I've only planted 4 seeds so far, so 2 left, maybe they will sprout, maybe they won't.
I'm a bit worried I won't be able to provide enough light, I thought they'd take well into January before they germinated. Oh well - we'll see!
Monday 30 December 2013
Bhut Jolokia have sprouted!
I thought the bhut jolokia (aka ghost pepper) seeds would take a while to pop up. But, here they are, after a fairly short 14 days. One just beginning to surface, a few hours later I saw another (not pictured).
I've only planted 4 seeds so far, so 2 left, maybe they will sprout, maybe they won't.
I'm a bit worried I won't be able to provide enough light, I thought they'd take well into January before they germinated. Oh well - we'll see!
I've only planted 4 seeds so far, so 2 left, maybe they will sprout, maybe they won't.
I'm a bit worried I won't be able to provide enough light, I thought they'd take well into January before they germinated. Oh well - we'll see!
Saturday 28 December 2013
Challenging conventional wisdom: Sowing Depth for Chilli Seeds
I like to challenge the accepted truths on the internet. Let's face it, if nobody challenges them, how do we know they're right?
Usually I'm wrong, and the "conventional wisdom" is right. But so what? Occasionally I find something to be a myth, and that's why I do this.
So, this post is about sowing depth. The internet says:
- "2 to 3mm"
- "don't sow too deeply"
- "three times the diameter of the seed"
- "5mm deep"
These have all come from either reputable seed suppliers, or influential blogs. Now that's a range between vague and bizarre. Three times the diameter of the seed, for some seeds that could be over a centimetre, which is a lot deeper than 2 to 3 mm!
I suspect that this vast range of accepted sowing depths is due to one simple reason: It doesn't really matter. If you think about it, a chilli seed is a pretty big thing in the seed world compared to lettuce or radish. Some can be almost as large as apple pips. So they probably have enough energy to pop up from well over a centimeter under the soil.
And let's consider nature. Who eats chillis in the wild? The animals who can't taste the heat [pretty much humans are the only ones who get a kick from eating things we're not supposed to!]. Birds can't taste capsaicin, so there's your number one seed distributor right there. What do birds do? Well, they don't bury the seeds at three times the diameter, unless of course you're talking about in "guanu". Blech.
So, I believe if I test this over a range between:
- dropping them on the soil uncovered and
- burying them 1.5inches underground
I would expect all of them to grow. But if I had to guess which would fail, my money is that the deeper ones would be less reliable, or at least, weaker when they hit the surface.
So let's test it.
Thanks to my super chilli plant of 2013, I have a LOT of identical and reliable seeds at my disposal. These things sprout if you look at them the wrong way. Germination time is around 4 days too, so this should make a fairly short experiment, a week should do it!
Obviously this is entirely unscientific, and not intended to be a controlled experiment. It's just an attempt to get some answers, given the vast range of advice out there.
Let the experiment begin
So now we kick back and wait for them to germinate.
As you can see, three have popped up pretty quickly. The fourth one is the deepest, the 1.5 inch (I've rotated the tray, it's the reverse of the photos above.)
What's interesting is that in spite of the differences in sowing depth, all the seedlings are pretty much the same height above the soil at the same time. I can't explain this, but that's science for you!
I predict we'll see the fourth one in the next day or two anyway.
Usually I'm wrong, and the "conventional wisdom" is right. But so what? Occasionally I find something to be a myth, and that's why I do this.
So, this post is about sowing depth. The internet says:
- "2 to 3mm"
- "don't sow too deeply"
- "three times the diameter of the seed"
- "5mm deep"
These have all come from either reputable seed suppliers, or influential blogs. Now that's a range between vague and bizarre. Three times the diameter of the seed, for some seeds that could be over a centimetre, which is a lot deeper than 2 to 3 mm!
I suspect that this vast range of accepted sowing depths is due to one simple reason: It doesn't really matter. If you think about it, a chilli seed is a pretty big thing in the seed world compared to lettuce or radish. Some can be almost as large as apple pips. So they probably have enough energy to pop up from well over a centimeter under the soil.
And let's consider nature. Who eats chillis in the wild? The animals who can't taste the heat [pretty much humans are the only ones who get a kick from eating things we're not supposed to!]. Birds can't taste capsaicin, so there's your number one seed distributor right there. What do birds do? Well, they don't bury the seeds at three times the diameter, unless of course you're talking about in "guanu". Blech.
 |
| In a related test, all of these seeds were simply scattered on the soil, not buried at any depth, and produced a 100% germination rate. Note you can see more of the root (the white furry bit) but otherwise they're thriving! |
So, I believe if I test this over a range between:
- dropping them on the soil uncovered and
- burying them 1.5inches underground
I would expect all of them to grow. But if I had to guess which would fail, my money is that the deeper ones would be less reliable, or at least, weaker when they hit the surface.
So let's test it.
Thanks to my super chilli plant of 2013, I have a LOT of identical and reliable seeds at my disposal. These things sprout if you look at them the wrong way. Germination time is around 4 days too, so this should make a fairly short experiment, a week should do it!
Obviously this is entirely unscientific, and not intended to be a controlled experiment. It's just an attempt to get some answers, given the vast range of advice out there.
Let the experiment begin
 |
| Left to Right: 1) Dropped on top of soil, 2) Buried 0.5cm, 3) Buried 1/2 inch, 4) Buried 1.5 inch |
So now we kick back and wait for them to germinate.
Update 1:
As you can see, three have popped up pretty quickly. The fourth one is the deepest, the 1.5 inch (I've rotated the tray, it's the reverse of the photos above.)
What's interesting is that in spite of the differences in sowing depth, all the seedlings are pretty much the same height above the soil at the same time. I can't explain this, but that's science for you!
I predict we'll see the fourth one in the next day or two anyway.
Update 2:
All plants were transplanted to pots simultaneously and were all fine. It seems that sowing depth has little or no effect on chilli plants.
Bear in mind that while I tried to conduct this experiment in a controlled and fair manner, it was not scientific or statistically significant.
Caveat:
I have learned that there may be one reason to sow seeds deeper, although it's hearsay at this point. If you've ever had a large number of seeds suffer from a condition known in the growing community as "helmet head", you'll know that while it often resolves, sometimes a seedling can die. It's a problem where the seedling gets its first leaves stuck inside the original seed pod. If it can't get these out, it can't photosynthesize or grow and it will die.
I've heard that burying seeds reduces the chance of this happening. However, personally Ive found it not to happen often at all, maybe only one seedling in 50, perhaps because I grow in a high humidity environment of a heated propagator which softens the seed pods.
Chilli Seeds With Thiram Seed Treatment...
