Topic: Chilli growing season is starting!

[goodlife]

I got email from Fatalii (chilli suppliers) and though to pass on the links...Not to sell their products, but for good growing info and it may come helpful.

Happy Sowing! 


"
Great news for people who are planning to start germinating at the beginning of the year 2013.

Check them out here:
http://fataliiseeds.net/new-products

At northern hemisphere this is the best time to start germinating for the next season.
Remember: best way to maximize your yield is to start producing pods when there is plenty of light, not just start growing the plants. So, in other words, BE EARLY and you will NOT be disappointed!

Germinating instructions here:
http://fatalii.net/germinating

The best method to grow if you have a limited space:
http://fatalii.net/bonchi

And finally, some generic info about chile peppers:
http://fatalii.net/info

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Have fun planning your 2013 season :) "

[markfield rover]

Thanks for that ,it is one of my aims for 2013 especially as I now know how to store them.
Lovely to have sowing thoughts when it's so grey.

[BarriedaleNick]

Oh no - Another source of chili seeds! I had just decided what to grow this year but looking through the varities on there I may have to broaden my selection..

[Stevens706]

Started the first of mine last Saturday 4th Dec, a little earlier this year, hoping for a better crop.

[RobinOfTheHood]

I put some in on Sunday 13th, not so many varieties as usual.

Cayenne, Tropical Heat, Fatalli and Numex Centennial.

[goodlife]

First lot of chillies are all up and under the lights 
Done so far...
Brasileira Marimbo
Fatalii
Aji Fantasy
 Harold st. Barts
Tinkerbell
Naga Morich
Serrano
Sugar Rush
Trepadeira Werner
Turbo Bupe
Blondie
Cascabel
Aribibi Gusano
Hot Apple
Chilhoucle Negro
Bubblegum
Trinidad Morouga
Malaysian Goronong
  Few more to sow today....and then the peppers in few weeks time

[grawrc]

Wow Goodlife! That's a lot of chillies!Thanks for the reminder. I need to get mine going.

[goodlife]

Wow Goodlife! That's a lot of chillies!Thanks for the reminder. I need to get mine going.

Hopefully so! I've still got few 'fresh' chillies left that I picked just before frosts late in the autumn. They store quite long time and although starting to wrinkle up now..still useable for cooking. Majority got dried and ground up into flakes/powder. I loooove chillies, and although toms are nice, you are always in a hurry to get them used/stored or they will go off.

[Jayb]

Oohww they all sound gorgeous, chilli envy here

[Vinlander]

I've still got few 'fresh' chillies left that I picked just before frosts late in the autumn. They store quite long time and although starting to wrinkle up now..still useable for cooking. Majority got dried and ground up into flakes/powder. I loooove chillies, and although toms are nice, you are always in a hurry to get them used/stored or they will go off.

My C.pubescens plants are still ripening fruit on leafy plants (in a frost-free shelter) after the appallingly late summer - also there was so little heat&light last year that the flavour is unbelievably mild (in fact I got used to it and forgot 2011's frozen ones are about 10x hotter - that made for a killer stew - the wife's head nearly exploded!).

It's nice to have really fresh chillies in January, but the  ripened fruits don't hang much more than a week or two before decay appears and I have to perform surgery to retain the edible bits and protect the seeds from mould.

I've ordered some very mild rocotos from semillas.de so next year I may be able to avoid supermarket peppers entirely...

Cheers.

[Jayb]

  Love growing rocotos but they are bit too hot hot for me. Very mild rocotos sound just the thing, I had a quick look but couldn't see them, what's their name?

[Vinlander]

Love growing rocotos but they are bit too hot hot for me. Very mild rocotos sound just the thing, I had a quick look but couldn't see them, what's their name?

They are called Canario and they have disappeared from the list since last week (though mentioned in medium Rocoto Manzano Amarillo).

Fortunately mine arrived in the post today.

