Chili Pepper Cultivation - Help Arb!

[Canelek]

I have some Chili Petits that I got from my uncle, who lives in Texa$. Right now, a handful of them little guys (tiny and round, a bit larger than a BB) are drying on a paper towel. My hope is to use their seeds to cultivate from scratch come spring. Am I fucking them up already?

What is the best method for hot chilis in general? I have seen the shrubs and it seems they do rather well potted, which is certainly good since the weather can turn cold on either end of a growing season up here.

They are very tasty--good flavor, nice heat buildup and sweat.

Thanks!

[Boogahz]

lol, this reminds me of a trip to a family friend's citrus orchard near Los Fresnos one summer long ago...I gathered a bunch of those peppers (don't pick them without gloves!) and ground them up. Then I placed some in one of my mom's favorite jars of hot sauce that a neighbor down there made. It took her a while to figure out what the fuck he did to amplify the heat so much, and I thought she was going to kill me when she found out what I did! While these aren't the hottest peppers around, they pack quite a punch for such a small size.

Maybe http://cahe.nmsu.edu/chilepepperinstitute/ will help? Even New Mexico State University is better than Arizona State University!

[Canelek]

Thanks! And yes, they are not the hottest, but the little fellas are impressive.

[Truant]

Those sound exactly like the peppars we used to pick on the family ranch south of austin.

They're fun! They look like orange/red BB's!

[Arborealus]

The best way to do it is to go ahead and pull the seeds out if there is flesh adhering to the seeds soak them in a covered jar full of water out of the sunlight for about a week then rub them clean of any remaining flesh. Place the seeds between 2 pieces of paper towel and allow them to dry completely. Save them until next spring. Sow them directly in the soil next spring once the temps remain above 50 degrees at night. I'd recommend using a well drained soil with low fertility. You can give them a shot of fish meal or other low yield organic fertilizer but use 1/2 the recommended dose...Let them dry between waterings until the leaves begin to wilt. Keep them in full sun as much as possible. They definitely like it hot and dry. Overwatering can kill them. Overfertilizing results in leggy growth and lower fruit yields.

Chiles are about the easiest thing in the world to grow as long as you ignore them sufficiently.

[Canelek]

Thanks!! I plan on ordering some other varieties online--savinas!

[Pherr the Dorf]

African Devil (Capsicum frutescens). Height about 1-1.2 metre. Seed colour is straw. Fruit: colour is green to bright red. Shape is conical. Position is erect. Size 10-20mm long, 5-7mm diameter. Flesh is very thin. Calyx is cup shaped with more than one per node. Petals have an white outer edge, greenish inner, the petals of the flower are revolute. Stamen is purple. Very small and very hot.

Great freakin chili! Easy to grow, heck the pot out front has like 20 babies in it from the chilis I forgot to pick last year. Awesome flavor with a good pop

[Canelek]

Is that similar to a piri-piri (also called birdseye I think)?

[Pherr the Dorf]

Most of what is labeled Birdseye isn't, it is African Devil so probably exactly the same thing in most cases. Easy as hell to grow, plant it and forget it.

[Canelek]

Would you guys suggest peat pots to start or wet-paper towel germination? I see Arb said just pop them in the soil....same success rate as germination for chiles?

I may be overthinking this since I really haven't grown any flowering plants since college.

[Pherr the Dorf]

Chilis are a weed, just grown them however is easiest for you

[Arborealus]

Well You were asking about starting one species...

I always start my plants indoors early with these in Jan/Feb with bottom heat and grow lights. These systems are great if you want to get a jump on the season. The white inner trays are modular you can get various sizes based on the number of plants you want to start and buy the sponges from Parks and other suppliers. Parks also sells grow light racks and heat mats etc etc. You can build your own racks with fluorescent fixtures but Parks sells rack systems with multiple trays/lights and heating pads which fit perfectly with their seed starter systems. The lighting height is easily adjustable as the seedlings grow. Bottom heat is key to seed germination so I would look into heat mats for sure. The sponge systems allow easy transplant with no shock.

Peat pots are crappy unless you are working on an industrial scale with a timed mist system plus they tend not to decay well with the low water on peppers. Jiffy Pellet systems are decent but cheaply made and fall apart in a year if you use them be sure and remove the polyester wrapper when transplanting the roots tend to bind if you don't.