I was planting my seeds, and noticed one packet with a strange message on the end.
Naturally I'm a big fan of googling anything I don't understand, so I have.
Thiram Seed Treatment is a process of coating seeds in a powder which acts as a fungicide. It's done with good intent from a seed processor's point of view, as it both increases the chance of germination on seeds, and also it reduces the chance of "damping off" or other seedling related rots.
However, it turns out, it's a fairly toxic chemical. Most fungicides are, so that shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
Obviously I had a few questions, so I'll save you the research and show you what I found. Note that this is my interpretation of the facts that are available on the internet. They may not be 100% correct.
No. It's a common seed treatment, and it's used commercially. You've probably eaten a lot of plants treated with this in your life. Probably more than you could count. The common thinking is that the chemical breaks down fast in soil (halves every 15 days) so even by harvest time if you ate the seed and soil instead of the fruits, there wouldn't be much left.
Well, this is a bit more sticky. Yes is the short answer. However, my understanding is that due to the coating process and the concentration of the chemicals, by the time you get the handful of seeds to plant, there's not much there for you to eat.
The people who work in the coating plants, or agricultural levels of seed handling, however, are at serious risk if they don't wear protective clothing.
It's also worth noting that inhaling the stuff is far more harmful than eating it, and one source states it's worse still to have it in contact with your skin. Of course, none of this is a good idea if you're able to avoid contact, but certainly it's a bad idea to get into a habit of sniffing the seed packet.
Obviously you should wash your hands after handling, but you should ALWAYS wash your hands after handling chilli seeds!
Up to you. My personal opinion is no. Simply because chilli seeds are reliable germinators anyway, if stored and grown in the right conditions. And we're not growing seeds commercially, so who cares if a couple don't germinate out of your packet of 20 seeds?
It's a case of overkill if you ask me.
Plus, the whole point of growing stuff at home, is that you ultimately are doing it your way, and my way is to grow without chemicals.
However, if I have a massive problem with damping off at any point, I might change my tune.
More information? I found these links helpful
http://idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6687
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiram
http://www.agrian.com/pdfs/42-S_Thiram_Fungicide_(06182007_Version_21)_MSDS.pdf
Naturally I'm a big fan of googling anything I don't understand, so I have.
Thiram Seed Treatment is a process of coating seeds in a powder which acts as a fungicide. It's done with good intent from a seed processor's point of view, as it both increases the chance of germination on seeds, and also it reduces the chance of "damping off" or other seedling related rots.
However, it turns out, it's a fairly toxic chemical. Most fungicides are, so that shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
Obviously I had a few questions, so I'll save you the research and show you what I found. Note that this is my interpretation of the facts that are available on the internet. They may not be 100% correct.
1) Is it going to harm my health if I eat fruit from seeds treated with this?
No. It's a common seed treatment, and it's used commercially. You've probably eaten a lot of plants treated with this in your life. Probably more than you could count. The common thinking is that the chemical breaks down fast in soil (halves every 15 days) so even by harvest time if you ate the seed and soil instead of the fruits, there wouldn't be much left.
2) Is it harmful to touch/handle
Well, this is a bit more sticky. Yes is the short answer. However, my understanding is that due to the coating process and the concentration of the chemicals, by the time you get the handful of seeds to plant, there's not much there for you to eat.
The people who work in the coating plants, or agricultural levels of seed handling, however, are at serious risk if they don't wear protective clothing.
It's also worth noting that inhaling the stuff is far more harmful than eating it, and one source states it's worse still to have it in contact with your skin. Of course, none of this is a good idea if you're able to avoid contact, but certainly it's a bad idea to get into a habit of sniffing the seed packet.
Obviously you should wash your hands after handling, but you should ALWAYS wash your hands after handling chilli seeds!
3) Should I buy seeds that are treaded with Thiram?
Up to you. My personal opinion is no. Simply because chilli seeds are reliable germinators anyway, if stored and grown in the right conditions. And we're not growing seeds commercially, so who cares if a couple don't germinate out of your packet of 20 seeds?
It's a case of overkill if you ask me.
Plus, the whole point of growing stuff at home, is that you ultimately are doing it your way, and my way is to grow without chemicals.
However, if I have a massive problem with damping off at any point, I might change my tune.
More information? I found these links helpful
http://idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6687
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiram
http://www.agrian.com/pdfs/42-S_Thiram_Fungicide_(06182007_Version_21)_MSDS.pdf
Sprouts - End of December update
Well it looks like my estimates of which seeds would germinate first were correct! The "fast" tray is now full of seedlings!
From left to right, leftmost is the waitrose "super" thai green chilli, the "throw seeds on top of the soil experiment" (more on that later...). Middle is two cherry bombs and a hint of an apache. Rightmost is bought super chilli seeds.
The fastest of them all was my waitrose chilli from last year which were planted a good three days after everything else. Up second, Cherry bomb, which technically germinated first but was also planted first, so didn't.
Apache is the slowest, with only a hint of germination, and the official "super chilli" bought seeds have only one sprout too so far.
Meanwhile in the slow tray....
....nothing. :)
From left to right, leftmost is the waitrose "super" thai green chilli, the "throw seeds on top of the soil experiment" (more on that later...). Middle is two cherry bombs and a hint of an apache. Rightmost is bought super chilli seeds.
The fastest of them all was my waitrose chilli from last year which were planted a good three days after everything else. Up second, Cherry bomb, which technically germinated first but was also planted first, so didn't.
Apache is the slowest, with only a hint of germination, and the official "super chilli" bought seeds have only one sprout too so far.
Meanwhile in the slow tray....
....nothing. :)
Another Propagator, and some lighting
I was in homebase on boxing day, and there was a 20% sale, so I bought a propagator, and some desk lamps.
The propagator - it's a Stewart Essentials 52cm non variable model. I must say, I prefer the Sankey one I bought the other week, that one has a lid that's a lot stronger, and it also came with seed trays and capillary matting. But, nevermind, it's a big beast and it will hold 20 small pots, so I am pretty happy with that.
I will be planting stuff in there as soon as I can get the matting.
I already have the LED bulbs for the desk lamps, they're REON 4 Watt 3000K GU10 bulbs, and they kick out 290 lumen each. I don't plan to use them for the plants long term, and they're on a "sunny windowsill" when the sun actually shines, so it's just a bit of extra light to try to compensate for how early it is. I bought them for product photography, but right now I need some extra lighting for these seedlings, so why not?
The lamps are awesome though, you can twist them to any angle. They only cost about £10 each after the bank holiday reduction. I'd have probably bought more if they had any!
