they do need a long growing season......planted seeds in modules with a perspex lid and on the windowsills. Potted up and put in heated greenhouse, potting on when needed. They've been outside for a week now hardening off. Most are about 16" high with lots of fruit and flowers on them
I found last year that my outside ones grew better than the ones grown in the greenhouse....no idea why??

Oh thanks for that, I've got three mini greenhouses but I did go a bit mad with the pepper seeds and didn't expect them all to grow but they have. A bit behind yours but this morning the flower buds are forming. I've three patio pepper plants and already two of the flowers have opened.


Should I do anything to the peppers or just leave them to do their own thing.

[agapanthus]

Should I do anything to the peppers or just leave them to do their own thing.


Just give them a feed once a week with weakish tomato food and don't let them dry out