[backpain]

I was wondering if any of you growing experts could put my mine at rest on this one.
I've grown some cayene chillis in my conseratory, which is west facing so only gets direct sun 1/2 the day.
One of my chillis is nearly 4ft high.
Do I need to cut the top off?
If so, where do I cut.
They've flowered but have no fruit yet.
Cheers.

[muddifoot]

what have you been feeding this critter that it's 4 feet high?    mine are only about a foot high and looking very sorry for themselves-  I think something got at them about a month ago.

[Sadgit]

Just leave chilli plants alone, no cutting required. Mine are flowering and just starting to show a few fruit now.

[backpain]

Well it's really stange. I've got some plants the same age in the green, which obviously gets much more light and they're tiny in comparison.  I put that down to the cold nights though.  It's still cold in the coni at night.  I wonder if they've bolted....if chillis do that.  Don't get me wrong they healthy, too healthy in fact.

Feed wise, I've just been giving them a spot of tom food once a week. Just wilko's own nothing fancy.

[redfire]

Hi,
I have a variety called big banana. The one I have in the house is about 4ft tall and only just flowering.
The one I have in the greenhouse (Sown and potted on at exactly the same time) is only a foot tall and has 1/2 dozen chillis that are about 5 inches long.

So, growing conditions do affect them quite a bit. The ones inside are probably reaching for the light and so it kinda stretches them out.

Loads of growing season left yet though so I wouldn't worry too much.
Just support them with a small cane 'cos when they do get fruit, they could become top heavy.

[backpain]

Thanks redfire, would you move them to the greenhouse or leave them in the conni?

I been propping me toms up for ages....but thats another story. :roll:

[Aidy]

you will also find a more consistant temperature range inside, thus giving them optimum growing conditions.

[Lardman]

Have to agree with redfire - they're looking for light. Get them in the greenhouse. If you're going to prune them - and theres nothing to say you cant, you need to do it soon otherwise there wont be time for new growth to flower, set and ripen.

Having said that there really is no need to pamper peppers, they like lots of light and heat if you have it and the odd drink of strong Tom food.

I kicked the larger plants out onto the patio months ago and fruit for fruit id say they'll out produce my courgettes again.

Henry the Hab. (Peppers)  

Henry the Hab. (Plant)

He's 3 years old now, at the end of each season I cut him down to 1ft, pull all his leaves off wash all the compost off his roots, then prune them down and bring him inside in a 6 inch pot. When the risk of frost has gone I stick him back outside in a bigger pot. He sulks for a while but loves to produce peppers - who am I to stop him.

[peapod]

OK Im going to be a big wuss now
BUT!
I didnt get any chillies last year because I put em out too early, and I want a BIG supply this year...
Now my lovely cayenne are large, flowering and getting chillies on them
Im running out of space in GH,
Am I safe to put the flowering ones outside now?

Paula

[Lardman]

I didnt get any chillies last year because .....

 it was a pants year last year. Unless the frost caught them Id be really surprised if putting them out early caused problems.

Define BIG supply - I was picking 3-4 pods a day off my hot lemon last year I was glad to see the back of it in the end... I've still got some powder left now.

If they've always been in the greenhouse you'll need to harden them off a bit especially as the weather is so poor at the moment. You may want to hang on until next week - things are supposedly going to get better.

.... what else is there to grow in a greenhouse other than chillis ?? !!!!  

[peapod]

I didnt get any chillies last year because .....

 it was a pants year last year. Unless the frost caught them Id be really surprised if putting them out early caused problems.

Define BIG supply - I was picking 3-4 pods a day off my hot lemon last year I was glad to see the back of it in the end... I've still got some powder left now.

If they've always been in the greenhouse you'll need to harden them off a bit especially as the weather is so poor at the moment. You may want to hang on until next week - things are supposedly going to get better.

.... what else is there to grow in a greenhouse other than chillis ?? !!!!  

Define big! As many as I can get, OH practically adds chillies to his porridge in the morning! As many as I can grow I can use or give away to neighbours, no worries on that score!
Its a good idea to harden them off, Im going to be brave and give it a try next week :-)

What else to grow in GH?

Hmm well, Ive got some 'hot patio' chillies too!, and bell peppers and cucs and some tumbling toms in baskets that cant fit anywhere else :-(
Ive only got a baby GH that OH made me so not a lot of space :-(

Thanks Lardman  

Paula

[backpain]

What's the process for hardening off?  :oops:

You know, all you experts use these technical words expecting us numptys to know you mean.  

Anyway, I conclude from all your useful advise....I'll just leave them and hope for the best. They're fine as they are and I'm sure they'll start fruiting soon.  Although, I will put some outside to see how they grow. There's some fruit on the stumpy ones in the greenhouse I noticed the other day. After wading through the jungle of tomato plants. Don't ask!

Hence no room in the greenhouse for big chilli  :cry:

It's all a learning curve.

[agapanthus]

Hardening off....is basically getting the plants used to be outside, by putting them out during the day and taking them in at night for a week maybe, then leaving them out all of the time.

[backpain]

Thanks agapanthas.  We're just waiting for ours to flower....can't wait....never seen one before