The propagator - it's a Stewart Essentials 52cm non variable model. I must say, I prefer the Sankey one I bought the other week, that one has a lid that's a lot stronger, and it also came with seed trays and capillary matting. But, nevermind, it's a big beast and it will hold 20 small pots, so I am pretty happy with that.
I will be planting stuff in there as soon as I can get the matting.
I already have the LED bulbs for the desk lamps, they're REON 4 Watt 3000K GU10 bulbs, and they kick out 290 lumen each. I don't plan to use them for the plants long term, and they're on a "sunny windowsill" when the sun actually shines, so it's just a bit of extra light to try to compensate for how early it is. I bought them for product photography, but right now I need some extra lighting for these seedlings, so why not?
The lamps are awesome though, you can twist them to any angle. They only cost about £10 each after the bank holiday reduction. I'd have probably bought more if they had any!
Sunday 22 December 2013
Sprouts!
These are my kind of sprouts at Christmas. Not those disgusting green balls of doom that haunt your dinner plate, no, I prefer these:
This is one of my Cherry Bomb seeds that I planted in the heated propagator, I only planted two of these so far, you can just see the other seed just poking out on the right hand side of the photo (the white blob!)
Two out of two germinated, only planted on 15/12 and the photo is a day old, so that's 6 days from planting to seedling, you can see now why I like Cherry Bomb so much!
Now just need all the other seeds to sprout, although I am not holding my breath for the bhut jolokia! :o)
Enjoy your Christmases!
This is one of my Cherry Bomb seeds that I planted in the heated propagator, I only planted two of these so far, you can just see the other seed just poking out on the right hand side of the photo (the white blob!)
Two out of two germinated, only planted on 15/12 and the photo is a day old, so that's 6 days from planting to seedling, you can see now why I like Cherry Bomb so much!
Now just need all the other seeds to sprout, although I am not holding my breath for the bhut jolokia! :o)
Enjoy your Christmases!
Saturday 21 December 2013
Sowing seeds straight from chilli pods
I wondered whether chilli seeds needed drying out or leaving for a while before sowing, in order to ensure that they germinate properly.
So I tried sowing them straight from the pod.
The simple answer is no, they don't need drying out. Yes you can plant them straight from the pod immediately. I had excellent results with almost 100 percent germination rates in my trials.
I would hazard that you could cut a pod in half, plant it, and it would still germinate fine, although I think it might rot and stink, and of course it's better to space the seeds out in the usual fashion ;-)
Thursday 19 December 2013
Why Grow Chillies?
While I'm eagerly waiting for the germination of my recently planted seeds, I've got some time spare to explain why I bother doing it. A lot of people do ask, so I'll write a post.
So, why bother? I've never grown anything else. What's so special about chillies?
It's as easy to grow chillies as it is to grow any other houseplant. Perhaps easier. They're incredibly tolerant plants, you can overwater them, underwater them, chop them back to a stump, and they'll still give you chillies. Even if you grow them to being rootbound, and never feed them, you'll still get some chillies [although not as many!].
So, yes, I do it because it's easy, or I guess, because it has a high chance of success.
Sure, you can grow tomatoes or lettuce, but you could be slaving all year to get enough for a couple of salads. With chillies, you can grow enough to "survive on". I generally no longer need to buy chillies.
If you do normally buy chillies from supermarkets then you're probably aware that a pack of 5 can cost you up to £2 here in the UK. A single plant can give you fifty times that, over a season, so there is real money to be saved.
For example, this year, I bought an apache plant fully grown from a florist for £2, it had about 20 ripe chillies ready to pick, and I've had around another 30+ since.
I'm sure if you're reading this, you're probably fed up of scotch bonnets and jalapenos. Sure, they're good chillies, but the range in supermarkets of available chillies (outside of London at least) is terrible. I've only ever seen scotch bonnets, habaneros, jalapenos, random "red" unknown chillies and the staple thin "birdseye". And that's over a year, not on one trip!
I try not to be snobby about chillies, so I won't say that they're always superior when you grow them, but it does seem like there's a half life, after which certain tastes and smells erode away. A freshly picked chilli often still tastes "floral". Supermarket ones don't. Freshly picked ones smell great.
I had a "hot wax" from a supermarket last year (Rare find!) and it tasted of nothing. I grew one, and it tasted fruity and hot!
The main reason for the superiority complex though, is because you're generally always picking them straight off the plant, so they're not being stored or refrigerated.
Yes, I actually do enjoy it too.
Enough reasons?
So, why bother? I've never grown anything else. What's so special about chillies?
1 - Easy
It's as easy to grow chillies as it is to grow any other houseplant. Perhaps easier. They're incredibly tolerant plants, you can overwater them, underwater them, chop them back to a stump, and they'll still give you chillies. Even if you grow them to being rootbound, and never feed them, you'll still get some chillies [although not as many!].
So, yes, I do it because it's easy, or I guess, because it has a high chance of success.
2 - A little goes a long way
Sure, you can grow tomatoes or lettuce, but you could be slaving all year to get enough for a couple of salads. With chillies, you can grow enough to "survive on". I generally no longer need to buy chillies.
3 - Saving money
If you do normally buy chillies from supermarkets then you're probably aware that a pack of 5 can cost you up to £2 here in the UK. A single plant can give you fifty times that, over a season, so there is real money to be saved.
For example, this year, I bought an apache plant fully grown from a florist for £2, it had about 20 ripe chillies ready to pick, and I've had around another 30+ since.
4 - A change
I'm sure if you're reading this, you're probably fed up of scotch bonnets and jalapenos. Sure, they're good chillies, but the range in supermarkets of available chillies (outside of London at least) is terrible. I've only ever seen scotch bonnets, habaneros, jalapenos, random "red" unknown chillies and the staple thin "birdseye". And that's over a year, not on one trip!
5 - Superior
I try not to be snobby about chillies, so I won't say that they're always superior when you grow them, but it does seem like there's a half life, after which certain tastes and smells erode away. A freshly picked chilli often still tastes "floral". Supermarket ones don't. Freshly picked ones smell great.
I had a "hot wax" from a supermarket last year (Rare find!) and it tasted of nothing. I grew one, and it tasted fruity and hot!
The main reason for the superiority complex though, is because you're generally always picking them straight off the plant, so they're not being stored or refrigerated.
6 - Fun
Yes, I actually do enjoy it too.
Enough reasons?
Sunday 15 December 2013
Tip: Don't use water based pens to write your plant labels
Always use either a pencil, or more preferably, a permanent marker (eg. a CD marker) to write on plant labels.
Even if the ink dries - haha - well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a plant label I wrote, in English, in a "rollerball" normal ink pen. 24 hours in a propagator with the humidity....