Sorry, I didn't realise I'd got the last packet - there are some others described as medium eg. Yellow Rocoto - might turn out mild in our climate - heat is very dependant on sun - I've never noticed it so much with other species - though nothing else produced last year so I don't have a proper comparison.

The V.mild Dedo de Mocha I got from RealSeeds overwinters OK but sulks a bit in May - it doesn't go crazy like a pube - and the thin skin means it is no real substitute for sweet peppers  - you'd need a dozen to replace one decent 'corno'.

I got a selection of 'seasoning' types too - I hope to compare them with my Tobago Seasoning.

Cheers.

[Jayb]

Cheers Vinelander, I'll keep an eye for them maybe they will have them again.

[Vinlander]

Cheers Vinelander, I'll keep an eye for them maybe they will have them again.

They sent me a free packet of mixed chinensis - I'm just saying that the guy is a German based in La Palma (a good choice - La Isla Bonita) and the nice website and everything else adds up to him being 'muy simpatico' - might be worth emailing him - if only to encourage him to grow more mild pubes for next year! (he may have something up his sleeve?).

Cheers.

[Belladay]

After reading this thread I sowed some chilli seeds in a heated propagator.  Have been away for a couple of days and have just got back so went to see how they were doing and they are all up, about an inch high .  Do I leave them in the heated propagator until I can pot them on, and turn the heat off.

Any advice would be gratefully received.  I'd love to get an early start with them this year.

[BarriedaleNick]

If they are all up I would take the lid of the propagtor and probably take them off the heat - depending on where they are - they will be fine if they are indoors.  Potting on is up to you - conventional wisdom says get a set of true leaves out before potting on (not the cotyledon leaves) but I often pot on earlier then that but there is no issue with waiting.  Mine do quite happily on a window sill from now till April or May.

[Belladay]

Thank you, will go and turn the heat off.  They are on a south facing window sill, so will leave them to get their true leaves.

[Tee Gee]

Interesting thread that GL must read it in more depth later!

Liked that Bonsai example with its many coloured fruit.

I made a start today, which is about a month earlier than my normal starting date.

This last couple of seasons the ripening process has been a bit poor so I thought I would start a bit earlier to see if that helps!

I put my days work on my 'blog' if any one wants to read it!

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Blogspot/Sowing%20Chillis/Sowing%20Chillis.htm

[Toshofthe Wuffingas]

Right, now I've sown four cells each of Hot Lemon (my favourite because of the aroma), Bulgarian Carrot, Hungarian Hot Wax, Fresno (the earliest cropper last year), Monkey Face (that I gave away completely last year leaving me with none ), Red and Orange Soaves - they have the habanero lime-like taste but without the searing heat. The Soaves didn't crop well last year but I want to persevere with them because I do like that flavour. All seed was the residue from last year's purchases. I have other varieties I may sow later that I am less enthusiastic about.
They went into tall root trainers which are probably unnecessary in a tray which is over a reptile heating pad allied to a thermostat set for 27C, all well covered by bubble wrap. A bit pricey but I hope to get good use from it.

We shall see.......

[Vinlander]

Red and Orange Soaves - they have the habanero lime-like taste but without the searing heat. The Soaves didn't crop well last year but I want to persevere with them because I do like that flavour.

Hi Tosh - I also love the Numex Suaves and Trinidad Perfume - all very similar but a bit too late...

If you don't mind a bit of heat you should try the Tobago Seasoning - it has the same flavour and is a lot earlier for me - here in N.London I get dozens per plant through August and Sep compared with one or two at the end of Sep from the really mild ones (I'm talking 2009,10,11 - not last year which was a disaster all round).

They can be used in handfuls to make extremely tasty meals without blowing your head off - or a sweet chilli sauce that isn't much hotter than the commercial stuff but has 10x the flavour.

Cheers.

PS. I do like hot chillies but now I've found the flavour kinds I don't see the point of growing killers when I can get a year's supply of about 10 kinds for a few quid down the market - I'm not talking dodgy Dutch gear - I'm talking near-equatorial growers: Nigeria, Thailand, West Indies, Sri Lanka - wherever you want.