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Problems growing chilli peppers

Harriet.Harriet. Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
Hello. I wonder if anyone might be able to help me. I sowed De Cayenne chilli peppers in January this year, following the advice in GW magazine. They all germinated and have grown their first set of true leaves. However, they now seem to have stopped growing and have made no progress for the last month. 

Can anyone offer any advice? They are on a south facing windowsill above a radiator. Many thanks! 


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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    A chill will stop them growing and windowsills are very chilly at night especially with the temps. we've been having this Spring.
    Could you move them somewhere warmer overnight?
    They'll love the warmth and sun during the day though

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Harriet.Harriet. Posts: 8
    Hi Pete, thanks for your response and help! Do you think it would be enough to move them to the floor by the radiator overnight? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    It's better than the windowsill, but the cold air from the window will fall to the floor...
    I move plants onto the dining room table overnight and back to the sun and warmth during the day.
    So floor if there's nowhere else, but ideally raised off the floor somewhere overnight

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London Posts: 731
    edited April 2021
    I'm growing several kinds from seed , mostly sown in mid Feb . All of them are on the  dining table which gets plenty of light from large glass doors. My golden cayenne ( realise this is not de cayenne) and bird's eye are well behind the others -  either true leaves just starting as with OP,  or one full set of true leaves opened and next set just starting. The others ( apache , super , aji omni , lemon habanero ) all have at least 3 or 4 pairs of true leaves. So perhaps its the variety being a bit slow -- the environmental factors should be identical for my seedlings. 

    edit to add - you should definitely do what @Pete.8 suggests though re trying to keep them warm as best you can at night, the cold will definitely impact growth.
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    I'd certainly think that they're objecting to something @h.wallis. I sowed 15 seeds in a tray on 27th Feb (MPC) and put the surviving 9 seedlings into individual pots (also MPC with a bit of horticultural grit) on 3rd April. They've been kept on a south-facing windowsill in our utility room which houses the boiler, washing machine and tumble dryer and is adjacent to a kitchen with underfloor heating (so always pretty warm). I haven't moved them at night and have just taken this picture of the 3 healthiest.

    As @Pete.8 says, temperature may well be your problem but maybe the growing medium and/or watering regime could also be the issue?



    East Lancs
  • hatty123hatty123 Posts: 125
    From the photo I think I used same kind of pots (recycled paper type?) as you last year for tomatoes and had similar problem that they couldn't get past first set of leaves. Potted them on and then they were fine. Have you put drainage holes in the pots? I can't be sure but my gut feeling was that was the problem, the paper pots make you think they can drain properly but actually confines the roots in a bog at the bottom and they just don't develop
  • Harriet.Harriet. Posts: 8
    Thank you to everyone! 

    @Pete.8 I've moved them to my desk and put them on a towel tonight, away from the window in case of draughts. 

    @Desi_in_London You may be right about different types of chillies, but these are the same that Monty is growing on GW and his are much more established (though, I appreciate he will have the right environment to grow them in!) 

    @Biglad I've grown them in MPC and keep an eye on watering daily, as they're south facing I'm worried they might dry out. Your chillies look to be coming along nicely! 

    @hatty123 Yes, I've used those cardboard pots that are meant to go straight in the ground. Incidentally, I also planted some sunflowers in the same type of pot and none of them have germinated... I think you might be on to something here. I haven't put drainage holes in, but the roots are coming through the bottom. I will look to move them to plastic pots at the weekend, my only worry is are they too little to move? 
  • hatty123hatty123 Posts: 125
    If you tear open the pot down the side and across the bottom you can pot them on  still in the paper pot but without disturbing the roots too much. My concern would be that chillis need a long growing season and yours have been held back, but they might catch up, my tomatoes were a little late to mature but got there in the end. Would be nice if paper pots came with instructions to put holes in them! Not obvious to a novice using them for the first time.
  • Captain_ChaosCaptain_Chaos Posts: 60
    My chilis have done the same as yours. Thanks for asking the question and for all the replies. I'm thinking mine are not warm enough too as I am also growing on a sill above a radiator. I will try moving to a warmer spot overnight.
    Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 Posts: 1,813
    Try on a heated mat overnight....cheap and from pet shops.
    Change the compost in the pots............I changed mine and the seeds that wernt germinating came up in 5 days,,,not chillis though.
    I have been growing hot and sweet ones over the last 4 years on the table in the conservatory and then on to the window sill.

    Heat....cold...wet compost...dry air....light.

    Its like raising children and its Great.

    Good luck H.Wallis

    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
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