Doesn't make much sense now, does it?
Even if the ink dries - haha - well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a plant label I wrote, in English, in a "rollerball" normal ink pen. 24 hours in a propagator with the humidity....
Doesn't make much sense now, does it?
Still Flowering: 2 of my Chilli Plants are flowering in December!
Most of what you read on the web about the chilli growing season is for people in the hotter parts of the USA growing them outside.
Here in the UK, we can't grow them outside at all really (tried...failed!). Most people I think end up growing them in the house, often a conservatory, where it's warmer.
This can come up with some results that are somewhat contradictory to the mainstream advice on chilli growing!
For example, flowers in December...
Take it with a slight pinch of salt though, most of these flowers are falling off because it gets a little chilly and there's no real sun to speak of in December so I guess the lack of daylight is not helping. But, I thought it worth mentioning...
Here in the UK, we can't grow them outside at all really (tried...failed!). Most people I think end up growing them in the house, often a conservatory, where it's warmer.
This can come up with some results that are somewhat contradictory to the mainstream advice on chilli growing!
For example, flowers in December...
Take it with a slight pinch of salt though, most of these flowers are falling off because it gets a little chilly and there's no real sun to speak of in December so I guess the lack of daylight is not helping. But, I thought it worth mentioning...
Heated Propagator: Planting Chilli Seeds Early For 2014
So here's mid December, and although some of last year's chillies are confused and still flowering, it's time to plant the earliest batch of 2014 crop!
Last year I was very late to the game, not planting anything until around May, so this year I hope for a lot better results!
I've got myself a heated propagator from amazon uk, £21 for a 38cm and it's 8 watt. Since it will be on a 15 degrees Celsius windowsill, I think it should be powerful enough to keep the soil around 25 degrees.
 |
| Sankey 100 - 8 Watt Propagator |
The propagator comes with 2 trays.
..and capillary matting at the bottom. So just add soil and it's ready to go.
I'll be careful to plant chillies that I think will germinate together so that I can move the trays out and put in new ones, instead of having to prick them out.
..and capillary matting at the bottom. So just add soil and it's ready to go.
Planting
I'll be careful to plant chillies that I think will germinate together so that I can move the trays out and put in new ones, instead of having to prick them out.
Tray 1- slow germination:
Orange habanero, numex pinata, bhut jolokiaTray 2- fast germination:
Thai super chilli, cherry bomb, apache, and some seeds from my "super chilli" that I bought as a plant last year.
All done, now time to sit back and wait to see if anything pops up!
Are you planting your chillies yet?
Friday 8 November 2013
An Experiment: What happens if you grow chillis out of season?
Well, it's November and that's normally the end of growing for most of us. But, I've definitely got a strange situation here. I planted cherry bomb very late, in June, and it's still flowering and still fruiting.
And my apache is still fruiting too.
So this lead me to wonder, what exactly does happen if you plant chilli seeds totally out of season? Do they grow at all? Do they grow well?
Of course, I'm growing indoors in what you'd call a "warm centrally heated house" behind double glazing and I do have the option of grow lights although I'd rather not spend the money on electricity.
The curiosity alone is making me do this, and a google search didn't bring up anything, so it's got to be tried.
More later.
And my apache is still fruiting too.
So this lead me to wonder, what exactly does happen if you plant chilli seeds totally out of season? Do they grow at all? Do they grow well?
Of course, I'm growing indoors in what you'd call a "warm centrally heated house" behind double glazing and I do have the option of grow lights although I'd rather not spend the money on electricity.
The curiosity alone is making me do this, and a google search didn't bring up anything, so it's got to be tried.
More later.
Choosing Chilli Seeds For Next Year
After a pretty decent result in 2013 (broad mites notwithstanding), I'm already raring to go with my plans to grow in 2014.
I've decided to go "seed only" next year. I believe that the broad mite infestation was caused by a seedling bought from a diy store, so next year I am not taking any risks.
Seeds have been bought from nicky's nursery. I bought the cherry bomb and some other seeds there last year and was very pleased with the service and germination rates, and their range is massive. Seeds arrived in 1 working day, excellent.
I plan to start some germination in December as I grow indoors and since the house is constantly occupied and rarely below 16c!
So here's what I've bought to grow.
1. Cherry bomb.
This is the only chilli from last year that I'm going to grow again directly from seed the same as last year. I like cherry bomb for the novelty and the plants are compact and had a near 100 percent germination rate. Oh, they taste good too. Pretty hot for a small round chilli.
2. Bhut jolokia 'ghost'
I just fancy my chances at one of the hottest chillis around. I'm not a big fan of "lets grow the really hot ones and youtube ourselves eating it whole" but I do feel a need to have a go with this.
3. (Thai) Super Chilli
I got an unknown fully grown plant from Waitrose last year which was either Super Chilli or very similar. It grew, and grew, and the yields were insane. Probably had a hundred chillis off it, and they were super hot and super fragrant. So, this year I'm having a go from seed.
4. Peter Pepper
Just....Google...it. :)
5. Habanero "Magnum Orange"
I bought a habanero plant last year from a diy garden centre. It got to flowering then the mites took it. I was gutted - As a big fan of Tabasco Habanero sauce I really wanted to try the chillis.
6. Numex Pinata
Well, actually this was a freebie, not sure why, I think it was buy x seeds get 1 free. I had limited success getting these to germinate last year, so, meh. It's a decorative multicoloured smaller plant. If it grows this time, great. If not, I won't be bothered.
7. Monkey Face
Something hotter than usual and, well, looks like a monkey face. What's not to like?
8. Sweet Pepper Bellina
I really wanted to grow bell peppers but I seriously don't have the room. This is supposedly a small plant but gives smaller but well formed bell peppers. Got to be worth a go!
9. Apache
I bought an apache pepper last year from a random florist in a train station. Apache peppers are really nice, and the yield is good. It's another one that's still giving me peppers well into November. I thoroughly recommend them, so I'll be growing this. I suspect my current plant will overwinter just fine too!
10. Cajun Belle
Miniature bell peppers with a little heat but not much. Allegedly, they're exactly the same shape as a bell pepper but just 3 inches long.
11. Tabasco
Well...I just want to see how much like the sauce it tastes. That is all.
12. Antillais Caribbean
I like the flavour of the scotch bonnet (which is very unique, if you haven't tried it) but I found them to be quite a pain to get a decent yield, and scotch bonnet is "in" at the moment so you can pick them up just about any supermarket! So, I'll try these instead this year. Apparently they're "very aromatic". We'll see
That's it. Wish me luck, of course, you can expect to see reports on these throughout the year. I hope they don't ALL succeed as I seriously don't have the space. Well, perhaps a greenhouse is on the Xmas list ;o)
Any comments, or have you tried growing any of the above? Any tips for me? Please comment below!
