Growing Chillies....advice needed

[nickyboy]

Son #2 was given a "Grow Your Own Chillies" kit. In truth, some seeds and a can to grow them in

As you can see from the photo they've done quite well. If you look closely they're starting to flower

My question is this...do they need pollenating to produce the chillies? They're on his window sill now so relatively insect free. If they need pollenating then he will have to pop them outside every now and then

Looking forward to a nice curry with home-grown chillies so any advice appreciated

 

[numbnuts]

A few years back I grow some red chillies from seed in the lounge, I didn't pollenating them.

 

[midlife]

Chilli plants are self pollinating

 

[TVC]

I've grown them a few times, treat them like tomatoes. Yours look like they would benefit from a bigger pot or seperating. You can leave them outside during the day if it's sunny, and a dose of tomerite will help when the fruits form..

 

[roadrash]

chillies are self pollinating
http://www.dartmoorchillifarm.com/storepage1526731.aspx

 

[midlife]

Is it a Carolina Reaper ?

 

[nickyboy]

Thanks for the fast replies guys!

I agree they need separating but I'll let son #2 handle that (ie it won't happen). When we make the curry I'll post an addendum to the thread and maybe some interim pics of the ripening chillies

 

[MossCommuter]

IME you must be a busy bee.

Get a small brush (paintbrush, makeup brush, cottonbud) and gently touch each flower in turn. Do it every day until fruit sets. If you don't then the flowers die and just drop off.

Self pollination just means that male and female flowers are in the same plant doesn't it?

 

[MossCommuter]

Oh, and when you get thousands of chili's, pick them and thread them through the stalks on cotton and hang them in the kitchen to dry.

 

[winjim]

Yeah, you need to have some freaky chilli sex for best results.

 

[MossCommuter]

Oh, and another thing (I was not aware but I'm a dummy); green and red chili's are the same thing. Red ones are just ripe green ones

 

[I like Skol]

Is there any hope for these? We bought them as a young plant from the garden centre and had them indoors but they still got invaded by some kind of tiny white fly. Now growing outside since the heatwave started a month ago. The flowers have done their thing without any help from us and now have a good crop of worryingly blotchy chillis and one evil purplish one!!!

 

[Red17]

I grow chillies every year and have never had to pollinate them, they seem to sort themselves out.

I usually end up with a year's supply in the freezer- less hassle than drying them

 

[midlife]

IME you must be a busy bee.

Get a small brush (paintbrush, makeup brush, cottonbud) and gently touch each flower in turn. Do it every day until fruit sets. If you don't then the flowers die and just drop off.

Self pollination just means that male and female flowers are in the same plant doesn't it?

Hermaphrodite rings a bell from O level biology?

 

[Bollo]

I grow chillies every year and have never had to pollinate them, they seem to sort themselves out.

I usually end up with a year's supply in the freezer- less hassle than drying them

Same here. Grown in a very sunny mini greenhouse. Water and an occasional bit of fertiliser and they come out fine. I pickle mine.