Tomato and Chilli Growing 2014

[Cheshire Cat]

My overwintered chilles (no idea what variety) have some flowers and small fruits, and new shoots after a radical pruning.

New seeds are taking ages to germinate even indoors but some shoots are beginning to appear.

Tomatoes starting well indoors so far, but a long time to run yet.

 

[Billy the Fish]

A couple of weeks since I potted on this years plants. I've been leaving them outside in the day when it's been sunny and they're growing pretty well.

Apache, Purple Jalepeno, Cherry Bomb and Serrano are all 2-3" high now. Fatallis are a bit smaller but I'm sure they'll catch up. Got a couple of Nagas that germinated and they're alive but tiny.

My one surviving plant from last year is growing even though I butchered it when attempting to over winter

 

[matildaseagull]

I'm hoping this is ok with the mods as I have no connection with the company but I discovered this company online and their range of Wild Flower Seed and Bee friendly plant seeds are amazing.

http://www.seedaholic.com/

Good find, thanks

 

[parks]

For those who have not set anything up yet Gardeners World are doing six tomato and chilli plants for free* (£3 P&P)

http://offers.gardenersworld.com/3220/T-M-Six-free-tomato-and-chilli-plants.html

Brilliant, but a pack of seeds is £1.99, and you'll get many more plants if you can sow them well.

 

[parks]

My wife runs courses on how to grow vegetables.....from the beginner to the experienced.

If you're interested, and she receives great reviews (as well as writing for a Tesco mag) have a look at her web-site.

http://www.parkers-patch.com

She runs mixed classes, mums/dads only..and groups...she'll even do one-off dates.

Anyway, I hope helpful...oh and not just chillies..

 

[surrey jim]

Brilliant, but a pack of seeds is £1.99, and you'll get many more plants if you can sow them well.

Very true, however for some who have left it late / dont want the hassle of growing from seed this offers is much more reasnable than plants from a garden centre / DIY store etc.

 

[Muzzy]

A request for all of the GYO enthusiasts to sign a petition please. Eric Pickles has authorised the sale of allotments for development... http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61225

Here is the story... https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pickles-approves-59-allotment-sales-221559867.html#TCBc7N4

 

[clapham_gull]

Have some new cupboards in the kitchen and had the bonkers idea of installing a grow lamp on the bottom shelf. Before anyone asks I'm growing chillies !

Haven't done tomatoes this year. Shame having a lot done in the house and there isn't the usual space.

Anyway - 20 odd chillies under the lights as an experiment. Have kept the lights on for a few days. Leaves turning purple a bit which is apparently quite normal under lights but I've decided to give them some dark now.

The plants are 5 inches now and apart from the purple appear very healthy.

Bought them specifically to see whether next year now, I can grow some more difficult varieties. 10 scotch bonnet seeds germinated only the single plant.

Loads of strawberries this year, plus an a bonus my cultivated blackberry has finally got going.

Going large on the cucumbers and courgettes later. Will experiment with both germinating under lights.

 

[m20gull]

Brilliant, but a pack of seeds is £1.99, and you'll get many more plants if you can sow them well.

One for future years. I have my first greenhouse just finished and now starting with some tomato plants and chillies from Homebase. Growing well so far.

 

[beorhthelm]

last year my chillies went pretty well, but i havent bothered this year because what do you do with them? they dont really keep do they? i froze some and the result is not desirable (flavour still there but they aint right).

Hop plants on the go though, one going a storm already 6 foot long, other one bearly past 6". very odd.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

last year my chillies went pretty well, but i havent bothered this year because what do you do with them? they dont really keep do they? i froze some and the result is not desirable (flavour still there but they aint right).

Hop plants on the go though, one going a storm already 6 foot long, other one bearly past 6". very odd.

Last year was a bumper crop of chillies and this years are already off to a flyer. Mostly I use them for cooking a meat chilli which is a regular favourite. I then used up my excess crop of chillies and peppers by making my first ever batch of 'chilli jam', which turned out to be very good and not an onerous task. There are plenty of recipes to choose from on the internet, but its all just chopped up and very slowly cooked for several hours with chopped onion, tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, enhanced with smoky paprika and some cooking vinegar. It does cook down quite a bit but still got about 10 jars of which only half a jar is left. Superb with cold meats, pies, cheese etc. and makes the crop go a long way.

 

[surrey jim]

How's everyone's plants coming along? My tomatoes are starting to flower however no sign of fruit from chillies yet

 

[m20gull]

Plenty of green tomatoes and a few small chillies, nothing from the Scotch Bonnet yet

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I'm only growing pomodoro toms this year, should be flowering in about a week.

Runner/broad beans coming along OK, plenty of lettuce (various) and strawberries over the past 2-3 weeks, raspberries look awesome. Beetroot and courgettes have taken well, waiting on the broccoli, Q's, spring onions and squash to kick on.

 

[Rugrat]

From Mrs


Runners going great in last week
Broad beans, courgettes, spring onions, lettuce radish and beetroot all doing the business

Not sure about Tom's .. No sign of fruit at all


Duds are

Peas, just not going at all
Chilli - blight
Raspberries - looking lovely but small and very soggy

 

[Cold Gettin Dumb]

Have some new cupboards in the kitchen and had the bonkers idea of installing a grow lamp on the bottom shelf. Before anyone asks I'm growing chillies !

Haven't done tomatoes this year. Shame having a lot done in the house and there isn't the usual space.

Anyway - 20 odd chillies under the lights as an experiment. Have kept the lights on for a few days. Leaves turning purple a bit which is apparently quite normal under lights but I've decided to give them some dark now.

The plants are 5 inches now and apart from the purple appear very healthy.

Bought them specifically to see whether next year now, I can grow some more difficult varieties. 10 scotch bonnet seeds germinated only the single plant.

Loads of strawberries this year, plus an a bonus my cultivated blackberry has finally got going.

Going large on the cucumbers and courgettes later. Will experiment with both germinating under lights.

Hiya
Just thought I'd let you know that it's essential for the plants photosynthesis that they get daily darkness.
You will kill your plants leaving the lights on constantly.
As I recall, 24 hour light prevents a certain process occuring. Without that 'rest', the plant will die.
Even dope growers don't leave lights on for a full 24.
Best of luck

 

[Cold Gettin Dumb]

Oh, and forgot to mention...
Germination requires darkness and a steady temperature of at least 16 c
For chillies.

 

[surrey jim]

Anyone interested in some free herb seeds;

To celebrate our ongoing sponsorship of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show we're giving away a collection of 11 different herb seed varieties. To request your free seeds please complete the form below, and we will post them out to you within 10 working days*.

https://www.mandg.co.uk/investor/seeds2014/

Edit: limited to two sets per household UK only

 

[surrey jim]

From Mrs


Runners going great in last week
Broad beans, courgettes, spring onions, lettuce radish and beetroot all doing the business

Not sure about Tom's .. No sign of fruit at all


Duds are

Peas, just not going at all
Chilli - blight
Raspberries - looking lovely but small and very soggy

How are they looking now? There is no sign of flowering on my tomatoes to date.

 

[nevergoagain]

Have all the usual ones going well so far (Cheyenne, Apache etc..) but have 2 new ones I've not tried before:-

Chenzo - It's got 2 black chillis on so far, looks evil, can't wait.
Vampire - Nothing on this one yet

Anyone had either of these ?