Saturday 7 September 2013
Chilli Pepper Review - Cherry Bomb
Cherry bomb growing on a plant, they tend to grow in clusters of two which is probably why they look so much like cherries when ripe. They go from light green to dark green to almost black (right), then within 48 hours the green colouring drains to leave a bright tomato red.
The plants are splendidly short, just over a couple of feet tall and so perfect for windowsills or smaller spaces. Yield is good for the size, it's my kind of pepper because the yield is staggered and long, I sowed the seeds in June (yes, very late) and have had a slow drip of peppers from August to November and it's still going...
Excuse the speaker in the photo. For scale, the cherry bomb is pretty small, same kind of size as a cherry tomato and probably very easy to hide in a salad for a hot surprise!
The cherry bomb is not very versatile if I'm honest. It's great cut up on a pizza, but it's in a middle ground where it's not that hot if cooked and the skin is quite thick so not that great for stuffing.
Probably great for pickling.
It reminds me of the kinds of peppers you get on "posh" pizza, like roquito or peppadew. That's why I chose it, because I really like those peppers. And I wasn't disappointed by Cherry Bomb either.
Taste: HOT and quite fruity, the taste is like a bell pepper but very very hot, I don't recommend you eat one whole unless you know what you're doing!
Time To Grow: Sown in June, Harvest started in August. Will be trying again in 2014 so will update then.
Please comment if you've grown these and found a good use for them.
Recommended? Yes. A fun easy chilli.
Will I be growing these again? Yes, because the plants are very short and the yield is good, I'm still getting fruits in Mid November (windowsill)
I Beat Broad Mites Without Pesticide in One Step.
That's right. Broad mites can be eradicated on food crops in one single step safely and simply. Read on...
Broad mites are nasty little (and I do mean little!) bugs that infest indoor plants and seem to have a particular fondness for chillis
Let's be clear here. If you find yourself dealing with mites then your plants will suffer. Either by mite or by treatment, yields will be down and plants may die. Broad mites are very nasty.
Leaving plants untreated indoors is pretty much guarantee they will shrivel and die quickly. You have to act fast.
So - what to do?
Heat treatment. The mites in all stages from egg to adult cannot tolerate heat. By "cannot tolerate" I mean it kills them.
Throw away badly affected plants, its best to concentrate on a small number of healthy plants.
Treat or throw away all plants at the same time. Treating just some plants at a time is pointless. You can't see broad mites easily and they will just walk back onto a treated plant from an untreated one.
It's very important to get the treatment right. Firstly because you will kill the plant if the temperature is too high. Secondly if too low you may not kill all the mites. Both will be pretty disastrous so invest in a good thermometer that you can rely on, and get a stopwatch ready.
Bag up the pots well as you will be laying them on their sides, and prepare for a muddy mess.
Fill the bath and dunk the plants fully making sure every leaf is submerged for the full duration. Use anything you can to weigh them down.
Temperature: 43 Celsius
Time: 15 minutes
Time: 15 minutes
Once done, stand the plants up and rinse with tepid water.
You will expect all the leaves to shed within the next 24 hours and this may be depressing. But don't worry. New growth should start within a week and you'll be surprised to see how soon you get fruit back.
Please comment below on your results or broad mite experiences!
You can see my full post on my fight with the mites here
Chilli Pepper Review: Hungarian Wax
Unfortunately the broad mites had their way with this hungarian wax plant this year, so I only got one measly pepper off it. However, what a fantastic pepper! This is a pretty normal size pepper for this type, perhaps slightly on the large side.
They grow pointing upwards at first, but the weight usually causes them to droop down, which also creates the distortion in the shape too, so you often get one or more flat/bent spots on the pepper where gravity got the better of it.
Corking is present on this pepper, although I believe that could have been caused by the mite infestation. Or, perhaps like jalapenos, these peppers can exhibit corking marks.
The Hungarian Wax is normally eaten/sold unripe, which is why you normally expect to see them in a greeny yellow colour. However, if you wait until they're ripe and red, the flavour is MUCH better.
Flavour notes:
Tastes very much like the best bell pepper you've had, but with a nice hot kick. Perfect for a spicy salad! You shouldn't really cook this into a food as it loses all the flavour, so eat raw and enjoy.Time to grow:
Difficult to be precise due to the mites really slowing down the ripening, but it was bought as a 6 inch tall seedling in June, and the pepper was just harvested in September, so probably about 5 months from seed to fully ripe fruit. It took an age to ripen, around 2 months, but was worth the wait.Recommended?
Yes. Definitely have a go, it's a very underrated variety, and incredibly rewarding to get such tasty peppers of this size.Wednesday 7 August 2013
How long will it take chilli pepper plants to grow to fruit? How fast do they grow?
OK, simple question, simple-ish answer. Based on my experiences for "normal" chillis (those with scoville values under 100k):
In the UK, you're supposed to sow seeds early spring, some sow as early as January (indoors obviously!). I have sown as late as June and had success.
I do plan to try some in winter to see what happens. Just out of curiosity really! Will let you know!
Note that I don't really grow any of the high scoville peppers at the moment, I know they are particularly slow growing and stubborn. So if you plan to grow a Naga or similar, expect a much longer wait!
Hope that helps!
Seeds:
Germination is variable but usually within a week you have "green shoots", though it may take longer if you planted them deeper (I always plant VERY shallow)Seedlings:
Roughly 0.5cm a day is a reasonable expectation.Small Plants:
About 15cm a month vertically, though they also spread outwards, usually around the 20-30cm mark they will fork into a Y shape and then I class them as larger plants. |
| Fruits and The "Y fork" at around 2 months old / 30cm Cherry Bomb Pepper |
Larger Plants:
About 30cm a month vertically but they do really start to go wild sideways at this point.Flowers:
Buds usually start appearing at about the 20-30cm mark, usually around the same time as the Y shape fork. Few at this point, maybe 3 or 4 buds. These take about a week to open, sometimes a couple of weeksFruits:
Usually somewhere around a week after a flower opens it will go brown and either drop off, or the petals alone will drop off leaving the stump behind, which has a slightly swollen tiny tiny pepper blob (this is green). This will then swell over the coming weeks.Ripening:
Depending on how you want to eat them - usually to grow to full size takes 2-4 weeks (longer for the bigger peppers) and to ripen can be a fair wait if you want to go all the way to the final colour (usually red). Some peppers can take 4+ weeks to ripen, it can feel like an age. But others can do it within a week or two.Summary:
So, total time from seed to the first edible fruit, a MINIMUM of 2.5 months. Which to be fair, isn't long. Realistically though, the average would be longer, maybe 3-4 months. And for the real harvest which comes later, another month or two.In the UK, you're supposed to sow seeds early spring, some sow as early as January (indoors obviously!). I have sown as late as June and had success.