The best general source for veggie/herb seeds is probably http://www.burpee.com you might also try some heirloom tomatoes from http://www.tomatobob.com/ tomatoes require a bit more attention and work but they are pretty damned easy and you should be able to grow enough to keep your self supplied during the growing season.

Also if you want guaranteed variety characteristics...buy seed every year (or actually I usually use a packet I buy for two years (after two years the germination rates drop off considerably). Capsicum and Tomatoes both cross-pollinate so saved seed can produce odd hybrids (which can be good or bad). You can always hand pollinate some flowers and cover them til they set fruit to guarantee variety or even cross pollinate and play Mendel.

Cleaning and saving tomato seeds is about the same as peppers. Small tupperware container, a cup of water but you squeeze the fruit into the water then add a Tbsp sugar and let it ferment about 4 weeks then skim the fermented gunk off the top and pitch any floating seeds. Then rinse and dry. Heirloom tomatoes will make you think twice about every buying those mushy wet things that pass for tomatoes from stores ever again.

And read up on tomato pruning (not necessary but desirable for some varieties).

Oh and always label seed trays...you think you will remember...but you'll always screw it up somehow.... And start a least 6 of each variety...you can always find someone who will appreciate any surplus babies.

And finally...don't try growing fruits/veggies from store bought fruit or store bought hybrid plants. A lot of these are polyploid and infertile or if fertile the seeds will not produce the plant the fruit came from.

[Canelek]

Thanks for the advice! I will check out those links when I get a chance.

[masteen]

I had a chili plant many moons ago, but it got bugs and died. I'm sure pests aren't the problem in Siberia that they are here in Florida, but any suggestions for that?

[Canelek]

No, up here in Siberia, I keep my plants warm in my igloo.

[Truant]

I had a chili plant many moons ago, but it got bugs and died. I'm sure pests aren't the problem in Siberia that they are here in Florida, but any suggestions for that?

I used soapy water in a mist bottle on my bonsai...but I didn't eat my bonsai so I dunno if that changes the scenario. The soap repels the bugs without the negatives of pesticides.

[Canelek]

Wouldn't that suppress photosynthesis a bit?

[Arborealus]

I had a chili plant many moons ago, but it got bugs and died. I'm sure pests aren't the problem in Siberia that they are here in Florida, but any suggestions for that?

Insecticidal Soap is safe for use on edibles, just wash the fruit before eating it. It is topical not systemic. Actually for most insects you can just spray the plant thoroughly with a hose end sprayer but be sure and spray under the leaves thats where most insects hide and lay their eggs. I've never had any insect problems on peppers though...most insects hate 'em...Any idea what the insect attacking them was?

Masteen your biggest issue with peppers will be humidity and fungi prolly...just make sure there is plenty of airflow and they are in direct sun as much as possible.

Be sure and keep peppers out in full sun with a bit of space between plants...If they are crowded or pressed up against a wall other plants or left where the leaves stay damp they can develop molds/mildews which make them more susceptible to insects. Also if you are watering them try not to water in the evening that encourages fungi as well...Another reason not to over fertilize them as well Nitrogen > vegetative growth and density > dense vegetation encourages insects and fungi...If you do want to fertilize use really low yield organic fertilizers (ironite, blood or bone meal, fish extract, alfalfa meal etc) or a slow release balanced fertilizer mixed in with the soil when you plant or pot the pepper like a tsp per plant max.

Wouldn't that suppress photosynthesis a bit?

Not really significantly...you are using about a teaspoon of soap per gallon of water. It desiccates the hell out of soft-bodied insects and blocks their sphericles suffocating them. Plant leaves have a wax coat that the soap won't cut nor adhere well to. Ideally the soap should contain potassium salts to further facilitate dessication. "Safer" is a good brand of insecticidal soap. Or you can make your own with 1 tsp lemon scented dish soap and 1 tsp potash per gallon. Avoid using nicotine tea on peppers and tomatoes (as is recommended by some organic gardening websites)...the family containing both these plants is particularly susceptible to tobacco mosaic virus.

[Pherr the Dorf]

I am sure you have friends who can tell you how to keep bugs off "plants"

[Somali]

No Pherr. Those friends grow their plants indoors so they can't be seen from helicopters. The other friends with "plants" might get them from places no speaky english so well.