As we reach midsummer (where has the season gone!) chillies really take off, particularly in a warm conservatory like mine.
The plants’ frameworks are nicely developed now and many of the varieties I’m growing are now starting to flower – in the case of ‘Padron’ I’ve already got the first fruits and I could be picking them this weekend (that early start in February really paid off!).
It’ll soon be time to start feeding them – more on that with my next update.
For now I want to show you the importance of potting on. Pot size really matters when it comes to growing sizable plants – the bigger the plants the more fruit you’ll get. As you can see from the photo, the two Habaneros look nothing like one another, despite being sown on the same day and being grown on in the same location in the same compost. The only difference is pot size.
The smaller plant remains in a one litre pot while the other was potted on into a 5litre container, the results speak for themselves. If you’ve still got chillies in small pots – think about moving them on. I recommend a 2 litre pot as a minimum for a decent manageable plant, but if you can go for a 5 or 10 litre pot, you’ll be surprised at just what you will achieve with your plants before autumn sets in.
For more chilli growing advice and to find some top variety suggestions head to our chillies and sweet peppers hub page.
Kris Collins works as Thompson & Morgan’s quality control manager, making sure customers new and old are kept up to date on the latest plant developments and company news via a wide range of media sources. He trained in London’s Royal Parks and has spent more than a decade writing for UK gardening publications before joining the team at Thompson & Morgan.
Recent Comments