Or should i wait, anyone else got anything going on their windowsills yet??
I started my chillies and peppers in the last week of Jan last year, they produced well and early....but I did have the space in my heated conservatory to keep them, if they're going into a cold greenhouse you might want to wait a bit longer before you start.
Glad to see this post and reply - I started my chilli peppers off too late last year, and as a result had to mess about digging plants up and moving them indoors at the end of the season.
I will take your advice too Jesse, and hope to start mine at around the end of February.
I've just started some -but they'll have to live in decent size pots on the windowsill for a while -don't tell the wife ;D
Unless you have a heated greenhouse or conservatory it is about six weeks to early to start them and even if you have those the light level and short daylight hours are likely to make them etioled. With anything short of commercial growing conditions you are better off waiting, even if enthusiasm is burning you. ;)
i have started my chillis int he conservatory now but have no intentions of starting the peppers until closer to the end of febuary
carloso
yes i know speeling but i cant be bothered to go back but now it would have been quicker to go back after this lot never mind
Well, I turned the propagator on for the aubergines -so I thought I might as well try the peppers at the same time -if only to see whether I need to buy new seed this year :)
Jeremy
What does etioled mean? :)
Hi Bupster, drawn out and pale, usually caused by lack of light or sometimes being grown to close together.
I found a website that suggested that when this happens to tomato seedlings you can prune them once the fourth leaf has begun to form, and it will help them become more robust. Is this true? And if so can one do the same with other seedlings?
I also read that brushing young seedlings helps harden them. Has anyone else tried this?
First time grower with windowsill space but no greenhouse :-[
Am sowing mine as we speak....well not literally!!!! Last year sowed a lot later and some of my chillies have only just turned red...in cold greenhouse ??? Thought I would try it earlier to hopefully get earlier chillies. Planted toms this time last year..only lost 4... only had windowsills then...no problems and really early crop ;D..will start on windowsills again ;D
Quote from: bupster on January 16, 2006, 17:10:12
...I also read that brushing young seedlings helps harden them. Has anyone else tried this?...
Chap at the horticultural college I went to swore by it, said it mimicked the action of the wind and strengthened them. I do it, and it doesn't seem to harm them anyway. ;D
What would you brush them with? A soft paintbrush?
I'm not going to start mine until the end of february, too early and they'll want for light.
With a grow light it is worth starting them now.
To get a good ripe crop, they need to be germinated by the beginning of February, in a propargator, and then placed in a sunny window, till it is safe to transplant them in the greenhouse. They grow very slowly at first. Mine have always ripened by October. (Glasgow area). This year, I have sent away for quick maturing varieties (70 days from transplanting rather than the usual 90-100 days). This very useful information is given for peppers, squashes, melons, watermelons, tomatoes and some other vegetables in the Plants of Distinction, simply vegetables seed brochure.
Quote from: grawrc on January 16, 2006, 19:18:38
What would you brush them with? A soft paintbrush?
Your hand.......the action of your hand moving over the seedling is meant to help the plant produce a more robust and healthy form.
Simply run the plant through your hands or brush over the tops 3 or 4 times a day is meant to help.
Jerry
I brushed tomato plants with my hand last year, not sure if it was down to this but they were strong plants.
My chillies and peppers were not etioled starting them at roughly this time of year, I didn't have grow lights or anything like that but they were in a bright space all day, started on a windowsill before being potted up and put in the conservatory.
Here's a pic of a pepper taken on 1st July, this was the largest at the time on the plant, despite being grown in a pot it produced 4 peppers to the one plant. Other pic is of my chillies, taken on 4th August. All grown in pots in my east facing conservatory.
They look really good Jesse, I'd keep doing what you did !