[Aidy]

to be honest in the 30 odd years I have grown them I have never noticed a drop in heat, again this maybe due to the fact I only grew them on there own, the same with my habs, they were grown in another greenhouse. I am not convinced this is the problem, also heat is subjective, what is hot for some wont register with others, Jalap's will register heat so it maybe the seed is suspect from the source.

[Aidy]

I have emailed a friend who did a lot of research at New Mexico Uni to see what he thinks, I will forward the email when it arrives back.

[mushroom]

maybe they cross-pollinated with a sweet pepper? As I understood it, different pepper species can cross-pollinate.... but I may be wrong :!:

[gobs]

Well, I'm just waiting for that e-mail eagerly, because all I know is that cold conditions, over watering and high nitrogen(both of the last delays ripening and ruin fruit quality at later stages) can hinder capsaicin formation but then I never experienced it. :shock:

[Sally A]

the back of my Jalapeno pack says sow March/April. Other books say start off earlier and keep them in a warm place, eg windowsill, conservatory, do you think this would give them more developing time to get the heat up?

[gobs]

No.

[Annie]

I haven`t harvested any of my jalepenos yet as they are still going strong in the greenhouse.I have always grown them along with other pepers and have grown piquillo peppers,banana pepers,jalapeno all of which have done well,all other peppers have gown onlt a couple per plant.The jalapenos are the only ones i haven`t tried yet as as I normally wait until until they go red.

[wildeone]

If you harvested them while they're still green it could effect the heat!

My chillis were mild and tasteless when green but after been left to ripen on the plant for weeks they packed a real punch!

[Sadgit]

mine are all still ripening.... only got a handful that have ripened so far... terrible year for me..

[gobs]

Nah, another one. :roll:

Everybody has got them green still, what a graaaand year. :evil:

[pookey]

I bought my seeds from B+Q too.......maybe it could have been a bad batch....

I also grew sweet peppers in the greenhouse......not sure about cross polinating as they were both self polinating.

I have had jalapenos on the plant for a couple of months and none have gone red.  I will leave the last few on the plants and see what happens.

I have saved seed, so I will get nibbling and see if many are hot.

I also grew just 1 haberno - the first one was tasteless (mild orange colour) so I popped a bright orange one in my mouth - lordy, I ran to the fridge like a whippit on heat and drank any fluid I could find, the haberno plant was grown in the same conditions but started out much later.

[gobs]

Hi, Pookey,
 
So the fact, that the other (hab) chilli in the same conditions is hot, points the finger at your stock in my view.

Also, I found this information: a Jalapeno pepper, depending on variety can range anywhere between 4,000-50,000 units on the Scoville scale. So chances are you having a mild pepper there.

[Sadgit]

Right.. pickling chillis.. Can I just bung them in whole into the vinegar? I don't want to take the seeds out etc...

[gobs]

Yes, you can leave them whole for pickling, could just cut the stalks off flat for then the whole is edible.

[Aidy]

Still waiting so reckon it will be in the week when I get the reply, but on thinking last night most chilli plants only need a steady temp of around 65-70 so if they are in the greenhouse or indoors then my money as I mentioned early and I think Gobs said as well is stock, reckon the seed is a dodgy batch or they did indeed cross polinate, you can always increase the heat by stressing the plant before you crop by not watering a good few days before then when the leaves start to wilt pick your chilli and re-water. As for pikling, yep I just slice mine and use a 50/50 liquid of vinegar and water with other spices and herbs simmered in the liquid then strained and then dropp the sliced chilli in for a few seconds before bottleing them.