Tomato and Chilli Growing 2014

[Superphil]

I have a couple of Bhut Jolokia plants standing about 18" tall, one has just shown a few flower buds this week. Also a single Fatalii which is up to about 10" but no sign of flowers yet. They are in a small plastic greenhouse up against a south facing wall. Growth looks OK to me, when should I expect chillis to be ready?

 

[Billy the Fish]

Mine seem to be a bit all over the shop. The purple Jalepenos are doing best and some have fruit on. Apache and senor serrano have flowers, cherry bomb not alot and the Fatallis never really got growing for some reason - they're a bushy 3" high I'm keeping them going as they might be ok for next year.

 

[Rugrat]

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

all plants (6) have got bits of fruit and a fair amount of flowering ... it's not my specialist subject but I reckon on 10-14 days and we'll be picking

 

[Mannakin]

I have a 6 tomato plants and around 15 chilli plants in the greenhouse this year.

I had more chilli plants last year including some Butch T Scorpions which are evilly hot (but good!). The only thing is that my plants grown from seeds took a long time to get going and then went fantastic once they got above 12" high. I'm not sure if that is normal?

Last year I ended up with a load of chillies at the same time as a load of apples and made chilli and apple jam - it was very very good and I'll definitely make more this year.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Scotch Bonnets really thriving in the sunshine now after a very slow start. Only about six inches high, but sturdy and healthy plants. Got high hopes this year after last year's chilli plants grew to about six foot tall, thin and spindly, and not a single flower or chilli amongst them (too much watering apparently). We go again!

 

[vegster]

Currently I have some Jalapeno's setting fruit and an overwintered Aji Pickled Frog which has produced a stupendous amount of small fruit which are growing nicely. I have a few Bird's Eye's Chillies that are doing well but have yet to flower as they tend to be a later variety, not expecting many flowers til August. So far, so good !

 

[surrey jim]

With the recent warm weather my tomatoes have started to fruit. Looking at a good crop there, however the chilies are not fruiting as much yet.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Hi folks.

To the green fingered amongst you...is it time now to plant out hanging baskets of petunias, sweet peas, carnations etc, or is it still a tad early.

I am off to home base in Crawley where they have good offers and last year gave me a good crop of flowers tomorrow, but I have heard conflicting reports of if you should plant out or wait.

Jevs?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Just planted some jalapeno seeds from a packet and some scotch bonnet seeds from a homegrown scotch bonnet in a giant pot this past weekend. Should be grown to perfection just in time for this year's chilli festival which is making a welcome return after a year's absence to Victoria Gardens opposite the King and Queen on 19th-20th September

http://fieryfoodsuk.co.uk/

 

[jevs]

Just planted some jalapeno seeds from a packet and some scotch bonnet seeds from a homegrown scotch bonnet in a giant pot this past weekend. Should be grown to perfection just in time for this year's chilli festival which is making a welcome return after a year's absence to Victoria Gardens opposite the King and Queen on 19th-20th September

http://fieryfoodsuk.co.uk/

Hope you do ok with that mate but it's a bit late to be sowing Chillis for any crop this year. I sowed mine in january and ive grown them in a warm conservatory and the plants are only 1-3" tall, depending on variety.

 

[jevs]

Hi folks.

To the green fingered amongst you...is it time now to plant out hanging baskets of petunias, sweet peas, carnations etc, or is it still a tad early.

I am off to home base in Crawley where they have good offers and last year gave me a good crop of flowers tomorrow, but I have heard conflicting reports of if you should plant out or wait.

Jevs?

Nooooooooooo....still way too early mate. Unless you can keep them in an unheated greenhouse or porch, i'd leave them for another month. We've had a ground frost almost every day this week in Lewes and temps in my greenhouse have been down to 3 C

You could probably get away with sweet peas and carnations but the rest is just not worth the risk.

 

[BensGrandad]

Is it too early to sow runner beans direct into the ground. I have given up my allotment .where I grew them in the greenhouse but want to grow some at home in pots.

 

[Mileoakman]

Wait to May for direct sewing. Im growing my beans in pots in the greenhouse but wont put them out till mid May

 

[BensGrandad]

Wait to May for direct sewing. Im growing my beans in pots in the greenhouse but wont put them out till mid May

OK thanks

 

[AmexRuislip]

Is it too early to sow runner beans direct into the ground. I have given up my allotment .where I grew them in the greenhouse but want to grow some at home in pots.

You must have your reasons for giving up your allotment BG, but we find it a great pleasure, especially a stress relief from work life
This is ours from last year

 

[BensGrandad]

Mine was very wet at the bottom of a slope and the digging etc became too much for wife and I.. There was a waiting list but as we gave it up last September there are a lot of weeds grown and I dont think that anybody has taken it on this year.

 

[jevs]

Yeah bit early for the runners BG. I'll be sowing mine under glass this weekend and they'll go out in the last week of May

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Hope you do ok with that mate but it's a bit late to be sowing Chillis for any crop this year. I sowed mine in january and ive grown them in a warm conservatory and the plants are only 1-3" tall, depending on variety.

Ah right cheers [MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION]. Just stuck mine as seeds on a windowsill that gets direct sunlight for most of the morning in a 99p shop bag of potting compost. Pretty sure it's worked for me in the past though may well be wrong. As in previous years, I have a big bottle of 'Chilli Focus' that I liberally lace the water with once a week if that helps? Will report back in due course

BTW not sure if you still have anything to do with the Preston Park rockery, but it's looking absolutely STUNNING already this year

 

[Dave the OAP]

Nooooooooooo....still way too early mate. Unless you can keep them in an unheated greenhouse or porch, i'd leave them for another month. We've had a ground frost almost every day this week in Lewes and temps in my greenhouse have been down to 3 C

You could probably get away with sweet peas and carnations but the rest is just not worth the risk.

Ok, many thanks Jevs. Will hang on a month.....two impatient me..lol

Cheers mate

 

[jevs]

Ah right cheers [MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION]. Just stuck mine as seeds on a windowsill that gets direct sunlight for most of the morning in a 99p shop bag of potting compost. Pretty sure it's worked for me in the past though may well be wrong. As in previous years, I have a big bottle of 'Chilli Focus' that I liberally lace the water with once a week if that helps? Will report back in due course

BTW not sure if you still have anything to do with the Preston Park rockery, but it's looking absolutely STUNNING already this year

Yeah certainly nothing to lose with the chillis. if you don't get anything this year, you could always continue growing them into next year and get an early crop.

Thanks for your comments on the Rock Garden. Yep i'm still there aided and abetted by Jack Straw (the boss) who must share some of the credit along with a fantastic team of volunteers and community payback. Must admit it has looked fantastic this year.