Chillies, Toms & Sweet Pepper growing

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

boooo Tom thats slack gardening

Yes. Yes it is

the chillies could still be used though, dried then chopped up like mine

Gah! Too late! They will be landfill by the morning. Was sort of scared they'd poison me, what with withering on the vine and that, tho couldn't resist a nibble before laying them to rest. Tasted damn good has to be said, left the mouth with a really nice warm glow. Still got a couple of seeds left from the original packet so will get straight back in the saddle as it were. Wintering here we come YAY!

 

[Skaville]

My crop is doing really well now. We used our first jalepeno in some enchiladas yesterday and it was nice and fiery. However, we had a bit of an accident today - one of our plants was knocked off a shelf and the stem has snapped, so we had to harvest. I am plannig to use these chillis as a pickling experiment and believe I need:

White (distlled) vinegar
Iodised salt

Does anyone know stockists in Brighton and/or have any pickling tips?

 

[clapham_gull]

This is first year of growing anything and I've had a bastard problem with "blossom end rot" with tomatoes in pots.

The end of the baby tomatoes go black and they are done for.

As I've researched this is basically caused by a calcium deficiency. Not there isn't enough calcium there in the soil, really just the roots have got too dry and can't get to it.

All in all caused by my ability to only water in the evening and my garden getting very very hot. It's not just south facing it's open to the east and the west as well.

I managed to turn it round my adding some water retaining crystals, some slow release plant food and "mulching" with newspaper to help to keep the moisture levels more regular. Also watered with epsom salts, since the magnesium is supposed to encourage calcium uptake.

Only lost 20 or so tomatoes, but I've got 25 plants out there. Could have been a disaster if I'd left them though.

However, what I have found interesting is how plants grown in different shape pots compare.

I've done a bit of experimenting this year, planting many plants in a variety of size pots.

Really really big pots (loads of soil to retain moisture) help but interesting so do small ones that are very narrow and tall.

I've actually got a plum tomato plant growing in "long rubber vase" about a foot and a half high, but only 4 inches across.

( It's actually something from the top of a traffic light that had been hit by a car I found it lying in the road. )

The plant is fine and has 4 or 5 trusses, even though the roots don't have a lot of area to play with. The really funny thing is you can't get much water in there at all.

I come to the conclusion it's all to do with surface area. Less surface area means less evaporation. Less evaporation means a more constant moisture level.

Next year as an experiment I'm going to try and get something even longer but narrow and see how it goes.

My other experiment went well as well. I built a self watering pot out of junk (called an "Earth Pot"). You only needed to water it once a week. Problem was the thing did so well, I had to take it out and put it in something bigger. It retrospect I wish I'd left it. I'll build a bigger one next year.

Oh and I've got an absolute glut of chillies on the go, had no problem at all with them.

 

[jevs]

Great to see you're doing experiments and working out why things happen. You'd be correct about the evaporation and surface area theory.....sun and especially wind can have a real bad drying effect on the soil.

Planting plants in clay pots will often dry them out quicker too due to the porous nature of clay. In some respect this is good as it allows the roots to breathe but they don't arf need a lot of water.

 

[GOM]

So how do you know when jalapenos are ready. I've got loads at different sizes and age on my 1 plant.
Keep wanting to pick the eldest, the 'big one' but don't want to go too early.
Would prefer green but thought I could wait until it starts to turn then it should be ready

cheers

 

[clapham_gull]

So how do you know when jalapenos are ready. I've got loads at different sizes and age on my 1 plant.
Keep wanting to pick the eldest, the 'big one' but don't want to go too early.
Would prefer green but thought I could wait until it starts to turn then it should be ready

cheers

I picked them at about an inch and a half and they were very hot.

 

[GOM]

I picked them at about an inch and a half and they were very hot.

Bugger, just picked the daddy, about 2 inch long and nice and thick, tastes like sweet pepper that isn't even sweet, no heat at all !

Good job there are more. I will wait until September methinks

 

[dannyboy]

hi all just read through this whole thread and found it quite interesting . ive dug over some space in the garden to try and grow some stuff. have 2 tomato plants and one chilli plant growing outside . the tomato plants have grown enormous whereas the chilli plant has stayed the same size and only has 3 fat chillis on it.

what i was wondering is are there any good books that you can use as a reference for growing all sorts of veg? im a complete novice you see but quite fancy getting into growing a few things.

cheers

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I am in Ibiza so get plenty of sunshine. I was away last week and in that time my chilli count went from zero to a full house. I have five types on the go ranging from mild to mad. The only ones that didn't take were the Pimiento Padron. That is not too bad as they are the only ones I can buy in the shops here but has anyone had success growing them?

 

[clapham_gull]

Bugger, just picked the daddy, about 2 inch long and nice and thick, tastes like sweet pepper that isn't even sweet, no heat at all !

Good job there are more. I will wait until September methinks

You may have been just unluckly - they do seem to vary in heat.

I picked one a bit early and it had no heat at all.

Left them for two or three weeks and my rear end still recovering.

 

[Marc]

mine have ripened loads since i've been on holiday, bloody busy at work this week but hope to spend some quality time with them at the weekend!

 

[clapham_gull]

I am in Ibiza so get plenty of sunshine. I was away last week and in that time my chilli count went from zero to a full house. I have five types on the go ranging from mild to mad. The only ones that didn't take were the Pimiento Padron. That is not too bad as they are the only ones I can buy in the shops here but has anyone had success growing them?

Padron is difficult to germinate. I tried this year and may have 1 plant, I lost count of what plant's were what though.

My best success has been a mini sweet pepper variety - I've loads.

 

[Marc]

Fiery Foods Chilli Festival at Victoria Gardens this coming week, and now with me regained ability to upload pictures:

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Fiery Foods Chilli Festival at Victoria Gardens this coming week, and now with me regained ability to upload pictures:

Top crop Marc!

 

[Skaville]

Is it getting too cold to leave them outside?

 

[The Large One]

Do these help?

How to harvest chili peppers from your garden
Happy Living - When to harvest hot chilis


By the looks of things, they should have been harvested already.

 

[Marc]

Is it getting too cold to leave them outside?

Its getting dodgy yes, down to 8c last night and that's getting close to the borderline, but thankfully the suns out so that should help, pray for warmer air next week!

 

[The Large One]

Marc, I've just gone through this entire thread, and I've go to say, you da man. This is some serious shit horticulture in your greenhouse.

All hail the Chili King.

 

[Marc]

Marc, I've just gone through this entire thread, and I've go to say, you da man. This is some serious shit horticulture in your greenhouse.

All hail the Chili King.

Cheers mate! Just don't put a chilli question in the quiz as I'm bound to get it wrong....saying that probably means you will now

Chilli Fest tomorrow people don't forget!

 

[Marc]

Chilli fest was great, my mate bought a small jar of 'Devils Shit' for £10 and jesus f***ing christ its mega hot, one very very small amount had me in tears!