I do plan to try some in winter to see what happens. Just out of curiosity really! Will let you know!
Note that I don't really grow any of the high scoville peppers at the moment, I know they are particularly slow growing and stubborn. So if you plan to grow a Naga or similar, expect a much longer wait!
Hope that helps!
Tuesday 6 August 2013
How Much to REALLY Water Your Chillis? An Open Discussion...
This is something that causes confusion and torment to all chilli growers. There seem to be quite a few opinions out there, including:
- The plant labels, that can say "frequently" or "daily"
- "Little, often"
- "Give them a drenching then leave them until totally dry"
- "Stick your finger down into the soil"
And so on.
So which is best? Well, don't expect a simple answer. But I might be able to give some insight! Read on...
- A sandy cloggy compost like the John Innes stuff I bought only needs watering every 3-4 days if that, because it holds water like a sponge! See also my post on oedema, which I am suffering from as a result of this kind of compost. OK, not a major issue, but I imagine the yield will be affected, and it's VERY easy to overwater.
- A light, fluffy compost (literally, check the weight!) made of tree bark, etc. will need watering DAILY especially when it's sunny.
That's a big difference.
A root bound specimen will need a LOT more water because the root to soil ratio is higher. Although being somewhat root bound doesnt seem critical to fruit production in my experience, I don't advise it. Always repot when you see roots poking out the bottom of the pot.
When repotting plants always choose one "just" bigger than the last.
This is because if you have a plant in a pot way too big for it, the water will just sit in the soil, and the roots will suffer for it.
So watering frequency depends on how much free soil is in your pot!
Chilli plants are natively grown in places where water is sparse, so they can take a lot of abuse when it comes to drought.
Some say that starving of water will make the chillis hotter, I'm not sure if it's true or not.
But - the method I often employ for knowing when my chillis need water is to look for its signs. They are very good at letting you know, by looking pathetic. Here's a photo of a plant that's wilted and needs water.
Be aware that not all plants are so dramatic, this Apache chilli is a drama queen, it can be watered in the morning and look like this at night.
It does them no harm in my experience to be watered this way, but be sure you can be there to water them - because I guess that any longer without water could start to get a bit more critical!
If you use this method for watering, you can be sure you're not overwatering at all, whatever soil medium you have.
I'm not sure. I have abused, over watered, under watered my chillis, and other than the oedema mentioned above, I've observed no direct consequence.
I would be led to believe that chilli plants are VERY tolerant to water conditions, and so long as you don't keep them soaking wet (they are not a swamp plant!) then I think they will still give you fruits!
Of course, bear in mind that pests like those tiny fungus gnats will start to show up if you are keeping the top of the soil too wet. Those things, while they do no harm, are definitely annoying.
I also saw tiny mushrooms pop up with one compost I used when I overwatered!
Please comment below - I'll publish all sensible comments and suggestions!
- The plant labels, that can say "frequently" or "daily"
- "Little, often"
- "Give them a drenching then leave them until totally dry"
- "Stick your finger down into the soil"
And so on.
So which is best? Well, don't expect a simple answer. But I might be able to give some insight! Read on...
It Depends On Your Soil
I chose very badly when I started this year, something I will learn from this year. The advice is to use a free draining compost. You really do need to, unless you can't be there to water your compost daily.- A sandy cloggy compost like the John Innes stuff I bought only needs watering every 3-4 days if that, because it holds water like a sponge! See also my post on oedema, which I am suffering from as a result of this kind of compost. OK, not a major issue, but I imagine the yield will be affected, and it's VERY easy to overwater.
- A light, fluffy compost (literally, check the weight!) made of tree bark, etc. will need watering DAILY especially when it's sunny.
That's a big difference.
It Depends On Your Pot
A root bound specimen will need a LOT more water because the root to soil ratio is higher. Although being somewhat root bound doesnt seem critical to fruit production in my experience, I don't advise it. Always repot when you see roots poking out the bottom of the pot.
When repotting plants always choose one "just" bigger than the last.
This is because if you have a plant in a pot way too big for it, the water will just sit in the soil, and the roots will suffer for it.
So watering frequency depends on how much free soil is in your pot!
Look For The Signs The Plant Gives You
Chilli plants are natively grown in places where water is sparse, so they can take a lot of abuse when it comes to drought.
Some say that starving of water will make the chillis hotter, I'm not sure if it's true or not.
But - the method I often employ for knowing when my chillis need water is to look for its signs. They are very good at letting you know, by looking pathetic. Here's a photo of a plant that's wilted and needs water.
 |
| Wilting looks like this. Spot the inward curling of lower leaves. |
 |
| The same plant just an hour later after having enough water. |
It does them no harm in my experience to be watered this way, but be sure you can be there to water them - because I guess that any longer without water could start to get a bit more critical!
If you use this method for watering, you can be sure you're not overwatering at all, whatever soil medium you have.
Does it Matter?
I'm not sure. I have abused, over watered, under watered my chillis, and other than the oedema mentioned above, I've observed no direct consequence.
I would be led to believe that chilli plants are VERY tolerant to water conditions, and so long as you don't keep them soaking wet (they are not a swamp plant!) then I think they will still give you fruits!
Of course, bear in mind that pests like those tiny fungus gnats will start to show up if you are keeping the top of the soil too wet. Those things, while they do no harm, are definitely annoying.
I also saw tiny mushrooms pop up with one compost I used when I overwatered!
Your Thoughts?
Please comment below - I'll publish all sensible comments and suggestions!
Sunday 4 August 2013
What are these sugar grain lumps on the underside of my plants' leaves? Are they insect eggs? They don't move, they look like cysts...
When I first saw these, I naturally assumed they were caused by insects. But, not necessarily.
Closer observation: You cant rub or clean them off. They are visible from the top when light shines through too, so it looks more like a deformity than a pest. Sometimes they look like white salt or sugar grains, sometimes clear bumps, and sometimes a bit brown.
There's a thing called "oedema" that plants can get, the main cause of which is overwatering, or rather, waterlogging. I certainly think that's it for me, because I chose badly with soil, I ended up with a sandy soil that holds water for days like wet cement. Unfortunately its too late, but I'll learn for next year.
Anyway - it's not too bad. I guess the cure is to water with less volume, don't soak the soil as much.
