[surbie100]

I can't take extreme heat, so I go for medium-range chillies. I grew 4 Chenzo's last year and they were beautiful, compact, arched plants with about 80-100 chillies on each. This is from a north-facing balcony and I didn't pick them until September.  The chilles were about 3cm long and packed enough of a punch for me.

Unfortunately I killed them with over-enthusiastic pruning this winter. I saved seeds and will be trying them, but Chenzo is an F1 so I'm not sure what I'll get. 

Poundland often do seed bundle that is salad leaves + chillies. Last year it had cayenne, thai bird's eye and habaneros in it. Worth looking out for.

This year I'm growing lemon drop (and my experimental F2 seeds from the Chenzo).

[compostqueen]

I think the F1 saved seed will not work, well it won't come true to type but you'll see. I would never save F1 seed. There are very many chilli varieties, non hybrids, that you can save seed from, so I'd stick with those

A chilli for a beginner would be a cayenne or a Lemon Drop, both easy to grow but prolific 

I've sown some Menorca  and Aji Yellow and will be sowing the red hot Ohnivec in a minute 

[ThatsNice]

I have acquired some lemon stop chili seeds. Do these need to be grown in the green house, or can they be planted outside?

[surbie100]

I think the F1 saved seed will not work, well it won't come true to type but you'll see.

I know it won't come true, but I'm interested to see what will grow...it's just a wee experiment. (Had forgotten my GCSE biology when I saved them!) 

Morag - chillies need heat to germinate, so you need to put them somewhere warm.  I've stuck mine in a propagator*

*other methods are available

[compostqueen]

 

You switch off the prop, and open the vents once they've germinated 

I sowed a hot, hot, hot variety today