Topic: Growing peppers and chilli outside

[finchy]

Anyone ever grown peppers and chilli's outside?

Is our climate warm enough of do they need to be in a greenhouse?

If okay, when would you plant out? My potted jobbies are about 3-4" tall now, but weather is now looking decidely wet and cold for them to be planted out in the near future.

Any ideas?

[greatpalm]

I grow chillis outside every year and get loads of them.

They do need a very sunny site however.

I personally find sweet peppers do much better in a greenhouse, however I know many do successfully grow them outside.

It's too early yet though with the current weather we're having. They need to be hardened off properly and then put out towards the end of the month.

Good luck.
Steve

[saddad]

I grow them in a poly... don't risk them outside unless I have thousands left after the plant sale...
 ;D

[tuinman]

I'm going to try a couple of chilli plants outside this year. i heard that you get loads more chilli's growing outside only they don't ripen as good, after the seasons over pick them and put on kitchen window sill to ripen.

[Sparkly]

I have had much success with growing chillies outside. This is on the patio in pots so I guess the slabs probably retain some heat and that helps. I do not put mine outside until it is probably early June. This year I have potted one of each variety to be kept on the kitchen windowsill. Last year I had no problems outside though. Each plant produced up to over 100 chillies (depending on variety). Remember that if they are in a suitable pot you can over winter them. I only bothered doing this with my apache plant as it was a small bush plant. It is currently going crazy in the kitchen. I have already had about 10 ripe chillies and there are over 100 flower buds appearing at the moment. The others I grew as annuals outside. They need a very sunny spot but I doubt you will have any problems. Perhaps it could be an idea to keep 1 or 2 plants inside if you don't have a greenhouse - just remember to pollinate them with a paintbrush.

Peppers on the other hand have never done well for me outside, but others have much success.

[David R]

Grew 50 aji plants outside last year and got about 3kg of chillies ;D I will be growing them outside in the garden this year too, just not as many.

Im in kent so weather is pretty good.

[Tora]

I grew several kinds of chillies last year outside and Cayenne and Purple Tiger did particularly well. I still have lots of chillies in the freezer. :)

[Mrs greenjeans]

I grew sweet pepers (capsicums) outside along with ramiro peppers -- longer and skinner -- both seed from American friend. They did brilliantly and earned me praise from other MORE EXPERIENCED lottie neighbours during my first year.

Of course last summer was exceptionally hot so that must have helped. I buried cut open 2L plastic bottles next to them to funnel water down to roots. don't know whether that helped.xa

[glow777]

if you grow chillis outside and they dont ripen before the weather starts turning dig them up and hang them upside down in a greenhouse - they'll ripen quickly

[Barnowl]

Hi Finchy, being in the SE, if this summer is anything like last, you shouldn't have any problems provided they are in a sunny spot. Just make sure they have a well established root system and don't plant them out too early. Mine went outside in pots in late May / early June then planted in the allotment in July. Probably could have gone in 2-3 weeks earlier.

[jennym]

Grow sweet peppers and chillies outside here too, although because it's windy in this particular spot, they sit in large pots, (roughly 30cm diameter) and the pots are in troughs to hold water, and the whole affairs are in largeish coldframes with no top on (basically wooden frames with plastic or fleece stapled to them) just to provide that little bit of shelter from the wind.

[cleo]

I`m on the Lincs/Cambs border and can grow all but the long season (eg Habenero) chillies outside.

Sweet peppers and aubergines also do well outside

[BAK]

We are in Berks and grow both sweet peppers and chillies outside. In both cases we put the plants out in mid/late May under cloches, leaving them on until the plants are bursting to get out (usually late June) and then they are on their own. Also grow aubergines the same way.

Peppers are usually very prolific (we grow Gypsy) but slightly smaller than you would get in a greenhouse.

Chillies - we have no particular sunny sheltered place to put them on the plot. 2005 was a reasonable year while 2006 was a bumper year (they obviously enjoyed the heat).  I gave away at least half the crop. Few ripen but the green fruits are fine from our perspective.