More info, including photos, here
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=637
Closer observation: You cant rub or clean them off. They are visible from the top when light shines through too, so it looks more like a deformity than a pest. Sometimes they look like white salt or sugar grains, sometimes clear bumps, and sometimes a bit brown.
There's a thing called "oedema" that plants can get, the main cause of which is overwatering, or rather, waterlogging. I certainly think that's it for me, because I chose badly with soil, I ended up with a sandy soil that holds water for days like wet cement. Unfortunately its too late, but I'll learn for next year.
Anyway - it's not too bad. I guess the cure is to water with less volume, don't soak the soil as much.
More info, including photos, here
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=637
A Brush With Broad Mites - The Most Evil Chilli Pests I've Ever Seen - A Battle Fought and ...Maybe... Won
June 2013: I notice one of my chilli plants is not flowering any more. It's root bound to the max, so I think nothing of it. I pull out the roots, chop them out a bit, put it in a bigger pot. I'm not terribly surprised to find it's dropping some flowers either.
A few days later: I notice that a few other plants are having a LOT of dropped flowers. Weird, I think. I do a bit of research, I decide I'm probably overwatering them, so I cut back on the water a bit.
A week later: Now it's concerning. I see that the new growth on many of my chillis, about 70% of them, is black and dropping off. Shaking almost any plant causes a torrent of flower drop. Oh, this is not right. Not right at all.
First thing that occurs to me at this point is "pests". But I look over them, no webs for spider mites, no mealy bug, not a lot of anything.
But the new growth is crispy deformed and black, and while some chillis like the thai super and apache (the dwarf ones notably) are managing to still struggle through, the Jalapeno, the hot wax and cayenne, scotch bonnet, habanero, the list goes on. All struggling.
I begin to doubt my chilli growing abilities. What have I done?
If this sounds familiar - then get yourself a magnifying glass, a good strong light source, and a pair of good eyes. We're going mite hunting!
What are you looking for? Something smaller than a full stop (that's a period to you Americans), on the underside of the leaf. That's right, smaller than this ---> .
They appear to be white, they're like a grain of white pepper, they're about 0.2mm, and they move pretty fast (can walk width of a leaf in about 10 seconds kind of fast). Many people say they're not visible to the naked eye but they most certainly are, although all you can see is a tiny white bit of moving dandruff.
Put your magnifying glass up against them and you really dont get much detail.
The important bit to note is that part of identifying you have them is seeing them moving. Stationary white dots are probably not broad mite, they almost always are on the move in my experience.
Here's a youtube video I managed to get of them - this was with a usb microscope. I'm not entirely sure of the magnification I was using but it would be around 100x at a guess. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXoXMNwcF-w
As you can see from the title of the video, I had not identified them at this point.
So - from the title, I say I won. Well, it's too early to say, but I did eradicate them around a month ago and have yet to see any signs, and from what I can see online, that's actually the best result you can really expect with these microscopic monsters.
So - what's the deal? Well, I did not want to use any pesticides or chemicals. Firstly, because I studied a lot of forums, a lot of websites, a lot of commercial products, and I didn't want that stuff on my peppers. I'd rather throw them all away, get out the bleach, do a once over, and wait until next year. Which to be honest, I thought that's what I'd have to do. Maybe it still is, but we'll see.
So, lets go over what we know about these pests, and gather our options:
1. They are tiny
2. Because of the unique way they attack plants, especially capsicum it seems, they really do kill the plant off, or at least, bring it to its knees and make it incapable of producing any fruit or growth, which is pretty much dead in my eyes.
3. You only need a few to get this extent of damage. I've read that just five insects can cause symptoms to begin.
4. They breed pretty fast, similar to spider mites.
5. They are territorial, so while you will see them on new growth, they are always fairly spread out, you don't get bunches of them, you get a few on every leaf in my experience. Even on older growth if they so choose.
6. They are always on the underside of the leaf in my experience. Usually toward the central vein.
7. They are hard to kill with pesticides.
8. Commercial growers use miticide in combination with "good" mites, predatory mites that have been shown in studies to really gobble up the broad mites. There is very compelling evidence that predatory mites, amblyseius cucumeris especially, can bring an infestation into check fast.
9. They are intolerant to high temperatures, above 40C, in all lifecycle stages
Point 9, a little known fact actually, was the key. I found some obscure references to using temperature against them. I found some had tried raising temperature in air, but had failed. But there really was no information other than a brief paragraph or so online about cyclamen mites (closely related) and hot water.
So - how was this going to work?
Well here's what I did.
- dispose of any badly infested or non crucial plants. Bring the odds in your favour.
- prune all remaining fruit off the plants, edible or otherwise, you want the plant to concentrate on recovery after what you're about to do to it, so remove all the fruits.
- cover the pots WELL with plastic bags. You will be surprised just how much soil can leak out of even a securely bagged up pot, so be prepared for a muddy mess.
- if you have any large plants > 3ft or so, either trim them down or bin those plants, because submersion in entirety is really really important.
- Get yourself some weights. Not concrete or brick, stuff like a few plant trays. But make sure you have sterilised it first if you think there might be mites on it - boiling water would work I guess.
- You need need need an accurate thermometer. I used an infra red digital gun thermometer, they're cheap enough now that I would recommend anyone gets one, they have so many uses.
- You also need a stopwatch or timer.
All ready? Take them to the bathroom. And now's the time to be thorough. Remember, if just a couple of mites survive, you're going to have to do this all over again. And trust me, you won't want to do it all over again.
Run the bath to as deep as you can and you need the water to be 43 degrees C. Not 44, not 42. You need exactly 43. Now, don't worry about maintaining that temperature once the plants are in, you have a bath full of water, it will stay hot for a while, trust me. But bear in mind the surface will be cooler than the bulk of the water, so swirl it with a stick. Use your hands if you like but I found 43C to be quite uncomfortable.
Once you're at 43C - put your plants in and set the timer/stopwatch. You need 15 minutes. No more or less.
Now is also a good time to wipe your windowsill, window surfaces and/or spray them with dettol or other bleach solutions. I really don't know whether broad mites hang out away from plants, but it's prudent to take a few minutes to clean up, it can't hurt.
When 15 minutes is up remove the plants, stand them up, and don't be surprised if they look like boiled cabbage.
Now be warned. Your chilli plants won't much like 43C either. All my plants lost their leaves. All of the leaves dropped off within 24 hours of the "dunking". I thought that was it, I'd killed them. But alas, they all survived, new growth came in very soon, within a week, and that new growth almost invariably came with flowers!
So here we are. Let's hope they don't come back in a hurry. I will of course update this later on.
