growing a chilli plant from seeds

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princess peach
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growing a chilli plant from seeds

Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:38 am

I have five different packets of very hot chilli seeds,and no instructions,I have looked on the internet,but different sites tell you different things,plus,its tips for growing in UK or USA.
I need to grow them here in Spain.
Does anyone know at what time of the year they need to be sown?
i have read that they can just be thrown in pots and watered and fed-but i have also read,the seeds need to be soaked first and kept constantly watered(not allowed to be dried out).
Any hints or tips,for growing my chilli seeds in Spain?

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Postby palmtrees » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:46 am

I've never grown them cos my neighbour invariably sews too many and usually gives me 10 or 12 plants every year. I think he gives me the little plantlets around March, which means he has either already planted them or will be just about to.

I can't imagine José soaks them first. He's pretty much a chuck 'em in a pot type of guy.

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Postby El Cid » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:04 pm

Grow them just like you would grow tomatoes.

Sow them in pots indoors in late February and pot them on into larger pots when they get about 6 inches high.

You can keep them in pots or plant them in the garden. They will produce again the next year if you cut them back at the end of the summer. I still have some chillis ripening at the moment on a 2 year old plant.

Sid

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:33 pm

O.k-thanks
I have tried buying the "pre made plants" from the garden centres and once all the chillis have been eaten from the plants,they always die on me.. :oops:
I will start buying my little pots to sew in a few weeks then.
I hope i have some success,my hubbys mouth waters at the sight and mention of these seeds. :roll:
there are approx-15-20 seeds in each packet,so something should grow.
I will let you know how i get on with them.fingers crossed!

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Postby Grouser » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:24 pm

I would sow them in a seed tray, in compost, covering them with a thin sprinkle of compost, pressed lightly down. Then water well and cover the seed tray with a sheet of glass. This will retain the water and there will be no need of further watering until the seeds germinate, when you should remove the glass. As soon as the seeds develop their first pair of true leaves (not the first pair of simple leaves the plant puts out first), pot them up individually. Start them, as Sid says, indoors in Feb.
Grouser

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:54 pm

aww thanks for that grouser.
These plants are meant to be extremely hot,my husband is a proper chilli head,i really do hope they grow.
P.Peach.x

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Postby costapacket » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:33 pm

I'm no Percy Thrower but I'm trying to grow chilli plants this year, in the UK. I was told they can take a long time to germinate ie a month, in a warm place and that you must never let the soil dry out whilst they are germinating. I know there are loads of websites on gardening but I found this website quite interesting www.realseed.co.uk and they tell you how to harvest the seeds for future crops.

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:18 am

mmm,now i feel deflated.. :cry:
I hope they dont take too long to grow.. :shock:
Have you planted your seeds yet costa p??
and what type of chilli are you planting??
I have one thats a jalpeno-thats called "choclate jalpeno",and is actually..(hopefully... ,fingers crossed,if the b***** grows)choclate in colour..
:)

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Postby Grouser » Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:51 pm

You should have no problem, that website is for UK conditions. Spanish temps indoors should get warm enough. If you take my tip with the glass they shouldn't dry out. Alternatively you could try what we do for cuttings, only with the seeds instead. plant a few in a small pot of compost, water well and allow to drain. Then put the pot in a clear plastic bag, tie a knot in the top to seal it and place it somewhere warm indoors until germination. This will create a micro climate. If you put them near a heat source, bottom heat is best. Good luck.
My favourite chillies are Scotch Bonnet. Hot but flavoursome.
Grouser

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Postby JAR1972 » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:02 pm

Hi Princess Peach

I planted some bird's eye chilis in mid Dec. Under a very thin layer of compost and kept them inside in a warm place (germination is driven by temperature, not light so it doesn't matter if it's a dark place). They sprouted just after Christmas. I still keep them inside, but in a sunny window. They are quite small but growing well.

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:01 am

Grouser-I have Scotch Bonnets,Red Mushroom,Jamaican Red,Chocolate Habanero,& Gold Habanero,to plant-so i should get something come up shouldnt i?and should blow hubbys brains out..(fingers crossed)

JAR-I Will take notice of what you have said.and will keep them inside near a sunny window,place some glass on the top...and keep my fingers crossed. :wink:
I still dont understand why the chilli plants i buy from the garden centres die on me when all the chillis have been eaten,does anyone else have the same problem?

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Postby palmtrees » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:32 pm

hi princess peach

I finally got round to asking José about chillis. He has already planted his seeds and has promised me some plantlets as usual.

When I asked him about planting some of my dried seeds (all still hanging up outside), he got very excited and said; "ya, ya ya YA!"

So I need to do it in the next couple of days. And I was right, he does just chuck 'em in a pot (a macetilla no less).

By the way, my plants do not die after eating all the chillies they just keep producing more. After a couple of years they get a bit weaker though and it is time to uproot them and bin them.

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Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:36 pm

ok palmtrees....i have my trowl and muck at the ready..i will get them planted this weekend then...
I wonder what im doing wrong with the pre grown plants ???..My hubby is a chilli addict and the tree does get stripped of its chillis rather quickly....do you think that may be why they die on me??
what do you do,that i dont?..it gets watered,i pluck it daily..what else does it need?-it has light (not too much,and its indoors.)...the only thing i dont do is talk to it.... :wink:

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Postby palmtrees » Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:33 pm

I've just had a count and I have seven plants remaining from last year/year before, a few chillies on one plant, but I have a load of dried ones hanging up anyway. (I tried a piccy earlier and failed miserably).

They get watered sometimes. I take the chillies when I want them. Sometimes I have too many. Although we love hot food, and last year José gave us some seriously hot chillies. Mine have light (a fair amount) ....now is this the difference? - Mine are outside. I don't talk to them. Much. :wink:

Does that help?

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:57 pm

well,i water mine every time they are dry...and they are kept in the kitchen..perhaps next time i buy a proper plant i should try it outside...Hopefully tho,i wont need to buy anymore full grown ones..with this lot of seeds i have to grow,i should have a jungle of chilli plants in a few months..... :wink:

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Postby palmtrees » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:08 pm

pp

I am just at a loss as to why they are inside. No smart comment intended. But chillies in Andalucía are grown outside in the sun, the occasional but very heavy rain, and lots of wind.

And then they dry. But inside :?:

But let's compare notes through the growing season. Yes?

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:11 pm

i dunno why i kept them inside..perhaps a blonde moment... :wink:

yes,would be fun to share notes...i will keep you informed via pm on how my plantlets..(if i get any)grow!..
look forward to hearing from you.

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Postby princess peach » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:56 am

O.K-Palmtrees-Chilli seeds are all planted&watered,Now just waiting for the little green heads to pop up...i planted them yesterday,but nothings coming up yet..will i have to wait long???
(only joking) :wink:

daisylulu

Postby daisylulu » Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:24 am

I planted some chilli seeds last weekend, mine are outside in seed trays with covers. I hope they're ok there....I will let you know when they pop up. Good luck with yours peachy :D

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Postby princess peach » Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:57 pm

Daisylulu-I have mine in a propagator-inside on a sunny windowsill.
would love you to keep me posted as to how they get on,and when they start to come up.I have just stuck 6 date pips in there as well(i had some space)so fingers crossed for them too! :wink:


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