Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: BabyStar on August 30, 2011, 10:28
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Growing five different types of chilli in the greenhouse- Jalapeno, Romano, Friggitello, Red Cherry and Hungarian Hot Wax. I understand Romano and Friggitello are sweet chillies, does this mean they wouldn't have any heat to them?
Mainly my query is that we've tried both the Jalapeno and the Hot Wax and neither of them are very hot or taste of much. I read elsewhere on the forum to try not feeding them or water them too much but nothing really changing apart from they now look a little wilted and a couple of the Jalapenos are turning a black colour (not as in rotting, just the skin).
All of the chillies are green at the moment, apart from the Hot Wax which is a greeny yellow colour. Do they change colour the longer they are on the plant? And do we need to leave them longer before they gain any heat?
Confused!
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The turning black is them starting to ripen to red - in the case of Jalapeno anyway. They'll do this on the plant or off if you pick them, but they won't get any hotter. Maybe you have been too kind to them and fed or watered them more than they needed. ::)
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What a nuisance! Didn't realise feeding and watering was to be kept to a minimum- now I have a ton of tasteless chillies!!
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Are you using the whole chiili Babystar? A lot of the heat is in the seeds and white pith surrounding them so if you use the lot it would make for a hotter resulting dish :)
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I must have treated my mean, as i must have picked my nose and went to wee after cutting the chillies for dinner. Ouch Ouch Ouch :wacko:.
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You'll remember next time Kris! :D
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The Hungarian Hot Wax is probably named because it looks like a melting candle , i`ve always found them to be very mild.
A good hot summer generally gives hot peppers, so don`t expect too much this year.
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Finding a couple of the hot wax to be hotter than the first couple we tried, and the red cherry (which are currently green!). We started them at the latest possible planting time so maybe they are a little young still, although the friggitello tend to get pretty huge!
Just been using the skin, taking the seeds out so will probably just chuck the whole thing in next time!
Out of interest, is it possible to retain the seeds for planting next year? Would they just need to be dried out?
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Yes, you certainly can save chilli seeds; make sure the pod you choose is fully ripe and of good quality, and make sure the seeds are well dried out before storing in a cool dry place in a paper bag or envelope.
There is a risk that the seeds won't grow true; although chillies are self-fertile you don't know what insects have been visiting your different varieties and chillies will readily cross-pollinate given half a chance!
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and if they are an f1 variety they wouldn't be the same as their parent ;)
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and if they are an f1 variety they wouldn't be the same as their parent ;)
Oh yes! (fer fer fer got about the F1 factor!) :wub:
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What's F1?!
Does cross pollination not produce good results? Or could I create a new type of chilli?!
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F1 varieties are those bred from cross pollination of 2 other varieties which results in a particular type of plant. It should be labelled f1 on the packet.This variety can only be achieved by crossing the same 2 varieties each time.
If you try to grow seed from the f1 the result would not be exactly the same as the parent..it could be better it could be worse...but deffo different ;)
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The not watering tip seemed to work for me... the first (green) chilli I picked seemed quite mild, so I cut back the watering to once a week for the chillis, and moved them to the top of the greenhouse in a hanging basket.... the next (green) chilli I picked, I had a nibble at but it still seemed mild, so I very foolishly put the whole thing in my mouth :ohmy: :blink: and was still glugging milk an hour later!
Now the chillis have ripened to a beautiful orange-yellow colour (they are orange cheyenne, I think).
Edited to correct variety :)
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I had a nibble at but it still seemed mild, so I very foolishly put the whole thing in my mouth :ohmy: :blink: and was still glugging milk an hour later!
:lol:
Haven't had an experience like that but think the non-watering is working for us as well!
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i've also found that what was mild as a fresh chilli became a lot hotter as a dried one...the one on our ristra are really quite strong now
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I grew hot patio sizzle from wilko.Planted 15 seeds in seed module and eventually potted on,looked insignificant.I think i could supply the local indian takeaway with hot chillis now.They are only small about 1inch long but are red hot,they sold a pack in wilkos with 6 different varieties, i think ill try them next year
There must be 30-40 chillies on each plant at least
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i think you have over watered them.i keep my ones as dry as can be.i have a dorset naga and i can tell you if you like it hot try growing the dorset .it likes to be in a warm place about 23 for the seeds to grow.then plant out in polytunnel end of april.dont over water but feed when the friut begins to grow .i feed my ones about twive a week.
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I grew Joes Long Cayenne from BQ and they haven't gone red as in packet picture or hot just long and green and Joe whoever he is would be proud but they're not hot.
I came back from a week away to discover that one of the cayennes is ripening from green to orange on a plant that looks slightly dejected in a smallish dry pot of soil so the watering theory might be right.
Also I started quite late. I read that the seeds have to go into the propogator in time to be out as frosts finish then they can hit the ground running and ripen well before sept/oct.
Practise makes perrrfect.
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my chillis have worked so well this year, I'm thinking of putting a shelf up in my greenhouse next year, up near the top, so that I can plant several varieties....and all bought for 50p a packet in the Garden Centre sale a couple of weeks ago.