Topic: Growing time disappointment

[Madrasandy]

Tin foil is the worst reflector, it absorbs more than it reflects.
Better off with matt white paint or fork out for some Mylar.

 

Yup, don

[tempest63]

I got some jalape

[tempest63]

It

[JonG]

Well blow me down, I

[Garp]

Good news Jon. Keep us posted

[JonG]

Hello

I now have about 7 or 8 green finger chillies on my plants - not a great yield from around 12 seeds I started back in Jan.

My question, as a first time chilli grower, is how do you know when to pick them?  They have been on the plant maybe 2 weeks now and do I wait for them to turn yellow or orange or red, or will that in fact happen after picking?

If I wait too long will the chillies go mushy?  Is it even possible to pick too soon or if there

[mickyp]

Hi Jon,
From what i understand you can pretty much pick them when you want, if not ripe when picked they will not be as hot as if you let them go full term.

If not being used they tend to be either "dried out" by hanging in the sun, or frozen, did you feed them onnce the fruits had set? i remember a guy on youtube saying if you want plants to feed you, you have to feed them.
I havent got a greenhouse or poly tunnel so it is what it is, My Dorset Naga is only going to give a dozen or so.

Remove all fruit if you want to overwinter the plants and have a head start in the spring.....

[Bob-A-Job]

Hi Jon,
From what i understand you can pretty much pick them when you want, if not ripe when picked they will not be as hot as if you let them go full term.

If not being used they tend to be either "dried out" by hanging in the sun, or frozen, did you feed them onnce the fruits had set? i remember a guy on youtube saying if you want plants to feed you, you have to feed them.
I havent got a greenhouse or poly tunnel so it is what it is, My Dorset Naga is only going to give a dozen or so.

Remove all fruit if you want to overwinter the plants and have a head start in the spring.....

All sound advice, especially the feeding and de-fruiting.  I have also found that as the days shorten any flowers will fail to bear fruit and can also be picked off.  I also 'top off' my plants by picking out the top growth shoots to prevent the plant becoming 'leggy' as it tries to grow to the light and will in spring 'bush' out more, producing more fruit.

The only thing I would add is that if they are supposed to change colour, wait, let them and use/freeze when ripe.  If you are unsure, then when most fruits over-ripen, the skin will begin to wrinkle.  I have found the optimum time is right before that or when they literally are beginning to wrinkle.  Different fruit on the same plant will ripen at different times so no need to pick them all at the same time.

I hope that helps.

BAJ

[JonG]

Thanks guys, I will probably pick them as it will be easy for me to forget them otherwise, and I don

[mickyp]

No you don