[fletcherbaker]

Well thats about it really im a newbie and itching to get started is it possible to sow my chillies indoors now and keep them there!!

[sonnycbr]

There,s no real advantage to sowing them now. Wait for better weather and you will get a better crop.

[sunshineband]

 Early sowing with chillies makes it more likely you will get a good crop with slow maturing varieties imho 

As long as you can keep them warm enough and plenty of light, it is worth it I reckon 

[Dan78]

I have started off my first bunch a few days ago but I got loads of free chilli seeds so thought why not.. Like you i just wanted to get started  

[8doubles]

I often start a few plants off on the window sill at this time of year the only problem is they can get quite big before it is warm enough to move them to the cold greenhouse.
Cropping has always been good, you can only eat so many chillies 

[bigben]

Fletcherbaker - I seem to remember from another post that you dont have a greenhouse? Is this right because it might effect when you start.

[fletcherbaker]

Ye thats right i have no greenhouse i was going to  keep them indoors on window sill!

[kermit]

Ye thats right i have no greenhouse i was going to  keep them indoors on window sill!

This might help:  last year we started ours inside on window sills.  After they got to about 1.5-2 feet, took out to our rubbish plastic greenhouse.  My wife tripped over one and took the top off.  We kept it inside.  Since it was already flowering, it continued to fruit but didnt grow any taller and we got a huge crop of that one plant! 

To be clear, you dont have to manufacture a fake trip, you could try just cutting the top off 

[compostqueen]

I was reading the back of the packet on some freebie ones today and it suggested February, but like you say if they're free I'd go ahead and so some of them. Not all though, keep some back and sow later.  Nothing ventured and all that 

[8doubles]

Ye thats right i have no greenhouse i was going to  keep them indoors on window sill!

This might help:  last year we started ours inside on window sills.  After they got to about 1.5-2 feet, took out to our rubbish plastic greenhouse.  My wife tripped over one and took the top off.  We kept it inside.  Since it was already flowering, it continued to fruit but didnt grow any taller and we got a huge crop of that one plant! 

To be clear, you dont have to manufacture a fake trip, you could try just cutting the top off 

I pinched the tip out of half the plants last year to see if it made a difference to the cropping, if there was a difference it was hard to see but it certainly does no harm.

[lacewing]

I also have a glut of chilli seeds. So I have started a batch off  on the window sill, and they are growing away nicely. Like tomatoe plants, I keep them on the dry side to permote nice sturdy plants, that are not too leggy.

[arugula]

We have a few different varieties this year which OH wanted to try. To that end we planted a number the weekend before last (9th/10th Jan) in pots indoors.

[aelf]

I'm sowing mine tomorrow and they will sit on the window ledge until things warm up a bit. Then it's into the greenhouse with them! 

[Joolz]

I'm a newbie to chillies to, but I am planning on starting a few off on the windowsill tonight. I don't have a greenhouse or propagator so is a plastic bag over the top of the pots until they germinate recommended?
Ta in advance

Joolz

[DD.]

That's what I do!