[Tomatofreak]

Good evening all!

I'm a newbie to the boards (I have been reading the forums for some time but this is my first post) and I would really like some advice.

Firstly, my capsicums.  I have quite a lot of different varieties but I have 3 or 4 that have not germinated ie Mini Bell Pepper, Long Purple Cayenne. I sowed these again (possibly for the 3rd time ) about 3 weeks ago.  Bearing in mind we are now into May, should I give up?

Now secondly, I have my aubergines.  I re-potted these just now and they really are looking a bit rubbish.  Just small "first leaves" and only one of the plants has a sighting of the true leaves peeping through.  Once again, is it likely it is going to be too late for them to develop and actually fruit. They look so dinky compared to other things that are coming along quite nicely! One of my Thai varieties didn't germinate so I have to give up on that one I think.

Thank you in advance for your time.  By the way, I'm in the South East (Norfolk) and this is my 2nd year at "growing my own".  I was lucky to get a half plot in September 2010 and this year it's finally coming together after having to clear the whole plot of the usual suspects - couch grass, bind weed etc.

Sorry this went on for a bit too long 

TF

[mattwragg94]

well it is a tad too late for your chillis (some can take a month to germinate by the way), but give them a couple more weeks, you may get a crop off of them - my aubs are also slow as are most of my other plants.

i dont know about the other gardeners on here but upto now its been an apauling growing year. most of my toms would be around 5 inches high by now, and some are still on there first set of leaves - however last year i sowed toms in mid may and got a good crop, so theres some hope for them.

[GrannieAnnie]

All my capsicums and Aubergines are still tiny too!  I do have some tomaotes that are about 4 inches high, but its taken them a long time to get there.

[Tomatofreak]

Thank you both for your responses, I think I will just keep my fingers crossed. I didn't have much luck with them last year either but I was really late in sowing anything due to the work needed on the plot and my delayed enthusiasm! I want to learn everything NOW but even you experienced growers have failures, we can't over ride Mother Nature I suppose!

[Kajazy]

Are you growing them somewhere that's warm enough - both plants need considerable warmth to germinate (and eventually grow) well..?

[allotmentann]

All my peppers and aubergines are tiny too, a lot of the branded pepper varieties are especially slow. The best ones are from seed I saved from supermarket peppers, even those have only just got big enough to go into a decent sized pot and they were planted months ago (indoors). I think it is just not warm enough. I am hoping that if (when!), the sun eventually comes out they will put on a growth spurt and catch up!

[sunshineband]

Are you growing them somewhere that's warm enough - both plants need considerable warmth to germinate (and eventually grow) well..?

This is the key, as both need starting off quite early to get a decent crop, and this year has been even more challenging than most

On the plus side, there are decent plants available at modest prices these days, so you could buy a coupl eof each just to be on the safe side

(I started my aubergines and chillis off in February: they are in a greenhouse with a minimum nightime temp of 15deg and they are still only four inches tall -- I tell myself they are dwarf ones but......  )

[Mrs Bee]

I have given up on peppers; never have any success with them.

They do need warmth to do well and sprout.

My aubergines are doing quite well. Started them in Feb in heated propagators with the tomatoes.

Have kept them indoors in the dining room and living room.
Aubergines are about 4" but the tomatoes are about 10" and taking over the house Like flaming triffids

With the aubergines, last year we made a trench and filled it with fresh horse muck, topped it with the soil and planted into that.
I planted out quite early and the heat fromt he decomposing muck gave out some warmth and the aubergines did quite well.

I took a risk and planted up several of the tomato plants into pots and stuck them outside on the southfacing patio, close to the wall. 

So far so good.

[shokkyy]

Mine are doing well so far, but they are still inside the house. Aubergines, chillies and peppers are always the last plants I send outside. I never risk them because you can't really get away with a second late sowing like you can with tomatoes or beans. I sowed them first week of Feb and my aubergines and peppers are about a foot high or a bit more. The chillies are smaller but they're already showing flowers (on Superchillis, which is always a fast variety). There's buds showing on the sweet peppers too. I think it's about the variety as much as anything.

[sunshineband]

I agree shokky -- some varieties are larger ultimately and they have to grow faster! I have pinched out the tallest of my sweet peppers, at eight inches tall so have no flowers yet. Did that last year and it gave more fruit eventually

Aubergines are my bete noir but every year is the last year I am going to give them 'one more go' 

[Tomatofreak]

My tomatoes are looking great, half of them (I have far too many) have been living in plastic greenhouse for about a month and the smaller ones on the windowsill, along with chilli's & aub's. 

The latter were in heated propagator to start with, I must have sown chilli's & aub's about 3 times as they got far too leggy.

I will leave for a few more weeks and see what happens.  We had such lovely weather today, I was at my lottie for 6 hours so may take some tom's to my glass greenhouse tomorrow to give more room to the needy!

Thanks for your time everybody!

[Rich72]

My aubergines are about 6-7 inches tall now. Staked a couple of them today. My peppers on the other hand are only about 4 inches tall, plenty of leaves but they are starting to flower. Might be in for some mighty small peppers this year

[sarajane]

My aubs and peppers are still only about 4 inches tall and they were sown in Feb, as were the chillis and they are barely an inch tall and have just been brought back into the house.

Like you say, sometimes Mother Nature just cannot be beaten 

[angelavdavis]

I planted my peppers, chillis and aubergines in mid-February, but the tallest are still only 3 inches high and some are barely there!  I grew them in the conservatory, using a heated propagator to get them started.

I have just transferred them to my sunnier, but also more exposed lottie greenhouse as the tomatoes have gone bananas since I moved them there.  They are in a fleece covered shelf unit that keeps the temperature warmer than the rest of the greenhouse.

I did cave in and buy some chilli plants from the GC last weekend as a backup.

[compostqueen]

I say that about my aubs every year too Sunny, but I hate to admit defeat and keep having one last go 

mine have been in the unheated greenhouse for weeks, after being moved there when we had the hot spell. They are still small but I checked them yesterday and they are covered in greenfly