[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Hi

Once i have finished Lambing this year i want to use our Polytunnel to grow lots of Chilli's all different varieties,

its a green Fibremesh/polyunnel that is 6MX3M

Has anyone had success growing chillies in the polytunnel?

Do you have an advice when to sow?
How much water they require etc?

i have griwn some before but didnt get a bumper crop and not very hot but i suspect that would be the variety of chilli

any advicewill be greatly recieved

regards

[arobwk]

Question:  what is green fibremesh please - is it netting or is it reinforced green plastic ?

[Anke]

Unless you manage to get good sized plants now, you will be too late to sow. Chillies, peppers and aubergines need sowing in January on a heated propagator and then grown on under grow lights until about now, mine now live in the Keder greenhouse, with nightly fleece protection. They do need mollycoddling until end of May here (Scot Borders), as we regulalryl have night frosts until then.


However you are probably still ok with tomatoes.

[macgro7]

Of course you can grow chillies in the polytunnel!
I grew them very well in the cheap polytunnel from ebay - green plastic with mesh.

[Fleecewife]

Oh yes, chillis will grow well in a tunnel.  How much light does yours let through?  Is it restricted? Because chillis do love hot sun 
I was surprised how well chillis have grown directly in the ground in my tunnel (until some newly hatched chicks ate most of the lovely red fruits!) Now I grow them in pots and don't have any hatchings going on.
Anke is correct though that unless you live somewhere really nice and warm, you would be better buying in plants this year to harden off and plant out in a week or so, or you'll end up with nice big plants but no ripened fruit.  Perhaps do that so you learn about growing them in this first year, then start off your chillis from seed early next year and fill the tunnel with every type you can find.  They are such fun to grow (somewhere on here I posted a recipe for '100 chilli chutney' if you get a good crop. Use the hottest you can grow)


Chillis need similar soil and conditions to tomatoes, but not quite so much water.  In particular they hate the soil being cold.

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Thanks for the advice


That's probably the reason I don't get good crop as I am planting them too late then.

its a shame as I have been and bought a tonne of good seeds 

I may save them an buy some plants for the this year

I have access to a propagator if needed.

this is the poly tunnel I have. it lets in a lot more light than it looks and does get very warm in there.


 Thanks






 

[Fleecewife]

Store the seeds cool and dry and they will keep easily until next year.  Good luck with the plants for this time - keep us in the loop (with piccies)

[macgro7]

Thanks for the advice


That's probably the reason I don't get good crop as I am planting them too late then.

its a shame as I have been and bought a tonne of good seeds 

I may save them an buy some plants for the this year

I have access to a propagator if needed.

this is the poly tunnel I have. it lets in a lot more light than it looks and does get very warm in there.


 Thanks

Great!
Thats exactly the same polyyunnel as mine!

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Thanks for the advice


That's probably the reason I don't get good crop as I am planting them too late then.

its a shame as I have been and bought a tonne of good seeds 

I may save them an buy some plants for the this year

I have access to a propagator if needed.

this is the poly tunnel I have. it lets in a lot more light than it looks and does get very warm in there.


 Thanks

Great!
Thats exactly the same polyyunnel as mine!

They are very versatile tbf i use ratchet straps to hold the cover in place as the straps are a bit weak
would be a shame not to use it.

[macgro7]

Yea they are not too strong. I sandwiched the cover edges with wood. Might also put some laundry drying string to make it stronger

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

how are everyones Chillies getting on?!

i planted them on the 29/03/2021 and they took about 10 days to germinate and let on the window sill.

2 weeks ago i potted the into bigger plant pots and there is some real strong growing plants.

once i seperated and put into seperate pots i ended up with 75 chilly plants of all varieties (i think i went over the top a bit) 

they re still on the window sill as the weather has been rubbish.

hoping to get them in the polytunnel in the next week or so

[macgro7]

I'm hoping to plant out my chillies, sweet peppers and tomatoes sometime this week 
Before the heatwave - I hope we actually have a heatwave that lasts till October, since I doubt we will be able to go anywhere for holiday 

[Fleecewife]

My 15 chilli and pepper plants are also still waiting indoors to be planted out and need to be potted on if we have to wait much longer.  Some varieties have several flowers and buds on, but the slower developers have none yet.  I filled the intended chilli bed with tomatoes, so the chillis will have to go into large pots in the greenhouse.  At least that means that any which haven't finished at the end of the year can come back indoors to the  big propagator 

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Quick update on the chillis
I planted them on the. 01/04 and they where indoors a long time but once in the polytunnel they have got going!

Just need a good run of sun and heat to get them finished