UPDATE: 19 Aug 2013 - Almost 2 months have passed and no sign yet of a return of the mites. Growth and fruiting are good on some plants, other plants are still struggling. The plants I abandoned into the garden and did not treat are NOT doing well, and have no flowers or fruit, so the treatment option wins so far.
2ND UPDATE: 25 Sept 2013 - Another month and almost the end of the season, and not a mite in sight. A reasonable harvest too considering how many plants I had to destroy. I think we can safely say this was a success, and I highly recommend this as a treatment.
A few days later: I notice that a few other plants are having a LOT of dropped flowers. Weird, I think. I do a bit of research, I decide I'm probably overwatering them, so I cut back on the water a bit.
A week later: Now it's concerning. I see that the new growth on many of my chillis, about 70% of them, is black and dropping off. Shaking almost any plant causes a torrent of flower drop. Oh, this is not right. Not right at all.
First thing that occurs to me at this point is "pests". But I look over them, no webs for spider mites, no mealy bug, not a lot of anything.
But the new growth is crispy deformed and black, and while some chillis like the thai super and apache (the dwarf ones notably) are managing to still struggle through, the Jalapeno, the hot wax and cayenne, scotch bonnet, habanero, the list goes on. All struggling.
I begin to doubt my chilli growing abilities. What have I done?
If this sounds familiar - then get yourself a magnifying glass, a good strong light source, and a pair of good eyes. We're going mite hunting!
What are you looking for? Something smaller than a full stop (that's a period to you Americans), on the underside of the leaf. That's right, smaller than this ---> .
They appear to be white, they're like a grain of white pepper, they're about 0.2mm, and they move pretty fast (can walk width of a leaf in about 10 seconds kind of fast). Many people say they're not visible to the naked eye but they most certainly are, although all you can see is a tiny white bit of moving dandruff.
Put your magnifying glass up against them and you really dont get much detail.
The important bit to note is that part of identifying you have them is seeing them moving. Stationary white dots are probably not broad mite, they almost always are on the move in my experience.
Here's a youtube video I managed to get of them - this was with a usb microscope. I'm not entirely sure of the magnification I was using but it would be around 100x at a guess. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXoXMNwcF-w
As you can see from the title of the video, I had not identified them at this point.
So - from the title, I say I won. Well, it's too early to say, but I did eradicate them around a month ago and have yet to see any signs, and from what I can see online, that's actually the best result you can really expect with these microscopic monsters.
So - what's the deal? Well, I did not want to use any pesticides or chemicals. Firstly, because I studied a lot of forums, a lot of websites, a lot of commercial products, and I didn't want that stuff on my peppers. I'd rather throw them all away, get out the bleach, do a once over, and wait until next year. Which to be honest, I thought that's what I'd have to do. Maybe it still is, but we'll see.
So, lets go over what we know about these pests, and gather our options:
1. They are tiny
2. Because of the unique way they attack plants, especially capsicum it seems, they really do kill the plant off, or at least, bring it to its knees and make it incapable of producing any fruit or growth, which is pretty much dead in my eyes.
3. You only need a few to get this extent of damage. I've read that just five insects can cause symptoms to begin.
4. They breed pretty fast, similar to spider mites.
5. They are territorial, so while you will see them on new growth, they are always fairly spread out, you don't get bunches of them, you get a few on every leaf in my experience. Even on older growth if they so choose.
6. They are always on the underside of the leaf in my experience. Usually toward the central vein.
7. They are hard to kill with pesticides.
8. Commercial growers use miticide in combination with "good" mites, predatory mites that have been shown in studies to really gobble up the broad mites. There is very compelling evidence that predatory mites, amblyseius cucumeris especially, can bring an infestation into check fast.
9. They are intolerant to high temperatures, above 40C, in all lifecycle stages
Point 9, a little known fact actually, was the key. I found some obscure references to using temperature against them. I found some had tried raising temperature in air, but had failed. But there really was no information other than a brief paragraph or so online about cyclamen mites (closely related) and hot water.
So - how was this going to work?
Well here's what I did.
- dispose of any badly infested or non crucial plants. Bring the odds in your favour.
- prune all remaining fruit off the plants, edible or otherwise, you want the plant to concentrate on recovery after what you're about to do to it, so remove all the fruits.
- cover the pots WELL with plastic bags. You will be surprised just how much soil can leak out of even a securely bagged up pot, so be prepared for a muddy mess.
- if you have any large plants > 3ft or so, either trim them down or bin those plants, because submersion in entirety is really really important.
- Get yourself some weights. Not concrete or brick, stuff like a few plant trays. But make sure you have sterilised it first if you think there might be mites on it - boiling water would work I guess.
- You need need need an accurate thermometer. I used an infra red digital gun thermometer, they're cheap enough now that I would recommend anyone gets one, they have so many uses.
- You also need a stopwatch or timer.
All ready? Take them to the bathroom. And now's the time to be thorough. Remember, if just a couple of mites survive, you're going to have to do this all over again. And trust me, you won't want to do it all over again.
Run the bath to as deep as you can and you need the water to be 43 degrees C. Not 44, not 42. You need exactly 43. Now, don't worry about maintaining that temperature once the plants are in, you have a bath full of water, it will stay hot for a while, trust me. But bear in mind the surface will be cooler than the bulk of the water, so swirl it with a stick. Use your hands if you like but I found 43C to be quite uncomfortable.
Once you're at 43C - put your plants in and set the timer/stopwatch. You need 15 minutes. No more or less.
Now is also a good time to wipe your windowsill, window surfaces and/or spray them with dettol or other bleach solutions. I really don't know whether broad mites hang out away from plants, but it's prudent to take a few minutes to clean up, it can't hurt.
When 15 minutes is up remove the plants, stand them up, and don't be surprised if they look like boiled cabbage.
Now be warned. Your chilli plants won't much like 43C either. All my plants lost their leaves. All of the leaves dropped off within 24 hours of the "dunking". I thought that was it, I'd killed them. But alas, they all survived, new growth came in very soon, within a week, and that new growth almost invariably came with flowers!
So here we are. Let's hope they don't come back in a hurry. I will of course update this later on.
UPDATE: 19 Aug 2013 - Almost 2 months have passed and no sign yet of a return of the mites. Growth and fruiting are good on some plants, other plants are still struggling. The plants I abandoned into the garden and did not treat are NOT doing well, and have no flowers or fruit, so the treatment option wins so far.
2ND UPDATE: 25 Sept 2013 - Another month and almost the end of the season, and not a mite in sight. A reasonable harvest too considering how many plants I had to destroy. I think we can safely say this was a success, and I highly recommend this as a treatment.
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