Stephanie, i just put up with the mess! Fortuately the windowsill in the spare room here is very sunny, and as its the spare room i dont have to look at it all the time! Is there any way you could make a little heated grow bench in your polytunnel? A smaller area would be much easier and cheaper to heat than an entire greenhouse..but hey if you have the means, go for it! ....not jelous at all
Am I right in thinking you can only plant them outside around May-time? I don't have anywhere heated for them, I don't have a greenhouse, I do have a shed, just not heated.
KC15, it depends wher you live, they need at least the same conditions as tomatoes, if not warmer as far as i have found, you dont necessarily need a greenhouse, i often will construct some sort of weird windbreak out of clear plastic just to help keep the temp more steady.
You dont have to grow them from seed, when you take into consideration all the time and money bringing them to planting out stage, its not that much difference to buy plants, sensible if you havent got the right place to grow them
A hot bed could work well, if you are able to make one
I've got some going in my secret cellar lair. I sowed them a couple of weeks ago. The jalapeños and cayennes are doing nicely, but the habaneros and tabascos aren't showing yet. They'll have to stay inside for a good while yet though, we've got tons of snow.
I started mine around 10th January, (basket of fire, hababnero, and birds eye).
Placed my seeds into the middle of a folded paper towel, soaked in water and placed in a ziplock bag. These bags were then placed into the airing cupboard and left alone for a week. After that time, they had tiny white shoots just emerging from the seed.
Using tweezers, I sowed them and now have seedlings about 3/4 inch high. The habanero were the slowest to emerge but they are renowned for taking their time anyhow
Overwintered some Basket of Fire chilli on my windowsill and they're managing really well; definitely the best chilli so far I have done this with.And they pack a punch, "big attitude" in a small pod!
Possibly doing the wrong thing here, but ive found my chillis and peppers germinate best if i keep the trays on the radiator cover, just have to be careful they dont dry out
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Using bin bags flat off the roll to line the window sills helps a lot I've found. Want a greenhouse soon though, rapidly running out of window sills!
Am I right in thinking you can only plant them outside around May-time? I don't have anywhere heated for them, I don't have a greenhouse, I do have a shed, just not heated.
I've started a few in a heated propagator.
Once germinated, they spend the day on a sunny windowsill.
You dont have to grow them from seed, when you take into consideration all the time and money bringing them to planting out stage, its not that much difference to buy plants, sensible if you havent got the right place to grow them
A hot bed could work well, if you are able to make one
I've got some going in my secret cellar lair. I sowed them a couple of weeks ago. The jalapeños and cayennes are doing nicely, but the habaneros and tabascos aren't showing yet. They'll have to stay inside for a good while yet though, we've got tons of snow.
I've sowed a few rows but they never do well here (well up north).
Hi,
I started mine around 10th January, (basket of fire, hababnero, and birds eye).
Placed my seeds into the middle of a folded paper towel, soaked in water and placed in a ziplock bag. These bags were then placed into the airing cupboard and left alone for a week. After that time, they had tiny white shoots just emerging from the seed.
Using tweezers, I sowed them and now have seedlings about 3/4 inch high. The habanero were the slowest to emerge but they are renowned for taking their time anyhow
Overwintered some Basket of Fire chilli on my windowsill and they're managing really well; definitely the best chilli so far I have done this with.And they pack a punch
, "big attitude" in a small pod!
knackered knee ( ripped cartilage) and off on Hols Monday. Will be sowing ASAP upon return in a fortnight.