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I've just had a quick search and read some threads about growing peppers (and will also have a look through some books tonight) but in the mean time a quick question: is it possible to grow peppers outside without a greenhouse, or polytunnel, or similar protection? I can start them off inside but after that they'd be on their own!

Hi norfolklass,
I grew peppers outside last year, in pots and they had no protection.  They did okay, and I'll be doing them again this year on my allotment.  No doubt they do better with some warmth, but I got about 4 fruits of each plant.  It is possible!
:)

PS There are a couple of pics of my peppers on my blog...  scroll down to near the bottom...
http://kitchen-gardener.blogspot.com/

thanks sally_cinnamon, and great pics!
I'll definitely give them a go â€" I'll try them in some of the Morrisons buckets I've invested in recently ;)
that's one less new bed to get ready in a mad panic before the growing season starts in earnest! ;D

Hi there is a variety called Gypsy that will grow outside when others won't I swear by . I t will take a little cooler climate and it is very prolific.  t starts yellow then turns red, never is true green XX Jeannine

Hi norfolklass I depends what type of peppers you are growing, I have got some called Bolivian rainbow which will be transplanted out late May but also have Californian wonder which is recommended for indoors or greenhouse but will just wait and see. ;D ;D ;D

Hi Norfolklass, the first peppers I ever grew I got from Godfrey's [on Riverside] they were Bellboy I think, not terribly interesting variety but they did amazingly on my patio in their Morrison's buckets - got loads & loads so last year I grew lost of different ones from seed & some stayed in the greenhouse & some went out & they were about the same - none as prolific as the first lot though.

HI

I plan on growing

Sweet Pepper - Banana
Sweet Pepper - Bullhorn Mixed
Sweet Pepper - Californian Wonder
Pepper - Gypsy F1

This year along with basil, chillis  and tomatoes

Tomato - Black Mavr      
Tomato - Black Prince      
Tomato - gardeners delight      
Tomato - Muchamiel ( lots of honey )      
Tomato - Rio Grande      
Tomato - roma      
Tomato - super marmande      
Tomato - Tres Contos ( 3 songs )      
Tomato Margicbe      
Tomatoes - Garden Pearl      
Tomatoes - SIBERIAN EARLY
Chilli -  Jalapeno
Chilli - Bomb
Chilli - Cayenne
Chilli - Purple Tiger
Chilli - Rocoto Orange
Chilli - Scotch Bonnet Yellow
Chilli - Tabasco
Chilli - Tenpin
Chilli - Thai Bangkok Upright

I have a bed ready ( just about ) and i have a cover made to over the bed made with platic ( like a mini greenhouse) just in case the weather is still 2 cold.

Its my project for Monday to make it so that i can warm up the soil for a couple of weeks before i sow the seeds.

Any advice on these variatys welcome

Cambourne7

Quote from: cornykev on February 14, 2007, 15:51:19
Hi norfolklass I depends what type of peppers you are growing

the ones that you buy in the supermarkets: red, orange, yellow and green.
not chilli peppers (not this year at least!)

Quote from: cambourne7 on February 14, 2007, 17:00:19
Sweet Pepper - Banana
Sweet Pepper - Bullhorn Mixed
Sweet Pepper - Californian Wonder
Pepper - Gypsy F1

is there a difference between peppers and sweet peppers then?!? :-[

PS Chillies do fine outside too.

tried chillis last year and the slugs loved them :-(

Quoteis there a difference between peppers and sweet peppers then?!?

They are all peppers, I normally call sweet peppers just peppers and chilli peppers just chillies.

I grew loads of different types of chillies last year outside, bolivian rainbow are really nice to look at as well as to eat.
Georgia flame are quite large (6 inches+) and are mild.
The very hot chillies like Scotch bonnet, Orange Habanero and Red Savina need to be in a greenhouse to do well.

I brought a Bolivian Rainbow chilli indoors at the end of the season, and it has started flowering again already.

Surely, it depends which part of the Country you are living in, and the variety of Pepper? I suspect you will find it difficult to grow peppers outside, much North of Manchester, unless you know better!!

I've always grown Californian Wonder - mind you I'm darn sarf here in London. I don't plant in open ground though, always in containers (let's hear it for those Morrisons buckets!) in the garden. I do the same with aubergines, jalapenos, cues, toms and melons and have never had a problem. And of course, last summer the yield was phenomenal. I even grew those little Mexican Gherkins (aka Mouse Melons).

I reckon you'll be okay as long as you give the plants a bit of shelter and as much sunshine as you can get your hands on!

I think it also depends on the weather..2005, we got good peppers and aubergines outside as it was a very warm, steady year but last year was too awkward, so everything was grown undercover  :)

Last year I grew a new early ripening variety of sweet pepper called "King of the North" in my greenhouse, and it was ready a full Month before my usual variety, grown under exactly the same conditions. It crossed my mind that I may try it outside this year, in Glasgow, and see how it does. I am sure that it would do well outside in the South of England.

I`m on the Lincs/Cambs border and sweet peppers, chilli peppers(except the long season ones such as habenero) and aubergines all do well outside.

West facing garden with very free draining soil

From my experience, sweet peppers struggle outside and only grow to a fraction of what they do inside a greenhouse.

Chilli peppers however grow great outside, so long as they have a really sunny site. They do have a very long growing season however, so really need starting off indoors this month (if growing from seed).

I'm in London and haven't had any problem with sweet peppers outdoors, but I have the pots quite near a south facing  brick wall in the garden.  Haven't yet tried exposing them up on the allotment.

I planted just two chillies up at the allotment (Espanola and Mirasol) and they both did very well, so this year I'll try a few more.

But I'm with greatpalm, start chillies as early as possible, either indoors if you've a warm house, or in a propagator - some chillies need quite high temperatures (over 22degC) to germinate.

I use a propagator in the GH for most of mine, then harden off in a coldframe.